The 2012 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 12th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference . The season began August 30, 2012 and concluded January 6, 2013 as part of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I FBS football season . Ten teams participated in the competition: Arkansas State , Florida Atlantic , Florida International , Louisiana–Lafayette , Louisiana–Monroe , Middle Tennessee State , North Texas , South Alabama , Troy and Western Kentucky .
South Alabama competed in the Sun Belt for the first time and became the conference's tenth team. Due to NCAA transitional rules, South Alabama was not eligible for a conference championship or postseason play.
Preseason Award watch lists The following Sun Belt players were named to preseason award watch lists:
Doak Walker Award [2] Player Team Kedrick Rhodes Florida International Benny Cunningham Middle Tennessee Shawn Southward Troy
Sun Belt Media Day The Sun Belt media day was held on 16 July, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Florida International received five first place votes and were selected by the coaches as the favorites to win the conference.[12] Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette each received two first place votes, while Western Kentucky received one.
Coaches Poll Position Team Votes First-place votes 1 Florida International 92 5 2 Arkansas State 85 2 3 Louisiana–Lafayette 81 2 4 Western Kentucky 70 1 5 Troy 60 6 Louisiana–Monroe 47 7 Middle Tennessee 42 8 North Texas 36 9 Florida Atlantic 23 10 South Alabama 14
Preseason All–Conference Team The head coaches of the competing teams selected their All–Conference Team.[13] The coaches also selected Ryan Aplin of Arkansas State as the preseason offensive player of the year, and Tourek Williams of Florida International as the preseason defensive player of the year.
Defense Position Name Team DL Isame Faciane Florida International DL Tourek Williams Florida International DL Tony Davis Troy DL Quanterus Smith Western Kentucky LB Andrew Jackson Western Kentucky LB Winston Fraser Florida International LB Kanorris Davis Troy DB Brynden Trawick Troy DB Jonathan Cyprien Florida International DB Don Jones Arkansas State DB Melvin White Louisiana–Lafayette
Specialists Position Name Team PK Brett Baer Louisiana–Lafayette P Will Atterberry North Texas RS John Evans Western Kentucky
Coaches NOTE: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season
Sun Belt vs. BCS AQ Conference matchups Regular season Index to colors and formatting Sun Belt member won Sun Belt member lost Sun Belt teams in bold
The Sun Belt has teams in two different time zones. Times reflect start time in respective time zone of each team (all teams central time except for Florida Atlantic and Florida International which are in eastern time). Conference games start times are that of the home team.
Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll for that week, until week eight when the BCS poll was used.
Week 1 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance August 30 6:30 PM McNeese St Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 L 21-2718,690 August 31 8:00 PM Wagner Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ESPN3 W 7-314,510 September 1 11:00 AM Troy UAB Legion Field • Birmingham, AL Fox College Sports W 39-2928,612 September 1 1:00 PM UTSA South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN3 L 31-3317,144 September 1 6:00 PM North Texas #3 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPNU L 14-4192,059 September 1 6:00 PM Austin Peay Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPN3 W 49-1016,327 September 1 6:00 PM Lamar Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN3/Ragin Cajuns Network W 40-025,803 September 1 7:00 PM Florida International Duke Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC ESPN3 L 26-4631,117 September 1 9:30 PM Arkansas State #5 Oregon Autzen Stadium • Eugene, OR ESPN L 34-5756,144
Players of the week:[14]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Shawn Southward Troy De'Von Terry Troy Brett Baer Louisiana–Lafayette
Week 2 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 8 2:30 PM Western Kentucky #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL SEC Network L 0-35101,821 September 8 4:00 PM Nicholls State South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN3 W 9–315,237 September 8 6:00 PM Memphis Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 W 33-2828,041 September 8^ 6:00 PM #8 Arkansas Louisiana-Monroe War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, AR ESPNU W 34-31 OT53,089 September 8 6:00 PM Texas Southern North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX TXA21 W 34-722,259 September 8 6:00 PM Akron Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPN3 W 41-3815,685 September 8 6:00 PM Florida Atlantic Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 MT 31-1716,227 September 8 6:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN3 ULL 37-2417,981
^ Neutral site
Players of the week:[15]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kolton Browning Louisiana-Monroe Jemarlous Moten Louisiana-Lafayette Brett Baer (2) Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 3 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 15 11:00 AM Louisiana-Monroe Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL SEC Network L 28-31 OT85,214 September 15 11:00 AM Arkansas State Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE ESPN2 L 13-4285,290 September 15 11:00 AM Louisiana-Lafayette Oklahoma State Boone Pickens Stadium • Stillwater, OK FSN L 24-6556,062 September 15 4:00 PM Florida International UCF Bright House Networks Stadium • Orlando, FL CSS L 20-3340,478 September 15 5:00 PM South Alabama NC State Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC ESPN3 L 7-3154,132 September 15 6:00 PM Mississippi State Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN3 L 24-3029,013 September 15 6:00 PM Western Kentucky Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY ESPNU W 32-31 OT53,980 September 15 6:00 PM Middle Tennessee Memphis Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TN W 48-3027,113 September 15 6:00 PM North Texas #15 Kansas State Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium • Manhattan, KS FSN L 21-3550,290 September 15 6:30 PM Florida Atlantic #7 Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA CSS L 20-5692,746
Players of the week:[16]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Antonio Andrews Western Kentucky Jonathan Dowling Western Kentucky Hendrix Brakefield Western Kentucky
Week 4 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 21 7:00 PM Baylor Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ESPN^ L 42-4731,175 September 22 4:00 PM Florida Atlantic #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL PPV L 7-40101,821 September 22 6:00 PM #18 Louisville Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPN3 L 21-2812,318 September 22 6:00 PM Southern Miss Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPN3 W 42-1723,252 September 22 6:00 PM Alcorn St. Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 W 56-021,559 September 22 6:00 PM South Alabama #23 Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS Bulldog Sports L 10-3055,186 September 22 6:00 PM Troy North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX ESPN3 Troy 14-721,823
^ULM-Baylor game was most watched Sun Belt game on ESPN in history.
Players of the week:[17]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Antonio Andrews (2) Western Kentucky Brynden Trawick Troy Will Scott Troy
Week 5 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 29 11:30 AM Middle Tennessee Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA ACC RSN W 49-2839,270 September 29 2:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe Tulane Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, LA CST W 63-1018,063 September 29 2:30 PM Troy South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL SBN Troy 31-1023,789 September 29 4:00 PM North Texas Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ESPN3 UNT 20-1413,888 September 29 6:00 PM Florida International Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN3 ULL 48-2021,109 September 29 6:00 PM Western Kentucky Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 WKU 26-1625,160
Players of the week:[18]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Benny Cunningham Middle Tennessee Quanterus Smith Western Kentucky Brett Baer (3) Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 6 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 4 6:30 PM Arkansas State Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPNU ASU 34-2013,612 October 6 2:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN SBN ULM 31-1721,067 October 6 4:00 PM Tulane Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA RCN/Cox4/ESPN3 ULL 41-1329,758 October 6 6:00 PM North Texas Houston Robertson Stadium • Houston, TX CSS L 21-4425,476
Players of the week:[19]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kolton Browning (2) Louisiana-Monroe Qushaun Lee Arkansas State Brett Baer (4) Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 7 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 11 6:30 PM Western Kentucky Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPNU WKU 31-2616,426 October 13 5:00 PM Middle Tennessee Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL MT 34-3015,234 October 13 6:00 PM South Alabama Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ASU 36-2922,143 October 13 7:00 PM Florida Atlantic Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA SBN/CSS ULM 35-1416,782
Players of the week:[20]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Benny Cunningham (2) Middle Tennessee Nathan Herrold Arkansas State Michel Chapuseaux South Alabama
Week 8 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 16 8:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX ESPN2 UNT 30-2317,055 October 20 12:00 PM Florida International Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL SBN/CSS Troy 38-3717,354 October 20 2:30 PM Florida Atlantic South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL USA 37-3417,566 October 20 3:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPN3 ULM 43-4222,323 October 20 6:00 PM Middle Tennessee Mississippi St Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS ESPN2 L 3-4555,108
Players of the week:[21]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kolton Browning (3) Louisiana-Monroe Zach Orr North Texas Pat Moore South Alabama
Week 9 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 23 7:00 PM Arkansas State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN2 ASU 50-2719,873 October 27 2:30 PM North Texas Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 MT 38-2114,102 October 27 4:00 PM Troy Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL FAU 34-2711,968 October 27 5:00 PM Western Kentucky Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPN3 WKU 14-612,842 October 27 6:00 PM South Alabama Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ULM 38-2414,556
Players of the week:[22]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Logan Kilgore Middle Tennessee Quanterus Smith (2) Western Kentucky Brian Davis Arkansas State
Week 10 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance November 1 8:15 PM Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPNU MT 34-2917,327 November 3 11:00 AM Troy Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN SEC Regional L 48-5584,189 November 3 2:30 PM Florida Atlantic Navy Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, MD CBSSN L 17-2429,326 November 3 3:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA SBN/ESPN3 ULL 40-2420,203 November 3 3:30 PM Florida International South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL FIU 28-2011,936 November 3 4:00 PM Arkansas State North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX ASU 37-1917,534
Players of the week:[23]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Terrance Broadway Louisiana-Lafayette Jordan Hunt Florida International Reggie Whatley Middle Tennessee
Week 11 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance November 8 6:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPNU ASU 45-2330,243 November 10 11:20 AM Louisiana-Lafayette Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL SEC Regional L 20-2786,482 November 10 12:00 PM Florida Atlantic Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY SBN FAU 37-2814,185 November 10 2:30 PM Navy Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN3 W 41-3124,321 November 10 4:30 PM South Alabama North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX UNT 24-1415,963
Players of the week:[24]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Ryan Aplin Arkansas State Emeka Onyenekwu Louisiana-Lafayette Will Scott (2) Troy
Week 12 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance November 16 7:00 PM Florida International Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ESPNU FIU 34-2415,405 November 17 2:30 PM Arkansas State Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL IMG Sports ASU 41-3420,614 November 17 2:30 PM Middle Tennessee South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL MT 20-1215,087 November 17 3:00 PM North Texas Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ESPN3 ULM 42-1614,079 November 17 6:00 PM Western Kentucky Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN3 ULL 31-2720,314
Players of the week:[25]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Ryan Aplin (2) Arkansas State Jajuan Harley Middle Tennessee Richard Leonard Florida International
Week 13 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance November 24 12:00 PM North Texas Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY SBN WKU 25-2411,074 November 24 2:30 PM Troy Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 MT 24-2118,605 November 24 4:00 PM South Alabama Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA RCN/ESPN3 ULL 52-3020,333 November 24 TBD Louisiana-Monroe Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ULM 23-1712,115
Players of the week:[26]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Antonio Andrews (3) Western Kentucky Kevin Byard Middle Tennessee Michel Chapuseaux (2) South Alabama
Week 14 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance December 1 2:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ULL 35-2111,522 December 1 2:00 PM Middle Tennessee Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 ASU 45-031,243 December 1 6:00 PM South Alabama Hawaii Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Root L 7-2327,865
Players of the week:[27]
Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Ryan Aplin (3) Arkansas State Nathan Herrold (2) Arkansas State Brian Davis (2) Arkansas State
Bowl games The Sun Belt placed four teams in bowl games with five teams bowl eligible in 2012. This was the highest number of SBC bowl teams in the conference's history. Only Middle Tennessee was not selected for a bowl.[28] Two Sun Belt teams made their first bowl games in school history: Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Monroe.
NOTE: All times are local
Home attendance Team Stadium (Capacity) Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Total Average % of Capacity Arkansas State Liberty Bank Stadium (30,964)28,041 21,559 25,160 22,143 30,243 31,243 158,389 26,398 85.3% Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium (30,000)14,510 13,888 11,968 15,405 11,522 67,293 13,459 44.9% Florida International FIU Stadium (23,500)15,685 12,318 13,612 15,234 12,842 12,115 81,806 13,634 58.0% Louisiana–Lafayette Cajun Field (31,000)25,803 21,109 29,758 19,873 20,314 20,333 137,190 22,865 73.8% Louisiana–Monroe Malone Stadium (30,427)31,175 16,782 14,556 20,203 14,079 96,795 19,359 63.6% Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium (30,788)18,690 16,227 21,067 14,102 18,605 88,691 17,738 57.6% North Texas Apogee Stadium (30,850)22,259 21,823 17,055 17,534 15,963 94,634 18,927 61.4% South Alabama Ladd–Peebles Stadium (33,471)17,144 15,237 23,789 17,566 11,936 15,087 100,759 16,793 50.2% Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium (30,000)17,981 29,013 16,426 17,354 24,321 20,614 125,709 20,952 69.8% Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (22,000)16,327 23,252 22,323 17,327 14,185 11,074 104,488 17,415 79.2%
References