Check out the CSD preview for the Sun Belt Conference’s 2019 season in this loaded preview featuring in-depth coverage of everything you need to know about all ten teams, projected records based on thousands of computer simulations, and a list of the top players in the conference.
2019 Unit Rankings
QB | RB | WR/TE | OL | DL | LB | DB |
1. North Texas | 1. charlotte | 1. louisana tech | 1. florida atlantic | 1. marshall | 1. middle tennessee | 1. fiu |
2. Southern Miss | 2. uab | 2. north texas | 2. marshall | 2. fiu | 2. uab | 2. louisiana tech |
3. Florida atlantic | 3. florida atlantic | 3. fiu | 3. fiu | 3. southern miss | 3. marshall | 3. southern miss |
All-Conference USA Team
Offense
QB – Mason Fine, North Texas
RB – Benny Lemay, Charlotte
RB – Spencer Brown, UAB
WR – Rico Bussey, North Texas
WR – Adrian Hardy, Louisiana Tech
WR – Ty Lee, Middle Tennessee (or Quez Watkins, Southern Miss if he returns)
TE – Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
C – Levi Brown, Marshall
OL – BJ Etienne, Florida Atlantic
OL – Brandon Walton, Florida Atlantic
OL – Miles Pate, Western Kentucky
OL – D’Antne Demery, FIU
Defense
DL – Teair Tart, FIU
DL – Juwuan Jones, Western Kentucky
DL – Jacques Turner, Southern Miss
DL – Alex Highsmith, Charlotte
LB – Khalil Brooks, Middle Tennessee
LB – Sage Lewis, FIU
LB – Rashad Smith, Florida Atlantic
LB – DQ Thomas, Middle Tennessee
DB – Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
DB – Ben DeLuca, Charlotte
DB – Brontae Harris, UAB
DB – Stantley Thomas-Oliver, FIU
Awards
Offensive POY: QB Mason Fine – North Texas
Defensive POY: LB Khalil Brooks – Middle Tennessee
Freshman OTY: CB DeShawn Gaddie – North Texas
Newcomer OTY: RB BJ Emmons – Florida Atlantic
Coach OTY: Doc Holliday – Marshall
Game OTY: FIU @ Marshall (November 30th)
Breakout Player: QB Tyler Johnston III, UAB
EAST

T1. Marshall
Top Returning Players: IDL Channing Harnes
Notable Players Leaving: WR Tyre Brady, LB Chase Hancock, LB Frankie Hernandez, S Malik Gant
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 61st
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Rankings: 67th
Average Projected Record: 7.9 wins, 4.1 losses (5.5 wins, 2.5 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Marshall Thundering Herd Team Preview

T1. Florida Atlantic
Top Returning Players: TE Harrison Bryant, LB Rashad Smith
Notable Players Leaving: RB Devin Singletary, WR Jovon Durante, IDL Steven Leggertt
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 77th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking 79th
Average Projected Record: 7.6 wins, 4.4 losses (5.5 wins, 2.5 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Florida Atlantic Owls Team Preview

3. FIU
Top Returning Players: WR Austin Maloney, LB Sage Lewis, CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, S Dorian Hall, S Richard Dames
Notable Players Leaving: WR C.J. Worton, IDL Anthony Johnson
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 83rd
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 83rd
Average Projected Record: 7.2 wins, 4.8 losses (4.7 wins, 3.3 losses)

4. Middle Tennessee
Notable Players Leaving: QB Brent Stockstill, S Wesley Bush
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 68th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 94th
Average Projected Record: 6.2 wins, 5.8 losses (4.5 wins, 3.5 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Team Preview

5. Western Kentucky
Top Returning Players: T Miles Pate, EDGE Deangelo Malone, CB Ta’Corian Darden
Notable Players Leaving: LB Ben Holt
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 113th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 105th
Average Projected Record: 5.3 wins, 6.7 losses (3.4 wins, 4.6 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Team Preview

T6. Old Dominion
Top Returning Players: CB Joe Joe Headen
Notable Players Leaving: QB Blake LaRussa, WR Travis Fulgham, EDGE Oshane Ximines
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 114th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 115th
Average Projected Record: 4.3 wins, 7.7 losses (2.6 wins, 5.4 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Old Dominion Monarchs Team Preview

T6. Charlotte
Top Returning Players: T Cameron Clark, WR Victor Tucker, EDGE Alex Highsmith, CB Natees Lyon, LB Jeff Gemmell, S Ben DeLuca
Notable Players Leaving: LB Juwan Foggie
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 105th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 114th
Average Projected Record: 4.5 wins, 7.6 losses (2.6 wins, 5.4 losses)
WEST

1. North Texas
Top Returning Players: QB Mason Fine, RB DeAndre Torrey, WR Rico Bussey Jr., EDGE LaDarius Hamilton, S Khairi Muhammad
Notable Players Returning: IDL
Ulaiasi Tauaalo, LB E.J. Ejiya, LB Brandon Garner, CB Kemon Hall, CB Nate Brooks
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 78th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking 80th
Average Projected Record: 7.7 wins, 4.3 losses (5.5 wins, 2.5 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 North Texas Mean Green Team Preview

2. Southern Miss
Top Returning Players: EDGE Jacques Turner, LB Racheem Boothe, S Ky’El Hemby
Notable Players Leaving: WR Quez Watkins, S Xavier Marion
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 92nd
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 82nd
Average Projected Record: 6.7 wins, 5.3 losses (5.2 wins, 2.8 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Southern Miss Golden Eagles Team Preview

3. UAB
Top Returning Players: QB Tyler Johnston III, CB Brontae Harris, LB Kristopher Moll
Notable Players Leaving: WR Xavier Ubosi, WR Andre Wilson, IDL Anthony Rush, IDL Quindarius Thagard, EDGE Tre’ Crawford, LB Chris Woolbright, CB D.A. Williams, S Mar’Sean Diggs
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 71st
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 91st
Average Projected Record: 7.8 wins, 4.2 losses (5.0 wins, 3.0 losses)

4. Louisiana Tech
Top Returning Players: WR Adrian Hardy, CB Amik Robertson, CB L’Jarius Sneed
Notable Players Leaving: EDGE Jaylon Ferguson
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 93rd
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 87th
Average Projected Record: 7.5 wins, 4.5 losses (4.8 wins, 3.2 losses)
Click Here to Read the 2019 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Team Preview

5. UTSA
Top Returning Players: EDGE Lorenzo Dantzler, EDGE Jarrod Carter-McLin
Notable Players Leaving: LB Josiah Tauaefa, S C.J. Levine
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 127th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 119th
Average Projected Record: 4.2 wins, 7.8 losses (2.8 wins, 5.2 losses)

T6. Rice
Top Returning Players: IDL Myles Adams
Notable Players LeavingL EDGE Roe Wilkins, IDL Zach Abercrumbia
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 123rd
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 127th
Average Projected Record: 2.5 wins, 9.5 losses (1.9 wins, 6.1 losses)

T6. UTEP
Notable Players Leaving: LB Jamar Smith, CB Nik Needham, S Kahani Smith
Final 2018 CSD Prime Ranking: 126th
Projected 2019 CSD Prime Ranking: 130th
Average Projected Record: 3.5 wins, 8.5 losses (1.9 wins, 6.1 losses)