O5 upset chances vs P5 in weekend 1

 Ain't no way Leach let's Memphis(AAC) hang around too long. It's time for him to prove he was a good hire for Miss St(SEC). Dawgs return 16 starters. Miss St 30 Memphis 22.

Miami-Ohio(MAC) will give UK (SEC) a tough first half, but Levis will get the Wildcats in gear in the second half. UK  37 M-O 19

Kent St flashes some O but will fall on the road at UW(Pac12)  UW 23 Kent 20

Chase Brice  will get Appy(SunBelt) an upset win in week 1 at UNC(ACC). APP 26 UNC 25

And UCLA will get by Bowling Green behind veteran QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. UCLA 30 BG 20 BTW, Bowling Green will be the first team from the MAC to play in the Rose Bowl, and it's also their first-ever matchup. 

Sept , 2 2022

I didn't guess on this game but OK St allowed 22 points in the 4Q to make the final look decent for C.Mich (MAC). I 'm sure the Cowboys subs were in . OKST 58- CMU 44

Sept 4, wrap up

Leach had his dawgs ready. Miss St 49 MEM 23

I got damn close on this score UK 37 M-O 13

Flashes batteries faded except for Cephas ( 6 rec, 105 yards) UW 45 Kent St 20

Off in so many ways on this one:  After App missed a 2 point conversion with 31 seconds to go, I watched another game. Both teams scored again- wow. UNC 63 App 61

Bowling Green hung with UCLA for a half. UCLA 45 BG 20.  

 Noteworthy: Houston needed a big second half comeback to be UTSA. Ohio roared back to beat FAU. Is Willie Taggert sweating? James Madison rolled MTSU(CUSA)

Rising SunBelt 2022 football hunches

 Time to see what a wild off-season looks like on the field

In the West, ULL is a favorite with many but replacing QB Levi Lewis may not be as easy the Cajuns hope. Perhaps they take a nap w/o Napier? Troy has the talent towin the West

I'm keep my eyes on Butch Jones who recruited well for Ark St, and Terry Bowden should get more out of ULM this season.

It's difficult to not pick App St, but a healthy McCall will keep CCU in the East race all season. #herd could do some stomping if they get the QB situation resolved.

Earlier off-season blog https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2022/01/sunbelt-2023-or-2022-expansion.html

August 17, 2022

 I forgot about this: Texas St HC Spavital made headlines in 2021 when he went with an all-transfer portal approach in recruiting. Bobcats went from two to four wins and haven't had a winning season since 2014.

Aug 23, 2022

Two MAC/Sun Belt Conference games will be televised by the NFL Network in 2022.

Eastern Michigan Eagles of the MAC will travel to take on the ULL Ragin’ Cajuns of the Sun Belt on Saturday, Sept. 10. Series history is 1-1.

Sept. 17, the Bowling Green Falcons of the MAC will host the Marshall Thundering Herd of the Sun Belt. BG has won 21 of 29 games again the #herd

AAC 2022 football hunches

 While the big AAC debate appears to be about the Cincy and Houston, the two teams, headed to the Big 12 in 2023, I want to give a shout out to Jamie Romo, an Annapolis, MD kid playing OL for Navy. His grandfather, Leon "Red" Romo, played football at LSU.

I'm giving Cincy proper respect for winning the AAC title and cracking the F4 ceiling last season, and it gets a big test in its opener @ Arkansas(SEC). Unfortunately, Cincy will not face Holgorsen's Cougars in the regular season. Houston's toughest OOC game is @ Texas Tech(BIG12) on Sept. 10.

SMU and Memphis could get in the mix since each has a gunslinger to apply the offensive pressure. Tanner Merdecai for the Mustangs and Seth Henigan for the Tigers could be difference makers.

Aug 9, 2022

 First-team All-MAC linebacker Ivan Pace transfers in from Miami (Ohio) and joins his brother Deshawn to bolster Cats LB corps. They are local Cincy kids.

Gerry Bohanon, an ex-starting QB at Baylor, has not locked up the QB1 job at USF, and remains in a battle with Timmy McClain.

Aug 16, 2022

Bohannon gets the nod to start in its opener against BYU, and McClain enters the transfer portal. SOP these days.

aug 24, 2022

Guz Malzahn named John Rhys Plumlee, a transfer from Ol Miss, the starting quarterback at UCF. He beat out Mikey Keene, who played last year amid Dillon Gabriel’s injury.

Dallas/Ft worth area got hit with 9.19 inches of rain in a 24-hour period this week, and now only a small patch of turf remains above water on SMU's football field at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. 

MAC pigskin 2022 could be an Ohio-centric story

 If Kent St opening schedule doesn't bang them up too much, the MAC games may be a break.

Miami Ohio receiver Jack Sorenson is done, but 48-catch veteran Mac Hippenhammer returns and they'll need him to catch Kent St in the East. A lot of pundits think Buffalo will finish high. I'm not so sure.

NIU and CMU finish tied atop the West in 2021. However, Dequan Finn, Toledo's quarterback, leads a potent offense that may derail NIU. Toledo is at Ohio St on Sept 17. 

Aug 2, 2022

Season 2 for Coach Albin who replaced Solich at Ohio in 2021. They'll rely heaving on an LB corps anchored by Bryce Houston who led the team with 104 tackles last season. 

Probably another rough season and they face Penn St on 9/10.

Ball State ain't getting much love this pre-season, mostly because folks wonder if Paddock is the guy to replace three-year QB starter Drew Plitt. BTW, Plitt is in the Bengals' training camp. 

Akron @ Michigan St. in week 1. What will the P5 do in September if they relegate the other 5 to a different division.