When the 3:30 ET television window opened, there were still three divisions left to decide and two conference championship games unsettled. As that afternoon window closed, just one division, and thus one league title game, remains undecided.
Coming into Week 13, the Sun Belt East was simple and straightforward: the winner of the Appalachian State-Troy game would claim the division title. There wasn’t much mystery in the outcome of that contest as, after jumping out to a 21-3 halftime lead, the Mountaineers cruised the rest of the way to a 21-10 home win over the Trojans.
In the West, three teams, Arkansas State, Louisiana and Louisiana-Monroe, were still alive in the divisional race, although the Ragin’ Cajuns merely needed to beat their rival Warhawks in a head-to-head matchup to claim the crown. And, as it turns out, that’s exactly how things played out as the Team Formerly Known as Louisiana-Lafayette held off ULM for a 31-28 win.
ULM actually had a chance to tie the game, but a 36-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful as time expired.
Given the twin results, App State and Louisiana will now square off next week in the Sun Belt Conference championship game. The Mountaineers will play host to what will be the first-ever SBC title game a week from today.
App State has won back-to-back co-SBC championships, while Louisiana shared titles in 2005 and 2013. Neither program has claimed a solo conference title at the FBS level.
APP STATE WINS 21-10 AND WILL HOST THE SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HERE AT THE ROCK ON DECEMBER 1ST!!!!!#10Strong#RQ2K18#BeatTroy pic.twitter.com/kXmVyVtFcL
— App State Football (@AppState_FB) November 24, 2018
LOUISIANA WINS the Sun Belt West Championship!
— Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® Football (@RaginCajunsFB) November 24, 2018
NEXT UP: Appalachian State in Boone, N.C. See YOU THERE!#cULture | #GeauxCajuns pic.twitter.com/bQD3AuoCju
The only undecided division up for grabs is the MWC Mountain, with the winner of tonight’s Utah State-Boise State matchup squaring off with Fresno State in the conference championship game next Saturday night.
