Program Rankings and Week One Preview: Sun Belt Conference

With college football camps opening for the 2010 college football season, it is time to begin unveiling my new Program Rankings, along with a small Week One preview. Keep in mind, these are not my preseason rankings...these reflect the last five seasons, which is a solid representation of where a program lies (in my opinion). Anything past five years ago shouldn't be factored in. Here goes nothing:

Sun Belt Conference:
1. Troy (54 overall)
2. Middle Tennessee State (61 overall)
3. Florida Atlantic (72 overall)
4. Louisiana-Lafayette (84 overall)
5. Arkansas State (88 overall)
6. Louisiana-Monroe (105 overall)
7. North Texas (114 overall)
8. Florida International (117 overall)
9. Western Kentucky (120 overall)

Though the program rankings are adjusted week to week, there likely won't be any changes after Week One within the Sun Belt. The only possible change would be Arkansas State leapfrogging UL-Lafayette with an upset miracle victory at Auburn.

The Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee have the most winnable game against a BCS foe, as they host Minnesota. (Props to the Gophers, by the way, for having the guts to play a Sun Belt team on the road). MTSU has experience defeating favored squads--just ask Maryland, who lost to them in both 2008 and 2009. The team from Murfreesboro doesn't have the track record to overtake Troy yet in the 5-year program rankings, but they do start the 2010 season as the highest-ranked Sun Belt team (#63), and they are my favorites to win the 2010 Sun Belt championship.

Despite winning the conference a year ago, Troy will start the 2010 season a couple of spots behind the Blue Raiders at #65 overall. They will be favored in their opening match at home against Bowling Green.

The most winnable road game will be played by Florida Atlantic when they travel to Conference USA opponent Alabama-Birmingham.

UL-Lafayette, North Texas, and Western Kentucky will join the afore-mentioned Arkansas State in collecting BCS payouts to heavily-favored teams on the road. They play at Georgia, Clemson, and Nebraska, respectively.

UL-Monroe and Florida International have byes in Week One. I'm sure their coaches are telling the media that the bye week comes at the perfect time (hypothetically assuming, of course, that there is actual media that covers UL-Monroe and Florida International).