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NCAA Football

Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 2014 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2014-15 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Ragin’ Cajuns

The Sun Belt Conference is led by the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. They shared the Sun Belt Conference title a year ago, but they were well on their way to winning it outright when star quarterback Terrance Broadway went down with an injury.

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NCAA Football

South Alabama Jaguars 2014 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2014-15 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Jaguars

South Alabama just became an FBS football program in 2012. The Jaguars went 2-11 that year. South Alabama was a dominant FCS program, but the transition to FBS started rocky, as one would expect. It hasn’t taken long though.

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Arkansas State Red Wolves 2014 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2014-15 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Red Wolves

Arkansas State has won or tied for the Sun Belt Conference title in three straight seasons. They have also lost three straight very good head coaches at the end of those seasons. First it was Hugh Freeze who left for Mississsippi.

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Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Warhawks

The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks put together their first winning season since joining the FBS ranks in 1994 last season. The 8-5 season included a huge win at Arkansas and a tough overtime loss at Auburn. Louisiana-Monroe showed they were a team to be reckoned with last season, and they return 17 starters and 45 lettermen in 2013.

Sun Belt 2013 College Football Previews: UL-Monroe Warhawks
Head Coach: Todd Berry
2012 Record: 8-5
Louisiana-Monroe Gambling Odds to win BCS Championship: +2,000 (Part of Field)
Louisiana-Monroe Gambling Odds to win Sun Belt Conference: +250

Todd Berry is in his fourth-year at Louisiana-Monroe, and he has successfully changed the expectations at this school. A year ago the fan base was absolutely just hoping for some good things to happen. After last season, expectations are infinitely higher for 2013. In fact, if the Warhawks don’t win the Sun Belt Conference this year this season will likely be considered a disappointment by many.

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Here’s a closer look at the Warhawks strengths and weaknesses heading into the season.

Team Strengths:

Kolton Browning was the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year in 2012. Browning dealt with some injury trouble in the middle of the season, and Louisiana-Monroe wasn’t even close to the same team without him. He is healthy heading into this season, and Browning’s ability to both run and throw the football accurately make him an extremely dangerous weapon.

The Warhawks play a 3-3-5 defense, and the three linebackers in the middle are the strength of this team. Cameron Blakes and Ray Stovall are the major play makers at the linebacker spots, but they have plenty of depth behind them. It also doesn’t hurt that the team has two big run stuffers at the defensive tackle spots.

The big guys on the front line take pressure off the linebackers and allow them to make big plays.

The Warhawks have a solid offensive line which allows Browning to have plenty of time to make his decisions in the pocket. Center Josh Allen is one of the best offensive linemen in the league. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Team Weaknesses:

The secondary is a real problem area here. Louisiana-Monroe’s safeties are pretty good, but the cornerbacks just aren’t good enough in coverage. The coaching staff knows the secondary is their weakness, which is why they have 5 guys deep. Even with five guys deep, the Warhawks were constantly torched by good passing games last year. The 42-17 loss to Ohio in a bowl game last year showed just how much room for improvement there is in the secondary.

The Warhawks offense really needs to find some help for Browning in the running game. Browning is certainly a capable runner, but it isn’t a good thing that he led the team in rushing last season. Louisiana-Monroe needs to take some pressure off him and reduce his risk of injury.

The past two seasons the tailbacks haven’t gotten going at all. That will need to change this year.

2013-2014 Louisiana-Monroe Football Prediction: 9-4

Lousiana-Monroe’s schedule sets up nicely for the team to make a run at the Sun Belt Conference title. Their conference opener at home against Western Kentucky is an absolutely huge matchup.

Their November 30th matchup against Lafayette could very well decide the winner of this league as well. I like that the Warhawks have a difficult non-conference schedule that will get them ready for league action.

Look for Louisiana-Monroe to be a bit better than they were a year ago.

A Sun Belt championship shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

2013 Warhawks Schedule

8/31/13 7:00 PM ET @OKLA
9/7/13 TBD GRAM
9/7/13 7:00 PM ET GRAM
9/14/13 12:30 PM ET @WAKE
9/21/13 TBD @BAY
9/28/13 TBD TULN
10/3/13 7:30 PM ET WKU
10/12/13 7:00 PM ET @TXST
10/26/13 TBD GSU
10/31/13 7:30 PM ET @TROY
11/9/13 TBD ARST
11/23/13 TBD @USA
11/30/13 TBD @ULL

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Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Ragin’ Cajuns

The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns found a great coach in Mark Hudspeth. In three years as head coach of this program, Hudspeth has led Lafayette to an 18-8 record. The Ragin’ Cajuns won the New Orleans Bowl last year to finish 9-4. It was their second straight New Orleans Bowl victory.

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Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky made a ton of progress under head coach Willie Taggart, but Taggart took the head position at South Florida during the offseason. Western Kentucky decided they wanted to hire a big name, and they brought in Bobby Petrino to be their new coach.

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NCAA Football

Troy Trojans 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Trojans

The Troy Trojans got very used to winning the Sun Belt Conference and dominating on an annual basis. The past two years something has gone very wrong. After winning five straight Sun Belt Conference titles between 2006 and 2010, the Trojans have won only eight games in the past two seasons combined.

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Arkansas St. Red Wolves 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Red Wolves

Arkansas State is the defending champion in the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves went 7-1 in the conference and 10-3 overall in 2012. Gus Malzahn left the team for Auburn after last season, and Bryan Harsin will get the chance as the team’s new head man.

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NCAA Football

2013 Sun Belt Conference: NCAA Football Gambling Predictions | Futures

2013 Sun Belt Season Football Preview

Like many conferences, the Sun Belt has a totally different look in 2013. Florida International, Florida Atlantic, MTSU, and North Texas left the conference after last season. Texas State and Georgia State were added to the Sun Belt, so the team now has eight teams.

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NCAA Football

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – W. Kentucky

Western Kentucky started the season 0-4 and it looked like it was going to be another miserable season for the Hilltoppers. The team came together and went 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference to finish 7-5 on the year. This is a team that just a few years ago lost 26 games in a row. Clearly, Willie Taggart is doing something right at Western Kentucky.

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Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – ULM Warhawks

The Sun Belt is one of the fastest rising conferences in college football. Gus Malzahn is the new coach at Arkansas State and Florida International has had a miraculous turnaround with Mario Cristobal.

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NCAA Football

Arkansas St. Red Wolves 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Arkansas St

Arkansas State won the Sun Belt Conference last season. Hugh Freeze did a brilliant job in his first season as the Red Wolves coach, but Freeze left Jonesboro in the offseason to take over the top job at Ole Miss.

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FIU Golden Panthers 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – FIU Golden Panthers

Florida International went 1-26 during a stretch between 2006 and 2008. That’s why it is so impressive that Mario Cristobal has taken this team to the place it is right now. FIU is one of the best in the Sun Belt. The Golden Panthers knocked off Louisville and UCF last year en route to a solid 8-5 year.

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Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

Louisiana Lafayette went 3-9 in 2010, and the team seemed destined for another disappointing year in 2011. Mark Hudspeth took over and changed the program right away. The Ragin’ Cajuns went 9-4 and picked up a bowl victory in his first year with the team.

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Troy Trojans 2012 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2012-13 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Troy Trojans

The Troy Trojans are used to being at the top of the Sun Belt and being one of the best small-conference teams in the nation. After many successful years, the Trojans finished last year at a miserable 3-9. They lost seven of their last eight games.

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NCAA Football

2011 FIU Golden Panthers Gambling Odds | Predictions

2011-2012 Football Previews – Sun Belt Conference – Florida International Golden Panthers

The Florida International Golden Panthers have only had a football program since 2002, but Mario Cristobal took his team to the top of the Sun Belt in 2010.