Sun Belt Bowl Grades: How Every Team Performed
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It was an odd bowl season for the Sun Belt, but it wasn’t horrible. Start with the biggest part of the puzzle …
James Madison made the College Football Playoff.
That knocked down everyone else in the Sun Belt bowl pecking order, but really, it was about trying to fill spots. Even so, in a losing post-season, the league held up well enough.
Grading Every Sun Belt Team’s Bowl Game Performance
Arkansas State Bowl Grade
The team got the job done. Forget the final score, the Red Wolves own this by halftime, but had to hold on late. That’s okay, it was a bowl win.
XBOX Bowl
Arkansas State vs Missouri State
Final Score: Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28
Line: Arkansas State -1.5, o/u: 56.5
Grade: A
Old Dominion Bowl Grade
ODU was the underdog, and it came up with a gem over a team that might have been depleted, but again, USF was the favorite.
StaffDNA Cure Bowl
USF vs Old Dominion
Final Score: Old Dominion 24, USF 10
Line: USF -6.5, o/u: 56.5
Grade: A
Texas State Bowl Grade
It took a little too much to get up to speed – it wasn’t a breather until the second half – but it was still a 31-yard blowout win.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Texas State vs Rice
Final Score: Texas State 41, Rice 10
Line: Texas State -16.5, o/u: 55.5
Grade: A-
Georgia Southern Bowl Grade
The Eagles were supposed to win the rematch in a blowout, and it did. It took a little bit of work to get there.
JLab Birmingham Bowl
App State vs Georgia Southern
Final Score: Georgia Southern 29, App State 10
Line: Georgia Southern -9.5, o/u: 58.5
Grade: A-
Coastal Carolina Bowl Grade
It was supposed to be a loss after a coaching change and with some missing parts, but the team put up a fight until late.
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Coastal Carolina vs Louisiana Tech
Final Score: Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14
Line: Louisiana Tech -9.5, o/u: 51.5
Grade: B
Southern Miss Bowl Grade
Considering all the losses and the coaching move, it was a great performance with the lead into the fourth quarter before finally stumbling.
New Orleans Bowl
Western Kentucky vs Southern Miss
Final Score: WKU 27, Southern Miss 16
Line: WKU -4, o/u: 55.5
Grade: B
James Madison Bowl Grade
It was a blowout, but James Madison didn’t quit. It put up massive numbers as it forced Oregon to put the starters back in late and try, just to make sure.
College Football Playoff First Round
James Madison at Oregon
Final Score: Oregon 51, James Madison 34
Line: Oregon -21, o/u: 50.5
Grade: B
App State Bowl Grade
App State showed up as the bowl was desperate for anyone to play. Forget the final score; it made the game okay.
JLab Birmingham Bowl
App State vs Georgia Southern
Final Score: Georgia Southern 29, App State 10
Line: Georgia Southern -9.5, o/u: 58.5
Grade: B-
Troy Bowl Grade
Troy was supposed to pull off the in-state win, but it fell flat with no second half points in a disappointing loss.
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Troy vs Jacksonville State
Final Score: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13
Line: Troy -4, o/u: 46.5
Grade: C-
Louisiana Bowl Grade
This wasn’t okay. Louisiana was a slight favorite, but this should’ve been the game that defined the season in a positive way, and it didn’t get into the end zone until late.
68 Ventures Bowl
Delaware vs Louisiana
Final Score: Delaware 20, Louisiana 13
Line: Louisiana -3, o/u: 57.5
Grade: D+
Related: The Worst Bowl Games of the Season, Ranked
This story was originally published by College Football News on Jan 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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