Conference record book

Sun Belt Conference Top 25 Games of the 2000s

The best games involving a Sun Belt member at the time of kickoff, ranked without favoring either side.

Games: 25
Top score: 47/100
Overtime: 14

National ranking

The conference's top 25

13 of these games include at least one AP-ranked team at kickoff. Open a supported game for its box score and statistics.

2006Week 67OT
Florida International at North Texas
Florida International 22, North Texas 25
Conference game
Unranked Florida International vs. Unranked North Texas · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 15/15
47
Game score
2003Week 51OT
Middle Tennessee at Missouri
Middle Tennessee 40, Missouri 41
Nonconference
Unranked Middle Tennessee vs. No. 23 Missouri · 1-point margin
Ranking 3/50 · Closeness 34/35 · Overtime 9/15
46
Game score
2006Week 2
Troy at Florida State
Troy 17, Florida State 24
Nonconference
Unranked Troy vs. No. 9 Florida State · 7-point margin
Ranking 17/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15
45
Game score
2009Week 5
Arkansas State at Iowa
Arkansas State 21, Iowa 24
Nonconference
Unranked Arkansas State vs. No. 13 Iowa · 3-point margin
Ranking 13/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15
45
Game score
2009Week 22OT
Ohio at North Texas
Ohio 31, North Texas 30
Nonconference
Unranked Ohio vs. Unranked North Texas · 1-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 34/35 · Overtime 11/15
45
Game score
2009GMAC BOWLNeutral site2OT
Central Michigan vs. Troy
Central Michigan 44, Troy 41
Postseason · Neutral site
No. 25 Central Michigan vs. Unranked Troy · 3-point margin
Ranking 1/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 11/15
44
Game score
2003Week 134OT
Louisiana at Middle Tennessee
Louisiana 57, Middle Tennessee 51
Conference game
Unranked Louisiana vs. Unranked Middle Tennessee · 6-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 15/15
44
Game score
2007Week 6
South Florida at Florida Atlantic
South Florida 35, Florida Atlantic 23
Nonconference
No. 6 South Florida vs. Unranked Florida Atlantic · 12-point margin
Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 23/35 · Overtime 0/15
43
Game score
2002Week 102OT
Utah State at UL Monroe
Utah State 48, UL Monroe 51
Conference game
Unranked Utah State vs. Unranked UL Monroe · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 11/15
43
Game score
2007Week 10
Troy at Georgia
Troy 34, Georgia 44
Nonconference
Unranked Troy vs. No. 10 Georgia · 10-point margin
Ranking 16/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
41
Game score
2008Week 4
South Florida at Florida International
South Florida 17, Florida International 9
Nonconference
No. 12 South Florida vs. Unranked Florida International · 8-point margin
Ranking 14/50 · Closeness 27/35 · Overtime 0/15
41
Game score
2009Week 91OT
Louisiana at Florida International
Louisiana 17, Florida International 20
Conference game
Unranked Louisiana vs. Unranked Florida International · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
41
Game score
2008PostseasonNeutral site1OT
Southern Miss vs. Troy
Southern Miss 30, Troy 27
Postseason · Neutral site
Unranked Southern Miss vs. Unranked Troy · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
41
Game score
2007Week 91OT
UL Monroe at Florida Atlantic
UL Monroe 33, Florida Atlantic 30
Conference game
Unranked UL Monroe vs. Unranked Florida Atlantic · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
41
Game score
2005Week 91OT
Troy at Louisiana
Troy 28, Louisiana 31
Conference game
Unranked Troy vs. Unranked Louisiana · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
41
Game score
2005Week 81OT
Florida Atlantic at Arkansas State
Florida Atlantic 0, Arkansas State 3
Conference game
Unranked Florida Atlantic vs. Unranked Arkansas State · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
41
Game score
2004Week 9
Troy at LSU
Troy 20, LSU 24
Nonconference
Unranked Troy vs. No. 18 LSU · 4-point margin
Ranking 8/50 · Closeness 31/35 · Overtime 0/15
39
Game score
2007Week 2
Middle Tennessee at Louisville
Middle Tennessee 42, Louisville 58
Nonconference
Unranked Middle Tennessee vs. No. 8 Louisville · 16-point margin
Ranking 18/50 · Closeness 19/35 · Overtime 0/15
37
Game score
2008Week 141OT
Florida International at Florida Atlantic
Florida International 50, Florida Atlantic 57
Conference game
Unranked Florida International vs. Unranked Florida Atlantic · 7-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 9/15
37
Game score
2007Week 81OT
Florida Atlantic at Louisiana
Florida Atlantic 39, Louisiana 32
Conference game
Unranked Florida Atlantic vs. Unranked Louisiana · 7-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 9/15
37
Game score
2003Week 91OT
Middle Tennessee at Idaho
Middle Tennessee 28, Idaho 21
Conference game
Unranked Middle Tennessee vs. Unranked Idaho · 7-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 9/15
37
Game score
2003Week 4
Utah State at Arizona State
Utah State 16, Arizona State 26
Nonconference
Unranked Utah State vs. No. 16 Arizona State · 10-point margin
Ranking 10/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
35
Game score
2002Week 3
Middle Tennessee at Tennessee
Middle Tennessee 3, Tennessee 26
Nonconference
Unranked Middle Tennessee vs. No. 4 Tennessee · 23-point margin
Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 12/35 · Overtime 0/15
34
Game score
2003Week 3
Middle Tennessee at Georgia
Middle Tennessee 10, Georgia 29
Nonconference
Unranked Middle Tennessee vs. No. 8 Georgia · 19-point margin
Ranking 18/50 · Closeness 16/35 · Overtime 0/15
34
Game score
2002Week 6
Idaho at Washington
Idaho 27, Washington 41
Nonconference
Unranked Idaho vs. No. 13 Washington · 14-point margin
Ranking 13/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
34
Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-time AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero.

Closeness, 35 points: the final margin is subtracted from 35, with margins of 35 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Conference inclusion comes from each team's conference ID stored on the game row, so later realignment never rewrites history. Regular-season AP ranks come from the game's week; postseason ranks use the final regular-season poll before bowl and playoff results.