2023 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game | |||||||||||||||||||
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5th SBC Championship Game | |||||||||||||||||||
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Date | December 2, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
Season | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
Stadium | Veterans Memorial Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Troy, Alabama | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP | RB Kimani Vidal, Troy | ||||||||||||||||||
Favorite | Troy by 5.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Referee | Wayne Winkler | ||||||||||||||||||
Attendance | 20,183 | ||||||||||||||||||
United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | ESPN | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | John Schriffen, Kirk Morrison and Stormy Buonantony | ||||||||||||||||||
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Madison* x | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appalachian State y | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coastal Carolina | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old Dominion | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia State | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marshall | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Southern | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Troy xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas State | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arkansas State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Alabama | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southern Miss | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana–Monroe | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Troy 49, Appalachian State 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game was a college football game that was played on December 2, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Troy University in Troy, Alabama. It was the fourth edition of the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game and determined the champion of the Sun Belt Conference for the 2023 season. The game began at 4:00 p.m. EST on ESPN. The game featured the Troy Trojans, the West Division champions, and the Appalachian State Mountaineers, the East Division runner-up. Troy defeated App State 49–23. Sponsored by Hercules Tires, the game was officially named as the 2023 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship. [1]
Troy clinched a spot in the championship game following its defeat of ULM on November 11. [2] Troy secured hosting rights with its win over Southern Miss on November 25. [3] Troy running back Kimani Vidal secured the championship game MVP award after becoming the first player ever to rush for 5 touchdowns in an FBS conference championship game. [4]
With the NCAA having denied a request by James Madison for a waiver from rules that prohibit teams transitioning from Division I FCS to FBS from appearing in conference championship games, the Trojans' opponent in the championship game was determined to be Appalachian State. [5] App State secured the East Division spot after beating Georgia Southern and having James Madison defeat Coastal Carolina in the final week of college football regular season.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Appalachian State | 0 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 23 |
Troy | 0 | 14 | 7 | 28 | 49 |
at Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL
Game information |
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No scoring
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Statistics | ASU | TROY |
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First downs | 22 | 25 |
Plays–yards | 80–383 | 60–463 |
Rushes–yards | 41–108 | 35–271 |
Passing yards | 275 | 192 |
Passing: comp–att–int | 28–39–0 | 16–25–0 |
Time of possession | 35:29 | 24:31 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Appalachian State | Passing | Joey Aguilar | 28/39, 275 yards |
Rushing | Kanye Roberts | 13 carries, 53 yards, 2 TD | |
Receiving | Kaedin Robinson | 6 receptions, 70 yards | |
Troy | Passing | Gunnar Watson | 16/24, 192 yards, TD |
Rushing | Kimani Vidal | 26 carries, 233 yards, 5 TD | |
Receiving | Chris Lewis | 3 receptions, 98 yards, TD |
The Troy Trojans football program represents Troy University at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, where it has competed since 2001. The football program joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2004. The current head football coach is Gerad Parker. Troy has won 23 conference championships, with eight in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans play home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama.
The Appalachian State Mountaineers are the athletic teams that represent Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, United States. The Mountaineers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and were a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) between 1972 and 2014. On July 1, 2014, Appalachian State moved to the Sun Belt Conference. Appalachian State fields varsity teams in 17 sports, 7 for men and 10 for women. The football team competes in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly I-A, as a result of the transition to the Sun Belt. The wrestling team remains in the Southern Conference because the Sun Belt does not sponsor the sport. In field hockey, another sport not sponsored by the Sun Belt, Appalachian State joined the Mid-American Conference for the 2017 season after playing two seasons as an independent following the demise of its former league, the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference (NorPac). While rivalries exist with Sun Belt west division schools such as Troy and Louisiana, Appalachian State's main Sun Belt rivals are east division members Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern, as well as rekindled rivalries from the days in FCS with recent Sun Belt additions Marshall and James Madison. Historically prior to joining the Sun Belt, Western Carolina and Furman were prominent rivalries.
The Appalachian State Mountaineers football team is the intercollegiate American football team representing Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers have competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Sun Belt Conference since 2014. Appalachian plays its home games in Kidd Brewer Stadium, named after former head coach Kidd Brewer, whose 1937 squad was unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0.
The Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game is an annual college football game that determines the season champion of the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The game is played between the SBC regular-season divisional champions from the East and West divisions. First contested in 2018, the game is typically played on the first Saturday of December. The current champion is the Troy Trojans.
The 2018 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by sixth-year head coach Scott Satterfield and played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium. They competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 11–2, 7–1 in Sun Belt play to be co-champions of the East Division with Troy. Due to their head-to-head win over Troy, they represented the East Division in the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game where they defeated West Division champion Louisiana to become Sun Belt Champions for the third consecutive year and first time outright. They were invited to the New Orleans Bowl where they defeated Middle Tennessee.
The 2018 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Trojans played their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Neal Brown. They finished the season 10–3, 7–1 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for the East Division championship with Appalachian State. Due to their head-to-head loss to Appalachian State, they did not represent the East Division in the Sun Belt Championship Game. They were invited to the Dollar General Bowl where they defeated Buffalo.
The 2018 New Orleans Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 15, 2018, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EST. It was the 18th edition of the New Orleans Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by freight company R+L Carriers, the game was officially known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
The 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game was played on December 1, 2018, between the Mountaineers of Appalachian State and the Ragin' Cajuns from Louisiana. The game was played at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina, due to Appalachian State's better conference record. This was the second time these teams played this year; the first meeting finished 27–17 in the Mountaineers' favor. The winner of the game would play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl while the loser would play in the Cure Bowl.
The 2019 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by first-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz through the team's win in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, after which he left to fill the head coaching vacancy at Missouri. Shawn Clark led the team during their bowl game appearance. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2019 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game was a college football game played on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina, to determine the 2019 champion of the Sun Belt Conference. The game, the conference's second championship game, featured the East division champions Appalachian State and the West division champions Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.
The 2021 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game was a college football game played on December 4, 2021, at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was the third edition of the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game and determined the champion of the Sun Belt Conference for the 2021 season. The game began at 2:40 p.m. CST and aired on ESPN. The game featured the Appalachian State Mountaineers, the East Division champions, and the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, the West Division champions. Sponsored by tire company Hercules Tires, the game was officially known as the 2021 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship.
The 2022 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game was a college football game played on December 3, 2022, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama. It was the fourth edition of the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game and determined the champion of the Sun Belt Conference for the 2022 season. The game began at 2:40 p.m. CST on ESPN. The game featured the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, the East Division champions, and the Troy Trojans, the West Division champions. Sponsored by tire company Hercules Tires, the game was officially known as the 2022 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship.
The 2022 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team represented Coastal Carolina University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Chanticleers, led by fourth-year head coach Jamey Chadwell, played their home games at Brooks Stadium. They competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2022 Sun Belt Conference football season is the 22nd season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The season began on September 2, 2022, and will conclude with its conference championship game on December 3, 2022. It is part of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The conference expanded to 14 football members for the 2022 season with the addition of 4 new member schools. The 14 members were divided into two divisions for play. The conference released its schedule on March 1, 2022.
The 2022 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by third-year head coach Shawn Clark. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2022 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University as a member of the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Jon Sumrall, the Trojans played home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama.
The 2023 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 23rd season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The season began on August 31, 2023 and ended with its conference championship game on December 2, 2023. It was part of the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The conference consists of 14 member schools split into two divisions. The conference released its full season schedule on February 24, 2023.
The 2023 Cure Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 16, 2023, at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The ninth annual Cure Bowl, the game featured the Appalachian State Mountaineers of the Sun Belt Conference and the Miami RedHawks of the Mid-American Conference. The game began at approximately 3:30 p.m. EST and was aired on ABC. The Cure Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Avocados from Mexico marketing organization, and was officially known as the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl.
The 2024 Sun Belt Conference football season will be the 24th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The season is scheduled to begin August 31, 2024 and conclude with the Conference Championship Game on December 7, 2024. The season will be part of the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The conference will consist of 14 football member split into two divisions. The conference released its full season scheduled on March 1, 2024.