NORFOLK, Va. – The Sun Belt Conference had its best football weekend ever last week, when Appalachian State upset No. 6 Texas A&M in front of 92,664 fans in College Station, Texas, Marshall beat No. 8 Notre Dame in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus and Georgia Southern came home from Nebraska with a W.
But let's not forget that it was Old Dominion that got things started in Week One when the Monarchs upended Virginia Tech, 20-17, in a game that ended with thousands of ODU students rushing the field.
Beating a program with four ACC championships, a Power 5 school that has long dominated football in Virginia, garnered ODU a ton of attention. An online video released by ESPN SportsCenter of ODU students rushing the field generated more than a million views and for an entire weekend, every college football show on TV mentioned the Monarchs.
The Monarchs have another chance to beat a Power 5 school, and give themselves more time in the national limelight, this weekend when they visit Virginia Saturday at 2 p.m.
Beating the state's two ACC programs in one year would be a huge boost for ODU's football reputation, not that it would be a giant upset. The truth is, the Sun Belt is a league that has been beating big-time schools for years.
Speaking at Sun Belt media days in New Orleans, league Commissioner Keith Gill called the Sun Belt the best Group of 5 league in the country, and while national prognosticators noted the league was on the rise, no one in the media saw last weekend coming.
In two short weeks, the Sun Belt has beaten four Power 5 schools and came close to garnering six wins. Consider that App State lost in overtime to North Carolina and that Georgia State led the Tar Heels in the second half last weekend.
Ricky Rahne, ODU's Thurmond Family Head Coach, isn't surprised by the string of upsets. He reminded reporters during his weekly press conference that he told everyone during preseason "You'd better strap up and be ready for a heck of a conference season, because it's not going to be easy for any of us."
Indeed, it won't. ODU hosts Marshall (Nov. 5) and Georgia Southern (Oct. 22) and visits App State (Nov. 19) and Georgia State (Oct. 29).
And then there's James Madison, which has won its first two games in FBS with ease. ODU ends its home season against JMU on Nov. 12.
There's also Coastal Carolina, which is 2-0 and was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt East. ODU is at Coastal on Oct. 15.
ODU, mind you, was picked to finish last in the seven-team division.
Yes, ODU's non-conference schedule is the most challenging in school history, with East Carolina, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Liberty. But so is the conference schedule, thanks to ODU's decision to move from Conference USA.
"I'm grateful that we get the chance to play so many good schools," offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri said. "You want to play strong opponents."
Rahne said the upsets "speak to the depth of our league, to have as many Power 5 wins as we've already had, I think that's unbelievable.
"I know we have great coaches in our league, and I know we have great players. I think it's a great opportunity for us to showcase ourselves.
"It's awesome that we're also in a league that is geographically centered. We're not out there cherry-picking certain teams. We're all right here together and doing this thing together. We're recruiting the same kids, recruiting against each other and playing each other."
All of this doesn't mean the media or Power 5 coaches will give the Sun Belt it's just due. They won't, at least not right away.
Neither App State nor Marshall broke into either the Associated Press or USA Today Top 25, but somehow, Texas A&M managed to stay ranked.
Polls and rankings are often based on reputation. And clearly, the Sun Belt's reputation is changing, even if not as fast as it should.
Gill said he's "fired up" over the start his league has made this season.
"It's incredible when you think about it," he told NCAA.com Monday. "When I got back to my hotel and I'm watching 'College Football Final' on ESPN, they led with the Sun Belt. That's our logo on there.
"When you think about the games, those games were nationally broadcast against traditional powers. For us, it confirms what we already know; that we can play with anyone.
"And it shows you why we're so excited about College Football Playoff expansion, because when you line up, anything can happen."
The playoff will expand to 12 teams in 2026 or earlier and at least one Group of 5 team is guaranteed a playoff bid. With Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston leaving the American Athletic Conference for the Big 12 in 10 months, the Sun Belt will be the most powerful Group of 5 football league left standing.
"Our conference is going to have a great opportunity," Rahne said. "Our champion is going to put themselves in a position to be one of those teams that gets a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.
"Hey, that's what makes March Madness so great, right? I mean, the Final Four is actually the least fun weekend of March Madness. It's everything else (that's fun). I think that's what it's going to bring to college football."
But first comes Saturday's game at Scott Stadium, a place where the few players still on the roster who played in 2019 have bad memories. ODU took a 17-0 first half lead and was the dominant team.
But then came a pick-six interception and a failed attempt to go for it on fourth down deep in Virginia territory. ODU lost, 28-17.
First-year Virginia coach Tony Elliott, the offensive coordinator who helped lead Clemson to a couple of national championships, said he told his team if they're not ready to play, they're in trouble.
"They're confident," he said of the Monarchs. "They've already beaten a Power 5. They're prideful. They want to win the state, just like we want to win the state. They've got a leg up on everybody because they've already got one victory in state."
ODU has a rare chance to sweep all four state FBS programs, as the Monarchs host Liberty Oct. 1, in addition to the home finale against JMU.
Virginia lost at Illinois, 24-3, in a game in which the Wahoo offense gained little traction. Although quarterback Brennan Armstrong will become Virginia's all-time passing leader this season, he's playing behind a brand-new offensive line – all five starters from last season are gone.
"Defensively, I think that collectively they're more athletic than what we saw last week," Elliott said of ODU. "Not quite as big up front, but they've got a 6-2 corner (Trey Hawkins III) who can play anywhere. Their linebacker, 42 (Jason Henderson) is a really, really good football player. No. 5 (Alonzo Ford Jr.) is a very athletic defensive lineman.
"This is a very confident group and you can tell they're having fun and they're playing for each other."
All true, but ODU is a 9-point underdog, and Rahne said his team has a long way to go, especially with its running game, which East Carolina virtually shut down last week.
"I think we've flashed some moments of playing really, really well," he said. "I think we've also had some moments where we have not played our best football. We just haven't been as consistent.
"We've got to play more consistently, and we have to have sustained drives. That's something that has to happen."
Asked if he viewed this as a David vs. Goliath game, Rahne said he doesn't.
"I don't think we have to see ourselves as equals; we are equals," he said. "We work as hard as they do. We go to class. We practice for the NCAA allotted 20 hours per week.
"Our coaches are away from their families just like their coaches. We're all putting in an equal amount of time. I don't think it's something where we have to trick ourselves into thinking we're equals.
"And I think they see us that way too. I don't think they're saying, 'They're just Old Dominion.' I think the days of that happening are over.
"When an upset happens people say, 'well they must have overlooked them.' That's not true. A team played better that day.
"I always believe in our team. I think we've got guys on our team who could play anywhere in the country. I think we've got coaches who put them in positions to make themselves successful.
"I've never gone into a game in my life where I've said we can't win this game. If that ever happens, then maybe it's time for me to retire."
Minium: ODU Began Series of Sun Belt Upsets and Monarchs Get Another Chance Saturday at Virginia
