Seven Eagles Picked As Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference
7/13/2026 1:00:00 PM | Football
Georgia Southern picked to finish fourth in the East
NEW ORLEANS - Seven Georgia Southern football players have been voted to the Preseason All-Sun Belt squad, as released Monday afternoon by the conference. The team was voted on by coaches and selected media who cover the league.
The Eagles placed two players on the first team: fifth-year defensive lineman MJ Stroud and sixth-year defensive back Chance Gamble. Fifth-year receiver Josh Dallas, fourth-year defensive lineman Anthony Bynum, fifth-year linebacker Brandon Tyson, second-year kicker Tripp Bryant and fourth-year punter Alex Smith were all named to the second team.
As a team, Georgia Southern was picked fourth in the East Division. The Eagles are slated to open their season on Sept. 5 at home against Charleston Southern. Tickets are available at GSEagles.com/Tickets.
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
RB – Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RB – Union, Miss.)
The Eagles placed two players on the first team: fifth-year defensive lineman MJ Stroud and sixth-year defensive back Chance Gamble. Fifth-year receiver Josh Dallas, fourth-year defensive lineman Anthony Bynum, fifth-year linebacker Brandon Tyson, second-year kicker Tripp Bryant and fourth-year punter Alex Smith were all named to the second team.
As a team, Georgia Southern was picked fourth in the East Division. The Eagles are slated to open their season on Sept. 5 at home against Charleston Southern. Tickets are available at GSEagles.com/Tickets.
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
RB – Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RB – Union, Miss.)
RB – Devin Roche, Old Dominion (RS Jr., RB – Baltimore, Md.)
OL – Tristian Smith, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Crossett, Ark.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (Gr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – Tristian Smith, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Crossett, Ark.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (Gr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – AJ Vinson, ULM (Sr., OL – Social Circle, Ga.)
OL – Tariq Montgomery, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Akron, Ohio)
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Clewiston, Fla.)
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Clewiston, Fla.)
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.)
WR – Adrian Norton, Marshall (Sr., WR – Huber Heights, Ohio)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Aiden Benton, App State (RS Jr., DL – Clayton, Ga.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Aiden Benton, App State (RS Jr., DL – Clayton, Ga.)
DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (5th Year, DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Amar Thomas, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
LB – Colton Phares, App State (RS Jr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Sr., LB – Austin, Texas)
LB – Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech (Gr., LB – New Orleans, La.)
LB – Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech (Gr., LB – New Orleans, La.)
DB – AG McGhee, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DB – Chipley, Fla.)
DB – Ja'Marion Wayne, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DB – St. Louis, Mo.)
DB – Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern (6th Year, DB – Fitzgerald, Ga.)
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (Sr., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Goose Crowder, Troy (Sr., QB – Gardendale, Ala.)
RB – George Pettaway, James Madison (RS Sr., RB – Suffolk, Va.)
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (Sr., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Goose Crowder, Troy (Sr., QB – Gardendale, Ala.)
RB – George Pettaway, James Madison (RS Sr., RB – Suffolk, Va.)
RB – Keenan Phillips, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Bainbridge, Ga.)
OL – Tyriq Poindexter, App State (RS Sr., OL – Roanoke, Va.)
OL – Tyriq Poindexter, App State (RS Sr., OL – Roanoke, Va.)
OL – Kaden Moreau, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Pineville, La.)
OL – Ethan Hubbard, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Hoover, Ala.)
OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Sr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
OL – Jordon Jones, Troy (Sr., OL – Ashland, Ky.)
TE – Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech (Sr., TE – Heath, Texas)
WR – Josh Dallas, Georgia Southern (5th Year, WR – Sharpsburg, Ga.)
WR – Nic Trujillo, ULM (Sr., WR – Rio Rancho, N.M.)
OL – Jordon Jones, Troy (Sr., OL – Ashland, Ky.)
TE – Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech (Sr., TE – Heath, Texas)
WR – Josh Dallas, Georgia Southern (5th Year, WR – Sharpsburg, Ga.)
WR – Nic Trujillo, ULM (Sr., WR – Rio Rancho, N.M.)
WR – Anthony Eager, South Alabama (RS Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (4th Year, DL – Covington, Ga.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (4th Year, DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Fitzgerald West Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Lafayette, La.)
DL – Braydin Ward, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Montgomery, W.Va.)
DL – Chris Forbes, Old Dominion (RS So., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
LB – Tray Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Margate, Fla.)
LB – Tray Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Margate, Fla.)
LB – Brandon Tyson, Georgia Southern (5th Year, LB – Whiteville, N.C.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.)
DB – Myles Woods, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DB – Grayson, Ga.)
DB – Jabari Tiller, ULM (Sr., DB – Sumter, S.C.)
DB – Mario Easterly, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DB – Harrisburg, Pa.)
DB – Zion Frink, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DB – Chesapeake, Va.)
DB – Justin Powe, Troy (Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (2nd Year, K – Lexington, S.C.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (4th Year, P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)
AP – Jordan Lovett, Troy (Jr., AP – Statesboro, Ga.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (2nd Year, K – Lexington, S.C.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (4th Year, P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)
AP – Jordan Lovett, Troy (Jr., AP – Statesboro, Ga.)
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes)
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Old Dominion – 73 Points (1)
3. Marshall – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 53 Points (1)
5. Coastal Carolina – 45 Points (1)
6. App State – 43 Points
7. Georgia State – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 96 Points (12)
(First-Place Votes)
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Old Dominion – 73 Points (1)
3. Marshall – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 53 Points (1)
5. Coastal Carolina – 45 Points (1)
6. App State – 43 Points
7. Georgia State – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 96 Points (12)
2. Louisiana – 75 Points (1)
3. Arkansas State – 69 Points
4. Louisiana Tech – 55 Points
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points (1)
6. South Alabama – 31 Points
7. ULM – 19 Points
3. Arkansas State – 69 Points
4. Louisiana Tech – 55 Points
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points (1)
6. South Alabama – 31 Points
7. ULM – 19 Points
Players Mentioned
K
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
P
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
ILB
/ FootballFriday, July 10
Thursday, July 09
Wednesday, July 08
Friday, July 03
