Saturday, December 19
Conway, S.C.
3:30 p.m. ET
Coastal Carolina University
vs
Louisiana
Sun Belt Championship on the Line Saturday at Brooks Stadium
12/15/2020 5:00:00 PM | Football
Tickets: Sold OutWatch: ESPNRadio: WRNN Hot Talk 99.5 FMListen Online: Chanticleer Sports Radio NetworkLive StatsCoastal Game Notes (PDF)
Chanticleers will take on Louisiana at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
CONWAY, S.C. – Saturday's 2020 Sun Belt Championship game will feature the first-ever meeting between two nationally-ranked Sun Belt teams in the No. 9/12 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (11-0, 8-0 Sun Belt) and the No. 17/18 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (9-1, 7-1 Sun Belt). The game will kick-off from Brooks Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Undefeated Teams Entering This Week
Team Record
Coastal Carolina 11-0
Alabama 10-0
Notre Dame 10-0
Cincinnati 8-0
San Jose State 6-0
USC 5-0
Ohio State 5-0
Buffalo 5-0
• CCU came in this week at No. 9 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 12 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports.
Coastal in the Rankings this Year
Date AP Coaches CFP
Oct. 18 25 24
Oct. 25 20 21
Nov. 1 15 16
Nov. 8 15 17
Nov. 15 15 18
Nov. 22 16 17 20
Nov. 29 14 14 18
Dec. 6 11 13 13
Dec. 13 9 12 n/a
• The Chanticleers won the Sun Belt East Division title in only the program's fourth year as a full-time Sun Belt Conference and FBS member.
• With a win last Saturday at Troy (Dec. 12), Coastal Carolina became the only team in Sun Belt Conference history to finish the regular season undefeated at 11-0 overall.
Undefeated Conference Seasons in the Sun Belt
Year Team Conf. Overall
2020 Coastal Carolina 8-0 11-0
2015 Arkansas State 8-0 9-4
2014 Georgia Southern 8-0 9-3
2011 Arkansas State 8-0 10-3
2009 Troy 8-0 9-4
2004 North Texas 7-0 7-5
2003 North Texas 7-0 9-4
2002 North Texas 6-0 8-5
• With the win at Troy (Dec. 12) last week, the Chanticleers posted their first-ever undefeated regular season at 11-0.
• With a win over No. 17/18 Louisiana this Saturday, the Chanticleers will tie the program record for the most wins in a single season with 12, which they set back in 2013 and 2014 as a member of the FCS level.
09/12/20 at Kansas Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
09/18/20 Campbell ESPN
10/03/20 Arkansas State ESPN2
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana ESPN
10/24/20 Georgia Southern ESPNU
10/31/20 at Georgia State ESPNU
11/07/20 South Alabama ESPNU
11/21/20 Appalachian State ESPN
12/05/20 #8 BYU ESPNU
12/19/20 #17/18 Louisiana ESPN
• In fact, last week's contest at Troy (Dec. 12) was only the Chants' second game this season to not be broadcast live on a national television station. The other was the road contest at Texas State (Nov. 28).
• Prior to this season, Coastal had not won more than two conference games in any season since joining the Sun Belt in 2017 and just six total conference games in the program's history in the Sun Belt.
YEAR SBC OVERALL
2017 2-6 3-9
2018 2-6 5-7
2019 2-6 5-7
2020 8-0 11-0
• In fact, this season Coastal outscored its conference opponents by 164 points (309-145) over the Chanticleers' eight conference wins.
• The current 11-game winning streak this season is tied for the longest single-season winning streak in program history.
2020
09/12/20 at Kansas W, 38-23
09/18/20 Campbell W, 43-21
10/03/20 Arkansas State W, 52-23
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
10/24/20 Georgia Southern W, 28-14
10/31/20 at Georgia State W, 51-0
11/07/20 South Alabama W, 23-6
11/21/20 Appalachian State W, 34-23
11/28/20 at Texas State W, 49-14
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
12/12/20 at Troy W, 42-38
• The last time the Chants' won 11 games in a row was in 2014 when they started the season at 11-0.
• If you go back to the 2019 season, Coastal Carolina has won 12-straight games and will look to set a new program-record of 13-straight wins with a win this Saturday versus No. 17/18 Louisiana.
11/30/19 Texas State W, 24-21
09/12/20 at Kansas W, 38-23
09/18/20 Campbell W, 43-21
10/03/20 Arkansas State W, 52-23
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
10/24/20 Georgia Southern W, 28-14
10/31/20 at Georgia State W, 51-0
11/07/20 South Alabama W, 23-6
11/21/20 Appalachian State W, 34-23
11/28/20 at Texas State W, 49-14
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
12/12/20 at Troy W, 42-38
All-Time Versus FBS Top 25
08/30/08 at #22 Penn State L, 10-66
09/04/10 at #25 West Virginia L, 0-31
11/23/13 at #11 South Carolina L, 10-70
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
• CCU is 2-0 versus FBS top-25 teams as an FBS member with wins over then-No. 21 Louisiana (Oct. 14) and then-No. 8 BYU (Dec. 5) this season.
• The contest versus No. 8 BYU (Dec. 5) was the first home game in Chants' history against an FBS nationally-ranked top 25 team at Brooks Stadium.
• The No. 8 nationally-ranked BYU Cougars are the highest nationally ranked FBS team that the Chanticleers have defeated in program history.
• What bodes well for the Chants is that 2020 has been a season of firsts for the men in teal.
• Coastal went 4-0 over its East Division foes this season posting dominating wins over Georgia Southern (Oct. 24) and at Georgia State (Oct. 31), and coming from behind to defeat four-time defending Sun Belt Champions Appalachian State (Nov. 21) and winning late in the fourth quarter at Troy (Dec. 12).
• The 52-23 home win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves was the Chanticleers' first in the all-time series.
• The 23-6 Homecoming victory over South Alabama was also the Chanticleers' first-ever over the Jaguars.
09/22/18 at Louisiana W, 30-28
11/07/19 at Coastal Carolina L, 7-48
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
• What has been unique in this series is that the visiting team has won every game.
• UL's lone loss this season was a 30-27 home loss to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on a last-second field goal on Oct. 14.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are second in the Sun Belt in scoring at 33.9 points per game, only behind Coastal Carolina, and are fourth in both rushing offense (207.8 ypg) and total offense (422.6 ypg) on the year.
• It all starts with the offensive line, as Louisiana ranks first in the Sun Belt in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.90), fewest sacks allowed (9), and fewest tackles-for-loss allowed (38.0) this season.
• Louisiana's offense is led by quarterback Levi Lewis who has completed 165-of-275 passes for 2,128 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
• In the regular-season meeting in October, Lewis led the Cajuns in both passing, throwing for 177 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and in rushing with 84 yards and a score.
• Behind Lewis is the three-headed rushing attack of Elijah Mitchell (122 att., 751 yds., 7 TDs), Trey Ragas (117 att., 660 yds., 9 TDS), and Chris Smith (59 att., 332 yds., TD) who have all rushed for over 300 yards on the season.
• Wideouts Kyren Lacy (24 rec., 326 yds., 3 TDs), Peter LeBlanc (23 rec., 334 yds., TD), and Jalen Williams (19 rec., 345 yds., 3 TDs) lead a well-balanced receiving core for Lewis and the Cajuns as all three are averaging over 13.5 yards per catch on the year.
• While the Ragin' Cajuns are fourth in the Sun Belt in total defense (347.8 ypg), they are first in the league in fewest passing yards allowed per game (166.9 ypg), team passing efficiency defense (96.24), and interceptions (15). They are also third in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 21.8 points per game.
• Linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill leads the defense with 72 tackles, while Zi'Yon Hill has a team-high 4.0 sacks and is second on the team with 5.0 TFL.
For complete coverage of CCU football, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalFootball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUSports.com.
CHANTS STAND ALONE
• Entering play this week, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are the only 11-0 team in the nation and one of just eight undefeated teams in all of FBS.Undefeated Teams Entering This Week
Team Record
Coastal Carolina 11-0
Alabama 10-0
Notre Dame 10-0
Cincinnati 8-0
San Jose State 6-0
USC 5-0
Ohio State 5-0
Buffalo 5-0
NATIONALLY RANKED CHANTICLEERS
• For the ninth-straight week and just the ninth time in the program's young FBS history, the Chanticleers were ranked in the top 25 nationally.• CCU came in this week at No. 9 in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 12 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports.
Coastal in the Rankings this Year
Date AP Coaches CFP
Oct. 18 25 24
Oct. 25 20 21
Nov. 1 15 16
Nov. 8 15 17
Nov. 15 15 18
Nov. 22 16 17 20
Nov. 29 14 14 18
Dec. 6 11 13 13
Dec. 13 9 12 n/a
SUN BELT - HIGHEST CALLING
• The Chanticleers continued to make Sun Belt history this week, as CCU's No. 9 ranking in the AP Top 25 Poll and No. 12 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll (USA Today) this week are both conference highs in terms of national rankings.2020 SUN BELT EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS
• Coastal Carolina won the program's first-ever Sun Belt East Division Championship three weeks ago with a 49-14 conference road win at Texas State (Nov. 28).• The Chanticleers won the Sun Belt East Division title in only the program's fourth year as a full-time Sun Belt Conference and FBS member.
BEST SEASON IN SUN BELT HISTORY
• Coastal's undefeated run through the Sun Belt Conference regular-season slate is tied for the best regular-season in conference history.• With a win last Saturday at Troy (Dec. 12), Coastal Carolina became the only team in Sun Belt Conference history to finish the regular season undefeated at 11-0 overall.
Undefeated Conference Seasons in the Sun Belt
Year Team Conf. Overall
2020 Coastal Carolina 8-0 11-0
2015 Arkansas State 8-0 9-4
2014 Georgia Southern 8-0 9-3
2011 Arkansas State 8-0 10-3
2009 Troy 8-0 9-4
2004 North Texas 7-0 7-5
2003 North Texas 7-0 9-4
2002 North Texas 6-0 8-5
CHASING HISTORY
• The 2020 Chanticleers have matched the program's best start to a season at 11-0, which was also done back in 2014.• With the win at Troy (Dec. 12) last week, the Chanticleers posted their first-ever undefeated regular season at 11-0.
• With a win over No. 17/18 Louisiana this Saturday, the Chanticleers will tie the program record for the most wins in a single season with 12, which they set back in 2013 and 2014 as a member of the FCS level.
AMERICA'S TEAM
• With Saturday's Sun Belt Championship game set to air on ESPN, Coastal will have had 10 of its 12 contests this season nationally televised, including each of its first eight games of the year.09/12/20 at Kansas Fox Sports 1 (FS1)
09/18/20 Campbell ESPN
10/03/20 Arkansas State ESPN2
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana ESPN
10/24/20 Georgia Southern ESPNU
10/31/20 at Georgia State ESPNU
11/07/20 South Alabama ESPNU
11/21/20 Appalachian State ESPN
12/05/20 #8 BYU ESPNU
12/19/20 #17/18 Louisiana ESPN
• In fact, last week's contest at Troy (Dec. 12) was only the Chants' second game this season to not be broadcast live on a national television station. The other was the road contest at Texas State (Nov. 28).
BUSTING THROUGH THE SUN BELT
• Coastal finished the regular season at 8-0 start in conference play, posting their best conference record since joining the Sun Belt as a full-time member in 2017.• Prior to this season, Coastal had not won more than two conference games in any season since joining the Sun Belt in 2017 and just six total conference games in the program's history in the Sun Belt.
YEAR SBC OVERALL
2017 2-6 3-9
2018 2-6 5-7
2019 2-6 5-7
2020 8-0 11-0
• In fact, this season Coastal outscored its conference opponents by 164 points (309-145) over the Chanticleers' eight conference wins.
GOING STREAKING
• Coastal's current 11-game winning streak this season is the longest single-season winning streak for the Chants since moving to the FBS level in 2017.• The current 11-game winning streak this season is tied for the longest single-season winning streak in program history.
2020
09/12/20 at Kansas W, 38-23
09/18/20 Campbell W, 43-21
10/03/20 Arkansas State W, 52-23
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
10/24/20 Georgia Southern W, 28-14
10/31/20 at Georgia State W, 51-0
11/07/20 South Alabama W, 23-6
11/21/20 Appalachian State W, 34-23
11/28/20 at Texas State W, 49-14
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
12/12/20 at Troy W, 42-38
• The last time the Chants' won 11 games in a row was in 2014 when they started the season at 11-0.
• If you go back to the 2019 season, Coastal Carolina has won 12-straight games and will look to set a new program-record of 13-straight wins with a win this Saturday versus No. 17/18 Louisiana.
11/30/19 Texas State W, 24-21
09/12/20 at Kansas W, 38-23
09/18/20 Campbell W, 43-21
10/03/20 Arkansas State W, 52-23
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
10/24/20 Georgia Southern W, 28-14
10/31/20 at Georgia State W, 51-0
11/07/20 South Alabama W, 23-6
11/21/20 Appalachian State W, 34-23
11/28/20 at Texas State W, 49-14
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
12/12/20 at Troy W, 42-38
VERSUS THE FBS TOP 25
• Coastal Carolina is 2-3 all-time versus FBS top-25 nationally-ranked teams in the program history. However, both wins have come this season, a 30-27 conference road win at then-No. 21 Louisiana (Oct. 14) and a 22-17 win over then-No. 8 BYU (Dec. 5).All-Time Versus FBS Top 25
08/30/08 at #22 Penn State L, 10-66
09/04/10 at #25 West Virginia L, 0-31
11/23/13 at #11 South Carolina L, 10-70
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
12/05/20 #8 BYU W, 22-17
• CCU is 2-0 versus FBS top-25 teams as an FBS member with wins over then-No. 21 Louisiana (Oct. 14) and then-No. 8 BYU (Dec. 5) this season.
• The contest versus No. 8 BYU (Dec. 5) was the first home game in Chants' history against an FBS nationally-ranked top 25 team at Brooks Stadium.
• The No. 8 nationally-ranked BYU Cougars are the highest nationally ranked FBS team that the Chanticleers have defeated in program history.
SEASON OF FIRSTS
• Coastal will look to continue its season of first this weekend, with the program's first-ever Sun Belt Championship title.• What bodes well for the Chants is that 2020 has been a season of firsts for the men in teal.
- First-Ever Sun Belt team to start the season at 11-0
- First Time Ever Ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll
- First Time Ever Ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll
- First-Ever Win over an FBS top 25 opponent (Oct. 14)
- First-Ever Win over Arkansas State (Oct. 3)
- First-Ever Win over South Alabama (Nov. 7)
- First-Ever Win over Appalachian State (Nov. 21)
- First-Ever Win at Texas State (Nov. 28)
- Coastal Carolina hosted ESPN College GameDay (Dec. 5)
- First-Ever Win over an FBS top 10 opponent (Dec. 5)
- First-Ever Win over BYU (Dec. 5)
- First-Ever Win in the state of Alabama (Troy - Dec. 12)
- First-Ever Undefeated Regular Season (11-0)
- First-Ever SBC Team to Post an Undefeated Regular Season
- First-Ever SBC Team to be Ranked in the AP Top 10
FIRST-EVER TOP 25 SUN BELT MATCH UP
• Fans will get a special treat on Saturday for the Sun Belt Championship game, as it will mark the first time in conference history that two nationally-ranked top 25 Sun Belt teams will face each other.CONTROLLING THE EAST
• The Chanticleers finished atop of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season standings at 8-0 and have already won the Sun Belt East Division title.• Coastal went 4-0 over its East Division foes this season posting dominating wins over Georgia Southern (Oct. 24) and at Georgia State (Oct. 31), and coming from behind to defeat four-time defending Sun Belt Champions Appalachian State (Nov. 21) and winning late in the fourth quarter at Troy (Dec. 12).
TAMING THE WILD-WILD WEST
• The Chanticleers went 4-0 this season versus the Sun Belt West Division with wins over Arkansas State (Oct. 3), at then-No. 21 Louisiana (Oct. 14), versus South Alabama (Nov. 7), and at Texas State (Nov. 28).• The 52-23 home win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves was the Chanticleers' first in the all-time series.
• The 23-6 Homecoming victory over South Alabama was also the Chanticleers' first-ever over the Jaguars.
SERIES VERSUS THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
• Coastal Carolina is 2-1 all-time versus Louisiana on the gridiron with all three meetings coming since 2018 as Sun Belt Conference foes.09/22/18 at Louisiana W, 30-28
11/07/19 at Coastal Carolina L, 7-48
10/14/20 at #21 Louisiana W, 30-27
• What has been unique in this series is that the visiting team has won every game.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA
• Louisiana enters its third-straight Sun Belt Championship title game with a 9-1 overall record and 7-1 Sun Belt Conference record.• UL's lone loss this season was a 30-27 home loss to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on a last-second field goal on Oct. 14.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are second in the Sun Belt in scoring at 33.9 points per game, only behind Coastal Carolina, and are fourth in both rushing offense (207.8 ypg) and total offense (422.6 ypg) on the year.
• It all starts with the offensive line, as Louisiana ranks first in the Sun Belt in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.90), fewest sacks allowed (9), and fewest tackles-for-loss allowed (38.0) this season.
• Louisiana's offense is led by quarterback Levi Lewis who has completed 165-of-275 passes for 2,128 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
• In the regular-season meeting in October, Lewis led the Cajuns in both passing, throwing for 177 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and in rushing with 84 yards and a score.
• Behind Lewis is the three-headed rushing attack of Elijah Mitchell (122 att., 751 yds., 7 TDs), Trey Ragas (117 att., 660 yds., 9 TDS), and Chris Smith (59 att., 332 yds., TD) who have all rushed for over 300 yards on the season.
• Wideouts Kyren Lacy (24 rec., 326 yds., 3 TDs), Peter LeBlanc (23 rec., 334 yds., TD), and Jalen Williams (19 rec., 345 yds., 3 TDs) lead a well-balanced receiving core for Lewis and the Cajuns as all three are averaging over 13.5 yards per catch on the year.
• While the Ragin' Cajuns are fourth in the Sun Belt in total defense (347.8 ypg), they are first in the league in fewest passing yards allowed per game (166.9 ypg), team passing efficiency defense (96.24), and interceptions (15). They are also third in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 21.8 points per game.
• Linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill leads the defense with 72 tackles, while Zi'Yon Hill has a team-high 4.0 sacks and is second on the team with 5.0 TFL.
For complete coverage of CCU football, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalFootball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUSports.com.
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