2002 Sun Belt Conference football season
LeagueNCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
Sportfootball
DurationAugust 25, 2002 - November 30, 2002
Number of teams7
2003 NFL Draft
Top draft pickCharles Tillman (Louisiana–Lafayette)
Picked byChicago Bears, 35th overall
Regular season
Season championsNorth Texas
  Runners-upNew Mexico State
Season MVPBrandon Kennedy
Top scorerDanny Smith (84 points)
Football seasons
← 2001
2003 →
2002 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
North Texas $   6 – 0     8 – 5  
New Mexico State   5 – 1     7 – 5  
Arkansas State   3 – 3     6 – 7  
Middle Tennessee   2 – 4     4 – 8  
Louisiana–Lafayette   2 – 4     3 – 9  
Louisiana–Monroe   2 – 4     3 – 9  
Idaho   1 – 5     2 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion

The 2002 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 2nd college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2002 season, seven schools competed in Sun Belt football: Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State and North Texas.[1]

The conference title was won by North Texas, in its second year as both a Sun Belt member, making them the first team to go back-to-back in Sun Belt Conference history.

Coaches

Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season

Team Head coach Years at school Overall record Record at school Sun Belt record
Arkansas State Steve Roberts 0 47–35–1 0–0 0–0
Idaho Tom Cable 1 6–16 6–16 1–5
Louisiana–Lafayette Rickey Bustle 0 0–0 0–0 0–0
Louisiana–Monroe Bobby Keasler 3 86–59–2 8–25 2–4
Middle Tennessee Andy McCollum 3 17–16 17–16 5–1
New Mexico State Tony Samuel 5 19–37 19–37 4–2
North Texas Darrell Dickey 4 13–32 13–32 5–1

Bowl games

In 2002, the SBC placed one team in bowl games through their tie-ins: North Texas.[2] New Mexico State was also bowl-eligible but did not receive a bowl invitation.

Note: All times are local

Bowl Date SBC team (Record) Opponent (Record) Site TV Result Attendance
New Orleans Bowl December 17 North Texas (7-5) Cincinnati (7-6) Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA ESPN2 W 24–19 19,024

Awards and honors

Players of the Year

2001 Sun Belt Player of the Year awards[3][4]

Award Player School
Player of the Year Brandon Kennedy North Texas
Offensive Player of the Year Danny Smith Arkansas State
Defensive Player of the Year Brandon Kennedy North Texas
Freshman of the Year Paul Dombrowski New Mexico State
Newcomer of the Year Jonathan Burke Arkansas State
Coach of the Year Darrell Dickey North Texas

All-Conference teams

Source:[4]

References

  1. ^ "2014 Sun Belt Football Media Guide". Sun Belt Conference. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  2. ^ Steve Peloquin (August 21, 2013). "N.O. Bowl, Sun Belt Conference Agree To Extension". www.espn1420.com. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "Sun Belt Player of the Year Winners". www.sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "NT's Brandon Kennedy named Sun Belt Football Player of the Year: ASU's Danny Smith named Offensive Player of the Year; NT's Darrell Dickey named Coach of the Year". sunbeltsports.org. December 3, 2002. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
Category