Coastal Carolina football on quest for New Year’s Six berth vs. Troy
By Ryan Kay
Can Coastal Carolina football continue its perfect season by remaining undefeated as they travel to Troy in hopes of moving up in the rankings?
Many college football experts and fans have been focused on the success of Cincinnati from the non-Power Five schools that are undefeated. However, the Sun Belt’s Coastal Carolina Chanticleers for many reasons deserves to be ranked ahead of the Bearcats as the most likely candidate to make it a New Year’s Six bowl game assuming they go undefeated by winning that last two games.
The story of Coastal Carolina is remarkable as they transitioned from FCS to FBS in 2017 and they have only won a total of five games each of the past two seasons.
This season, not only are the Chanticleers destined to go to their first bowl game but if they remain undefeated and win their last remaining scheduled games, they will more than likely jump Cincinnati and get a guaranteed invite to a New Year’s Six bowl.
Coastal Carolina had a very challenging match up in their last game. The Chanticleers defeated No. 13 ranked BYU for their second victory over a ranked opponent. Some may believe that Coastal Carolina will have a letdown game when they travel to play a conference opponent in Troy, but it is unlikely.
The Trojans are currently standing at 5-5 with one of those losses being on the road against top 15 ranked BYU. Troy also only lost by two points against Georgia State and lost on the road after leading at halftime to Georgia Southern. Troy lost in a rematch with Middle Tennessee by only three points and their worst loss of the season came against Appalachian State on the road.
The Trojans, however, do have road victories against Middle Tennessee, South Alabama and Arkansas State in which all three were impressive double-digit victories. However, The Chanticleers common opponents shared between them and Troy, Coastal Carolina has defeated Georgia State, BYU, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern to whom the Trojans lost.
From the beginning of the season, Coastal Carolina fared well by defeating a Big 12 opponent in Kansas for the second consecutive year. The Chanticleers defeated the Jayhawks on the road by double digits but more impressive was the fact that they were beating Kansas 28-3 at half.
They then followed up that convincing win by beating both Campbell and Arkansas State on their home field before they went on the road to face off against top 25 ranked Louisiana who had earlier in the season defeated Big 12 title game qualifier Iowa State who is now clinched first place in the conference and ranked No. 9 in the country. The Chanticleers ended up beating the Ragin’ Cajuns on a last-second 40-yard field goal to remain undefeated.
Coastal Carolina was ranked for the first time at No. 25 as they had defeated Georgia Southern by two touchdowns. Then in another impressive game of the season, they went on the road, beating Georgia State 51-0. The Chanticleers defense stepped up again only allowing six total points in a 23-6 victory over South Alabama. However, their 11-point victory over Appalachian State and their five-point victory over No. 13 BYU were impressive wins.
Their upcoming game against Troy will be their sixth road game of the season.