JONESBORO -- Until Monday, the Sun Belt Conference had never landed a team in the preseason Associated Press top 25.
Then the poll dropped, revealing a pair of ranking Sun Belt sides in No. 22 Coastal Carolina and No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette.
It was a moment that had been building over the last few seasons. Both the Chanticleers and Ragin' Cajuns spent much of 2020 in the AP poll, and Appalachian State was featured at No. 24 in the final ranking of 2019.
Arkansas State -- despite a run of 9 consecutive winning seasons, 5 conference titles and 4 bowl victories -- has never appeared in the top 25.