There was no more realignment up until last year. Three out of five years, Appalachian State represented the East, while Louisiana has represented the West four out of five years. The conference championships have been somewhat one-sided. The West contained: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The East consisted of: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy. So, after this whirlwind of realignment and chaos, the Sun Belt decided to split into two divisions for football in 2018, thus installing a conference championship. Additionally, Coastal Carolina joined the conference in 2015. Then they were dropped by the Sun Belt in 2016. Idaho and New Mexico State both rejoined for a short stint after the Western Athletic Conference dropped football. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern both accepted invitations. Western Kentucky also left for Conference USA in 2014. FIU, FAU, North Texas, and Middle Tennessee State all left for Conference USA in 2013. University of Texas at Arlington joined as a non football member. With a new commissioner, Karl Benson, came new members. All was well until there was even more realignment in the early 2010’s. Every year from 2006 to 2010, the Trojans captured a conference title. 2005 saw a three way tie, and then it was Troy’s turn to dominate. North Texas dominated the conference from 2001-2004, winning a share of the title every single year. The Sun Belt football conference started off in 2001 without a championship game, and the title was given to the team or teams with the best conference record. In 2004, they also added Troy as a member, and Florida Atlantic joined the next year. It makes sense, right? Well, add in Idaho. North Texas, Middle Tennessee State, and UL Monroe certainly fit the bill of expansion members. The Sun Belt had generally stayed in the Southeast region in their early days. And by a bit, I mean they took anybody willing to join. In order to add enough members to make football viable, the Sun Belt had to expand their reach a bit. At the turn of the century, the Sun Belt had seen their fair share of turnover, but new commissioner Wright Waters had his eyes set on starting a football conference. Lamar, Texas-Pan American University, and Jacksonville all left in 1998. UCF decided they were too good for everyone, and pursued other ways to win national championships. In the next ten years or so, a few teams left. Around this point, the longtime basketball conference entertained the idea of starting a football conference too. Notable teams in the American South were Louisiana Lafayette, UCF and old friend New Orleans. The Sun Belt and the simultaneously struggling American South conference merged, with the new conference adopting the Sun Belt moniker. Regardless of exactly how it happened, the conference was left with fragments– Western Kentucky, South Alabama, and Jacksonville were the only remaining teams. The Sun Belt was looking to expand at the time, which might have fragmented some relationships with schools. It might have had something to do with Vic Bubas retiring. Once the 1990-91 basketball season ended, many teams left the Sun Belt in a shocking move. While they hadn’t introduced football as a conference sport yet, the Sun Belt was definitely shaping up. However, commissioner Vic Bubas also added Western Kentucky, Old Dominion, UAB, and VCU early in the conference’s lifespan. Apparently size does matter, because New Orleans was kicked out of the league after four short years due to their undersized gym that didn’t meet conference standards. While it was a relatively small start, changes were on the way soon. At the start of the conference, basketball was the biggest sport, as football wouldn’t be a part of the Sun Belt until 2001. The Sun Belt conference opened in 1976, including members such as: the University of New Orleans, Georgia State University, Jacksonville University, UNC Charlotte, University of South Florida, and the University of South Alabama. 1976 was special because the Sun Belt was founded. Not because Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, not because the NBA and the ABA merged, and not because Family Feud made its TV debut. What’s the history of the Sun Belt Conference? Early Years However, it’s taken a while to ascend the mountain of Group of Five conferences. Just take a look at Troy’s 2017 victory against LSU, or Lousiana-Monroe’s infamous upsets against Alabama in 2007 and Arkansas in 2012. Over the years, the Sun Belt has built a reputation for upsetting Power 5 teams. 5 Michigan in 2007 /Up7BWcLliK- Bleacher Report September 10, 2022 Mountaineers' first time a beating top-10 team since No.
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