Sun Belt Conference football explained

The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a conference of 14 universities which participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. As of the 2022 season, all 14 full members play football in the conference. Although the SBC was formed in 1976, it did not sponsor football until 2001.

The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams after the departure of Idaho and New Mexico State)[1] would split into two divisions for football. In the East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; In the West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The winners of each division meet in the Sun Belt Championship Game.[2] Beginning in 2022, the SBC added the Marshall Thundering Herd, James Madison Dukes, Old Dominion Monarchs, and Southern Miss Golden Eagles football programs to the conference, with the Alabama–Georgia border serving as the new dividing line for the divisions. Accordingly, the Troy Trojans moved from the East Division to the West Division, where Southern Miss joined them. Marshall, JMU, and ODU joined the East division at that time.[3]

Membership

Current

InstitutionTeam NameLocation
(Population)
Team StartedAffiliationEnrollmentMascotSBC TitlesNational Titles[4]
Appalachian State UniversityMountaineersBoone, North Carolina
(18,834)
1899Public20,641Yosef43 (FCS)
Arkansas State UniversityRed WolvesJonesboro, Arkansas
(74,889)
1909Public14,07461 (Div II)
Coastal Carolina UniversityChanticleersConway, South Carolina
(16,317)
2003Public10,479Chauncey10
Georgia Southern UniversityEaglesStatesboro, Georgia
(31,419)
1982Public20,584Freedom (live)
GUS (costume)
16 (FCS)
Georgia State UniversityPanthersAtlanta, Georgia
(443,775)
2010Public52,81400
James Madison UniversityDukesHarrisonburg, Virginia
(51,814)
1972Public21,49602 (FCS)
University of Louisiana at LafayetteRagin' CajunsLafayette, Louisiana
(120,623)
1898Public19,29130
University of Louisiana at MonroeWarhawksMonroe, Louisiana
(49,147)
1931Public8,62311 (FCS)
Marshall UniversityThundering HerdHuntington, West Virginia
(46,482)
1895Public11,92602 (FCS)
Old Dominion UniversityMonarchsNorfolk, Virginia
(238,005)
2009Public24,28600
University of South AlabamaJaguarsMobile, Alabama
(195,111)
2009Public16,05500
University of Southern MississippiGolden EaglesHattiesburg, Mississippi
(48,730)
1912Public14,60602 (Div II)
Texas State UniversityBobcatsSan Marcos, Texas
(44,894)
1899Public34,229Boko the Bobcat02 (Div II)
Troy UniversityTrojansTroy, Alabama
(19,191)
1887Public29,68982 (Div II)

Former

Institution Team Name Location
(Population)
Team Started Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Sun Belt Titles National
Titles
Joined Sun Belt Left Sun Belt Current Conference
Florida Atlantic UniversityOwlsBoca Raton, Florida
(87,836)
1961Public31,758Owlsley the Owl1020052013The American
Florida International University (FIU)PanthersMiami, Florida
(413,892)
1965Public50,394 Roary the Panther1020012013C-USA
University of IdahoVandalsMoscow, Idaho
(23,800)
1889Public11,534Joe Vandal002001
2004
2017
Big Sky (FCS)
Middle Tennessee State UniversityBlue RaidersMurfreesboro, Tennessee
(114,038)
1911Public24,192 Lighting2020012013C-USA
New Mexico State UniversityAggiesLas Cruces, New Mexico
(97,618)
1888Public24,580Pistol Pete002001
2014
2004
2017
C-USA
Mean GreenDenton, Texas
(113,383)
1890Public35,778Scrappy the Eagle4020012013The American
Utah State UniversityAggiesLogan, Utah
(49,534)
1888Public28,796Big Blue0020032005Mountain West
Western Kentucky UniversityHilltoppersBowling Green, Kentucky
(58,067)
1906Public18,391Big Red01 (FCS)20092014C-USA

Conference facilities

SchoolFootball
Stadium
CapacityOpened
Appalachian StateKidd Brewer Stadium30,0001962
Arkansas StateCentennial Bank Stadium30,4061974
Coastal CarolinaBrooks Stadium21,0002003
Georgia SouthernPaulson Stadium25,0001984
Georgia StateCenter Parc Stadium24,3331996
James MadisonBridgeforth Stadium24,6771975
LouisianaCajun Field41,4261971
Louisiana–MonroeMalone Stadium27,6171978
MarshallJoan C. Edwards Stadium38,2271991
Old DominionS.B. Ballard Stadium21,9441936
South AlabamaHancock Whitney Stadium25,4502020
Southern MissM. M. Roberts Stadium36,0001932
Texas StateBobcat Stadium30,0081981
TroyVeterans Memorial Stadium30,4021950

Records

School records

TeamFirst
Season
All-Time
Record
All-Time
Win %
FBS Bowl
Appearances
FBS Bowl
Record
All-Time
Conference
Titles
Current
Head Coach
Appalachian State1928666–360–2887–122
Arkansas State1911489–513–37104-612
Coastal Carolina2003155–8021–18
Georgia Southern1924410–243–1043-111
Georgia State201052–9653–20
James Madison1972351–220–400–010
Louisiana1902555–566–34118-310
Louisiana–Monroe1951321–450–810–15
Marshall1895617–561–471812–613
Old Dominion200992–79–031–20
South Alabama200970–8420–20
Southern Miss1912609–450–272311–128
Texas State1904525–489–2500–014
Troy1909558–426–2885–321
[5]

Team vs. team

Composite all-time records[6]

"Team vs Team Record"
Arkansas StateAppalachian StateCoastal CarolinaGeorgia SouthernGeorgia StateJames MadisonLouisianaLouisiana–MonroeMarshallOld DominionSouth AlabamaSouthern MissTexas StateTroy
Arkansas State---4–12–33–32–61–028–21–114–290–01–05–610–24–6
Appalachian State1–4---2–817–20–10–106–123–81–710–161–31–42–11–64–8
Coastal Carolina3–27–3---5–43–32–11–23–20–12–01–20–11–33–3
Georgia Southern3–321–16–14–5---6–31–85–13–65–20–32–71–01–514–7
Georgia State6–210–03–33–6---2–06–04–41–03–14–50–14–45–4
James Madison0–112–61–28–10–2---0–00–03–02–10–00–00–11–1
Louisiana21–28–18–32–11–50–50–0---26–310–20–03–840–11–10–910–9
Louisiana–Monroe29–147–12–37–34–40–031–26---0–10–04–55–26–13
Marshall0–016–101–02–50–10–32–01–0---1–70–08–60–03–3
Old Dominion0–13–10–23–01–31–20–00–07–1---1–01–10–00–0
South Alabama6–54–12–17–25–40–08–35–40–00–1---0–34–48–3
Southern Miss2–101–21–00–11–00–011–40–12–56–81–13–0---1–24–8
Texas State6–46–13–15–14–41–09–013–60–00–04–42–1---12–1
Troy11–88–43–37–144–51–19–108–11–13–30–03–88–41–12---
Total*88–82–1108–47–126–3167–65–130–4914–2780–107–135–3310–1731–4977–32–1

Totals through the end of the 2022 season.

Current head coaching records

Records accurate entering the 2023 season.

TeamHead coachYears at schoolOverall recordRecord at schoolSun Belt record
Appalachian State435–1835–1822–10
Arkansas State389–735–202–14
Coastal Carolina 10–00–00–0
Georgia Southern 252–316–73–5
Georgia State 835–4334–3823–25
James Madison5108–3441–86–2
Louisiana27–77–74–4
Louisiana–Monroe3183–130–28–165–11
Marshall316–1016–105–3
Old Dominion39–169–162–6
South Alabama315–1015–109–7
Southern Miss366–3510–154–4
Texas State112–20–00–0
TroyGerad Parker00-00-00-0

Reorganization

See main article: 2010–2013 Sun Belt Conference realignment.

See also: 2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment and 2021–22 NCAA conference realignment.

Conference champions

Pre-championship game era (2001–2017)

SeasonChampionConference record
2001Middle Tennessee
North Texas
5–1
2002North Texas6–0
2003North Texas7–0
2004North Texas7–0
2005Arkansas State
Louisiana–Lafayette
Louisiana–Monroe
5–2
2006Middle Tennessee
Troy
6–1
2007Florida Atlantic
Troy
6–1
2008Troy6–1
2009Troy8–0
2010FIU
Troy
6–2
2011Arkansas State8–0
2012Arkansas State7–1
2013Arkansas State
Louisiana–Lafayette
5–2
2014Georgia Southern8–0
2015Arkansas State8–0
2016Appalachian State
Arkansas State
7–1
2017Appalachian State
Troy
7-1

Sun Belt Championship Game (since 2018)

Notes and References

  1. Sun Belt Football to Be 10 Teams in 2018. March 1, 2016. Sun Belt Conference. March 1, 2016.
  2. News: Sun Belt announces football divisions for 2018, new collaborative replay system. CBSSports.com. 2017-05-23. en.
  3. "JMU to the Sun Belt: Frequently Asked Questions". James Madison University, November 6, 2021. Accessed November 29, 2021.
  4. Web site: How many NCAA Division I championships has your school won? . Spring 2007 . 2008-11-07 . NCAA.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080419050813/http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/champs_listing1.html . April 19, 2008 .
  5. http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/misc/div_ia_wins.php All time Division I-A football records
  6. Web site: Basic Opponent-vs-Opponent Record .
  7. Web site: December 2020. Sun Belt Conference Championship Football Game Canceled. January 3, 2021. Sun Belt Sports.