What Is the Sun Belt Conference?
The Sun Belt Conference is an NCAA Division I athletic conference based in New Orleans that competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision and sponsors a broad range of men's and women's sports.[2][7] Its football membership has grown to 14 schools, organized into East and West divisions that preserve regional rivalries while expanding the league's overall reach.[2][4]
While the conference fields teams in multiple sports, football has become its primary national showcase, drawing significant television coverage and postseason opportunities.[2][7] Strategic expansion in 2022 solidified the Sun Belt's footprint across the southeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic, reinforcing its brand as a geographically coherent league with strong local followings.[1][2]
Sun Belt Football Today
In recent seasons the Sun Belt has emerged as one of the most competitive and successful non-autonomy conferences in the country, regularly defeating opponents from power leagues and stacking bowl appearances.[1][4] Since 2016, the conference has accumulated more than twenty wins over autonomy-conference teams, and since its 2022 expansion it has led non-autonomy leagues in bowl representation for multiple years.[1]
The 2025 football season continues this trend, with standings showing tightly packed division races and multiple programs contending for the championship game.[6] Analytic projections highlight James Madison as a top conference favorite while also giving meaningful title odds to South Alabama, Louisiana, Troy, Texas State, Georgia Southern, and Marshall, illustrating the league's depth and parity.[4]
Championships and Future Impact
The Sun Belt crowns its football champion via a title game between the East and West division winners, hosted by the team with the superior record.[2][8] Matchups like Troy representing the West against James Madison from the East exemplify how both divisions have produced nationally relevant programs capable of competing with higher-resourced peers.[8]
As college football realigns around an expanded postseason, the Sun Belt's rising profile has implications for playoff access, television contracts, and recruiting dynamics.[2][4] Strong performance metrics, frequent bowl bids, and upset victories over major-conference teams position its champion as a credible candidate for prominent postseason slots, giving the league an increasingly influential role in shaping the future of FBS football.[1][4]