Sun Belt Conference

the sun Belt Conference began a new chapter in its history on Friday, July 1, as it officially welcomed James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss to its 14-member conference.

“We are excited to officially welcome James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss as members of the Sun Belt Conference,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill. “This expansion to 14 members—and the regional rivalries it produces—makes the 2022-23 academic year one of the most anticipated in Sun Belt history and signals the bright future that lies ahead for the conference.”

Since its move to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 2001, the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) has established itself as a leader among intercollegiate athletic leagues, earning national acclaim. 2020, however, was a breakout year: • The SBC accumulated an fBs-leading 21 non-conference wins in 2020, including a 3-0 record against Big 12 opponents.

• two teams (Coastal Carolina and Louisiana) finished in the final

AP Poll, Coaches Poll, and College Football Playoff Rankings for the first time in conference history.

• The Sun Belt led the fBs in turnover margin, turnovers gained, and fewest penalties per game.

• The league paced the group of five in 14 statistical categories, including yards per play and points per possession.

• And the Sun Belt had 15 student-athletes combine for 38 all-america nods, headlined by consensus All-American defensive end Tarron Jackson of Coastal Carolina, a sixth-round

NFL Draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.

At no time has the Sun Belt’s athletic success been more visible. Over the course of the past five football seasons, the conference has posted an FBSleading .692 winning percentage in bowl games. The Sun Belt is 18-8 in bowl appearances over this five-year stretch.

In addition to the conference’s accomplishments on the football field during 2020, the conference boasted a 135 percent increase in TV viewership, with seven of the conference’s games surpassing 1 million viewers.

As racial injustices continued to plague the United States, the conference launched BE THE CHANGE during the summer of 2020 - focusing attention on American civil rights, promoting civic engagement, and creating dialogue with law enforcement. The conference also established and encouraged its teams and fans to visit the Sun Belt Conference Civil Rights Trail, which highlights historic sites and landmarks found in the geographic footprint of its member schools.

The Sun Belt sponsors 18 NCAA sports and annually awards nearly $134 million in financial aid to more than 4,600 student-athletes.

THE SUN BELT’S 14-MEMBER INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE:

• App State • Arkansas State • Coastal Carolina • Georgia Southern • Georgia State • James Madison • Louisiana • ULM • Marshall • Old Dominion • South Alabama • Southern Miss • Texas State • Troy