Sun Belt votes to add Louisiana Tech after losing Texas State to Pac-12: Source
A person involved in the decision told The Athletic that the Sun Belt's presidents voted Monday to add Louisiana Tech to the conference at a date yet to be determined. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been officially announced.
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The exit fee to leave Conference USA is expected to be more than $5 million after members signed a grant of rights to coincide with the conference's latest television deal.
Louisiana Tech has been part of CUSA since 2013. The addition of the Ruston, La., based school will keep the Sun Belt at 14 football schools next year and give it three full members in the state, along with Louisiana in Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe.
Speculation about the Sun Belt's interest in Louisiana Tech started even before Texas State's move became official. ULM athletic director John Hartwell openly supported inviting La Tech.
On July 1, Texas State announced it would move to the Pac-12 next year when the conference relaunches with Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State and Gonzaga, which does not have a football program, joining holdovers Oregon State and Washington State.
NCAA and College Football Playoff rules require a minimum of eight members for a conference to be eligible for automatic entry into championship events.
Oregon State and Washington State are in the second season of operating the Pac-12 as a two-team conference following the mass departures of 10 longtime members to other power conferences.
The trickle-down effect from the sweeping realignment at the power conference level, which began in 2021 with Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC, has led to significant turnover in CUSA.
After recent additions of Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State and Sam Houston State, the conference is adding Delaware and Missouri State this year, two more schools making the transition from FCS to FBS.
The departure of Louisiana Tech leaves Conference USA with 10 full members committed beyond 2025: The recent additions from FCS, plus Liberty, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, New Mexico State and FIU.
UTEP is leaving Conference USA after the upcoming school year to join the Mountain West.
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