Whether you hate them or hate them, the Louisiana Bulldogs are officially Sun Belt members once again (after having left the Sun Belt before the formation of the new SBC in 2001). Despite the social media grumblings from a variety of fan bases, the official presidents’ vote was unanimous, and the Bulldogs will enter the conference no later than July 1, 2027 (though I can’t think of a reason why Louisiana Tech won’t arrive a year sooner).

“I am grateful to (Louisiana Tech) President Dr. Jim Henderson and Athletic Director Ryan Ivey for their leadership during this process,” said SBC Commissioner Keith Gill in an official statement, “I’d also like to thank the CEOs and athletic directors of our Sun Belt member institutions for their continued commitment to the premier FBS non-autonomy conference in the country. The Sun Belt Conference is RISING and our best days are ahead.” 

You heard it from The Man himself: our best days are ahead. This has been true since the conference’s lowest point, when a bevy of defectors forced the Sun Belt to add five FCS upstarts plus outer-rim programs Idaho and New Mexico State. And look! It worked out. Mr. Gill is correct in asserting that the Sun Belt is “the premier FBS non-autonomy conference in the country.”

The question remains, “What does the conference do now moving forward?” Texas State’s bolt to the Pretend 12 and Louisiana Tech’s re-allegiance to the Sun Belt won’t trigger a seismic shift in conference realignment by itself, but there are tremors indicating another tectonic event is afoot.

Does Ohio’s flirtation with the Sun Belt spell trouble with the once stable MAC?

Will Florida State and Clemson finally leave the ACC? If so, does the ACC fight for its survival and pick off some Sun Belt or AAC properties? Or does it fold and allow its remaining membership to explore new contract options?

When the BIG10 and SEC begin raiding the choicest ACC programs, will it trigger the BIG12 into acquiring Oregon State and Washington State? Where does that leave the PAC12, which would then just be mostly Mountain West, Texas State and part-time Gonzaga?

The Sun Belt will likely wait for this meteor to strike before sifting through the rubble. But it could be proactive acquiring more pieces even before everything falls apart. You don’t need to be the Great Kreskin to see the days of five FBS conferences coming to an end. The Mountain West is on life support. CUSA is trying to play at the table with FCS money. The PAC12 is designed just for two of its members remain visibly attractive. Will the ACC and the American even have the will to live after another round of defections?

IF the Sun Belt keeps its cool (a big ask, considering the fan freak-out over Louisiana Tech), the number of viable conferences in FBS college sports could be cut in half, with the SBC still on the playing field. Programs within these shaky conferences need to ask themselves where they want to be when the music stops – sitting pretty on sitting on the floor?

This all sucks of course. College sports used to enjoy reasonable rivalry footprints and unique regional flavor. This season, Oregon has a conference road game against Rutgers. We’ve beaten all the gold coins from this horse carcass, and now all that’s left is the rubbery grist. We’re chewing on it anyway, like it or not. How the Sun Belt will serve this platter tomorrow depends on what Keith Gill and the Sun Belt are cooking in the kitchen right now.

IMAGE AI Monstrosity, which involved this: