By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Today is virtually certain to be a royal blue-and-red letter day for Louisiana Tech Athletics, and it will be welcomed at ULM and UL Lafayette as well.
Multiple reports from national and regional media say Louisiana Tech has secured sufficient votes to receive a formal invitation today to join the Sun Belt Conference for the 2026-27 season.
Presidents or chancellors of the SBC’s remaining 13 members are reportedly meeting online today to discuss conference membership and after more than a week of arm twisting by conference commissioner Keith Gill, Tech appears to have at least 10 votes, a super majority required by league bylaws to extend a membership offer.
No officials from Louisiana Tech, the Sun Belt, or Conference USA – where Tech has been a member for the past 12 years – responded to efforts to obtain comment.
The opening in the Sun Belt was created when Texas State confirmed it would be departing the league to join the Pac-12. Texas State officially accepted its invitation to the Pac-12 on July 5.
Since Texas State’s exit became likely in early June, Louisiana Tech emerged as the probable choice if the Sun Belt replaced the Bobcats. Western Kentucky, another CUSA member, was also frequently mentioned in speculation as a favorite of the easternmost Sun Belt members.
Along with in-state rivals ULM and UL Lafayette, and regional foe Southern Mississippi, Tech will join Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, and Troy in a 14-team league.
The Sun Belt has split into East and West Divisions for scheduling purposes, making Tech an easier replacement from a travel and expense perspective. Fitting into the West Division will place the Bulldogs with the Warhawks, Cajuns, USM, Arkansas State, South Alabama and Troy.
It also will rekindle a long-dormant but intense football rivalry between the Bulldogs, Warhawks and Ragin’ Cajuns, who have competed in other sports through the last two decades.
Tech was alongside UL Lafayette as a member of the Sun Belt Conference from 1991 through 2001 – but the SBC didn’t begin football competition until the Bulldogs departed. The Cajuns and Bulldogs were football-only members of the Big West Conference for a brief period in the 1990s.
ULM moved over from the FCS-level Southland for football only in 2001 and all its athletic programs entered the Sun Belt in 2006.
The Bulldogs were in the Western Athletic Conference for a dozen years after leaving the Sun Belt, then jumped to Conference USA in 2013. The makeup of that league has changed radically in recent years, including Southern Mississippi and Marshall moving to the Sun Belt.
The Bulldogs’ exit from the Sun Belt to CUSA created turbulence between Tech, ULM and UL Lafayette that has existed until very recently, when widespread conference affiliation shifts began to tilt the schools toward reunion.
Tech’s looming departure from CUSA has Southland members and officials on alert. SLC member McNeese has made clear its preference to move up from the FCS to FBS, and CUSA membership currently includes recent FCS members Sam Houston State, Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com