The dissolution of the Pac-12 was such a tectonic event for college sports that we’re still feeling the aftershocks years later. This offseason has already brought multiple major realignment moves directly tied to the death of the old Pac-12 and its forthcoming rebirth in 2026. The latest such move came on Monday as the Sun Belt CEOs voted to add Louisiana Tech.
After poaching much of the Mountain West to join Oregon State and Washington State, the Pac-12 reached the FBS minimum of eight members this offseason with the addition of Texas State. The up-and-coming program from San Marcos, Texas, departed the Sun Belt for the opportunity to elevate its national status, leaving the Sun Belt to scramble and backfill with Louisiana Tech as its 14th member.
Sources: The Sun Belt’s CEOs voted to invite Louisiana Tech to become the league’s 14th member on Monday morning, giving the school a replacement for Texas State. pic.twitter.com/aFMA9s7CQs
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 14, 2025
Sun Belt Conference votes to add Louisiana Tech as 14th member
In recent days, the Sun Belt has weighed its options for a Texas State replacement, considering Western Kentucky and even the possibility of standing pat at 13 schools. However, with the Sun Belt’s east and west divisions playing a key role in the identity of the conference, reaching an even number appeared to be a priority.
Furthermore, the issue of divisions reportedly led some teams from the SBC East to oppose the Louisiana Tech idea and push hard for Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers have made a bowl game in each of the last six seasons and were previously a Sun Belt member before joining Conference USA in 2014.
Louisiana Tech, on the other hand, has struggled in its three seasons under head coach Sonny Cumbie. Despite finishing with just five wins, the Bulldogs did make a bowl game appearance last season, but finished the year 5-8 after falling to Army in the Independence Bowl.
Ultimately, geography won out over program strength for the Sun Belt, a refreshing change in an era when Texas State is set to join the Pac-12 and USC is a Big Ten team. Louisiana Tech is just 35 miles from Sun Belt West member Louisiana-Monroe and will fit seamlessly into a conference that also features Louisiana.
Swapping Texas State for Louisiana Tech, especially with the current state of the two programs, is detrimental to the quality of the league, but the constant realignment puts conferences into desperate situations.
Now, Conference USA is back on the clock as realignment continues to trickle down to the lower levels. Delaware and Missouri State were the conference's most recent additions after the AAC poached much of the conference, following the Big 12's raid of the AAC.