Top Insights: Highly Conflicting As Sun Belt Leaders Brutally Discussing Possible Texas State Departure
Sun Belt officials are bracing for the potential departure of Texas State from the conference, according to sources who spoke with the Daily News-Record on Saturday.
Sources indicated that discussions between Texas State and both the Mountain West Conference and the Pac-12 had intensified over the weekend, as believed by the Sun Belt leadership, including school presidents and athletic directors.
Later on Saturday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Texas State had received a verbal offer to join the Mountain West but had not yet accepted it. The Bobcats are also awaiting a possible invitation from the Pac-12.
Sun Belt leaders believe that if a vacancy arises, there will likely be interest from multiple Conference USA schools and possibly from some teams in the MAC looking to join the Sun Belt.
However, the interest from MAC members might depend on developments in the western conferences.
There have been rumors of the Mountain West pursuing Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members, but at least one athletic director from the Sun Belt is skeptical about this possibility and expects the MAC to remain stable.
With the American Athletic Conference successfully resisting attempts from the Pac-12 to recruit Memphis, Tulane, and others, that conference also appears secure for now, bolstered by a more lucrative media rights deal compared to the Sun Belt.
As such, Conference USA seems to be the most likely source for a new 14th member for the Sun Belt if Texas State departs.
Western Kentucky stands out as a strong candidate, given its consistent performance in various sports, including football and men’s basketball. The Hilltoppers have also explored joining the MAC in recent years, along with rival Middle Tennessee State.
Geographically, WKU would enhance the Sun Belt’s West Division footprint if they replaced Texas State. With an athletic budget around $ 40 million annually, Western Kentucky’s financials align closely with several current Sun Belt members.
Middle Tennessee offers similar advantages and is a mid-major force in women’s basketball, although its recent football and men’s basketball results have not been as strong. Other possible candidates include Jacksonville State, Florida International, and Sam Houston, which all fit the Sun Belt’s geographic profile to varying extents, although FIU would better suit the East Division while Jacksonville State and Sam Houston are recent FCS transitions.
Liberty and Louisiana Tech could also be suitable additions for the conference, though they might face resistance from some members and fan bases. Liberty would provide the Sun Belt with three teams in Virginia and would fit best in the East Division; however, it is a private religious institution that has encountered various scandals recently, contrasting with the public nature of current Sun Belt institutions.
Louisiana Tech would increase the number of schools from Louisiana in the Sun Belt but has a history of tension with several long-standing SBC members, partly due to former Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland stating in 2020 that his school was above Sun Belt membership.
However, sources late Saturday reported that with new leadership at Louisiana Tech, there might be less opposition from Sun Belt West schools regarding the Bulldogs’ potential entry.
Should an opening arise in the Sun Belt, Western Kentucky could receive a recommendation from the conference commissioner to the league presidents. Nonetheless, due to its longer distance, Louisiana-Lafayette may be among those advocating more strongly for Louisiana Tech’s inclusion.