The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Football opponents have been set and released to the member schools, according to a document obtained by FBSchedules.com.
Next season will see a shuffling of the teams in the Sun Belt as Western Kentucky departs and four schools enter: Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, and New Mexico State. Had Western Kentucky not accepted an invitation to join Conference USA, the Sun Belt would have split into East and West divisions next season.
The East would have been Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, South Alabama, Troy, and Western Kentucky. The West Division, which could still look the same in the future, was set to be Arkansas State, Idaho, New Mexico State, Texas State, UL Lafayette, and ULM.
The Sun Belt is still seeking a 12th member that will let them split into divisions and stage a championship game.
In the meantime, the 2014 Sun Belt rotation will have each team playing four home and four road conference games. Unless a 12th team is added, the 2015 schedule is expected to be the same as 2014 but with the home and away sites flipped.
2014 Sun Belt Football Opponents
Appalachian State Mountaineers
Home: Georgia State, Idaho, South Alabama, ULM
Road: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Troy, UL Lafayette
Miss: New Mexico State, Texas State
Home: Appalachian State, New Mexico State, South Alabama, ULM
Road: Idaho, Georgia State, Texas State, UL Lafayette
Miss: Georgia Southern, Troy
Home: Appalachian State, Idaho, Troy, ULM
Road: Georgia State, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State
Miss: Arkansas State, UL Lafayette
Home: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, New Mexico State, Texas State
Road: Appalachian State, South Alabama, Troy, UL Lafayette
Miss: Idaho, ULM
Home: Arkansas State, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Troy
Road: Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Texas State, ULM
Miss: Georgia State, UL Lafayette
Home: Georgia Southern, Texas State, UL Lafayette, ULM
Road: Arkansas State, Georgia State, Idaho, Troy
Miss: Appalachian State, South Alabama
Home: Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Texas State, Troy
Road: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Idaho, UL Lafayette
Miss: New Mexico State, ULM
Home: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, UL Lafayette
Road: Georgia State, New Mexico State, South Alabama, ULM
Miss: Appalachian State, Troy
Home: Appalachian State, Georgia State, New Mexico State, UL Lafayette
Road: Georgia Southern, Idaho, South Alabama, ULM
Miss: Arkansas State, Texas State
Home: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, South Alabama
Road: New Mexico State, Texas State, Troy, ULM
Miss: Georgia Southern, Idaho
Home: Idaho, Texas State, Troy, UL Lafayette
Road: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, New Mexico State
Miss: Georgia State, South Alabama
View Comments (54)
Who are the options for the 12th team?
I remember hearing James Madison and Liberty is the past as being possible options. There always seems to be talk of Jacksonville State moving up so they may be one too
They want James Madison. Liberty asked to join last round.
I've heard Lamar, as well. They just restarted football and are in talent-rich southern Texas.
I hope they will be seeking a 13th team because the Sun Belt is now a joke among fbs schools. Arkansas State needs to bolt to the American conference or seek Big 12...which will require a 12th and 13th team...to get a total of 12. If ASU stays in sun belt it proves the school is being run by idiots.
when does the sun belt announce the 2014 schedule?
If it were up to me id choose Jacksonville state, Florida a&m, or even army even though they are in NY
Edit: No earlier than March 1 according to the Sun Belt.
why don't the Sun Belt go for Central Arkansas
The options to expand really do not matter. Georgia Southern will rule the Sunbelt for a long time regardless of who they have to play. All other teams can't compete with the Eagles. Coach Erk Russell started a tradition and it continues. Their motto is GATA (get after their ass) and Coach Russell coined that phrase. And believe me they will GATA...ask the Florida Gators.
All the conferences should be based on what region of the USA you belong to. 1)Easier for players and fans to travel to the game 2)rivalries should be maintained. This conference realignment crap is too much to tolerate. It makes the game lame!
@Bob Monk Good for georgia southern that they dominate the sun belt conference and that they beat florida once, but you guys dont seem to get far in the FCS playoff series, so perhaps focus on that.
y doesn't the sun belt go after Youngstown state. or Idaho state, maybe even sam Houston state or eastern Kentucky hey u never know unless u try
Idaho State is a shitty team, and terrible market. The others are options. Sam Houston State would be the best option. Helps western footprint
Youngstown State would be a great addition, it would be a good replacement for Western Kentucky. Sam Houston State, North Dakota State or James Madison would fit too.
I would take anyone over Idaho.... is a school from Germany or Japan avaliable? Drop the Vandals and now and never consider the ISU Bengals.
These are tge teams I would love to see the Sun Belt Conference add.... James MadMadIson, Eastern Kentucky, Lamar, Missouri State or UT-Chattnooga
I root for Idaho State and I still say no, for the same reason I hope Idaho will move football to Big Sky also. As for a 12th team (or 11th if Idaho does the smart thing and go back to Big Sky), my pick would be Eastern Washington. While I dislike the Sunbelt and especially dispise them bringing up FCS teams, Eastern Washington has been doing good and this year and last, they have been one of the top teams of FCS. Im also a fan of theirs and would like to see them in FBS because they have a better chance of winning that Idaho, Idaho State, or Portland State. Also, dispite my dislike of the Sunbelt, I dont see any of the 5 top conferences adding Eastern Washington straight out of the FCS and AAC seems to prefer to steal from C-USA, who seems to prefer to steal from Sunbelt and MAC seems to be closed to expansion for a while, and I doubt the Mountain West will take teams directly from FCS, though their recruiting grounds (WAC) are gone, but theyll probably start stealing from Big East and conference USA and maybe Sunbelt, so Sunbelt seems to be the best bet for Eastern Washington and then from there they can just move up conference ranks until their in the Mountain West.
James Madison suppose to receive their FBS study in early October. Liberty is still an option, Eastern Kentucky and Missouri State may be an.option.
Hey the sun belt needs 2 maybe think about adding richmond
Robins Stadium At UR is too small for FBS
Missouri State will be the 12th team and in the West.
How you know that?
just a hunch.
Doesn't make sense to just flip home and away from one year to the next.
Would mean there are two SBC teams that you do not play for two straight years.
That's just the easier way to schedule. That way you play home-and-home in 2 seasons.
Lamar and Missouri State? Two really bad teams. Good thinking ........ Chattanooga wouldn't surprise me.
Jacksonville State would be a perfect fit.
How 'bout GA Tech and Vandy leave for the Sun Belt and GA Southern can occupy one of the spots in the SEC or ACC:)
How about you get a clue and get adjusted to many years of losing and failure, moron!
I bet within the first season, Georgia Southern will win more games than Georgia State has won in the past 3 years. Get adjusted to many years of ass whippings, moron!
Y r u high acc will not let georgia tech acc didn't even want the big 10 2 take them & vandy is doing pretty good
I bet Atlanta_Mafia has a hard time talking with a foot in his mouth
Folks be nice now, it's all just talk now. Missouri state would be perfect addition! Ga Redwolf.