Louisiana Tech Joins Sun Belt Early After Dispute

Louisiana Tech is set to join the Sun Belt Conference on July 1, concluding a legal dispute with Conference USA. The university had announced its intention to leave Conference USA, its home since 2013, for the Sun Belt, aiming for a 2026 arrival. Discussions over an early exit fee, initially set at $5.5 million by Conference USA, stalled for months.

Both parties filed lawsuits against each other, with Conference USA suing for public records and Louisiana Tech seeking to prevent the league from blocking its move. The situation created an awkward scenario where both conferences had initially scheduled Louisiana Tech for the 2026 football season. With this settlement, the Sun Belt will expand to 13 football-playing institutions. Conference USA is also set to lose UTEP to the Mountain West Conference this summer.