The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The 14 member institutions of the Sun Belt are distributed across the Southern United States.
The 2006 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled an overall record of 7–6 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, sharing the Sun Belt title with Troy. Middle Tennessee was invited to the Motor City Bowl, the program's first bowl game at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, where they lost to Central Michigan. The team played home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The 2007 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Owls entered their second season as full members of the Sun Belt Conference.
The 2009 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Owls were in their fourth season of competition in the Sun Belt Conference. The Owls finished the season 5–7 and 5–3 in Sun Belt play.
The 2008 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled am overall record of 5–7 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fifth in the Sun Belt. The team played home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The 2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled an overall record 10–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the Sun Belt. The team played home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The Battle for the Palladium is a college football rivalry matchup between the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Troy Trojans. The history between Middle Tennessee and Troy dates back to 1936, which was the oldest rivalry in the Sun Belt Conference when both teams were in the same league together. In 1999, the rivalry was renewed after a 46-year hiatus. The lengthy period was a result of the two programs competing in different divisions. That all changed when Troy announced it would make the move from Division I-AA to I-A and join the Sun Belt Conference, allowing the two programs to compete annually.
The 2008 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Louisiana–Lafayette competed as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, and played their home games at Cajun Field. The Ragin' Cajuns were led by seventh-year head coach Rickey Bustle. UL-Lafayette finished the season with a 6–6 record.
The 2009 Sun Belt Conference football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 3, 2009, to January 6, 2010. The Sun Belt Conference consists of 9 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy, and Western Kentucky who becomes a full-time member in 2009 after 2 seasons as an independent and conditional member who played a limited Sun Belt schedule after transitioning from the Football Championship Subdivision. Troy won the Sun Belt Championship and played in the GMAC Bowl where they lost in two overtimes to Central Michigan. Middle Tennessee was the only other Sun Belt member to be invited to a bowl game, the New Orleans Bowl, where they defeated Southern Mississippi.
The 2009 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl was the ninth edition of the bowl. The game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, December 20, 2009. The game was televised live on ESPN. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, the Sun Belt Conference runners-up, defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, a team from Conference USA, by a score of 42–32. The kickoff took place at 7:30 p.m., Central Time.
The 2010 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 10th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference. The season began September 2, 2010 and concluded January 6, 2011 as part of the 2010-11 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Sun Belt Conference consists of 9 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy, and Western Kentucky.
The 2011 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 11th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference. The season began September 1, 2011 and concluded January 8, 2012 as part of the 2011-12 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2011 season consisted of nine members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Troy and Western Kentucky.
The 2012 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 12th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference. The season began August 30, 2012 and concluded January 6, 2013 as part of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Ten teams participated in the competition: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, South Alabama, Troy and Western Kentucky.
The 2013 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 13th college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2013 season, Sun Belt football consisted of eight members: Arkansas State, Georgia State, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, and Western Kentucky.
The 2014 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 14th college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2014 season, eleven schools competed in Sun Belt football: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State, and Troy.
The 2016 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 16th season in which the Sun Belt Conference operated a football league, and was part of the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season began on September 1 with Appalachian State facing Tennessee. This was the third season for the Sun Belt since realignment that took effect in 2014, which added the tenth and eleventh members — Idaho and New Mexico State. Both teams were previously independents before joining the conference. The Sun Belt Conference is a "Group of Five" conference under the College Football Playoff format along with the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, and the Mountain West Conference.
The 2001 Sun Belt Conference football season was the inaugural college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2001 season, seven schools competed in Sun Belt football: Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State and North Texas.
The 2007 Sun Belt Conference football season was an NCAA football season that was played from August 28, 2007, to January 6, 2008. The Sun Belt Conference consisted of 8 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, and Troy. Troy and FAU split the Sun Belt Championship, with FAU playing in the New Orleans Bowl where they defeated Memphis.
The 2005 Sun Belt Conference football season was an NCAA football season that was played from August 28, 2005, to January 6, 2006. The Sun Belt Conference consisted of 8 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, and Troy. Arkansas State, ULL, and ULM all shared the Sun Belt Championship.
The 2008 Sun Belt Conference football season was an NCAA football season that was played from August 28, 2008, to December 26, 2008. The Sun Belt Conference consisted of 8 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, and Troy. Troy won the Sun Belt Championship but lost the Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl. FAU defeated Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl 24–21.
