Texas State, UT-Arlington to Sun Belt in 2013
Even before Texas State played its debut season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Bobcats have agreed to join the Sun Belt in 2013, industry sources told CBSSports.com.
The Bobcats will be one of two new Sun Belt members in 2013 along with Georgia State, which is leaving the Colonial Athletic Association.
The addition of Texas State and Georgia State is to offset the losses of North Texas and Florida International, which CBSSports.com reported are moving to Conference USA in 2013.
The Sun Belt also is expected to add Texas-Arlington, which will compete in the WAC in 2012, as an Olympic sports member, giving the Sun Belt 10 football schools in 2013 and 12 overall members, including Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas-Arlington.
Other schools that could join the Sun Belt in the coming years include Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Old Domininon. However, ODU and Charlotte could be headed to Conference USA.
Texas State was a member of the Southland Conference from 1987-2010 before becoming an independent last season to make the transition to the FBS level. The Bobcats will compete in the WAC in 2012, but will leave after one season along with Texas-Arlington and Texas San Antonio, which is headed to Conference USA.
These are just the latest movements in the never ending conference realignment musical chairs to occur in 2013 along with Utah State and San Jose State to the Mountain West; and North Texas, Florida International, UTSA and Louisiana Tech to Conference USA.
Those movements were required because the Big East added SMU, Houston, UCF and Memphis from Conference USA and Boise State and San Diego State from the Mountain West to replace West Virginia and TCU, who are headed to the Big 12. Also, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving for the ACC and expected to join that league a year earlier than scheduled in 2013.
The Bobcats will be one of two new Sun Belt members in 2013 along with Georgia State, which is leaving the Colonial Athletic Association.
The addition of Texas State and Georgia State is to offset the losses of North Texas and Florida International, which CBSSports.com reported are moving to Conference USA in 2013.
The Sun Belt also is expected to add Texas-Arlington, which will compete in the WAC in 2012, as an Olympic sports member, giving the Sun Belt 10 football schools in 2013 and 12 overall members, including Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas-Arlington.
Other schools that could join the Sun Belt in the coming years include Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Old Domininon. However, ODU and Charlotte could be headed to Conference USA.
Texas State was a member of the Southland Conference from 1987-2010 before becoming an independent last season to make the transition to the FBS level. The Bobcats will compete in the WAC in 2012, but will leave after one season along with Texas-Arlington and Texas San Antonio, which is headed to Conference USA.
These are just the latest movements in the never ending conference realignment musical chairs to occur in 2013 along with Utah State and San Jose State to the Mountain West; and North Texas, Florida International, UTSA and Louisiana Tech to Conference USA.
Those movements were required because the Big East added SMU, Houston, UCF and Memphis from Conference USA and Boise State and San Diego State from the Mountain West to replace West Virginia and TCU, who are headed to the Big 12. Also, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving for the ACC and expected to join that league a year earlier than scheduled in 2013.
