Karl Benson and the Sun Belt Conference are busy looking for a 12th member to add to its ranks. The Sun Belt, like many of the G5 conferences, is somewhat in flux right now because of ongoing realignment issues. With the recent losses of MTSU, North Texas,FIU and FAU, as well as the future loss of WKU, the Sun Belt is looking for both stability and a way forward as a cohesive conference. The Belt has looked at several schools recently but none have worked out so far. The Sun Belt set its sights on JMU, but have been rebuffed by the FCS school. JMU would have been a feather in the cap of Sun Belt. JMU maybe holding out for an offer from Conf USA or the MAC, neither however, have come for JMU. EKU recently announced that their application for the Sun Belt had been turned down. EKU represented an interesting choice for the Sun Belt, but one that in the end , was not what the Belt was looking for. Current rumors continue to swirl around Liberty University, as a possible for 12 member.
Perhaps however, the Sun Belt should not be so anxious to add a 12th school, as recent signs point to the NCAA allowing conferences to hold championship games without a 12th member. 11 members allows each of the members schools to keep more tv money( although it is the lowest amount among the G5 conferences) and to build the conference brand with its new schools. Karl Benson, however, maybe feeling the pressure to add a 12th school soon in case Conf USA decides to take from it ranks again. Unless however, the Sun Belt can somehow pull a rabbit out the hat and convince a team like Southern Miss or even UAB to join , it should wait and pick up a quality school, rather than make a desperate choice in bringing in unproven FCS schools. With schools like Ga Southern, App State, Ark State and ULL, the Sun Belt has a good nucleus of football centric schools. Mr. Benson should cool his heels and wait for the right school to come along that can compliment the hard working schools the conference already has in its stable.
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