Sun Belt Conference Unveils Exciting 2026 Football Schedule
The Sun Belt Conference just dropped its 2026 football schedule, and honestly, it looks like a wild ride. After a huge 2025 campaign, the league’s keeping the energy high with 56 total conference games—every team gets eight, split into six divisional matchups and two cross-division.
Fourteen schools, nine neighboring states, and a whole lot of regional pride. The Sun Belt’s still all about competitive football, and it shows. So, what’s worth getting excited about?
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Sun Belt’s Historic 2025 Season
Last year, the Sun Belt Conference made history. For the first time ever, it landed a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Six Sun Belt teams have made the CFP Selection Day Rankings at least once in the past seven years. The league also topped all non-autonomy conferences in Bowl Season appearances for the fourth year running.
Multiple 10-Win Teams
Eight straight seasons now, the Sun Belt’s had more than one team hit double-digit wins. James Madison—who grabbed the Sun Belt title and that coveted CFP spot—and Old Dominion led the charge this time.
It’s pretty clear: this conference isn’t just competitive, it’s stacked with legit contenders.
2026 Conference Structure and Schedule
For 2026, the Sun Belt’s rolling out 56 league games, with each team playing eight. The league’s split into East and West Divisions.
The East Division’s got:
- App State
- Coastal Carolina
- Georgia Southern
- Georgia State
- James Madison
- Marshall
- Old Dominion
And in the West Division:
- Arkansas State
- Louisiana
- ULM
- Louisiana Tech
- South Alabama
- Southern Miss
- Troy
Midweek Games on ESPN Platforms
Thirteen Sun Belt teams will take the spotlight in midweek games, all airing on ESPN. These matchups break up the week and give fans more chances to catch their teams—kind of nice if you’re tired of the usual Saturday chaos.
Key Matchups to Watch
The 2026 slate is loaded with games that should get people talking. Here are a few you might want to circle:
- Thursday, Sept. 24: Liberty at Coastal Carolina
- Tuesday, Oct. 6: Southern Miss at Troy
- Thursday, Oct. 8: South Alabama at Arkansas State
- Thursday, Oct. 15: Georgia Southern at Old Dominion
- Friday, Oct. 16: App State at Coastal Carolina
- Tuesday, Oct. 20: South Alabama at Marshall
- Thursday, Oct. 22: James Madison at App State
- Thursday, Oct. 29: Troy at James Madison
- Thursday, Nov. 5: James Madison at Southern Miss
- Thursday, Nov. 12: Louisiana at ULM
- Nov. 19-21: Arkansas State at Louisiana Tech
Some of these could shake up division standings or even decide who gets a bowl invite. It’s honestly tough to predict which ones will matter most, but that’s half the fun.
Team-by-Team Schedules
Every Sun Belt team’s got its own mix of non-conference and conference games. Here’s a quick peek at a few of the more interesting schedules:
App State
- 9/5: Maine
- 9/12: at East Carolina
- 9/19: Charlotte
- 9/26: at North Carolina State
- 10/10: Old Dominion*
- 10/16: at Coastal Carolina*
- 10/22: James Madison*
- 10/31: at Georgia Southern*
- 11/7: Georgia State*
- 11/14: at Marshall*
- 11/21: ULM*
- 11/28: at South Alabama*
Coastal Carolina
- 9/5: at West Virginia
- 9/12: Fordham
- 9/19: at Delaware
- 9/24: Liberty
- 10/3: Georgia Southern*
- 10/10: at Marshall*
- 10/16: App State*
- 10/31: at Georgia State*
- 11/7: Old Dominion*
- 11/14: Arkansas State*
- 11/21: at Louisiana*
- 11/28: at James Madison*
Georgia Southern
- 9/5: Charleston Southern
- 9/12: at Clemson
- 9/19: at Jacksonville State
- 9/26: Houston
- 10/3: at Coastal Carolina*
- 10/10: James Madison*
- 10/15: at Old Dominion*
- 10/31: App State*
- 11/7: Marshall*
- 11/14: at Georgia State*
- 11/21: at Troy*
- 11/28: Louisiana Tech*
Looking Ahead
The 2026 Sun Belt football season is shaping up to be something special. The schedule looks packed, and there’s a real sense that the conference is deeper and more competitive than ever.
Sun Belt football keeps making noise in college sports, and honestly, it’s hard not to get swept up in the energy. Fans should brace themselves for wild games, heated rivalries, and those jaw-dropping moments that make you jump off the couch.
Want the latest updates? Just swing by the Sun Belt Conference website—they’re always posting news and fresh details.
With kickoff creeping closer, the buzz is real. Whether you live and breathe Sun Belt football or just tune in here and there, it’s honestly a great time to be curious about what’s next for this conference.
