Both Conference USA and the Sun Belt featured Louisiana Tech on their respective 2026 football calendars, which were unveiled this week, as the university and C-USA are embroiled in a disagreement concerning the Bulldogs’ departure timeline.
On Thursday, Conference USA listed Louisiana Tech on its 2026 schedule. The Sun Belt subsequently disclosed its own 2026 schedule on Friday, likewise featuring Louisiana Tech – thereby assigning the Bulldogs a total of 20 prospective games.
Furthermore, Louisiana Tech issued a press release on Friday to publicize its 2026 fixture list, confirming its status as a member of the Sun Belt.
The institution received and agreed to an invitation to affiliate with the Sun Belt on July 14, 2025. A statement detailing the transition specified that Louisiana Tech would become part of the league “no later than July 1, 2027.”
Representatives from the university informed Conference USA that they intended to withdraw on July 1, 2026; however, the parties failed to reach consensus on either a withdrawal timeline or an associated compensation sum.
Consequently, earlier in the current month, the University of Louisiana System, acting on behalf of Louisiana Tech, initiated legal action against Conference USA, seeking permission to depart from the conference by July 1. Following the initiation of the legal proceedings, the university issued a statement asserting that the provisional 2026 football fixture list formulated by Conference USA compelled them to pursue litigation.