This is from Chris Vannini:
Could you explain the animosity between Louisiana Tech and the Sun Belt? — Jeremy O.
Oh boy. If you follow Group of 5 football, you’ve probably seen the clip of former Louisiana Tech athletic director (and current Vanderbilt deputy AD) Tommy McClelland in May 2020. On the topic of a Conference USA/Sun Belt merger, McClelland said there was no interest from C-USA, and schools like Louisiana (“Lafayette”) should try to move “up” to C-USA from the Sun Belt. That angered a lot of folks, and people tied to the Sun Belt have been more than happy to share that clip, especially because the Sun Belt is now adding C-USA schools.
There is a lot of bad blood from the last round of realignment in the early 2010s, when several schools left the Sun Belt for Conference USA (Middle Tennessee, North Texas, FAU, FIU, Western Kentucky). Louisiana Tech wasn’t part of that move — the Bulldogs went from the WAC to C-USA — but it furthers the sense of superiority, and it tied into Louisiana Tech’s relationship with Louisiana (Lafayette) and ULM.
For a long time, Louisiana Tech has looked down at the other in-state G5 schools. It’s had high aspirations and felt the others were lesser. All three are former FCS schools, but Louisiana Tech moved up in 1989 and ULM did in 1994. Those two teams had played every year from 1953 to ’91 and now haven’t played since 2000. Louisiana Tech reportedly turned down a chance to play ULM in the 2012 Independence Bowl and instead sat home with a 9-3 record. Miraculously, the pandemic led to both finally getting past the pettiness to schedule each other last year, but COVID-19 sadly prevented the game from happening.
So with C-USA now in a bad spot, the Sun Belt expanding and Louisiana Tech likely being left in a bad position, many Sun Belt fans (especially from ULL and ULM) are more than happy to soak in the moment and throw McClelland’s words back at him. That said, sources have toldThe Athletic those Sun Belt Louisiana schools ultimately would have been OK with Louisiana Tech joining the league. Current athletic director Eric Wood came from UCF and doesn’t have that kind of animosity toward the Sun Belt. But Louisiana Tech was only a late option if the other options didn’t work out, and it appears they will. With Marshall likely coming in the East, there was only one real West slot open, and Southern Miss got it thanks to its history (recent struggles notwithstanding), its engaged fan base and the opportunity for the league to get into a new state in Mississippi.
Honestly, it’s too bad. I hate that realignment and pettiness have denied us so many natural rivalries, such as Louisiana Tech with ULL and ULM. Those teams should be playing each other every year. The Bulldogs have a lot to offer. But I also understand why the people insulted by Louisiana Tech over the years have no problem rubbing their face in it.
Could you explain the animosity between Louisiana Tech and the Sun Belt? — Jeremy O.
Oh boy. If you follow Group of 5 football, you’ve probably seen the clip of former Louisiana Tech athletic director (and current Vanderbilt deputy AD) Tommy McClelland in May 2020. On the topic of a Conference USA/Sun Belt merger, McClelland said there was no interest from C-USA, and schools like Louisiana (“Lafayette”) should try to move “up” to C-USA from the Sun Belt. That angered a lot of folks, and people tied to the Sun Belt have been more than happy to share that clip, especially because the Sun Belt is now adding C-USA schools.
There is a lot of bad blood from the last round of realignment in the early 2010s, when several schools left the Sun Belt for Conference USA (Middle Tennessee, North Texas, FAU, FIU, Western Kentucky). Louisiana Tech wasn’t part of that move — the Bulldogs went from the WAC to C-USA — but it furthers the sense of superiority, and it tied into Louisiana Tech’s relationship with Louisiana (Lafayette) and ULM.
For a long time, Louisiana Tech has looked down at the other in-state G5 schools. It’s had high aspirations and felt the others were lesser. All three are former FCS schools, but Louisiana Tech moved up in 1989 and ULM did in 1994. Those two teams had played every year from 1953 to ’91 and now haven’t played since 2000. Louisiana Tech reportedly turned down a chance to play ULM in the 2012 Independence Bowl and instead sat home with a 9-3 record. Miraculously, the pandemic led to both finally getting past the pettiness to schedule each other last year, but COVID-19 sadly prevented the game from happening.
So with C-USA now in a bad spot, the Sun Belt expanding and Louisiana Tech likely being left in a bad position, many Sun Belt fans (especially from ULL and ULM) are more than happy to soak in the moment and throw McClelland’s words back at him. That said, sources have toldThe Athletic those Sun Belt Louisiana schools ultimately would have been OK with Louisiana Tech joining the league. Current athletic director Eric Wood came from UCF and doesn’t have that kind of animosity toward the Sun Belt. But Louisiana Tech was only a late option if the other options didn’t work out, and it appears they will. With Marshall likely coming in the East, there was only one real West slot open, and Southern Miss got it thanks to its history (recent struggles notwithstanding), its engaged fan base and the opportunity for the league to get into a new state in Mississippi.
Honestly, it’s too bad. I hate that realignment and pettiness have denied us so many natural rivalries, such as Louisiana Tech with ULL and ULM. Those teams should be playing each other every year. The Bulldogs have a lot to offer. But I also understand why the people insulted by Louisiana Tech over the years have no problem rubbing their face in it.
