Why is Louisiana Tech on both Conference USA, Sun Belt schedules? Legal battle has Bulldogs in limbo
Technically, as it stands following the respective announcements, Louisiana Tech has 16 conference games in the 2026 season
In the latest odd twist of the modern college football era, Louisiana Tech finds itself on two separate 2026 conference schedules -- and, if you look at the math, on course for an impossible 20‑game (!!) regular season. The Bulldogs appeared on the Conference USA slate released late Thursday night and then the Sun Belt Conference schedule that followed on Friday afternoon.
So how did this happen?
The answer lies in a legal tug-of-war over Louisiana Tech's conference future. The Bulldogs announced in July 2025 that they intended to leave C-USA -- where they've been a member since 2013 -- and join the Sun Belt. The invitation from the Sun Belt said the move would occur "no later than July 1, 2027," leaving open the possibility of an earlier transition. Louisiana Tech pushed for that, hoping to compete in the Sun Belt for the 2026 season.
C-USA disagreed. The league's bylaws require at least 14 months' notice before a school can leave. Without a negotiated settlement, C-USA maintained that Louisiana Tech remained a member for 2026.
On March 4, Louisiana Tech filed a lawsuit against C-USA seeking an injunction to allow the school to join the Sun Belt in 2026. The filing challenges the conference's interpretation of its departure rules and the inclusion of Louisiana Tech on the 2026 C‑USA schedule while the dispute is ongoing. A judge declined to issue an immediate restraining order and set a hearing for March 19.
That leaves Louisiana Tech listed on both conference schedules for now. If you combine both conference schedules, it would create a 20-game regular season, which obviously will not happen. But, here is what that hypothetical slate would look like:
Sept. 5 - Northwestern State
Sept. 12 - at LSU
Sept. 19 - at Baylor
Oct. 3 - Army and Middle Tennessee (C-USA)
Oct. 8 - at FIU (C-USA)
Oct. 10 - Louisiana (Sun Belt)
Oct. 14 - Missouri State (C-USA)
Oct. 17 - at Louisiana Monroe (Sun Belt)
Oct. 21 - at Liberty (C-USA)
Oct. 24 - Old Dominion (Sun Belt)
Oct. 28 - Kennesaw State (C-USA)
Oct. 31 - at South Alabama (Sun Belt)
Nov. 7 - at Troy (Sun Belt) and at Jacksonville State (C-USA)
Nov. 14 - Southern Miss (Sun Belt)
TBA - Arkansas State (Sun Belt)
Nov. 21 - Delaware (C-USA)
Nov. 28 - at Western Kentucky (C-USA) and at Georgia Southern (Sun Belt)
Once the dispute is settled, it is likely that one league will adjust its schedule and the Bulldogs will end up with a standard 12-game slate. Until then, the school remains caught in a rare double-booked moment.
A similar situation occurred in 2022, when C-USA initially included Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss on its schedule after those schools announced plans to leave for the Sun Belt. Legal disputes and settlement payments followed, and all three ultimately joined the Sun Belt in time for the season, forcing C-USA to revise its schedule.
