Louisiana Tech Is Joining the Sun Belt, What It Means for the Ragin’ Cajuns

(LAFAYETTE, LA) - It’s official: Louisiana Tech is coming back to the Sun Belt.

The Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday that Louisiana Tech University will become the 14th member of the league no later than July 1, 2027. The vote was made unanimous by the Sun Belt CEOs, and now an old rivalry in Louisiana will become new again.

A Familiar Rival Returns

For longtime fans of Louisiana athletics, there's nothing quite like the familiarity of in-state rivals to help light the spark of fans in both regions. Having Louisiana Tech back in the conference will undoubtedly bring up memories for the older generations while the newer students and graduates will have the opportunity to enjoy another regional rivalry. We're all familiar with #ULMHateWeek (as Monroe fans are equally familiar with #CajunsHateWeek). Now we can add #TechHateWeek to the seasonal schedule.

Sun Belt Rivalries Get Deeper

With such close geography between the Ragin Cajuns, Tech, ULM and even Southern Miss, the Sun Belt is increasing the excitement of regional rivalries across all sports, from football to baseball, basketball and softball. The travel time will certainly be more welcome than having to drive/fly to other conference members much further away (we're looking at you, Coastal Carolina).

Implications for Football

Adding LA Tech to the Sunbelt will help strengthen the western division of the Sun Belt Conference and make it even more competitive. For head coach Michael Desormeaux and Cajuns staff, this means even more local recruiting battles. Every Louisiana-based recruit will now have multiple in-state FBS Sun Belt options, and in-state games will carry more weight than ever. Thanks to EA Sports, you can get a glimpse of what the LA Tech vs Cajuns football game will look like from College Football 25:

Stronger Conference, Bigger Stakes

“Be thankful for quality competitors who push you to your limit.” Michael Josephson

Adding quality competition to the conference will help push other teams in the conference to improve even more. You never really know how good you can be unless you're challenged by someone who can push you to your limits and beyond. Having Louisiana Tech in the conference has the potential to improve the performance of the other teams in the conference both on and off the playing field.

For the Ragin’ Cajuns, the challenge will be to stay ahead. With more regional eyes watching and rivalries firing up again, the pressure to win, and win convincingly, will only grow stronger. The message is clear: a new chapter in Louisiana football is being written, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have a chance to define it.