Southern Miss has officially been added to the Sun Belt Conference on Friday, according to a report by Brett McMurphy of ActionNetworkHQ.
A source has confirmed to Pine Belt Sports the report that Southern Miss has accepted an invitation to the Sun Belt. According to the source, an official announcement will come early next week.
The Golden Eagles, who have been a charter member for Conference USA since 1995, are expected to begin playing in their new conference in 2023, the source told Pine Belt Sports.
Multiple reports indicate, Southern Miss is expected to be at least the first four new Sun Belt Members with C-USA members Old Dominion and Marshall, and FCS member James Madison also expected to join the Sun Belt.
Southern Miss joins the Sun Belt after six other C-USA members formally joined the American Athletic Conference in Oct. 21, which included Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Charlotte, Rice, UTSA and UAB.
The conference realignment domino effect began after Texas and Oklahoma announced their move to 2021. In a response the Big 12 added Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston, which left the American Athletic Conference in search of new members and looking to expand.
As of now, the Sun Belt consists of Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy.
Both non-football members UT-Arlington and Arkansas at Little Rock are leaving the Sun Belt.
C-USA will be left with five schools that includes Louisiana Tech, Florida International, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky and will have to add five other programs to compete in football as a conference.
