Georgia State University and the Sun Belt Conference are scheduled to announce Monday that the school will join the league in 2013, according to a report by Brett McMurphy of CBS Sports. The announcement is set for a 2 p.m. news conference at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The move adds a future conference opponent for South Alabama, which is preparing for its first season of Sun Belt football competition in 2012.
Invitation Followed Presidents’ Vote
The report comes a week after Sun Belt presidents voted by teleconference to extend an invitation to Georgia State and open talks with the school.
Georgia State was previously a member of the Sun Belt and has competed in the Colonial Athletic Association for the past seven seasons. The announcement is expected one day before the CAA is scheduled to vote on a substantial increase in its exit fee for member schools. Reports indicate the fee could rise from $250,000 to at least $1 million.
Football Timeline
Georgia State’s other sports could begin Sun Belt competition in 2013. Under NCAA rules, the Panthers’ football program would not become a full conference member until 2014, but it would play a full Sun Belt schedule in 2013 as a transitional team. South Alabama will be in the same transitional position in 2012.
Georgia State faces a June 1 deadline to declare whether its football program will compete in the Football Championship Subdivision or the Football Bowl Subdivision.
First Move Under Benson
The addition would be the first major membership change under new Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson. Benson, the former commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, succeeded Wright Waters on March 15.
Georgia State’s arrival would give the Sun Belt 11 football-playing members. NCAA rules require 12 football members for a conference to stage a championship game.
Realignment Pressures
The Sun Belt also could lose members. The Mountain West Conference and Conference USA are discussing a merger into a new league of up to 24 schools, and Florida International, Florida Atlantic and North Texas are among the schools in those talks.
Benson is reported to be talking with other schools about possible membership. Charlotte and Texas-San Antonio are considered leading candidates, and there have been reports of potential interest from Lamar and Texas State.
Kevin McGuire has reported that UTSA has met with Mountain West and Conference USA officials about joining the merged league. The UTSA board of regents has called a special meeting for Thursday, April 12; the agenda has not been made public.
