In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference began sponsoring football and created the inaugural New Orleans bowl in December of that year. The conference now stands as one of the 10 premier college football leagues in the country.
With the recent debut of the College Football Playoff, the Sun Belt is guaranteed universal access based strictly on performance. A worthy football team in the Sun Belt can be in the national championship picture, and the league is a permanent part of the "Group of Five" conferences (joining the American Athletic Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA) that will send its highest-rated champion to a premier January 1st bowl game.
The Sun Belt Conference has gone from having two primary bowl partnerships to five in 2016. From 2001 to 2009 the Sun Belt Conference had only one bowl partner.
Sun Belt Bowl Partners
College Football Playoff
Opportunity to select Sun Belt Champion for one of six bowls or CFP semifinals
R L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
First Selection (vs. CUSA)
Dollar General Bowl (Mobile, Ala.)
Second Selection (vs. MAC)
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.)
Third Selection (vs. MAC)
AutoNation Cure Bowl (Orlando, Fla.)
Fourth Selection (vs. American)
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Fifth Selection (vs. Mountain West)