1/9/2024 0 Comments Sunbelt conferenceThe school has won a total of 10 conference championships in football and made the playoffs 18 times during its run in the FCS. The 2004 James Madison football team won the Division I-AA National Championship and again won the FCS Championship in 2016. ![]() The football program at James Madison began in 1972 and in 1976 joined Division II before entering Division III in 1977 and eventually making the jump to Division I-AA in 1980. James Madison’s athletic programs have won national championships in football, field hockey, women’s lacrosse and archery. James Madison is making the jump from FCS to FBS this season after 40 years at the FCS level and a number of championships. Old Dominion has made two bowl appearances, winning the 2016 Bahamas Bowl and losing the 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl. During it’s time in the FCS, Old Dominion made two playoff appearances – advancing to the second round twice – and was C-USA East Champion in 2016. The Virginia-based school joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2011 until becoming independent again in 2013 and then jumping to the FCS (Division I-A) in 2014 as a part of Conference USA. Old Dominion then restarted the program in 2007 and officially began play in the FCS in 2009. Old Dominion’s football program began in the 1930s and went on through 1941 when the school eliminated football. “This expansion to 14 members – and the regional rivalries it produces – makes the 2022-2023 academic year one of the most anticipated in Sun Belt history and signals the bright future that lies ahead of the conference.” “We are excited to officially welcome James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss as members of the Sun Belt Conference,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said. Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss and James Madison’s move to the Sun Belt expands the conference’s reach into new states, adding West Virginia, Virginia and Mississippi. In order to leave the C-USA early, the schools agreed to pay the conference $2 million for the early departure. Marshall University then filed a lawsuit against the C-USA with the conference shortly thereafter agreeing to allow the schools depart for the Sun Belt early. The C-USA refused to accept the schools’ departure and even released conference schedules for the 2022 football season including the three schools. Things changed, however, as Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall informed Conference-USA that they intended to also join the Sun Belt by July 1. ![]() In 2021, three of the four schools announced they would be entering the conference following the 2022-2023 athletic seasons, while James Madison planned to join in July from the beginning. The official begin of the “new” Sun Belt marks the culmination of months of rumors, threats and drama that surrounded the decision for the four schools to jump to the Sun Belt. July 1 marked the official start of the Sun Belt Conference’s expansion with James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss joining the conference.
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