FBS conference belt
The Conference USA Belt
A companion lineage restricted to Conference USA: the belt passes to whoever beats the holder, exactly like the real belt, but only games between two Conference USA members COUNT — and only for the seasons both sides were actually in Conference USA at the time. Caught it by beating Florida International on October 13, 2026. Defended it 1 more time since.
Next Conference USA gameJacksonville State vs. Sam Houston · November 7, 2026 · CBSSN — Sam Houston takes it with a win.
87Reigns
240Belt Games
28Programs
Longest Reign
Southern Miss — 1 yr, 342 days
November 30, 2002 – November 6, 2004
Most Defenses, One Reign
Southern Miss — 12
starting November 30, 2002
Most Reigns, All-Time
Southern Miss — 7 separate reigns
28 Conference USA programs have held it
| # | Team | Reign | Length | Def. | Won it | Lost it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulane | August 30, 1996 – September 21, 1996 | 22 days | 0 | Established it (first game on record) | lost to Memphis |
| 2 | Memphis | September 21, 1996 – October 12, 1996 | 21 days | 1 | beat Tulane 17–10 | lost to Houston |
| 3 | Houston | October 12, 1996 – October 19, 1996 | 7 days | 0 | beat Memphis 37–20 | lost to Cincinnati |
| 4 | Cincinnati | October 19, 1996 – November 2, 1996 | 14 days | 1 | beat Houston 31–20 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 5 | Southern Miss | November 2, 1996 – November 9, 1996 | 7 days | 0 | beat Cincinnati 21–17 | lost to Houston |
| 6 | Houston | November 9, 1996 – November 1, 1997 | 357 days | 3 | beat Southern Miss 56–49 | lost to Memphis |
| 7 | Memphis | November 1, 1997 – November 8, 1997 | 7 days | 0 | beat Houston 24–3 | lost to Tulane |
| 8 | Tulane | November 8, 1997 – September 6, 1999 | 1 yr, 302 days | 7 | beat Memphis 26–14 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 9 | Southern Miss | September 6, 1999 – November 4, 2000 | 1 yr, 59 days | 8 | beat Tulane 48–14 | lost to Louisville |
| 10 | Louisville | November 4, 2000 – November 23, 2001 | 1 yr, 19 days | 8 | beat Southern Miss 49–28 | lost to TCU |
| 11 | TCU | November 23, 2001 – September 2, 2002 | 283 days | 1 | beat Louisville 37–22 | lost to Cincinnati |
| 12 | Cincinnati | September 2, 2002 – October 12, 2002 | 40 days | 0 | beat TCU 36–29 | lost to Tulane |
| 13 | Tulane | October 12, 2002 – November 9, 2002 | 28 days | 1 | beat Cincinnati 35–17 | lost to TCU |
| 14 | TCU | November 9, 2002 – November 23, 2002 | 14 days | 0 | beat Tulane 17–10 | lost to East Carolina |
| 15 | East Carolina | November 23, 2002 – November 30, 2002 | 7 days | 0 | beat TCU 31–28 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 16 | Southern Miss | November 30, 2002 – November 6, 2004 | 1 yr, 342 days | 12 | beat East Carolina 24–7 | lost to Cincinnati |
| 17 | Cincinnati | November 6, 2004 – November 27, 2004 | 21 days | 1 | beat Southern Miss 52–24 | lost to Louisville |
| 18 | Louisville | November 27, 2004 – December 31, 2004 | 34 days | 1 | beat Cincinnati 70–7 | vacated — left Conference USA before the 2005 season |
| 19 | Southern Miss | January 1, 2005 – October 8, 2005 | 280 days | 1 | reverted after Louisville left Conference USA | lost to Tulsa |
| 20 | Tulsa | October 8, 2005 – November 5, 2005 | 28 days | 2 | beat Southern Miss 34–17 | lost to UTEP |
| 21 | UTEP | November 5, 2005 – November 19, 2005 | 14 days | 0 | beat Tulsa 41–38 | lost to UAB |
| 22 | UAB | November 19, 2005 – November 26, 2005 | 7 days | 0 | beat UTEP 35–23 | lost to East Carolina |
| 23 | East Carolina | November 26, 2005 – September 9, 2006 | 287 days | 0 | beat UAB 31–23 | lost to UAB |
| 24 | UAB | September 9, 2006 – October 14, 2006 | 35 days | 1 | beat East Carolina 17–12 | lost to Rice |
| 25 | Rice | October 14, 2006 – October 13, 2007 | 364 days | 6 | beat UAB 34–33 | lost to Houston |
| 26 | Houston | October 13, 2007 – November 10, 2007 | 28 days | 3 | beat Rice 56–48 | lost to Tulsa |
| 27 | Tulsa | November 10, 2007 – December 1, 2007 | 21 days | 1 | beat Houston 56–7 | lost to UCF |
| 28 | UCF | December 1, 2007 – September 27, 2008 | 301 days | 0 | beat Tulsa 44–25 | lost to UTEP |
| 29 | UTEP | September 27, 2008 – October 18, 2008 | 21 days | 2 | beat UCF 58–13 | lost to Tulsa |
| 30 | Tulsa | October 18, 2008 – November 15, 2008 | 28 days | 1 | beat UTEP 77–35 | lost to Houston |
| 31 | Houston | November 15, 2008 – November 29, 2008 | 14 days | 1 | beat Tulsa 70–30 | lost to Rice |
| 32 | Rice | November 29, 2008 – September 5, 2009 | 280 days | 0 | beat Houston 56–42 | lost to UAB |
| 33 | UAB | September 5, 2009 – September 12, 2009 | 7 days | 0 | beat Rice 44–24 | lost to SMU |
| 34 | SMU | September 12, 2009 – October 24, 2009 | 42 days | 1 | beat UAB 35–33 | lost to Houston |
| 35 | Houston | October 24, 2009 – November 14, 2009 | 21 days | 2 | beat SMU 38–15 | lost to UCF |
| 36 | UCF | November 14, 2009 – November 13, 2010 | 364 days | 7 | beat Houston 37–32 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 37 | Southern Miss | November 13, 2010 – November 26, 2010 | 13 days | 1 | beat UCF 31–21 | lost to Tulsa |
| 38 | Tulsa | November 26, 2010 – November 25, 2011 | 364 days | 7 | beat Southern Miss 56–50 | lost to Houston |
| 39 | Houston | November 25, 2011 – December 3, 2011 | 8 days | 0 | beat Tulsa 48–16 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 40 | Southern Miss | December 3, 2011 – September 15, 2012 | 287 days | 0 | beat Houston 49–28 | lost to East Carolina |
| 41 | East Carolina | September 15, 2012 – October 4, 2012 | 19 days | 1 | beat Southern Miss 24–14 | lost to UCF |
| 42 | UCF | October 4, 2012 – November 17, 2012 | 44 days | 5 | beat East Carolina 40–20 | lost to Tulsa |
| 43 | Tulsa | November 17, 2012 – November 24, 2012 | 7 days | 0 | beat UCF 23–21 | lost to SMU |
| 44 | SMU | November 24, 2012 – December 24, 2012 | 30 days | 0 | beat Tulsa 35–27 | vacated — left Conference USA before the 2013 season |
| 45 | Tulsa | December 25, 2012 – October 5, 2013 | 284 days | 0 | reverted after SMU left Conference USA | lost to Rice |
| 46 | Rice | October 5, 2013 – October 31, 2013 | 26 days | 2 | beat Tulsa 30–27 | lost to North Texas |
| 47 | North Texas | October 31, 2013 – November 23, 2013 | 23 days | 1 | beat Rice 28–16 | lost to UTSA |
| 48 | UTSA | November 23, 2013 – September 27, 2014 | 308 days | 1 | beat North Texas 21–13 | lost to Florida Atlantic |
| 49 | Florida Atlantic | September 27, 2014 – October 2, 2014 | 5 days | 0 | beat UTSA 41–37 | lost to Florida International |
| 50 | Florida International | October 2, 2014 – October 11, 2014 | 9 days | 0 | beat Florida Atlantic 38–10 | lost to UTSA |
| 51 | UTSA | October 11, 2014 – October 18, 2014 | 7 days | 0 | beat Florida International 16–13 | lost to Louisiana Tech |
| 52 | Louisiana Tech | October 18, 2014 – November 22, 2014 | 35 days | 3 | beat UTSA 27–20 | lost to Old Dominion |
| 53 | Old Dominion | November 22, 2014 – October 3, 2015 | 315 days | 1 | beat Louisiana Tech 30–27 | lost to Marshall |
| 54 | Marshall | October 3, 2015 – November 7, 2015 | 35 days | 4 | beat Old Dominion 27–7 | lost to Middle Tennessee |
| 55 | Middle Tennessee | November 7, 2015 – October 15, 2016 | 343 days | 5 | beat Marshall 27–24 | lost to Western Kentucky |
| 56 | Western Kentucky | October 15, 2016 – September 16, 2017 | 336 days | 6 | beat Middle Tennessee 44–43 | lost to Louisiana Tech |
| 57 | Louisiana Tech | September 16, 2017 – October 7, 2017 | 21 days | 0 | beat Western Kentucky 23–22 | lost to UAB |
| 58 | UAB | October 7, 2017 – October 21, 2017 | 14 days | 1 | beat Louisiana Tech 23–22 | lost to Charlotte |
| 59 | Charlotte | October 21, 2017 – November 4, 2017 | 14 days | 0 | beat UAB 25–24 | lost to Old Dominion |
| 60 | Old Dominion | November 4, 2017 – November 25, 2017 | 21 days | 2 | beat Charlotte 6–0 | lost to Middle Tennessee |
| 61 | Middle Tennessee | November 25, 2017 – October 13, 2018 | 322 days | 2 | beat Old Dominion 41–10 | lost to Florida International |
| 62 | Florida International | October 13, 2018 – November 3, 2018 | 21 days | 2 | beat Middle Tennessee 24–21 | lost to Florida Atlantic |
| 63 | Florida Atlantic | November 3, 2018 – November 15, 2018 | 12 days | 1 | beat Florida International 49–14 | lost to North Texas |
| 64 | North Texas | November 15, 2018 – October 12, 2019 | 331 days | 2 | beat Florida Atlantic 41–38 | lost to Southern Miss |
| 65 | Southern Miss | October 12, 2019 – October 19, 2019 | 7 days | 0 | beat North Texas 45–27 | lost to Louisiana Tech |
| 66 | Louisiana Tech | October 19, 2019 – November 15, 2019 | 27 days | 2 | beat Southern Miss 45–30 | lost to Marshall |
| 67 | Marshall | November 15, 2019 – November 23, 2019 | 8 days | 0 | beat Louisiana Tech 31–10 | lost to Charlotte |
| 68 | Charlotte | November 23, 2019 – October 3, 2020 | 315 days | 1 | beat Marshall 24–13 | lost to Florida Atlantic |
| 69 | Florida Atlantic | October 3, 2020 – October 24, 2020 | 21 days | 0 | beat Charlotte 21–17 | lost to Marshall |
| 70 | Marshall | October 24, 2020 – December 5, 2020 | 42 days | 1 | beat Florida Atlantic 20–9 | lost to Rice |
| 71 | Rice | December 5, 2020 – December 12, 2020 | 7 days | 0 | beat Marshall 20–0 | lost to UAB |
| 72 | UAB | December 12, 2020 – October 23, 2021 | 315 days | 4 | beat Rice 21–16 | lost to Rice |
| 73 | Rice | October 23, 2021 – October 30, 2021 | 7 days | 0 | beat UAB 30–24 | lost to North Texas |
| 74 | North Texas | October 30, 2021 – October 22, 2022 | 357 days | 7 | beat Rice 30–24 | lost to UTSA |
| 75 | UTSA | October 22, 2022 – December 16, 2022 | 55 days | 5 | beat North Texas 31–27 | vacated — left Conference USA before the 2023 season |
| 76 | Louisiana Tech | December 17, 2022 – October 5, 2023 | 292 days | 2 | reverted after UTSA left Conference USA | lost to Western Kentucky |
| 77 | Western Kentucky | October 5, 2023 – October 17, 2023 | 12 days | 0 | beat Louisiana Tech 35–28 | lost to Jacksonville State |
| 78 | Jacksonville State | October 17, 2023 – November 25, 2023 | 39 days | 2 | beat Western Kentucky 20–17 | lost to New Mexico State |
| 79 | New Mexico State | November 25, 2023 – December 1, 2023 | 6 days | 0 | beat Jacksonville State 20–17 | lost to Liberty |
| 80 | Liberty | December 1, 2023 – October 23, 2024 | 327 days | 3 | beat New Mexico State 49–35 | lost to Kennesaw State |
| 81 | Kennesaw State | October 23, 2024 – October 30, 2024 | 7 days | 0 | beat Liberty 27–24 | lost to Western Kentucky |
| 82 | Western Kentucky | October 30, 2024 – November 16, 2024 | 17 days | 1 | beat Kennesaw State 31–14 | lost to Louisiana Tech |
| 83 | Louisiana Tech | November 16, 2024 – October 9, 2025 | 327 days | 3 | beat Western Kentucky 12–7 | lost to Kennesaw State |
| 84 | Kennesaw State | October 9, 2025 – November 15, 2025 | 37 days | 3 | beat Louisiana Tech 35–7 | lost to Jacksonville State |
| 85 | Jacksonville State | November 15, 2025 – November 22, 2025 | 7 days | 0 | beat Kennesaw State 35–26 | lost to Florida International |
| 86 | Florida International | November 22, 2025 – October 13, 2026 | 325 days | 2 | beat Jacksonville State 27–21 | lost to Jacksonville State |
| 87 | Jacksonville State | October 13, 2026 – Present | 18 days | 1 | beat Florida International 27–24 | — present — |
No reigns match “.”
Membership is judged season by season from every game a team played, so realignment moves a team’s games with it. A holder that stays in Conference USA keeps the belt through any stretch without a game against another member; a holder that leaves vacates the belt on its last game as a member, and it reverts to the most recent earlier holder that is a member of the season it left for. If no one is left to inherit it, the belt retires with its last holder. Days count the offseason; switch to games to measure a reign by belt games only.