Those in the know - especially those who have followed the Sun Belt Conference for a while - knew that the 2016 season was a special one for Sun Belt football.
It's not that the league hasn't had its share of memorable moments. Since starting from scratch in the 2001 season, the Sun Belt has coupled steady growth with scenes of the greatness that its founders sought when it added football to its core lineup.
In past seasons those hopes turned into reality in many different areas.
Reality, in this case, came one day after Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship game, when the Sun Belt received affirmation of this year's success compared to its peer conferences.