The Sun Belt Conference will split into divisions in football in 2018, the first year the conference will hold a championship game.
The new format was adopted at the Sun Belt's annual spring meeting on Monday, and announced Tuesday. The new alignment features instate rivals South Alabama and Troy in opposite divisions.
Beginning in 2018, the Sun Belt East Division will include Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Troy. The West Division will include Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State.
The conference will keep its non-divisional format in 2017, the final year Idaho and New Mexico State are football-playing members of the Sun Belt.