The Sun Belt Conference tiebreakers have been in place since 2018, as the conference remains the last in the FBS to use a divisional-based standings system. The Sun Belt Conference has two divisions, each comprising seven teams, with the winners of each division competing in the Conference Championship Game.
The Sun Belt standings are first determined based on record against opponents within the conference. No games against non-conference opponents are considered when initially setting the standings for who plays in the Sun Belt Championship Game. In the event of a tie when it comes to conference winning percentage, the Sun Belt tiebreakers are used.
To find out how PFSN’s analytics see the current Sun Belt season playing out, visit our College FPM table to see every team’s percentage chance of making the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. If you want to test out different scenarios of your own, then be sure to check out the PFSN College Football Playoff Predictor.
Sun Belt Two-Team Tiebreakers
If two teams are tied for first place in the standings, they will both participate in the Championship Game. However, the tiebreaking procedure outlined below will be used to determine which team is considered the home team and which is considered the road team. In the event of a tie for second place in the standings, the following process will be used to determine who will advance to the Sun Belt Championship Game.
1) The winner of any head-to-head matchup between the two teams (if applicable).
2) The team with the highest overall divisional winning percentage.
3) Each team’s record against the team in the next highest position in the division, and then continuing down the division, looking for a winner. If the comparison teams are tied in the standings, the group is treated as a single entity when assessing the teams in the main tiebreaker.
4) Combined winning percentage against all common non-divisional Conference opponents.
5) The highest-ranked team in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings entering the final week of the regular season that does not lose its final regular-season game. If the highest-ranked team by the CFP Selection Committee loses in the final week, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe).
6) If both teams are ranked, then if the highest-ranked team that does not lose on the final weekend, they will be the champion. If the highest-ranked team by the CFP Selection Committee loses in the final week, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe).
7) If no teams are ranked by the CFP Selection Committee, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe.
8) Overall winning percentage against all FBS opponents (including non-conference games).
9) Coin toss.
Sun Belt Three (or More) Team Tiebreakers
If, after any step in the following procedure, one or two teams are either superior or inferior to the others, they are removed from the tiebreaking procedure, and the remaining teams either go to the two-team tiebreaker or return to the start of the three-team tiebreaking procedure.
1) The team with the highest winning percentage in games played among the tied teams shall be declared the division champion
2) The team with the highest overall divisional winning percentage.
3) Each team’s record against the team in the next highest position in the division, and then continuing down the division, looking for a winner. If the comparison teams are tied in the standings, the group is treated as a single entity when assessing the teams in the main tiebreaker.
4) Combined winning percentage against all common non-divisional Conference opponents.
5) The highest-ranked team in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings entering the final week of the regular season that does not lose its final regular-season game. If the highest-ranked team by the CFP Selection Committee loses in the final week, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe).
6) If both teams are ranked, then if the highest-ranked team that does not lose on the final weekend, they will be the champion. If the highest-ranked team by the CFP Selection Committee loses in the final week, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe).
7) If no teams are ranked by the CFP Selection Committee, then a composite ranking of the following computer rankings is used to determine the division champion: Anderson & Hester, Massey, Colley, and Wolfe.
8) Overall winning percentage against all FBS opponents (including non-conference games).
9) Lots.
If multiple teams are tied for top spot in the Sun Belt standings, and two teams emerge as superior after any step, those two teams shall contest the Sun Belt Championship Game. A two-team tiebreaker will be applied to determine the home and road designation.