On Monday, Houston Baptist is expected to formally announce they have joined the Southland Conference. Since deciding to add FCS football, HBU became an attractive option for the Southland which lost football member Texas St. to the WAC, along with non-football schools Texas-Arlington and UTSA (UTSA added football with the intent on becoming FBS and also joined the WAC).

The addition of HBU will now give the Southland 11 total members, and will be the 9th football member upon adding the sport. The Southland also recently added Oral Roberts.

For the time being, it appears the Southland will remain at 11. Should they have difficulties with scheduling for 11 schools, the conference will always have the option of adding UTPA, currently a member of the Great West with HBU. But it would seem the Southland would likely wait until they officially have no chance at current Sun Belt and lone non-football member, Arkansas-Little Rock, a school the could be looking for a new conference if their arrangement with the Sun Belt were to change.