![]() The overall credibility of the Sun Belt has been increasing, and the media and the fans that have been expecting to see positive results out of the league are now seeing that." "The bowl season definitely validated the regular season that we had," Benson said, "and proved what we've been saying all along. ![]() The league did that by compiling the best record among the "Group of Five" in bowl games with a 4-2 record, one that included wins over teams from the top-rated American Athletic Conference, the second-rated Mountain West and the Mid-American in the postseason. ![]() Finishing ahead of two of our peer conferences is a good first step." "Our goal is to be the highest-rated conference with the highest-rated champion, and this year we made some big steps. "That definitely shows improvement," said Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson, who was in Tampa for league meetings and the CFP championship game. That position, after two years of ranking fifth among the five peer conferences, gives the Sun Belt a big boost in prestige - and a big boost to the league's wallet. The Sun Belt, which boasted several regular-season landmarks and its most successful postseason in history this year, finished the year ranked third among the "Group of Five" conferences in the 2016 final conference rankings announced Tuesday. 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. In past seasons those hopes turned into reality in many different areas. 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. It's not that the league hasn't had its share of memorable moments. 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.
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