Only five years ago, at its Media Day, the Lone Star Conference (LSC) was described as the “Southeastern Conference of NCAA Division II.” While some might have argued that another conference was the best in DII, the LSC presented a strong case for its superiority. East Texas A&M won the national title in 2017, and the LSC was known for being one of the deepest leagues in the country, consistently featuring four to five playoff-caliber programs each year.
Fast forward to 2025, and it’s hard to envision anyone comparing the LSC to the SEC without getting a snicker or side-eye in return. The departure of ET and Tarleton to FCS dealt a significant blow to the conference, and the impact of losing two consistently competitive programs in every sport is still felt today across many sports.