Realignment in college football continues this season with 12 teams either changing conferences or moving up to an FBS conference from the Football Championship Subdivision.
Today, July 1, is the day when each conference move becomes official for the 2014 football season. Let’s take a look at each Football Bowl Subdivision conference and which teams have made a change.
Incoming: Louisville
Outgoing: Maryland
Future moves (2015): None
Louisville officially joins the ACC today from the American Athletic Conference. The Cardinals were placed in the Atlantic Division, essentially taking Maryland’s spot. Here are the updated ACC divisions:
Atlantic: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, NC State, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Coastal: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech
Incoming: East Carolina, Tulane, Tulsa
Outgoing: Louisville, Rutgers
Future Moves (2015): Navy (Incoming)
Louisville has departed the American Athletic Conference for the ACC, while Rutgers left for the Big Ten. East Carolina, Tulane, and Tulsa all join The American from Conference USA. In 2015, the American will split into East-West divisions after Navy joins.
East (2015): UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, USF, Temple
West (2015): Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa
Incoming: None
Outgoing: None
Future moves: None
The Big 12 neither adds or loses members for the 2014 season. The conference appears to be content with ten members, no divisions, and no championship game.
Incoming: Maryland, Rutgers
Outgoing: None
Future moves (2015): None
The Big Ten Conference expands to 14 teams this season with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers. They have also scrapped the Legends and Leaders divisions, instead going with East and West divisions:
East: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers
West: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin
Incoming: Old Dominion, Western Kentucky
Outgoing: East Carolina, Tulane, Tulsa
Future moves (2015): Charlotte (Incoming)
Conference USA has five changes this season with three members departing and two entering. East Carolina, Tulane, and Tulsa each depart for the American. Old Dominion moves up from the FCS while Western Kentucky comes in from the Sun Belt Conference. Here are the C-USA divisions for 2014:
East: Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, UAB, Western Kentucky
West: Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Southern Miss, UTEP, UTSA
Incoming: None
Outgoing: Idaho, New Mexico State, Old Dominion
Future moves (2015): Navy (Outgoing)
Although not technically a conference, three teams that were FBS Independents in 2013 are moving into conferences in 2014. Idaho and New Mexico State join the Sun Belt Conference while Old Dominion moves into Conference USA.
Barring any additional changes, Army, BYU, and Notre Dame will be the only FBS Independents in 2015.
Incoming: None
Outgoing: None
Future moves (2015): None
The MAC neither adds or loses members for the 2014 season. They currently have 13 members, but will drop down to 12 when UMass departs after the 2015 season.
Mountain West Conference (MWC)
Incoming: None
Outgoing: None
Future moves: None
The MWC neither adds or loses members for the 2014 season.
Incoming: None
Outgoing: None
Future moves: None
The Pac-12 neither adds or loses members for the 2014 season.
Incoming: None
Outgoing: None
Future moves: None
The SEC neither adds or loses members for the 2014 season.
Incoming: Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, New Mexico State
Outgoing: Western Kentucky
Future moves (2015): None
The Sun Belt adds four members and loses one for 2014. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern move up from the FCS, while Idaho and New Mexico State come in after playing one season as FBS Independents. Western Kentucky leaves the SBC for Conference USA.
Here are the eleven Sun Belt members for 2014:
Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, UL Lafayette, ULM