College football conference realignment and expansion has returned in 2021, with several conferences set to add members while other teams will move to different leagues.
We’ve created a College Football Realignment Tracker to list all of the changes in one place. Most of these changes, if not all, will become official on July 1, 2023.
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
| Team | Current conference | Future conference |
|---|---|---|
| BYU | FBS Independent | Big 12 (2023) |
| Charlotte | C-USA | American (2023) |
| Cincinnati | American | Big 12 (2023) |
| Florida Atlantic | C-USA | American |
| Houston | American | Big 12 (2023) |
| Liberty | FBS Independent | C-USA |
| Marshall | C-USA | Sun Belt (2022) |
| New Mexico State | FBS Independent | C-USA |
| North Texas | C-USA | American |
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | SEC (2025) |
| Old Dominion | C-USA | Sun Belt (2022) |
| Rice | C-USA | American |
| Southern Miss | C-USA | Sun Belt (2022) |
| Texas | Big 12 | SEC (2025) |
| UAB | C-USA | American |
| UCF | American | Big 12 (2023) |
| UTSA | C-USA | American |
Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
| Team | Current conference | Future conference |
|---|---|---|
| Bryant | NEC | Big South (2022) |
| Cambell | Big South | CAA (2023) |
| Hampton | Big South | CAA (2022) |
| Jacksonville State | ASUN | C-USA (FBS; 2023) |
| James Madison | CAA | Sun Belt (FBS; 2022) |
| Lamar | WAC | Southland (2022) |
| Monmouth | Big South | CAA (2022) |
| Murray State | OVC | MVFC (2022) |
| North Carolina A&T | Big South | CAA (2023) |
| Sam Houston | WAC | C-USA (FBS; 2023) |
| Texas A&M-Commerce | Lone Star (D-II) | Southland (2022) |
FBS Conference Overview
ACC
Leaving: None
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
The ACC has survived this round of conference realignment, so far.
AMERICAN
Leaving: Cincinnati, Houston, UCF
Joining: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA
2023 Lineup: Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, SMU, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA
All six schools that are joining the American are moving from Conference USA.
BIG 12
Leaving: Oklahoma (2025), Texas (2025)
Joining: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF
2023 Lineup: Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, UCF, West Virginia
2025 Lineup: Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, West Virginia
BYU joins after playing as an FBS Independent, while Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF move from the American Athletic Conference.
BIG TEN
Leaving: None
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Like the ACC, the Big Ten appears to be holding at 14 members.
CONFERENCE USA
Leaving: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTSA
Joining: Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston
2023 Lineup: FIU, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP, WKU
The six schools leaving Conference USA will each join the American. Liberty and New Mexico State are currently FBS Independents, while Jacksonville State (ASUN) and Sam Houston (WAC) will move up from the FCS.
Middle Tennessee and WKU have been rumored to make a move to the MAC.
FBS INDEPENDENTS
Leaving: BYU, Liberty, New Mexico State
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Army, Notre Dame, UConn, UMass
BYU is leaving for the Big 12, while Liberty and New Mexico State will join Conference USA.
MAC
Leaving: None
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
Middle Tennessee and WKU have been rumored to make a move to the MAC.
MOUNTAIN WEST
Leaving: None
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
Air Force and Colorado State considered a move to the American, but decided to remain in the Mountain West.
PAC-12
Leaving: None
Joining: None
2023 Lineup: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State
Not much has been rumored for the Pac-12. If there were some movement into the conference, it would likely be the best teams from the Mountain West such as Boise State and San Diego State.
SEC
Leaving: None
Joining: Oklahoma (2025), Texas (2025)
2025 Lineup: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Arguably the top conference in college football gets better with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12, likely in 2025 unless lawyers get involved. The question now is, does the conference keep their divisions, scrap the divisions, or go to four-team pods?
SUN BELT
Leaving: None
Joining: James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss
2023 Lineup: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy, ULM