Who’s Playing Where? A Cheat Sheet On College Sports Realignment

Realignment among the major college athletic conferences has slowed, but there has been plenty of movement elsewhere. The Power Four (Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences) go into the 2026-27 football season with no membership changes from a year ago. The rest of the 10 leagues in the Football Bowl Subdivision — particularly the Pac-12 — have new faces in some places. Here is a rundown of the changes over the past 30 years: ACC 1996 (9): Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Virginia. 2023 (14): Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest. 2024 (17): Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest. 2026: Unchanged. BIG TEN 1996 (11): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin. 2023 (14): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin. 2024 (18): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Southern California, UCLA, Washington, Wisconsin. 2026: Unchanged. BIG 12 1996 (12): Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech. 2023 (14): BYU, Baylor, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia. 2024 (16): Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Baylor, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah, West Virginia. 2026: Unchanged. SEC 1996 (12): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt. 2023 (14): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt. 2025 (16): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt. 2026: Unchanged. AMERICAN 2013 (10, first season): Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers, SMU, South Florida, Temple. 2023 (14): Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy (football only), North Texas, Rice, SMU, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA. 2025 (14+): Army (football only), Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy (football only), North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA, Wichita State (non-football). 2026: Unchanged. CONFERENCE USA 1996 (6): Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Tulane. 2023 (9): Florida International, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, UTEP, Western Kentucky. 2024 (10): Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, UTEP, Western Kentucky. 2025 (12): Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, UTEP, Western Kentucky. 2026 (10): Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, Western Kentucky. MID-AMERICAN 1996 (10): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan. 2023 (12): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan. 2025 (13): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Massachusetts, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan. 2026 (13): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Massachusetts, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Sacramento State (football only), Toledo, Western Michigan. BIG WEST/WAC/MOUNTAIN WEST 1996 (Big West, 6): Boise State, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico State, North Texas, Utah State. 1996 (WAC, 16): Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, New Mexico, Rice, San Diego State, San Jose State, SMU, TCU, Tulsa, UNLV, Utah, UTEP, Wyoming. 2025 (MWC, 13): Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Grand Canyon (non-football), Hawaii (football only), Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming. 2026 (MWC, 10+): Air Force, UC Davis (non football), Grand Canyon (non football), Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota State (football only), Northern Illinois (football only), San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming. PAC-12 1996 (10): Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State. 2023 (12): Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Southern California, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Washington State. 2024 (2): Oregon State, Washington State. 2026 (8+): Boise State, Colorado State, Dallas Baptist (baseball only) Fresno State, Gonzaga (non-football), Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, Washington State. SUN BELT 2001 (7, first season): Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, North Texas. 2025 (14): Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Texas State, Troy. 2026 (14): Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Troy. INDEPENDENTS 1996 (11): Arkansas State, Army, Central Florida, East Carolina, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Navy, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, UAB. 2023 (4): Army, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Notre Dame. 2024 (3): Connecticut, Massachusetts, Notre Dame. 2025 (2): Connecticut, Notre Dame. 2026: Unchanged. Reporting by The Associated Press.