Conference Realignments: What’s Up Next for Your Favorite College Team?

by Whitney Randall

Big changes are coming for the world of Division I (DI) college football, and they’re called conference realignments. Realignments are everywhere, affecting almost every conference. 

Within DI football, there are two subdivisions: the Football Championship Subdivision and the Football Bowl Subdivision. While both are under National Collegiate Athletics Association jurisdiction, there are a few key differences between the subdivisions. The biggest difference comes down to scholarships and postseason playoffs. The FBS is home to the largest schools in DI football, with 136 schools divided between 10 conferences and two independent teams. The FCS comprises 129 smaller universities, divided among 13 conferences and two independent teams. The FBS can offer up to 85 full-ride scholarships, but the FCS is limited to only 63 scholarships that can be split into partial scholarships. In addition to the scholarship differences, they also vary with competition brackets. FBS teams play in bowl games with the top four earning automatic spots in the College Football Playoff, while the FCS has a 24-team playoff bracket meant to crown the national champion. The money, media attention, and recruiting power heavily favor the FBS, but the path to an FCS championship is more straightforward and competitive.

Realignments are happening all over the country, and the FCS is heating up fast. Schools like Kennesaw State University, Jacksonville State University, and Sam Houston State University have already made the jump to FBS, with the University of Delaware and Missouri State University close behind. This left holes in the ASUN Conference, Big South Conference, and Western Athletic Conference, forcing them into new alliances and a rebrand. In 2026, the ASUN-WAC alliance will rebrand to the United Athletic Conference (UAC). One of the biggest shifts is the instability in the regional rivalries, especially with powerhouse schools like the University of Montana and North Dakota State University, reportedly exploring a move to the FBS. Everyone’s watching to see if the FCS power structure crumbles or if new rivalries rise from the chaos.

FBS College Football Map November 12, 2019

If you thought that the FCS was messy, just wait for the FBS. The Pac-12, a former powerhouse conference, collapsed practically overnight, with the University of Oregon, University of Washington, University of Southern California, and University of California, Los Angeles joining the Big Ten, while the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, University of Colorado, and University of Utah switched to the Big 12. Meanwhile, schools like Southern Methodist University are heading over to the Atlantic Coast Conference. These shifts aren’t just geography nightmares; they’re redefining the Power Five. The Group of Five is scrambling, too, with Conference USA rebuilding itself through a few key FCS call-ups. The balance of power is changing fast, and money is driving every move.

The WAC, once a college football powerhouse, is on the verge of extinction. It struggled to stay afloat, crushed by FBS departures and instability. In July 2026, it will officially cease to exist with the strategic alliance, as ASUN rebrands to the UAC. The recent departure of Sam Houston State University to the FBS and the impending departures of Southern Utah University and Utah Tech University to the Big Sky Conference have accelerated the WAC’s collapse. While the name itself won’t survive, the new additions and emergency alliances will help create a new powerhouse conference.

Looking ahead, several confirmed moves are already on the calendar. With the arrival of the fall 2025 season, the University of Delaware will leave the Coastal Athletic Association to move up to Conference USA, joined by Missouri State University from the Missouri Valley Conference. The American Athletic Conference will be dropping the American and rebranding to the Athletic Conference. In 2026, Louisiana Tech University is set to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt, and the University of Texas at El Paso is scheduled to join the Mountain West Conference in 2027. Clemson University has also announced plans to leave the ACC sometime in the next decade following its lawsuit. With these changes locked in, the next few seasons will bring a very different look to the college football map.

Over in the FBS, Conference USA has been poaching FCS teams like it's Black Friday. Liberty University, Jacksonville State University, Sam Houston State University, Kennesaw State University, and New Mexico State University just finished out their first season or two and are awaiting the University of Delaware and Missouri State University’s first season. While they might be gaining teams, they’re also losing a few key ones. Florida Atlantic University, University of North Texas, Rice University, and University of Alabama at Birmingham left in 2023 for the AAC, as well as Marshall University, Old Dominion University, and the University of Southern Mississippi left in 2023 for the Sun Belt. They’ll also be losing Louisiana Tech University for the Sun Belt and the University of Texas at El Paso for the Mountain West Conference in 2026 or 2027. They've been in a constant rebuild mode, leaning into markets and TV contracts rather than tradition or competitiveness, creating a strange blend of FBS leftovers and former FCS powers. The question is whether they can hold it together long enough to matter. 

A clear pipeline is forming; more FCS schools are making the jump to FBS, driven by financial gain, increased exposure, and improved recruiting opportunities, with the University of Delaware and Missouri State University leading the way. To make this jump, the schools have to meet certain requirements, starting with scholarships and increased travel. In October 2023, the NCAA added new hurdles to the process by implementing a $5 million reclassification fee. With the teams making the jump to FBS, FCS is filling their gap by moving up Division II schools like the University of West Georgia and Texas A&M University–Commerce. The next ones moving up are the University of New Haven and Mercyhurst University. These changes are like a game of musical chairs. Everyone’s trying to move up, even with the foundation crumbling below.

The future of college football is less about geography and more about money. Traditional rivalries like Oregon-Oregon State, Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, and USC-Stanford are losing ground to cross-country matchups that make more money and mean less to fans. Looking ahead, expect more FCS teams to make the jump to FBS. Conferences like the Mid-American Conference and Mountain West Conference are already watching. While rivalries and regional identity might be dying out, the realignment train isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Disclaimer: This article reflects personal opinions and research and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any individuals, teams, or organizations mentioned.