The Tumultuous History of NCAA Conference Realignment

Conference realignment has been a constant force in college athletics, shaping the landscape of college football and other sports for over a century. From the early days of regional conferences to the modern era of superconferences driven by television revenue, the pursuit of competitive balance, financial stability, and media exposure has led to numerous shifts in conference membership, often with dramatic and transformative consequences.

Early Days and the Formation of Power Conferences

The seeds of conference realignment were sown in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the establishment of the earliest athletic conferences. In 1896, the universities of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Chicago formed the Western Conference, known today as the Big Ten. Just three years later, in 1899, Indiana and Iowa were invited to join, turning the Big Seven into the Big Nine.

In 1908, Michigan dropped out of the Western Conference over disagreements about reforms, including a five-game maximum per season, and did not return until 1917. In Michigan's absence, Ohio State was invited to join the conference in 1912.

The original Southern Conference, formed in 1921, grew to include as many as 23 members before 13 of them broke away in 1932 to form the modern-day SEC. The departing members included 10 current SEC schools plus Georgia Tech, Tulane, and Sewanee. In 1948, the Western Conference became the Big Ten again by inviting Michigan State, after a seven-year lobbying campaign by school president John Hannah.

The Rise of New Conferences and the Aftermath of Scandal

In 1953, Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest left the SoCon to form the ACC. In December of the same year, Virginia was invited to join as the eighth member.

In 1957, the Pacific Coast Conference imploded following a series of slush-fund scandals involving booster clubs at Washington, USC, UCLA, and Cal. The two L.A. schools and Cal withdrew from the league, and the conference itself disbanded within a year. The four cheaters and Stanford soon joined forces and formed what would become the Pac-8 with the additions of Washington State, Oregon, and Oregon State.

Independence and the Pursuit of Financial Gain

In 1964, Georgia Tech left the SEC to go independent, primarily due to coach Bobby Dodd’s opposition to a rule limiting schools to 140 football and basketball scholarships. The school stood to make a considerable gain financially by withdrawing from the conference, as it would no longer have to share its proceeds from postseason bowl games and television appearances with other league members. Georgia Tech eventually joined the ACC 19 years later.

In 1976, the Pac-8 invited WAC members Arizona and Arizona State, culminating a years-long process. In a dramatic final meeting, the presidents of Stanford and Washington initially opposed the invites, but the president of USC threatened to withdraw immediately if the Arizona schools were not admitted, leading to a change of heart.

The Supreme Court's Impact and the Modern Realignment Era

A pivotal moment in conference realignment history came in 1984 with the Supreme Court's decision in NCAA v. Board of Regents. The court ruled that the NCAA's control of schools' television rights violated antitrust law, opening the door for individual schools and conferences to negotiate their own media deals. This decision paved the way for the modern era of conference realignment, driven by the pursuit of lucrative television contracts.

In 1990, SEC presidents authorized expansion, ultimately choosing South Carolina and Arkansas. The Big Ten added Penn State, marking the beginning of the end for independents not named Notre Dame. Florida State joined the ACC. The Big East, initially a basketball conference, decided to enter the football arena by inviting Miami.

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In 1994, the Southwest Conference, plagued by NCAA scandals and a lack of television exposure, was dissolved. The Big 8 invited Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor to form the Big 12.

In 1999, Notre Dame declined an invitation to join the Big Ten.

The 21st Century: Superconferences and the Pursuit of Media Dollars

The early 21st century witnessed the rise of superconferences, driven by the pursuit of increased media revenue and national prominence. In 2003, the ACC raided the Big East, adding Miami, Syracuse, and Boston College. Virginia Tech was also added to the ACC thanks to a pressure campaign by Virginia's governor.

In 2009, the Big Ten announced its intention to explore further expansion, leading to Nebraska officially accepting an offer in 2010. Meanwhile, the Pac-10 (soon to be Pac-12) attempted to invite six Big 12 schools, including Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Colorado. However, Texas and the other schools ultimately decided to stay put, and the Pac-10 added Utah to form the Pac-12.

In 2011, Texas A&M and Missouri jumped to the SEC, and in 2012, the ACC added Pitt and Syracuse, while Louisville joined a year later. Notre Dame reached an arrangement with the ACC that same year. The Big East attempted to salvage its football brand but ultimately split, with the basketball schools rebranding as the Big East and the football schools becoming the American Athletic Conference.

In 2012, Maryland and Rutgers joined the Big Ten, driven by the conference's desire to expand its media footprint into the East Coast and tap into lucrative in-market subscriber fees for the Big Ten Network.

Recent Developments and the Ever-Changing Landscape

The conference realignment landscape has continued to evolve in recent years. In 2021, the Supreme Court's decision in NCAA v. Alston further altered the landscape, reinforcing that schools and conferences should be free to negotiate their own media deals.

In 2023, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF joined the Big 12.

In 2024, Oklahoma and Texas left the Big 12 for the SEC. The Pac-12 experienced a significant upheaval, with Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington departing for the Big Ten; Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah joining the Big 12; and California and Stanford moving to the ACC. The ACC also added SMU from The American. Army ended its independence and joined The American.

The Future of Conference Realignment

Conference realignment remains a dynamic and ongoing process in college athletics. As media deals continue to drive revenue and influence, and as schools seek to enhance their competitive position and national profile, further shifts in conference membership are likely. The pursuit of stability, financial security, and competitive balance will continue to shape the landscape of college sports for years to come.

Conference USA raised its total membership to 12 schools after adding the independent Kennesaw State University Owls in 2024, plus the University of Delaware Blue Hens and the Missouri State University Bears in 2025.

Coming up, the Pac-12 will return with an additional six schools split from the Sun Belt Conference (Texas State Bobcats) and the Mountain West: the Boise State Broncos, the Fresno State Bulldogs, the Colorado State Rams, the San Diego State University Aztecs and the Utah State University Aggies.

The ACC stays the same at 17 teams. schools with the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University coming from the Pac-12 and Southern Methodist University (SMU) from the American Conference.

The Big Ten stays the same at 18 members after the 2024 addition of four former members of the Pac-12: the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Oregon, University of Southern California and University of Washington.

The Big 12 stays the same at 16 teams after losing Texas and Oklahoma in 2024, and gaining the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, University of Colorado Boulder and University of Utah. This continued the Big 12’s expansion after adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF as members in 2023.

The SEC remains at 16 members, after adding the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas in 2024, while also eliminating divisions within the conference.

In contrast to the other power conferences, the Pac-12 now has fewer members (2) than the number in their name.

In the 2024 conference realignment, the American Conference maintained its 14-school membership after recruiting the Army Black Knights to replace the SMU Mustangs.

Additional Conference and Team Movements

East Texas A&M moves up from Division II to the Southland.
Lindenwood joined the NCAA in 2012 at the Division II level and makes the move to the FCS a decade later.
William & Mary will leave the CAA for football and join the Patriot League for football in 2026.
Villanova became the third school to announce that it will leave the CAA for football and join the Patriot League for football in 2026.
The WAC is no more (again). The conference will officially become the UAC after a rebrand. The WAC schools joining the UAC will be Tarleton State, Abilene Christian and UT Arlington.
The ASUN will still exist, just without its football playing schools. The former ASUN football schools will join the UAC, making the ASUN a basketball focused conference.
In 2022, Southern Utah left the Big Sky to join the WAC. In 2026, Southern Utah will return to the conference it once left and become a Big Sky member. It'll be joined by an in-state companion in Utah Tech, which will also leave the WAC to join the Big Sky in 2026.
The CAA responded to a trio of teams leaving from 2025-26 by adding a new team, Sacred Heart in 2026.
For the first time since 2014 the Southern Conference (SoCon) got involved in conference realignment. The SoCon will add Tennessee Tech in all sports starting in 2026, giving the conference 10 football playing members and 11 members overall.
Richmond, a full-time member of the A-10 conference, will leave the CAA for football, instead playing football in the Patriot League starting in 2025.
Stephen F. Austin announced it would be leaving the WAC for the Southland Conference.
Sacred Heart left the NEC for the MAAC conference.
Merrimack left the NEC for the MAAC conference.
Robert Morris announced it will return to the NEC in 2024 as a football associate member.
Western Illinois announced it will be leaving the Missouri Valley Football Conference to join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024.
Bryant announced it will be joining the CAA in the 2024 season as a football member.
Murray State has announced it's leaving the OVC for the Missouri Valley in all sports.
North Carolina A&T is leaving for the CAA.
Campbell announced it would be leaving the Big South to join the CAA in 2023.
Kennesaw State and North Alabama are heading to the ASUN in 2022.
UIW accepted a July 1, 2022 invitation to join the WAC.
Lamar will be rejoining the Southland in 2022.
Hampton departs its former conference for the CAA in 2022.
Bryant leaves the NEC to join the Big South as an associate football member.
The Big South and OVC have an association set for 2023 and the two conferences will share one bid among the two conferences.
The ASUN and WAC announced the two conferences will make their partnership official as a new football-only conference called the United Athletic Conference (UAC).

New Teams and Programs

Chicago State University is adding football.
Tennessee State is bringing baseball back.
Tennessee State is introducing collegiate ice hockey.

Conference Timeline

Below is a timeline of conference and team movements from 1978-2024:

1978

ACC - Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest
Big Eight - Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State
Big 10- Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Ivy - Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale
MAC - Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
Missouri Valley - Drake, Indiana State, New Mexico State, Southern Illinois, Tulsa, West Texas State, Wichita State
Pacific Coast - Cal State Fullerton, Fresno State, Long Beach State, Pacific (CA), San Jose State, Utah State
Pac-10 - Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State
SEC - Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Southern - Appalachian State, Chattanooga, Furman, Marshall, The Citadel, VMI, Western Carolina
Southland - Arkansas State, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Southwestern Louisiana, Texas-Arlington
Southwest - Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, Rice, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
WAC - BYU, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah, UTEP, Wyoming
Independents - Air Force, Army, Boston College, Cincinnati, Colgate, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Hawai’i, Holy Cross, Illinois State, Louisville, Memphis State, Miami (FL), Navy, North Texas State, Northeast Louisiana, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Rutgers, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Temple, Tulane, UNLV, Villanova, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, William & Mary

1979

East Tennessee moved from the Ohio Valley in I-AA to the Southern Conference.
Hawai’i ended its independence and joined the WAC.

1980

Air Force ended its independence and joined the WAC.

1981

Illinois State ended its independence and joined the Missouri Valley.
Villanova (I-A Independent) dropped its football program.

1982

The Ivy League, Southern Conference, and Southland Conference dropped to the I-AA level.
Southwestern Louisiana left the Southland to remain in I-A as an independent.
Most of the Missouri Valley schools were upgraded to I-AA: Drake, Illinois State, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, and West Texas State.
Several I-A Independents also dropped to I-AA: Colgate, Holy Cross, Northeast Louisiana, North Texas State, Richmond, and William & Mary.
UNLV ended its independence and joined the Pacific Coast.

1983

Georgia Tech, already a member of the ACC in all other sports, ended its football independence to become a full member of the ACC.

1984

New Mexico State left the Missouri Valley to join the Pacific Coast.

1986

The Missouri Valley ended its hybrid league of both I-A and I-AA programs.
Tulsa and Wichita State left the conference to become I-A Independent.
Northern Illinois left the MAC to become Independent.

1987

Akron left the Ohio Valley (I-AA) to become I-A Independent.
Wichita State dropped its program.

1988

The Pacific Coast Athletic Association changed its name to the Big West Conference.

1989

Louisiana Tech upgraded from a I-AA Independent to a I-A Independent.

1991

The Big East began sponsoring football, ending independence for Boston College, Miami (FL), Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia Tech, West Virginia.

1992

Florida State ended its independence and joined the ACC.
The SEC expands with two programs: Arkansas from the Southwest and formerly Independent South Carolina.
The Big West lost two programs: Fresno State joined the WAC and Long Beach State dropped its program.
Nevada left the Big Sky (I-AA) to join the Big West.
Akron ended its independence and joined the MAC.
Arkansas State upgraded from I-AA to I-A, remaining an Independent.

1993

The Big West lost Cal State Fullerton, who dropped their program, but added four independents: Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, and Southwestern Louisiana.
Penn State ended its independence and joined the Big 10.

1994

Northeast Louisiana left the Southland (I-AA) to become a I-A Independent.

1995

North Texas left the Southland (I-AA) to become a I-A Independent.

1996

The Big 12 began its first season after merging the Big Eight with four members of the former Southwest (Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech).
Conference USA began its first season after merging two previously non-football conferences: the Metro Conference and the Great Midwest Conference. This new league included former Southwest member Houston and five former independents: Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Miss, and Tulane.
The WAC added former Southwest members Rice, SMU, and TCU, while also taking San Jose State and UNLV from the Big West. Tulsa ended its independence and joined the WAC.
The Big West lost Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, and Southwestern Louisiana, all of whom became I-A Independent programs. The league added Boise State (I-AA Big Sky), Idaho (I-AA Big Sky), and North Texas (I-A Independent).
UAB and UCF upgraded from I-AA Independent to become I-A Independent.
Pacific (Big West) dropped its football program.

1997

The MAC added Marshall (I-AA Southern) and Northern Illinois (I-A Independent).
East Carolina ended its independence and joined Conference USA.

1998

Army ended more than 100 years of independence to join Conference USA.

1999

Eight former members of the WAC form the Mountain West Conference: Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah, and Wyoming.
Arkansas State ended its independence and joined the Big West.
UAB ended its independence to join Conference USA.
Two schools moved up from I-AA to I-A: Middle Tennessee from the Ohio Valley to independence and Buffalo from independence to the MAC.

2000

Nevada left the Big West to join the WAC.
Two programs upgraded from I-AA Independent to I-A Independent: UConn and South Florida.

2001

The Big West stopped sponsoring football. As such, its remaining football-playing members departed for the WAC (Boise State), the Sun Belt (Arkansas State, New Mexico State, and North Texas), or independence (Utah State).
The Sun Belt began sponsoring football. With the addition of the former Big West programs, Idaho joined the league as a football-only member. Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, and Middle Tennessee ended their independence to join the Sun Belt.
The WAC lost TCU to Conference USA but added formerly independent Louisiana Tech.
Troy State upgraded from I-AA Independent to I-A Independent.

2002

UCF ended its independence to join the MAC.

2003

South Florida ended its independence to join Conference USA.
Utah State ended its independence to join the Sun Belt.

2004

The Big East lost Miami and Virginia Tech to the ACC and added formerly independent UConn.
Troy State ended its independence and joined the Sun Belt.
Florida Atlantic and Florida International upgraded from I-AA Independent to I-A Independent.

2005

Temple (expelled from Big East) and Army (left Conference USA) both became independent.
The Big East also lost Boston College to the ACC and added Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida from Conference USA.
TCU left Conference USA to join the Mountain West.
Conference USA added Marshall and UCF from the MAC and Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP from the WAC.
The WAC added Idaho, New Mexico, State and Utah State from the Sun Belt Conference.
The Sun Belt added former independents Florida Atlantic and Florida International.

2006

The NCAA changed classification from I-A and I-AA to FBS and FCS.

2007

Temple ended its independence to join the MAC.

2008

Western Kentucky upgraded from FCS Independent to FBS Independent.

2009

Western Kentucky ended its independence and joined the Sun Belt.

2011

The Pac-10 becomes the Pac-12 with the additions of Colorado (Big 12) and Utah (Mountain West).
The Big 12 also loses Nebraska to the Big Ten.
The Mountain West also loses BYU, who becomes an FBS Independent.
Boise State leaves the WAC to join the Mountain West.

2012

The Big 12 loses Missouri and Texas A&M to the SEC and adds TCU (Mountain West) and West Virginia (Big East).
The Mountain West adds former WAC programs Fresno State, Hawai’i, and Nevada.
The Big East adds Temple from the MAC.
The MAC adds former Colonial(FCS) member UMass.
The WAC adds former FCS programs Texas State (Southland) and UTSA (Indpenedent).
South Alabama ends its FCS independence to join the Sun Belt.

2013

The Big East loses Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC. With those losses, the league experienced a split between its FBS and non-FBS schools. After the “Catholic 7” took the Big East name, the remaining schools were reorganized as The American. Along with members Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida, Temple, and UConn, The American also added former Conference USA programs, Houston, Memphis, SMU, and UCF.
Conference USA added former Sun Belt members Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Middle Tennessee, and North Texas, as well as former WAC members Louisiana Tech and UTSA.
The WAC discontinued sponsoring football. Idaho and New Mexico State became FBS Independents. San Jose State and Utah State both joined the Mountain West. Texas State joined the Sun Belt.
Georgia State upgraded from the Colonial (FCS) to the Sun Belt.

2014

The Big Ten added Maryland (ACC) and Rutgers (The American).
The ACC added Louisville from The American.
The American added former Conference USA members East Carolina, Tulane, and Tulsa.
Conference USA added Old Dominion (FCS Independent) and Western Kentucky (Sun Belt).
The Sun Belt added Appalachian State and Georgia Southern from the Southern Conference (FCS). Idaho and New Mexico State ended their independence to join the Sun Belt.

2015

Charlotte ended its FCS independence to join Conference USA.
Navy ended its independence to join The American.
UAB (Conference USA) shut down its football program.

2016

UMass left the MAC to become Independent.

2017

UAB restarted its football program in Conference USA.
Coastal Carolina upgraded from FCS Independent to the Sun Belt.

2018

The Sun Belt lost Idaho (FCS Big Sky) and New Mexico State (Independent).
Liberty upgraded from the Big South (FCS) to become an FBS Independent.

2020

Notre Dame joined the ACC for the COVID-19 pandemic-altered season.
UConn left The American to become Independent.

2021

Notre Dame returned to independence.

2022

The Sun Belt added Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss from Conference USA and James Madison from the Colonial (FCS).

2023

The Big 12 added American programs Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF, as well as Independent BYU.
The American added Conference USA programs Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA.
Conference USA added FCS programs Jacksonville State (ASUN) and Sam Houston (WAC), as well as independents Liberty and New Mexico State.

2024

Oklahoma and Texas abandoned the Big 12 for the SEC.
The Pac-12 hemorrhaged member schools, with Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington off to the Big Ten; Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah to the Big 12; and California and Stanford joining the ACC. Remaining schools Oregon State and Washington State made a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West.
The ACC also picked up SMU from The American.
Army ended its independence and joined The American.
Conference USA added former FCS Independent Kennesaw State.

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