College Football Conference Realignment: Where Is Everyone Going?
Fourteen different universities officially relocated to new conferences July 1. The Big 12, American Athletic Conference, and Conference USA all welcomed new programs to their ranks.
By
Chloe Appleby
Writer
Chloe Appleby is an associate writer for BestColleges. She contributes to both the News and Data teams, writing both higher education news stories and data reports for the site. She graduated from Davidson College with a BA in English and communicati...
Published on July 13, 2023
Edited by
Darlene Earnest
Editor & Writer
Darlene Earnest is a copy editor for BestColleges. She has had an extensive editing career at several news organizations, including The Virginian-Pilot and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She also has completed programs for editors offered by the D...
Learn more about our editorial process
By
Chloe Appleby
Writer
Chloe Appleby is an associate writer for BestColleges. She contributes to both the News and Data teams, writing both higher education news stories and data reports for the site. She graduated from Davidson College with a BA in English and communicati...
Edited by
Darlene Earnest
Editor & Writer
Darlene Earnest is a copy editor for BestColleges. She has had an extensive editing career at several news organizations, including The Virginian-Pilot and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She also has completed programs for editors offered by the D...
Published on July 13, 2023
Learn more about our editorial process
Image Credit: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
- This year's realignment day was the busiest of any season in the 21st century.
- The American Athletic Conference welcomed six new teams.
- Conference USA invited four new teams to its roster, including two prior Football Championship Subdivision teams — Sam Houston and Jacksonville State.
- Five Texas-based teams and three Florida-based teams made the jump during this season's realignment.
The 2023 college football season officially kicks off Aug. 26. But July 1 was a momentous day for the sport, especially for the 14 teams that officially migrated to their new conferences.
Notably:
- Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State, joined the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football, from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Conference USA scooped the two teams.
- The Big 12 gained four new teams and lost none during the realignment, adding them to the mix of largest conferences in the FBS.
- The American Athletic Conference added the highest number of teams (six) after losing three to the Big 12.
While college football fans have collectively agreed that some of the most consequential departures (or gains, depending on who you cheer for) will go down in July 2024 –– Big 12 powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas joining the Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 teams USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten –– this year's realignment day poses significant change for three main conferences: the Big 12, the American Athletic Conference, and Conference USA.
Here is a breakdown of where each of the 14 teams moved to on July 1 and a look at their first in-conference games of the season.
Brigham Young University
- New Conference: Big 12
- Old Conference: FBS Independent
- First Conference Game: Sept. 23 at Kansas
University of Central Florida
- New Conference: Big 12
- Old Conference: American Athletic Conference
- First Conference Game: Sept. 23 at Kansas State
University of Cincinnati
- New Conference: Big 12
- Old Conference: American Athletic Conference
- First Conference Game: Sept. 23 vs. Oklahoma
University of Houston
- New Conference: Big 12
- Old Conference: American Athletic Conference
- First Conference Game: Sept. 16 vs. TCU
Florida Atlantic University
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Oct. 7 vs. Tulsa
North Texas University
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Oct. 7 at Navy
Rice University
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Sept. 23 at University of South Florida
University of Alabama at Birmingham
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Sept. 30 at Tulane
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Sept. 30 at Southern Methodist University
University of Texas at San Antonio
- New Conference: American Athletic Conference
- Old Conference: Conference USA
- First Conference Game: Oct. 7 at Temple
Jacksonville State University
- New Conference: Conference USA
- Old Conference: Atlantic Sun Conference
- First Conference Game: Sept. 28 at Sam Houston
Sam Houston State University
- New Conference: Conference USA
- Old Conference: Western Athletic Conference
- First Conference Game: Sept. 28 vs. Jacksonville State
Liberty University
- New Conference: Conference USA
- Old Conference: FBS Independent
- First Conference Game: Sept. 9 vs. New Mexico State
New Mexico State University
- New Conference: Conference USA
- Old Conference: FBS Independent
- First Conference Game: Sept. 9 at Liberty
