Conference realignment continues to be a dominant force in college football, with 22 teams changing conferences ahead of the 2026 season. While the four major Power conferences remain unchanged, several Group of Six leagues have seen significant movement.
The Pac-12, following the departures of UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington in previous years, has been rebuilt. It will now include eight Division I football schools, adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, and Texas State. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State arrive from the Mountain West Conference, while Texas State makes the move from the Sun Belt Conference. Gonzaga will join for basketball season, though it does not field a football program.
The Mountain West Conference has been significantly impacted, losing five teams to the Pac-12. To fill these vacancies, it has added North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, and the University of Texas-El Paso. North Dakota State, a 10-time FCS national champion, moves up from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Northern Illinois joins from the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and UTEP transfers from Conference USA.
Northern Illinois' move marks a significant shift after 80 years in the MAC. The conference, in turn, has added Sacramento State from the Big Sky Conference, maintaining its total of 13 teams.
The Sun Belt Conference also saw movement, with Texas State departing for the Pac-12 and being replaced by Louisiana Tech from Conference USA. This maintains the Sun Belt's roster at 14 teams.
Conference USA has seen its membership reduced, losing Louisiana Tech and UTEP without replacement, bringing its total down from 12 to 10 members. Its remaining teams include Delaware, FIU, Jackson State, Liberty, Kennessaw State, Middle Tennessee, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, and Western Kentucky.
The American Athletic Conference remains unchanged heading into the 2026 season. The conference, which has expanded to 14 teams for football, notably produced a College Football Playoff participant last year with Tulane.
The Power Four conferences – the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and ACC – have experienced no team changes for the 2026 season. The Big Ten continues with 18 teams, including Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, who joined in 2024. The Big 12 maintains 16 teams, featuring former Pac-12 members Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, alongside long-standing additions like BYU and Cincinnati. The SEC remains at 16 teams with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas. The ACC also stands at 17 teams, with Stanford and Cal having joined previously.