The landscape of college athletics continues to evolve as numerous schools have altered their conference affiliations over the last century, and the pace of these changes has accelerated in recent years. Institutions are increasingly looking to secure greater stability and revenue amid the competitive nature of college sports.
In the recent months of July and August alone, twelve schools made the formal decision to change conferences, resulting in significant shifts across all four major college athletic conferences. This left the Pac-12 Conference with only two remaining teams, a situation that’s expected to change shortly. As the fall semester progressed, the Pac-12 reached out to members of the Mountain West Conference in an effort to rebuild its roster.
To illustrate the shift in football conference memberships in both the Power Five and the Group of Five, here’s a breakdown that dates back to the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996:
**ACC**
In 1996, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) started with nine teams: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Virginia. As of 2023, the conference expanded to fourteen teams with the addition of Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech. Looking ahead to 2024, the ACC is set to welcome California, SMU, and Stanford, pushing its total membership to seventeen.
**BIG TEN**
Back in 1996, the Big Ten Conference consisted of eleven institutions, including Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. By 2023, the conference gained three additional members, namely Maryland and Nebraska, resulting in a fourteen-team league. The upcoming season in 2024 will see further expansion as Oregon, Southern California, and Washington join, bringing total membership to eighteen.
**BIG 12**
Originally formed with twelve schools in 1996, the Big 12 has seen its numbers fluctuate. In 2023, the conference boasted fourteen teams, including new additions like BYU and Cincinnati. By 2024, the inclusion of Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado will raise the membership to sixteen.
**PAC-12**
The Pac-12 commenced in 1996 with ten teams. By 2023, its roster increased to twelve. However, facing significant losses, it shrank to just Oregon State and Washington State in 2024. Looking ahead to 2026, the conference anticipates the arrivals of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and others, likely expanding its membership again.
**SEC**
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) had twelve original members in 1996. As of 2023, this number rose to fourteen, including Texas and Oklahoma. The SEC is predicted to extend its membership to sixteen teams by 2024, solidifying its dominance in college football.
**American Athletic Conference**
The American Athletic Conference’s first season in 2013 began with ten schools. By 2023, it expanded to fourteen teams, and projections for 2024 indicate staying at the same count.
**CONFERENCE USA**
Founded in 1996 with six teams, Conference USA has evolved over the years and now includes nine teams as of 2023. An expected increase to ten teams is forecasted for 2024, with further growth anticipated in 2025.
**MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE**
In 1996, the Mid-American Conference began with ten institutions. The count grew to twelve by 2023, with projections indicating a thirteenth team may join by 2025.
**Big West/WAC/Mountain West**
The Mountain West Conference is expected to witness expansion, with a current membership of 12 and a forecasting reduction to nine by 2026.
**SUN BELT**
The Sun Belt Conference, which started in 2001 with seven teams, is expected to include fourteen members by 2024.
**INDEPENDENTS**
In 1996, there were eleven independent teams, but this number has decreased over the years. In 2023, only four remain as independents, projected to fall to two by 2025.
As the conferences continually reshape, the future of college athletics remains intriguing and dynamic, raising questions about institutional priorities, viability, and competition going forward.