School grades have changed Conference affiliation Over the past century, the pace has accelerated as schools seek more stability and more revenue. The arms race of college athletics.
More than a dozen more schools officially changed their affiliations in July and August, and all four major conferences changed their lineups, leaving the Pac-12 with just two teams. But it doesn’t last long. This continued into the fall, when the Pac-12 raided the Mountain West.
Let’s take a look at football’s Power 4 and Group 5 membership, primarily going back to the Big 12’s inception in 1996.
ACC
1996 (9): Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Virginia.
2023 (14): Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
2024 (17): Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
big ten
1996 (11): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
2023 (14): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin.
2024 (18): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Southern California, UCLA, Washington, Wisconsin.
big 12
1996 (12): Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
2023 (14): BYU, Baylor, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia.
2024 (16): Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Baylor, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah, West Virginia.
PAC-12
1996 (Heisei 10): Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State.
2023 (12): Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Southern California, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Washington State.
2024 (2): Oregon, Washington.
2026 (8): Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga State (non-football), Oregon State, San Diego State, Utah State, Washington State.
SEC
1996 (12): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
2023 (14): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt.
2024 (16): Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt.
american athletic
2013 (10 years, first season): Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers, SMU, South Florida, Temple.
2023 (14): Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, SMU, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA.
2024 (14): Army, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA.
conference america
1996 (6): Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Tulane.
2023 (9): Florida International, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, UTEP, Western Kentucky.
2024 (10): Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, UTEP, Western Kentucky.
2025 (11): Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico, Sam Houston, UTEP, Western Kentucky.
central america
1996 (10): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan.
2023 (12): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan.
2025 (13): Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Massachusetts, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan.
Big West/WAC/Mountain West
1996 (Big West, 6): Boise State, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, North Texas, Utah.
1996 (WAC, 16): Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, New Mexico, Rice, San Diego State, San Jose State, SMU, TCU, Tulsa, UNLV, Utah State, UTEP, Wyoming.
2024 (MWC, 12): Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming.
2026 (MWC, 8): Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming.
sun belt
2001 (7, first season): Arkansas State, Idaho State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, New Mexico State, North Texas.
2024 (14): Appalachian State, Arkansas, Coastal Carolina, Southern Georgia, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, South Mississippi, Texas, Troy.
independent person
1996 (11): Arkansas, Army, Central Florida, East Carolina, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Navy, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, UAB.
2023 (4): Army, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Notre Dame.
2024 (3): Connecticut, Massachusetts, Notre Dame.
2025 (2): Notre Dame, Connecticut.
___
AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
