Who's playing where? A cheat sheet on college sports realignment
Realignment among the major college athletic conferences has slowed but there has been plenty of movement elsewhere. The Power Four (Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences) go into the 2026-27 football season with no membership changes from a year ago. The rest of the 10 leagues in the Football Bowl Subdivision — particularly the Pac-12 — have new faces in some places.
Here is a rundown of the changes over the past 30 years: 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, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest. 2025 (17): Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
2026: Unchanged. 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.
2025 (18): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Southern California, UCLA, Washington, Wisconsin. 2026: Unchanged.
Realignment among the major college athletic conferences has slowed but there has been plenty of movement elsewhere. The Power Four (Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences) go into the 2026-27 football season with no membership changes from a year ago. The rest of the 10 leagues in the Football Bowl Subdivision — particularly the Pac-12 — have new faces in some places.
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