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    2026 College Football Realignment
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    2026 College Football Realignment
    Sep 7, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) throws a pass during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

    2026 College Football Realignment

    With college football realignment continuing to change the landscape of the sport, which teams are playing where in the 2026 season?

    By Oliver Hodgkinson

    The 2026 college football season is not even a dot on the horizon at this point. However, as college football realignment continues to shake the bedrock of the sport unlike anything else, that campaign is as relevant today as the action going on around us.

    With so many moves occurring throughout the calendar year, it can be difficult to keep track of who is playing where in any given season. Thankfully, our 2026 college football realignment tracker breaks down every single conference.

    2026 College Football Realignment

    American Athletic Conference (AAC)

    The AAC has been a significant player in college football realignment, but at present is set to retain the same lineup in 2026. The Pac-12 targeted four teams from the conference — UTSA, Tulane, Memphis, and USF — as they attempted to rebuild, but those four programs presented a united front and affirmed their commitment to playing in the American for the foreseeable.

    Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

    The ACC is one conference to keep an eye on for college football realignment purposes as the Florida State Seminoles and Clemson Tigers continue to pursue their escape. At present, however, the conference is set to remain unchanged.

    Big Ten Conference

    After being a significant player in the 2024 round of college football realignment, the Big Ten is set to remain unchanged for the 2026 season.

    Big 12 Conference

    While Brett Yormark has declared the conference “open for business” since arriving in post, the Big 12 is set to remain static with its existing 16 teams in the 2026 college football season.

    Conference USA (CUSA)

    A major player in college football realignment since 2023, CUSA is set to remain unchanged from its 2025 lineup.

    Mid-American Conference (MAC)

    The MAC added UMass for the 2025 season, breaking the stability that the conference has been famed for. Having an uneven number of teams could see them involved in further college football realignment, but there is nothing specifically set for 2026 as of yet.

    Mountain West Conference

    The Mountain West is one of the key players in college football realignment for the 2026 campaign. The conference lost five teams to the Pac-12 (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State) but added the UTEP Miners.

    The conference has also been in talks with several other teams, including Texas State, but no other additions have been made. The Mountain West fought off advances from the Pac-12 for other members, including UNLV, while the Air Force Falcons remain for now despite a flirtation with the AAC.

    Pac-12 Conference

    The Pac-12 Conference currently sits at seven teams following the addition of five teams from the Mountain West, as announced during the 2024 college campaign. After failing to lure several teams from the AAC, the Pac-12 is short of the minimum eight teams required by NCAA legislation.

    Southeastern Conference (SEC)

    The SEC is set to retain the same lineup for the 2026 college football campaign.

    Sun Belt Conference

    The Sun Belt is set to retain the same lineup for the 2026 campaign. That said, they boast several teams that could prove attractive for conferences looking to bolster their numbers.

    East Division

    West Division

    FBS Independents

    Notre Dame and UConn remain as the only FBS Independents at this time. However, the Huskies were involved in talks with the Big 12 until recently and are seen as a potential cog in future college football realignment.

    College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!

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