July 2023 marked the most changes to college football conferences in NCAA history. Find out the key additions, departures, structure, and bowl games in every major conference ahead of the 2023 NCAA college football season.
On July 1, 2023, a significant day in college football, a total of 14 teams will relocate to new conferences, marking the busiest day of conference realignment in the 21st century. This expansion results in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) growing from 131 to 133 teams. The reshuffling is primarily driven by the trickle-down effect caused by the SEC’s addition of Oklahoma and Texas, although their official move won’t occur until July 1, 2024.
To provide clarity amidst the flurry of changes, here is a breakdown of each relocation taking place at the beginning of July 2023.
Big 12
The recent wave of conference realignment was sparked by the departure of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12. Although they will continue to compete in the Big 12 during the 2023 season, both programs announced in July 2021 that they would be transitioning to the SEC in 2024. In response to this, rather than operating with a reduced 10-team league, the Big 12 chose to expand its membership. The conference added three successful programs from the AAC (American Athletic Conference) and BYU, which had previously been an independent program from 2011 to 2022. This decision to include the four new programs was officially confirmed on September 10, 2021, approximately 22 months prior to the implementation date.
New Additions
- Cincinnati Bearcats (from AAC)
- Houston Cougars (from AAC)
- UCF Knights (from AAC)
- BYU Cougars (from Independent)
Returning Members
- Baylor Bears
- Iowa State Cyclones
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- TCU Horned Frogs
- Texas Longhorns
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- West Virginia Mountaineers
Departures
- None — Oklahoma and Texas depart for the SEC on July 1, 2024
2023 Structure
- 14 teams (tied with AAC, ACC, Big Ten, SEC for largest FBS conference)
- No divisions
- Top two conference records compete for conference championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Saturday, Dec. 2
- Automatic New Year’s Six bowl bid
American Athletic Conference
Following the departure of UConn after the 2019 season, the AAC (American Athletic Conference) was left with 11 institutions. With three of its premier football programs moving to the Big 12, the AAC underwent significant restructuring. The conference combined eight existing members with six teams from CUSA (Conference USA), targeting major markets. This merger was officially announced on October 21, 2021.
Historically, the AAC has served as a stepping stone for top CUSA teams, as most of its members, except for Navy and Temple, previously belonged to CUSA. No further changes are expected in 2024, and the AAC is projected to remain with 14 teams in the foreseeable future unless otherwise stated.
New Additions
- Charlotte 49ers (from CUSA)
- Florida Atlantic Owls (from CUSA)
- North Texas Mean Green (from CUSA)
- Rice Owls (from CUSA)
- UAB Blazers (from CUSA)
- UTSA Roadrunners (from CUSA)
Returning Members
- East Carolina Pirates
- Memphis Tigers
- Navy Midshipmen
- SMU Mustangs
- South Florida Bulls
- Temple Owls
- Tulane Green Wave
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Departures
- Cincinnati Bearcats (to Big 12)
- Houston Cougars (to Big 12)
- UCF Knights (to Big 12)
2023 Structure
- 14 teams (tied with ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC for largest FBS conference)
- No divisions
- Top two conference records compete for conference championship at the team with the superior record’s home stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2
- No automatic New Year’s Six bowl bid — one automatic bid shared between AAC, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt
Conference USA
The CUSA (Conference USA), which dropped the hyphen from its name in June, has undergone significant changes in the past two seasons. In the 2022 season, the conference experienced the departure of Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss to the Sun Belt, which led to revisions in the schedule later in the offseason. Even the previous year’s conference lineup has become unrecognizable, with six out of the 11 teams from 2022 leaving the conference.
As a result, CUSA had to expand its membership. Two independent teams, located far apart from each other, were granted entry into the restructured conference. Additionally, two FCS programs were promoted to join the conference. This expansion plan was officially ratified on November 5, 2021, completing the assembly of the new nine-team CUSA.
New Additions
- Liberty Flames (from Independent)
- New Mexico State Aggies (from Independent)
- Jacksonville State (from FCS)
- Sam Houston (from FCS)
Returning Members
- FIU Panthers
- Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
- UTEP Miners
- WKU Hilltoppers
Departures
- Cincinnati Bearcats (to Big 12)
- Houston Cougars (to Big 12)
- UCF Knights (to Big 12)
2023 Structure
- 9 teams (smallest FBS conference)
- No divisions
- Top two conference records compete for conference championship at the team with the superior record’s home stadium on Friday, Dec. 1
- No automatic New Year’s Six bowl bid — one automatic bid shared between AAC, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt
Division I Independents
While independent teams do not form a specific conference, notable movement can still be observed among this exclusive group on July 1. Three teams that were previously independent have joined conferences, reducing the number of FBS programs not affiliated with a league to only four in 2023. It feels inevitable that they will have to join a conference and frankly, they should have to. Notre Dame getting to sit home during Championship Week, and moving up in the rankings in the previous years is ridiculous at best.
New Additions
- None
Returning Members
- Army Black Knights
- Connecticut Huskies
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- UMass Minutemen
Departures
- BYU Cougars (to Big 12)
- Liberty Flames (to CUSA)
- New Mexico State Aggies (to CUSA)
2023 Structure
- No automatic New Year’s Six bowl bid — at-large bids are possible
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