
GROUP OF 5 CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT FULL
Here’s a full list of the power 5 conferences and schools within each conference: Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) These programs/teams are spread out across the big five athletic conferences in a disproportional fashion. Pac-12 – Pacific 12 Conference (Pac-12)Īt the moment, there are 65 total Power Five programs, but realignment will increase that total in the next few years.Big 12 – Big Twelve Conference (Big 12).Which Conferences Make Up The Power 5?Īs of the 2022-23 football season, the conferences that make up the Power 5 are: This article will identify the top five conferences that constitute the Power 5 while looking at their overall impact on college sports in general and college football specifically. This is usually a short-hand way to identify the perceived top-tier conferences for football, basketball, and other NCAA sporting events. You’ve probably heard the term Power Five Conferences when referring to college sports. Commissioner Keith Gill, who was just profiled in the Washington Post, is proving why he’s one of the best leaders among all Group of Five conferences.College Football Power 5 Conferences Overview It’s a very exciting time to be a Sun Belt football fan.

You could have a healthy argument about which of these two Group of Five conferences has the best overall roster of teams. The Sun Belt would have a legitimate argument that their conference rivals the quality in the Mountain West Conference. Marshall and Southern Miss are two programs that have national recognition and have been around since the 1960s. James Madison has won two national championships in the FCS and invests heavily in their athletics. If the Sun Belt comes out of conference realignment without losing any teams and adding four really quality programs, I think it catapults them to the top of the Group of Five in terms of quality football teams. Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss are all rumored to be joining the Sun Belt, with a possible invitation to FCS member James Madison as well. Right now, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State, and Troy all call the Sun Belt home.

Sun Belt football quietly winning the Group of Five realignment war

So, it’s a total win for the Sun Belt to be able to hang on these very desirable teams and not lose them to the AAC or any other conference for that matter.
GROUP OF 5 CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT PLUS
Plus they made sense as a geographical partner for Memphis. The Red Wolves have enjoyed success in recent years, appearing in nine straight bowl games and have been a popular spot for downtrodden coaches to rehabilitate their image and resume. These teams have been ranked, have enjoyed success against ranked teams, and/or enjoy passionate fan bases.Įven Arkansas State would have made sense for the American. The Sun Belt has several desirable teams that I thought would be ideal fits in the American Athletic Conference during this round of conference realignment.Īppalachian State, Coastal Carolina, and Louisiana, in particular, made total sense to join the AAC.

If you would have told me at the beginning of conference realignment, that Sun Belt football would come out unscathed, adding teams and making an argument for being the premier Group of Five conference, I would have called you crazy.
