College football is constantly changing, whether that’s teams changing conferences, players transferring, or FCS teams moving up to the FBS.
Today, college football betting on all these games is available at the BetMGM online sportsbook, and changing conferences could impact teams’ football odds to win their conference or the national championship.
Below, I’ll walk through everything related to college football conference realignment, including the teams that changed conferences for 2026.
What’s the Latest College Football Realignment?
| Team | Former Conference | New Conference |
| Texas State | Sun Belt | Pac-12 |
| Louisiana Tech | Conference USA | Sun Belt |
| Boise State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Colorado State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Fresno State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| San Diego State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Utah State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| UTEP | Conference USA | Mountain West |
| Northern Illinois | MAC | Mountain West |
While the Pac-12 was left for dead a few seasons ago, it has been rejuvenated, adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, and Texas State.
All of those teams — except Texas State, which left the Sun Belt — departed the Mountain West, but to help mitigate those losses, the Mountain West has brought in UTEP and Northern Illinois. UTEP was in Conference USA in 2025, and Northern Illinois belonged to the MAC.
There was another move, too, though: Louisiana Tech is set to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt by July 1, 2027. This move helps balance out Texas State’s departure from the conference, though it’s unclear which division LaTech will join.
How Many Teams Are in the Pac-12 Now?
With their additions, there are now eight teams in the Pac-12: the Boise State Broncos, Colorado State Rams, Fresno State Bulldogs, Oregon State Beavers, San Diego State Aztecs, Texas State Bobcats, Utah State Aggies, and Washington State Cougars.
Who Are the Power 5 Conferences?
The Power 5 Conferences in college football are now considered the Power Four, with the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. The fifth in that group used to be the Pac-12, but it’s no longer considered part of it.
Who Are the Group of 5 Conferences?
The Group of 5 Conference includes the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt.
Which College Football Teams are Independents?
There are two independent college football programs slated for 2026: Notre Dame and UConn.
Who Are the College Football Teams Joining New Conferences in 2026?
The college football teams joining new conferences include Texas State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, UTEP, and Northern Illinois.
Additionally, LaTech will join the Sun Belt sometime between now and July 1, 2027.
How Many College Football Teams Are There?
There are 136 FBS programs.
Which FCS Teams Are Joining the FBS in 2026?
No teams are moving from the FCS to FBS in 2026.
How Many FCS Teams Are There?
There are 129 FCS programs currently, with one more set to join in 2026. However, a final number for 2026 isn’t known yet.
The program set to join, the Chicago State Cougars, will play their first college football season as an FCS Independent.
Which DII Teams Are Joining the FCS in 2026?
No, there are no planned moves from DII to FCS in 2026.
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