It’s Conference Realignment Day: Every Team Moving In College Football And Beyond
The biggest major conference realignment ever in college football takes effect today. Some of the sport’s most major brands move leagues with the turn of the athletic calendar, changing the landscape of college sports in dramatic fashion. The ball got rolling back in 2021 when Oklahoma and Texas announced a defection to the SEC. Last season saw notable reshuffling, but 2024 is the biggest reshuffling of schools in modern history. While football is at the forefront of the moves, this realignment affects all sports … and sports betting.
Here’s every move happening today across college sports, along with the best odds to win each conference across the best sportsbooks.
Teams Moving Today In College Football Conference Realignment
The sport’s two most influential conferences are at the forefront of the movement: the Big Ten and SEC.
SEC Adds Oklahoma & Texas
The bombshell that started it all. In Summer 2021, the Big 12’s biggest revenue schools announced the intent to depart the league in favor of the SEC. Initially set to play out in 2025, the schools finalized a July 1, 2024 date a year after the announcement.
This season, Texas is a favorite atop National Title odds boards (). As a first-year member, the Longhorns are also second favorites to win the SEC (), behind only Georgia. The two play on Oct. 19 in Austin.
Oklahoma has a bit more tempered forecast moving to the SEC. The Sooners are lined as longshots in SEC odds.
| Team | Coming From (since) | Previous Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Big 12 (1928) | MVIAA, SWC, Independent |
| Texas | Big 12 (1996) | SWC, Independent |
Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington Join Big Ten
While the SEC got the ball rolling, the Big Ten made the moves that really changed the college football landscape. Poaching UCLA and USC initially put the nation on notice that major changes to the interface of the sport were underway; adding Oregon and Washington broke the fabric of the Pac-12 and led to its dissolution. The Big Ten became the first coast-to-coast league and the largest at 18 members.
Oregon is among the favorites in Big Ten odds at , competing with Ohio State. The Ducks are also an intriguing team for the College Football Playoff and even the National Championship.
UCLA, USC, and Washington are all longer shots to compete in the conference. The Trojans have the shortest odds () while the Bruins and Huskies undergo complete overhauls.
| Team | Coming From (since) | Previous Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Pac-12 (1964) | Pacific Coast, Independent |
| UCLA | Pac-12 (1959) | Pacific Coast |
| USC | Pac-12 (1959) | Pacific Coast |
| Washington | Pac-12 (1959) | Pacific Coast |
Big 12 Absorbs Four Pac-12 Members
The Heartland conference saw its two most influential members depart. So, commissioner Brett Yormark looked to a Pac-12 league that was falling apart and took on four of its members – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. Notably, Colorado was a founding member of the Big 12 (formerly Big 7) in 1948 and left for the Pac-12 in 2011. Unlike the Big Ten, these four schools more or less fit the geographic footprint of the Big 12, not expanding beyond one neighboring state.
Utah () ties Kansas State atop Big 12 odds boards. In 2024, the league is wide open as a cluster of new and existing members vie for the conference lead. Previously, Oklahoma or Texas usually kept stability as the favorite; with their departure, the throne is empty for the taking.
Colorado brings another year of intrigue under coach Deion Sanders. The Buffs managed just a 4-8 Year 1, including 1-8 in an easier Pac-12. Regardless of the final record – Colorado has plus odds to even make a bowl game – Prime, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter will benefit the Big 12 financially this season.
| Team | Coming From (since) | Previous Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Pac-12 (1978) | WAC, BIAA |
| Arizona State | Pac-12 (1978) | WAC, BIAA |
| Colorado | Pac-12 (2011) | Big 12, MSAC, RMC, Independent |
| Utah | Pac-12 (2011) | MWC, WAC, Skyline, MSAC, RMC, Independent |
The The Atlantic (and Pacific) Coast(s) Conference
Under a mountain of litigation from its biggest brands, the ACC panicked. They took on a directionless Cal and Stanford, as well as adding in-between SMU, for the upcoming season. The two former Pac-12 schools join a league packed with academic prowess (likely why they were chosen over Oregon State and Washington State). However, neither team adds much in terms of football strength; the two combined for a 24-49 record the past three seasons (.329).
SMU is, at the very least, interesting. The Mustangs are financially backed like a Power Conference team, and 16-of-22 starters are power transfers. Of the teams moving leagues this year, they are among the best-positioned to contend alongside Oregon and Texas.
Although three new members come in, it’s hard not to foresee future reshuffling in the ACC. Clemson, Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina have been thoroughly exploring options to leave the conference before its Grant of Rights expire past 2030.
| Team | Coming From (since) | Previous Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Cal | Pac-12 (1959) | Pacific Coast |
| SMU | American (2013) | CUSA, WAC, SWC |
| Stanford | Pac-12 (1959) | Pacific Coast |
Pac-12 Dissolves
RIP “Pac-12 After Dark”. The conference has existed since 1959, comprising of the largest West Coast programs. Throughout the years, the Pac-12 adopted the slogan “Conference Of Champions,” since the league held the most championships in team sports in the nation. Some of those championships came in football, predominantly by USC. Unfortunately, leadership at the top wasn’t influential enough to keep the league together.
Its two remaining members, Oregon State and Washington State, inked a scheduling deal with the Mountain West for this season. However, the two schools’ future affiliation – and the potential future existence of the Pac-12 – is currently unknown.
| Pac-12 Futures | Odds |
| 🙁 | 🙁 |
Don’t Overlook These Other Moves!
Not to be overshadowed by multiple billion-dollar programs changing conference affiliation, Army joins the American Athletic Conference, and Kennesaw State becomes the 134th FBS member. The Knights last played in Conference USA in 2004 before returning to independence for 20 more years. Since 1891, Army spent just seven years in a conference, where it went a combined 13-77 (.144).
Kennesaw State launched its football program in 2015 and quickly rose to FCS prominence. The Owls won three league titles and played in four FCS Playoffs. In 2021, they went 11-2 and made it to the quarterfinals. Kennesaw State has only had one football coach, Brian Bohannon, who will remain with the Owls in 2024. They will play in Conference USA this year.
College Football Conference Realignment Quick Look
| Conference | Inbound | Outbound |
|---|---|---|
| ACC | Cal SMU Stanford | None |
| American | Army | SMU |
| Big 12 | Arizona Arizona State Colorado Utah | Oklahoma Texas |
| Big Ten | Oregon UCLA USC Washington | None |
| Conference USA | Kennesaw State | None |
| Pac-12 | None | Arizona Arizona State Cal Colorado Oregon Stanford UCLA USC Utah Washington |
| SEC | Oklahoma Texas | None |
- Join TheLines.com’s free sports betting Discord — with over 5,000 community members and our staff sharing bets daily.
RELATED ARTICLES
