It added two former independent programs in Liberty and New Mexico State and welcomed former FCS powerhouses Jacksonville State and Sam Houston to to the fold. New members: Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, Sam Houstonĭeparting members: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSAĪfter being raided by the AAC, Conference USA dropped the hyphen in its abbreviations (they go with CUSA now instead of C-USA in case you missed the important memo), Conference USA was left in a difficult spot. Planting the AAC flag in North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Alabama gives more southern flair to the conference, but it may prove difficult to make up fully for the loss of the three schools it is losing.
There is a definite move into Texas with the additions of three schools in Texas (North Texas, Rice, and UTSA) to go with SMU and make up for the loss of Houston.Īdding UAB brings the conference into Alabama for the first time and the addition of FAU is the best the conference could do to make up for the loss of UCF as a Florida member to go with USF.
Rice american athletic conference full#
What once felt like a good move for Conference USA to include these programs, some of which were full of future growth and potential as growing programs, will now be relied on to keep things afloat in the AAC. And it just added six new members to make up for the three it lost. After losing three of its top programs to the Big 12, the AAC is raiding Conference USA for new members. To say the American Athletic Conference will have a new look in 2024 is a massive understatement. New members: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSAĭeparting members: Cincinnati, Houston, UCF That is not so much the case now, but the conference’s overall standing as a perceived power conference could be in question. Rumors about further Big 12 expansion will continue with a program like Colorado has been mentioned frequently as a potential candidate to return to the Big 12.Īt one point it felt as though the Big 12 was on the verge of total implosion. Oklahoma and Texas are set to leave the Big 12 for the SEC in 2025, the same time when the Big Ten will be adding USC and UCLA.
But before getting to that, it is important to remember the Big 12 is set to lose two more charter members, and its two biggest brands, a year form now. Houston, Cincinnati and UCF are all leaving the American Athletic Conference, which is next on our list. It is particularly great for Houston, who reunites with former Southwest Conference rivals like Texas Tech and Baylor (and Texas for a year) for the first time since being left behind in the formation of the original Big 12.Ĭincinnati is the only program to reach the College Football Playoff as a Group of 5 program, and UCF has certainly kicked up some dirt in the national debate during their time in the national spotlight. It’s been a dream finally realized for BYU, which abandons its football independence for the first time since breaking off from the Mountain West Conference during the last major round of conference realignment changes that hit the sport.īut this is also a major milestone for Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF, three of the top Group of Five programs of the College Football Playoff era. The Big 12 is the big headline today as it adds four of the top programs from outside the power conference structure. New members: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCFĭeparting members: None in 2024, but Oklahoma and Texas leave in 2025
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