Every year in college football offers something weird.
Case in point, imagine knowing who was going to win the 2025 National Championship last June. Even the most optimistic Hoosier such as myself would’ve laughed at the notion. Trust me, I know.
So allow me to preface this column with something that will scratch your head even more than that. Sacramento State (as in the one in California) will be entering the MAC this year. Don’t ask why, ask why not.
That’s not the only change happening in the world of the Group of Five this year. For another example, the Group of Five is now the Group of Six. That’s right, the Pac-12 went on their two year Mormon mission and has returned…looking an awful lot like the Mountain West. But don’t worry, the Mountain West still exists.
So here is a way to keep the newly constructed G6 together in one nice, neat column. I will go more in depth on the teams later in the summer.
AAC
2025 Teams: Army, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UTSA
2026 Teams: See 2025
For once, the AAC is a pillar of structure. Sure, there are players and coaches who have come and gone, as this conference more than any other has felt like a stepping stone for the P4. But the realignment bug didn’t bite this particular conference this year, perhaps much to Memphis’s chagrin. Treasure this.
Conference USA
2025 Teams: Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP, Western Kentucky
2026 Teams: Delaware, Florida International, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, Western Kentucky
By their standard, this was a relatively quiet year for CUSA as well. I say that only because this is the conference most likely to see teams move up from the FCS level to the FBS. We’ll get to those teams in a bit, because there are two making the jump. They just both decided to say “thanks but no thanks” to going the Delaware and Kennesaw State route.
They did lose two teams in UTEP and Louisiana Tech, but one could argue that it was addition by subtraction. Neither team was viewed as a powerhouse in a conference that saw FCS teams make impacts pretty quickly. For the Miners, they always feel like they view themselves as a large fish in a small pond. The Sun Bowl is a great venue (can confirm) and a facility that feels like can help with recruiting. While they do have a rivalry with New Mexico State, they are a university located in Texas and as such, look for greener pastures anywhere they can find them. So they will be a part of the Mountain West.
As for Louisiana Tech, having regional rivalries with Louisiana and UL Monroe in a conference that has a higher profile made a move to the Sun Belt logical. Farewell Ruston, we hardly knew ye.
MAC
2025 Teams: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
2026 Teams: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Sacramento State, Western Michigan
The conference that felt like a warm blanket has finally decided to dip its toe in the realignment waters. That mixed metaphor makes as much sense as the reality of what happened in the MAC this year. Northern Illinois left for the Mountain West and has been replaced by Sacramento State.
Northern Illinois leaving is understandable in a “West Virginia is in a conference with a bunch of Texas teams” kind of way. But rather than looking a t a viable regional option such as a Western Kentucky and/or a Middle Tennessee State, they took a wild swing adding Sacramento State.
There will be some logistical nightmares with MACtion and travel (a reminder, Sacramento State vs. UMASS is now a conference game) but we as a collective nation are already looking forward to the BallSac game. If the Hornets end up thriving, it’s probably not long before the more regionally reasonable conferences come calling anyway.
Mountain West
2025 Teams: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
2026 Teams: Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, North Dakota State, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming
Gone are Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State (weird how it is all the “State” schools except for one). In come UTEP, Northern Illinois and FCS Powerhouse North Dakota State. I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but I love this new iteration of the conference.
A lot of the FCS has been dominated by teams in the Dakotas and Big Sky country. But the Bison have been the standard of excellence for most of the past decade. Them making the jump to the FBS felt inevitable. And if they do hit the ground running, then maybe that opens the door for programs like South Dakota State and Montana State to consider doing the same. Sure it would be a major hit for the FCS, but it makes too much sense.
With incumbents Air Force, Hawaii, UNLV, San Jose State and New Mexico all presenting vastly different offensive styles, there is high potential for some crazy games if North Dakota and UTEP get comfortable in their new digs quickly. The Huskies, Nevada and Wyoming are pesky wild cards. This could be THE “after dark” conference to pay attention to.
PAC-12
2025 Teams: Oregon State, Washington State
2026 Teams: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, Washington State
You ever have one dog for several years, then decide you need a puppy because you see the dog getting older and think the puppy will add a jolt of energy? Texas State is that puppy.
The Bobcats were one of the more exciting offenses in the Sun Belt, and by proxy the G5, over the last couple of years. Coach GJ Kinne had them humming against the Arkansas State and Troys of the world. Now they test their mettle against a group of foes that are…ok. Sure Boise State will always be Boise State. But the depth of this conference feels a bit stale. Washington State and Oregon State don’t instill a ton of excitement offensively these days. Fresno State and San Diego State generally hang their hats on defense. Colorado State and Utah State are mid. Texas State has a real opportunity to upset the apple cart.
Sun Belt
2025 Teams: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Louisiana, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy, UL Monroe
2026 Teams: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, UL Monroe
The “State of the Conference” is still solid despite the loss of Texas State (and to a degree the loss of JMU coach Bob Chesney to UCLA). But there are reasons to be a bit concerned the “Fun Belt” is losing a bit of what gave it that moniker in the first place.
JMU replaced Chesney with former Florida coach Billy Napier. Now, this might be a much better fit for Napier, as he made his name taking Louisiana to the top of this very conference. But with the recent success of Curt Cignetti and Bob Chesney, the Dukes have become accustomed to a certain standard of living. Napier can either keep the train rolling and keep them in the CFP conversation, or be the guy to bring them back to the status of “just another G6 team”.
The depth of the conference is also a bit concerning. Texas State was a real threat to hang 70 on a conference foe on a Wednesday night and maybe threaten whatever non-conference team they played. Who will be that team this year? Replacing them with Louisiana Tech is a smart regional move but makes zero national impact. There is an opportunity for teams like South Alabama, Old Dominion and Georgia Southern to take a step up in the conference landscape.
So there is an overview of the new (and improved?) G6. Keep this. Study it. There will be a quiz later.
