NCAA Announces Conference Realignment
The NCAA has just released the new conference realignment which will become effective immediately. We have a lot to cover, so let's jump to it.
Let's first take a look at the
Southeastern Conference or
SEC.
The East Division lost three members, but they gained three members, one of which is a charter member of the SEC.
The West Division stays the same.
Here is the new SEC.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
West Virginia Mountaineers
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Next is the Atlantic Coast Conference or ACC.
The Atlantic Division lost FSU to the SEC (as seen above), however, they gained Kentucky from the SEC. Also, the Miami Hurricanes jump over from the Coastal Division.
Speaking of which, the Coastal Division lost Georgia Tech to the SEC, but, like the Atlantic Division, gained South Carolina from the SEC. Clemson comes to the Coastal Division from the Atlantic Division to have the annual "Battle of the Palmetto State".
Here's the new ACC.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The Pacific-10 Conference or Pac-10, despite early reports of going to twelve teams or even sixteen teams, stays exactly the same. Along with the Independents, the Pac-10 wasn't even touched during the realignment.
Here's the lineup anyway.
The Big 12 Conference lost Nebraska to the Big Ten and Iowa State to the WAC. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State fills those two holes in the North Division.
The South Division, or the Lone Star Division as it's being called now, adds two Texas teams to fill the holes the Sooners and Cowboys left.
Here's the new Big 12 lineup.
The Big Ten Conference stays mostly the same, except adding Nebraska and losing Indiana.
Here's the lineup.
The Big East Conference loses West Virginia to the SEC and Louisville to the C-USA. However, they add UCF from the C-USA and former member Temple from the MAC.
Here's the Big East lineup.
Conference USA or C-USA loses UCF to the Big East, Memphis to the Sun Belt, and SMU to the Big 12. In their place, they add former SEC member Vanderbilt and former Big East member Louisville to the East and former WAC member Louisiana Tech to the West.
The lineup.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
The Mid-American Conference or MAC adds Toledo to the East and Indiana to the West. As already stated, they lost Temple to the Big East.
Kent State Golden Flashes
Central Michigan Chippewas
Northern Illinois Huskies
The Mountain West Conference or MWC adds Boise State, Hawai'i, Nevada, and Fresno State from the WAC, but they lose New Mexico, Colorado State, and Wyoming to the WAC and TCU to the Big 12.
The Western Athletic Conference or WAC adds New Mexico, Colorado State, and Wyoming from the MWC, North Texas from the Sun Belt, and Iowa State from the Big 12. They lose Boise State, Hawai'i, Nevada, and Fresno State to the MWC and LA Tech to the C-USA.
The Sun Belt Conference loses North Texas and adds Memphis.
Mid Tenn State Blue Raiders
UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The FBS Independents stays the same.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
That's it for the conference realignment. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out and if some teams can adapt quickly to their new conferences.