[bwburke94]

This is a guide for realistic conference alignments, as close to real life as possible given the limitations of NCAA 12-14. This guide is not intended to be used with Revamped.

The intent of this guide is for each conference to play the correct number of conference games, even if it requires the "protected rivals" setting to be changed. Any change to the protected rivals setting for this purpose is listed as optional.

If a conference expands to 12+ members and a championship game location is not listed, you should set it so that the best conference record hosts.

Special Note on Season 1 Setup
Do NOT enter the realignment screen in season 1 if you did not add TeamBuilder teams and do not intend to realign your first year! This will force the schedule to regenerate, as the game believes you realigned even if you really didn't.

Dynasty Editor Bowl Tie-Ins (NCAA 14 only)

Spoiler

Conference USA is glitched and has two #2 tie-ins. The Hawaii Bowl should be changed to #6 if you're willing to use the editor.

If you're removing the American's BCS at-large bid in 2014, you may want to change the conference's four existing tie-ins in the editor (the Russell Athletic, Belk, BBVA Compass, and Beef O'Brady's bowls) to compensate for this. The game won't do it automatically.

Finally, I recommend giving the leftover Poinsettia Bowl tie-in to the Sun Belt, as they have only two "normal" tie-ins.

Convert to 2020 Conference Alignment (NCAA 12)

Spoiler

(The WAC still exists in this game, so one team will have to be its fourth member. They can't be from the Sun Belt, which is also reduced to four.)

Move Temple from MAC [East] to Big East.
Move Navy from Independent to Big East.
Move Missouri from Big 12 to SEC [East].
Move Texas A&M from Big 12 to SEC [West].
Move TCU from MWC to Big 12.
Move West Virginia from Big East to Big 12.
Move Pittsburgh from Big East to ACC [Coastal].
Move Louisville and Syracuse from Big East to ACC [Atlantic].
Move UConn from Big East to WAC. (Real life independent, in the WAC to fill out the conference.)
Move Maryland from ACC [Atlantic] to Big Ten [temporarily Legends].
Move Rutgers from Big East to Big Ten [temporarily Leaders].
Move ECU, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, and UCF from C-USA to Big East.
(Move the fourth member into the WAC, if they weren't a real life WAC member.)
Move Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Jose State, and Utah State from WAC to MWC.
Move Louisiana Tech from WAC to C-USA.
Move FIU, Florida Atlantic, Mid Tenn State, North Texas, and Western Kentucky from Sun Belt to C-USA.

In the Big Ten, swap Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State to the Leaders and Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin to the Legends. Rename Leaders to East and Legends to West.

If your MWC has 12 members, align geographically, with the Mountain Time teams in the Mountain Division, and the Pacific Time teams and Hawaii in the West Division. If you're confused about the geography, it's Boise State in the Mountain and Nevada/UNLV in the West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC and SEC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC and MWC if they have 12 members, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Move the Pac-12 championship to Las Vegas Bowl. (To represent Allegiant Stadium)

Remove BCS bid from Big East.
Change Big 12's BCS tie-in from Fiesta Bowl to Sugar Bowl.

Convert to 2020 Conference Alignment (NCAA 13)

Spoiler

Move UMass from MAC [East] to WAC. (Real life independent, in the WAC to fill out the conference.)
Move Navy from Independent to Big East.
Move Pittsburgh from Big East to ACC [Coastal].
Move Louisville and Syracuse from Big East to ACC [Atlantic].
Move UConn from Big East to WAC. (Real life independent, in the WAC to fill out the conference.)
Move Maryland from ACC [Atlantic] to Big Ten [temporarily Legends].
Move Rutgers from Big East to Big Ten [temporarily Leaders].
Move San Jose State and Utah State from WAC to MWC.
Move Texas State from WAC to Sun Belt.

The next section can be done in several different orders; this is the one I prefer.
Move North Texas from Sun Belt to C-USA [West].
Move Mid Tenn State and Western Kentucky from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move Southern Miss from C-USA [East] to C-USA [West].
Move UCF, Houston, and SMU from C-USA to Big East.
Move Florida Atlantic from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move Louisiana Tech and UTSA from WAC to C-USA [West].
Move FIU from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move ECU, Tulane, Tulsa, and Memphis from C-USA to Big East.

In the Big Ten, swap Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State to the Leaders and Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin to the Legends. Rename Leaders to East and Legends to West.

In the MWC, align geographically, with the Mountain Time teams in the Mountain Division, and the Pacific Time teams and Hawaii in the West Division. If you're confused about the geography, it's Boise State in the Mountain and Nevada/UNLV in the West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC and SEC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC and MWC, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Remove BCS bid from Big East.
Change Big 12's BCS tie-in from Fiesta Bowl to Sugar Bowl.

Convert to 2020 Conference Alignment (NCAA 14)

Spoiler

Move Maryland from ACC [Atlantic] to Big Ten [temporarily Legends].
Move Rutgers from American to Big Ten [temporarily Leaders].
Move Louisville from American to ACC [Atlantic].
Move UConn from American to Independent.
Move UMass from MAC [East] to Independent.
Move Navy from Independent to American.
Move Old Dominion from Independent to C-USA [East].
Move Southern Miss from C-USA [East] to C-USA [West].
Move ECU, Tulane, and Tulsa from C-USA to American. (Make sure you've moved ODU and UConn before you do this!)
Move Western Kentucky from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move UAB from C-USA [East] to C-USA [West].

In the Big Ten, swap Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State to the Leaders and Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin to the Legends. Rename Leaders to East and Legends to West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC and SEC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC and MWC, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

If you kept protected rivals in the Big Ten, set them however you like; see the bottom of the post for real-life rivals.
If you kept protected rivals in the SEC, switch Missouri's rival to Arkansas and South Carolina's rival to Texas A&M.

Remove BCS bid from American.
Change Big 12's BCS tie-in from Fiesta Bowl to Sugar Bowl.

Convert to Projected 2024+ Conference Alignment (NCAA 14) - This is the one most of you want.

Spoiler

Move Maryland from ACC [Atlantic] to Big Ten [temporarily Legends].
Move Rutgers from American to Big Ten [temporarily Leaders].
Move UCLA and USC from Pac-12 [South] to Big Ten [temporarily one in each division].
Move Louisville from American to ACC [Atlantic].
Move Oklahoma and Texas from Big 12 to SEC, and align the divisions however you like.
Move BYU from Independent to Big 12.
Move Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from American to Big 12, and align the divisions however you like.
Move UConn from American to Independent.
Move UMass from MAC [East] to Independent.
Move Navy from Independent to American.
Move ECU, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, and UTSA from C-USA to American, and align the divisions however you like.
Move Western Kentucky from Sun Belt to C-USA.
Move Marshall and Southern Miss from C-USA to Sun Belt.
Move Old Dominion from Independent to Sun Belt.
Move New Mexico State from Independent to C-USA.

In the Big Ten, swap Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State to the Leaders and Illinois, Wisconsin, and UCLA or USC to the Legends. Rename Leaders to East and Legends to West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC and MWC, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

If you kept protected rivals in the Big Ten, set them however you like.
If you kept protected rivals in the SEC, and Oklahoma and Texas are in separate divisions, protect them against each other, and also set Missouri/Arkansas and South Carolina/Texas A&M as protected.

Remove BCS bid from American.
Change Big 12's BCS tie-in from Fiesta Bowl to Sugar Bowl.

Year-by-year: 2012 (NCAA 12)

Spoiler

Move Temple from MAC [East] to Big East.
Move Missouri from Big 12 to SEC [East].
Move Texas A&M from Big 12 to SEC [West].
Move TCU from MWC to Big 12.
Move West Virginia from Big East to Big 12.
Move Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada from WAC to MWC.

Disable protected rivals in the SEC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Year-by-year: 2013 (NCAA 12)

Spoiler

(The WAC still exists in this game, so two teams will have to stay behind. They can't be from the Sun Belt, which is soon to be reduced to four itself.)

Move Pittsburgh from Big East to ACC [Coastal].
Move Syracuse from Big East to ACC [Atlantic].
Move San Jose State and Utah State from WAC to MWC.
(Move the fourth member into the WAC, if they weren't a real life WAC member.)

The next section can be done in several different orders; this is the one I prefer.
Move North Texas from Sun Belt to C-USA [West].
Move FIU and Florida Atlantic from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move Louisiana Tech from WAC to C-USA [West]. (If Louisiana Tech stays behind in the WAC, move Mid Tenn State from the Sun Belt instead.)
Move Memphis, UCF, Houston, and SMU from C-USA to Big East.
Move Mid Tenn State from Sun Belt to C-USA [East]. (If Louisiana Tech stays behind in the WAC, this is a division swap with Southern Miss.)

If your MWC has 12 members, align geographically, with the Mountain Time teams in the Mountain Division, and the Pacific Time teams and Hawaii in the West Division. If you're confused about the geography, it's Boise State in the Mountain and Nevada/UNLV in the West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MWC and C-USA if they have 12 members, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Year-by-year: 2013 (NCAA 13)

Spoiler

(The WAC still exists in this game, so one team will have to be its fourth member. I recommend UTSA for the time being because they're a new transition.)

Move Pittsburgh from Big East to ACC [Coastal].
Move Syracuse from Big East to ACC [Atlantic].
Move UMass from MAC [East] to WAC. (To fill out the conference.)
Move San Jose State and Utah State from WAC to MWC.
(Move the fourth member into the WAC, if they weren't a real life WAC member.)
Move Texas State from WAC to Sun Belt.

The next section can be done in several different orders; this is the one I prefer.
Move North Texas from Sun Belt to C-USA [West].
Move FIU and Florida Atlantic from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move Louisiana Tech from WAC to C-USA [West].
Move Memphis, UCF, Houston, and SMU from C-USA to Big East.
Move Mid Tenn State from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
Move UTSA from WAC to C-USA [West]. (Of course, don't do this if they're the fourth WAC member.)

If your MWC has 12 members, align geographically, with the Mountain Time teams in the Mountain Division, and the Pacific Time teams and Hawaii in the West Division. If you're confused about the geography, it's Boise State in the Mountain and Nevada/UNLV in the West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC, SEC, and C-USA if you have not already done so. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MAC and MWC if they have 12 members, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Year-by-year: 2014

Spoiler

Move Maryland from ACC [Atlantic] to Big Ten [temporarily Legends].
Move Rutgers from American to Big Ten [temporarily Leaders].
Move Louisville from American to ACC [Atlantic].
Move Old Dominion from Independent to C-USA [East].
Move Southern Miss from C-USA [East] to C-USA [West].
Move ECU, Tulane, and Tulsa from C-USA to American. (Make sure you've moved ODU before you do this!)
Move Western Kentucky from Sun Belt to C-USA [East].
(NCAA 14 only) Move Idaho and New Mexico State from Independent to Sun Belt. (In NCAA 12/13, they stay in the WAC to maintain the conference.)

In the Big Ten, swap Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State to the Leaders and Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin to the Legends. Rename Leaders to East and Legends to West.

Disable protected rivals in the ACC and SEC. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)
Enable protected rivals in the MWC, and set them however you like. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

If you kept protected rivals in the Big Ten, set them however you like; see the bottom of the post for real-life rivals.
If you kept protected rivals in the SEC, switch Missouri's rival to Arkansas and South Carolina's rival to Texas A&M.

Move the Pac-12 championship to Fight Hunger Bowl. (To represent Levi's Stadium)

Remove BCS bid from American.
Change Big 12's BCS tie-in from Fiesta Bowl to Sugar Bowl.

Year-by-year: 2015

Spoiler

Move Navy from Independent to American.
(NCAA 14 only) Move UAB from C-USA [East] to C-USA [West]. (They were temporarily non-football at the time, so Independent is also an option.)

Realign the American as follows:
EAST: Cincinnati, Connecticut, ECU, Temple, UCF, USF
WEST: Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa

Enable protected rivals in the American and C-USA, and set rivalries however you like, if they have 12 teams and you have not done so already. (Optional; to maintain 8-game conference schedule)

Year-by-year: 2016

Spoiler

(NCAA 14 only) Move UMass from MAC [East] to Independent. (In NCAA 13, they will have already moved to the WAC; keep them there.)

Enable protected rivals in the Big Ten and (in NCAA 14 only) MAC, and set them however you like. For the Big Ten, see the bottom of the post for real-life rivals. (Optional for MAC; to maintain 8-game conference schedule.)

Year-by-year: 2017

Spoiler

Move UAB to C-USA [West] if they aren't already there. (Unless you need to keep C-USA [East] at six members or the WAC at four members.)

Year-by-year: 2018

Spoiler

(NCAA 14 only) Move Idaho and New Mexico State from Sun Belt to Independent.

Year-by-year: 2020

Spoiler

Move UConn from American to Independent. (In NCAA 12/13, move them to the WAC instead, and move the WAC's previous fourth member to the appropriate conference.

Move the Pac-12 championship to Las Vegas Bowl. (To represent Allegiant Stadium)

Year-by-year: 2022

Spoiler

Move Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss from C-USA to Sun Belt.

Year-by-year: 2023

Spoiler

Move BYU from Independent to Big 12.
Move Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF from American to Big 12, and align the divisions however you like.
Move Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA from C-USA to American, and align the divisions however you like.
Move New Mexico State from Independent to C-USA.

Year-by-year: 2024

Spoiler

Move Oklahoma and Texas from Big 12 to SEC, and align the divisions however you like. (If protected rivals are enabled and Oklahoma and Texas are not in the same division, ensure that they are protected against each other.)
Move UCLA and USC from Pac-12 [South] to Big Ten [temporarily one in each division].
Swap Purdue to the Big Ten [East] so that both UCLA and USC are in the Big Ten [West].
Disable protected rivalries in the Big Ten, as they are no longer necessary for a 9-game schedule and Indiana/Purdue are now in the same division.

Protected Rivals in the Big Ten (2016-23)

Spoiler

The real life Big Ten protected rivals for 2016-21 were: Indiana/Purdue, Maryland/Minnesota, Michigan/Wisconsin, Michigan State/Northwestern, Ohio State/Nebraska, Penn State/Iowa, and Rutgers/Illinois.

The Big Ten protected rivals for 2022-27 were planned to be: Indiana/Purdue, Maryland/Northwestern, Michigan/Nebraska, Michigan State/Minnesota, Ohio State/Wisconsin, Penn State/Illinois, and Rutgers/Iowa.

My preferred protected rivals if not using the real-life set are: Indiana/Purdue, Maryland/Iowa, Michigan/Minnesota, Michigan State/Wisconsin, Ohio State/Illinois, Penn State/Nebraska, and Rutgers/Northwestern.

Protected Rivals in the MAC

Spoiler

My preferred protected rivals in the MAC are: Akron/EMU, Bowling Green/Toledo, Buffalo/Northern Illinois, Kent State/WMU, Miami U/Ball State, and Ohio/CMU.

Protected Rivals in the Mountain West

Spoiler

My preferred protected rivals in the Mountain West in NCAA 12/13 are: Air Force/Fresno State, Boise State/Hawaii, Colorado State/UNLV, New Mexico/San Diego State, Utah State/San Jose State, and Wyoming/Nevada.

My preferred protected rivals in the Mountain West in NCAA 14 are: Air Force/Fresno State, Boise State/Nevada, Colorado State/UNLV, New Mexico/San Diego State, Utah State/San Jose State, and Wyoming/Hawaii.

The switch between NCAA 13 and NCAA 14 exists because of a change to in-game listed rivalries.