Conference Realignment: How will things look in 2013 and beyond?

The last few years have been quite a whirlwind of realignment for Non-AQ conferences with the Big East, PAC 12 and Big 12 all raiding the conferences for teams like Utah, TCU, and others. The Big East raided several teams from CUSA for the 2013 season with Houston, SMU, and UCF all leaving the conference with East Carolina, Tulane, and Memphis leaving in 2014. In turn, Conference USA took Florida International and North Texas from the Sun Belt, Louisiana Tech and UTSA from the now dissolved WAC, and added UNCC and Old Dominion from the FBS ranks to join the conference in football in 2015. The MAC remains the same as in 2012 with Massachusetts joining in 2012 to cap the conference at 13 teams. The Mountain West Conference added two teams in San Jose State and Utah State but made the biggest noise of all with keeping Boise State and San Diego State from defecting to the Big East. The MWC's moves also bring them to 12 teams making them eligible to have a conference title game this fall. It is yet to be determined whether the MWC will actually have a title game or not this upcoming season. The Sun Belt was hit hard by realignment with FIU and North Texas leaving the conference in 2013 for Conference USA while MTSU and FAU both will join in 2014. MTSU and FAU do have an out clause with the Sun Belt but must pay a $1 million exit fee to leave for the 2013 season. Many believe that the Sun Belt would prefer for both schools to pay the fee and leave for Conference USA immediately. While guaranteed to lose two teams in 2013, the Sun Belt gains two members this fall with Texas State joining from the now dissolved WAC and Georgia State as a provisional member moving up from the FBS. Rounding up the rear with realignment are Idaho and New Mexico State who are both going the independent route after losing conference affiliation with the dissolution of the WAC.

Here is a look at how the conferences stack up as of 1/18/13.

Conference USA (12 teams in 2013)

East Carolina (Leave for Big East in 2014)

Florida International (New member from the Sun Belt)

North Texas (New member from the Sun Belt)

Louisiana Tech (New member from the WAC)

Marshall

Rice

Southern Miss

Tulane (Leave for Big East in 2014)

Tulsa (Possible move to the Big East or MWC)

UAB

UTEP

UTSA (New member from the WAC)

UNCC (Member in sports other than football in 2013, football member in 2015)

Old Dominion (Member in sports other than football in 2013, football member in 2015)

IA Independents

Army

Brigham Young

Navy

Idaho (Formerly of the WAC)

New Mexico State (Formerly of the WAC)

Mid-American

Akron

Ball State

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan

Kent State

Massachusetts

Miami (OH)

Northern Illinois

Ohio

Toledo

Western Michigan

Mountain West (12 teams)

Air Force

Boise State (Turned down Big East offer)

Colorado State

Fresno State

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

San Diego State (Turned down Big East offer)

San Jose State (New member from the WAC)

UNLV

Utah State (New member from the WAC)

Wyoming

Sun Belt (10 teams)

Arkansas State

*Florida Atlantic (Leave for CUSA in 2014)

Georgia State (Provisional FBS member after last season in FCS)

Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Monroe

*Middle Tennessee (Leave for CUSA in 2014)

South Alabama

Texas State (New member from the WAC)

Troy

Western Kentucky

*FAU and MTSU can join CUSA in 2013 but must pay the Sun Belt a $1 million exit fee.