The Super Conference Realignment of 2022 and beyond

After conference line-ups were relatively stable for the better part of a decade, the SEC decided to shake things up by luring Texas and Oklahoma away from the Big 12.  That set off a chain reaction that we shall call the Super Conference Realignment of 2022 and beyond.  The Big 12 reloaded with teams from the American.  C-USA was then completely picked apart by the American and Sun Belt conferences, leading to some earlier than expected exits in 2022.

Just when we thought it was calm, the Big Ten swooped in and poached USC and UCLA from the Pac-12.  

And then came the summer of 2023 and the collapse and pillaging of the Pac-12.  Already weakened by the pending exits of USC and UCLA, the uncertainty of the conference after failing to secure a media deal led 8 more teams to defect.  Now we're left with only 2 teams in the Pac-12, so something has to be done for them to compete in 2024.

As usual, anything listed for a future date is subject to change.

	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
Arizona	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
Arizona State	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
BYU	Ind.	Ind.	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
Cal	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	ACC	ACC	ACC
Colorado	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
Charlotte	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
Cincinnati	American	American	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
FAU	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
Houston	American	American	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
Jacksonville State	FCS	FCS	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA
JMU	FCS	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt
Kennesaw State	FCS	FCS	FCS	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA
Liberty	Ind.	Ind.	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA
Marshall	C-USA	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt
New Mexico State	Ind.	Ind.	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA
North Texas	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
ODU	C-USA	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt
Oklahoma	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	SEC	SEC	SEC
Oregon	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big Ten	Big Ten	Big Ten
Rice	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
Sam Houston	FCS	FCS	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA	C-USA
SMU	American	American	American	ACC	ACC	ACC
Southern Mississippi	C-USA	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt	Sun Belt
Stanford	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	ACC	ACC	ACC
Texas	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	SEC	SEC	SEC
UAB	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
UCF	American	American	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
UCLA	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big Ten	Big Ten	Big Ten
USC	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big Ten	Big Ten	Big Ten
Utah	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big 12	Big 12	Big 12
UTSA	C-USA	C-USA	American	American	American	American
Washington	Pac-12	Pac-12	Pac-12	Big Ten	Big Ten	Big Ten

Teams on this list that were part of the Mega Conference Realignment of 2010-2015:

-ODU transitioned from FCS to join C-USA in 2013.

-BYU left the Mountain West after 2010 to be independent.

-Charlotte went from not existing in 2012, spent two season in FCS, and then joined C-USA in 2015.

-New Mexico State left the WAC after the 2012 season when that conference gave up football.  They became independent, except for 4 years in the Sun Belt (2014-2017).

-North Texas moved from Sun Belt to C-USA in 2013.

-Houston and UCF both moved from C-USA to the American in 2013.

-UTSA started up in 2011 in FCS, played 2012 in the WAC, and then moved to C-USA.

-Colorado was one of the teams that kick-started the last alignment process by moving from the Big 12 to the Pac-12, and they also kick-started the downfall of the Pac-12 by rejoining the Big 12.

-Utah was the team that allowed the Pac-12 to change its name in 2011.