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One of the biggest storylines heading into the college football season has been of conference realignment. There have been major shifts to the Power Five in college football and changing traditions that have been a staple of the sport.
Fox analyst and former NFL and USC quarterback Matt Leinart spoke with Bleacher Report about the landscape of college football and how conference realignment has changed the game.
"I will say that college football is changing," he said. "It's evolving and kids are getting paid now. Traditions are going to end, and new traditions are going to form. Rivalries are going to end, and new rivalries are going to form. It's just the way it's moving, so I have the mindset of, 'if you dwell on the past and you dwell on all of this, you're going to get left behind.'... You have to swim or get left behind, and that's my view as an analyst. You have to move forward."
Instead of coming off as bitter, Leinart discussed how conference realignment is a good thing for the sport as a whole.
"I think college football is in a great spot. People get nervous with change, and rightfully so. But I think once the season starts, people are going to be excited that college football is back. And a couple years from now, it's going to become the new norm and we will kind of forget about all this other stuff that's happening." H/t Bleacher Report
While we may be at the beginning stages of major conference realignment, Leinart is correct, as this may only be the tip of the iceberg.
What are some major conference realignments that begin in 2024?
A lot of significant conference realignment begins after this current college football season. One primary reason is the dissolving of the Pac-12 as the Conference of Champions will lose 10 of its 12 teams as it currently stands. The easiest way to discuss the changes is to go conference by conference and discuss what programs are being brought in.
SEC
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is adding the fewest programs next season as they are adding two programs. However, they may be the biggest splash as the conference will add the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns to its massive college football conference.
Big 12
The Big 12 Conference will add four programs to join the conference in 2024. The four schools are the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes, and the Utah Utes.
ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has the weakest crop of incoming programs next season, as three teams will make their way to the conference. They have added the Stanford Cardinal, SMU Mustangs, and California Golden Bears.
Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference is gearing up to add four new members from the West Coast next season. The UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, and Washington Huskies will all be the latest members of the Big Ten next season.
