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College football realignment is moving fast and not stopping

By Ryan Kay

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 11: A flag is flown displaying the Cincinnati Bearcats and Big 12 logos during the game between the Murray State Racers and Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 11: A flag is flown displaying the Cincinnati Bearcats and Big 12 logos during the game between the Murray State Racers and Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Conference realignment
Coastal Carolina could be impacted by conference realignment (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports) /

Financial value rankings

These Group of Five program value rankings by WSJ is based on the 115 FBS teams as of 2019.

American Athletic Conference

  • East Carolina (No. 79)
  • Cincinnati (No. 77)
  • Memphis (No. 75)
  • SMU (No. 74)
  • Temple (No. 73)
  • Houston (No. 72)
  • South Florida (No. 69)
  • Central Florida (No. 65)

Conference USA

  • Louisiana Tech (No. 111)
  • Florida Atlantic (No. 104)
  • Southern Miss (No. 101)
  • Western Kentucky (No. 96)
  • UTEP (No. 92)
  • Middle Tennessee (No. 90)
  • Marshall (No. 88)
  • Rice (No. 87)
  • Florida International (No. 84)
  • North Texas (No. 82)
  • UAB (No. 71)

MAC

  • Bowling Green (No. 113)
  • Kent State (No. 110)
  • Eastern Michigan (No. 108)
  • Miami (OH) (No. 106)
  • Ball State (No. 105)
  • Central Michigan (No. 102)
  • Northern Illinois (No. 98)
  • Buffalo (No. 97)
  • Western Michigan (No. 95)
  • Toledo (No. 91)
  • Akron (No. 89)
  • Ohio (No. 86)

Mountain West

  • San Jose State (No. 103)
  • New Mexico (No. 99)
  • Nevada (No. 94)
  • Utah State (No. 93)
  • UNLV (No. 85)
  • Hawaii (No. 83)
  • Fresno State (No. 81)
  • San Diego State (No. 80)
  • Colorado State (No. 78)
  • Wyoming (No. 76)
  • Boise State (No. 63)

Sun Belt Conference

  • Louisiana-Monroe (No. 115)
  • Arkansas State (No. 114)
  • Louisiana (No. 107)
  • Troy (No. 100)

Due to the time in which the college football value rankings were done by WSJ, some schools like Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State were excluded. However, the AAC has the most teams of financial value and no one should have been surprised when six schools from Conference USA accepted an invitation to join the AAC.

The Sun Belt, on paper, doesn’t look like a financial power broker in the Group of Five but for them to get Southern Miss to leave Conference USA should tell you that the conference is not a doormat.

The Mountain West is in good but not great shape as the Big 12 did not invite teams from their conference to join and the MAC has found a way to stay together throughout the years.

Now let’s take a look at what the Group of Five conferences could look like in 2023.

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