Report: College Football Conference Realignment May Not Be Over

ESPN insider Pete Thamel is sounding the alarm: the college sports landscape is gearing up for another wave of conference realignment, this time beyond the Power Four and spilling into the Group of Five.

Thamel noted several aspects of future realignment to focus on, including Texas State’s path forward, the new-look Pac-12, and where Memphis sits in the expansion hierarchy.

According to Thamel’s sources, Texas State is a “heavy favorite” to join the revamped Pac‑12. Pac‑12 presidents have reportedly been in active discussions, eyeing Texas State ahead of a July 1, 2026, buyout increase.

Meanwhile, Memphis is considered “the most interesting chess piece” by conference architects, potentially moving to the Pac‑12 as a football-only member, with the rest of its programs headed to the Big East.

With another round of realignment on the horizon, the Big 12 finds itself in a more stable position than in recent cycles, but that doesn’t mean it will sit idle.

As the Pac-12 seeks to regain relevance by courting schools like Texas State and Memphis, the Big 12 has explored conversations with UConn and other programs over the past few years. It’s tough to say whether that story will become a topic of conversation again, but with an innovative mind like Brett Yormark’s at the helm, you never know what may happen.

College athletics is entering a less stable, more opportunistic era. Following the seismic exits of Oklahoma and Texas in years past, this next realignment wave may not have the same impact. Still, it could certainly transform regional landscapes and reshape some rivalries along the way.

As Pete Thamel notes, the dominoes are already rattling — and the center of gravity may be shifting again.