Just when it seemed like conference realignment would be stopped indefinitely, some recent developments may keep it alive.
According to Yahoo Sports, lawmakers are adjusting the Protect College Sports Act so that Group of Six schools can jump to Power Four leagues. This was after the legislation initially was going to have language that effectively prevented P4 conferences from adding any teams.
But the changes in this legislation may also limit a single conference to 19 members. And if a team moves from one power league to another, it has to operate as an independent for five years.
The Big Ten is at 18 members. The ACC is at 17. The Big 12 and SEC are both at 16.
It’s unclear how Notre Dame and UConn, the two FBS independent programs, would fit into all of this. But it appears there are just less than 10 power conference spots available if the legislation passes.
It’s no guarantee any of these conferences would even want to expand. But if they did, here are the G6 teams I think would be considered the most (depending on which league is looking to expand and what they want from new members).
Note: Some of these schools just recently joined the Pac-12, so the money it would cost to change conferences again right away might be too much for these schools. This is a ranking of these programs if the money to jump to another league is available.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
G6 Teams Most Likely To Join Power Four, Ranked
| Rank | Name | Conference |
| 1 | South Florida | American |
| 2 | Memphis | American |
| 3 | UNLV | Mountain West |
| 4 | Tulane | American |
| 5 | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
| 6 | Washington State | Pac-12 |
| 7 | San Diego State | Pac-12 |
| 8 | Boise State | Pac-12 |
| 9 | UTSA | American |
| 10 | Colorado State | Pac-12 |
Ranking Most Likely G6-To-P4 Teams
10. Colorado State
Colorado State wouldn’t be the first program that jumps into someone’s mind for a ranking like this, but the Rams would absolutely be a program for a Power Four league like the Big 12 to consider.
The media market and footprint should be appealing because of CSU’s proximity to Denver, even though CSU might have to compete with Colorado in terms of recruits and viewership. CSU also had the highest football budget among G6 programs last year, so the money is there for the team to prepare itself for a jump to a P4 conference.
9. UTSA
Geography alone makes the Roadrunners a logical addition for any conference. UTSA is obviously located in San Antonio, Texas, and having a team in that media market for any league would be a smart move.
UTSA has been pretty good at football the past five years, making a bowl game every season since 2020. The Roadrunners went 7-6 after winning the First Responder Bowl in 2025. They won the Conference USA title their last season in that league in 2022, and they have been one of the better squads in the American Conference.
8. Boise State
Many have been clamoring for Boise State to move on to the Power Four, and the Broncos have been the subject of many conference realignment rumors over the years.
In Boise, Idaho, the market isn’t huge and the national viewership is middle of the road. But Boise State was third among G6 teams in terms of football budgets, so the available money would make it a logical school to pick. The program also has an energetic and loyal following, as the team has seen some great success and pulled off some memorable wins in bowl games the past couple decades. With that alone, Boise State deserves to be a P4 program.
7. San Diego State
San Diego State is a clear-cut P4 candidate to me.
SDSU was eighth among G6 programs in terms of football budgets last year. The market would also benefit a Power Four league being in a large city in California that has no NFL presence. Snapdragon Stadium could also be the home of a P4 team. And don’t forget the Aztecs made a run to the Final Four in basketball recently, so that kind of move could make sense for multiple SDSU programs.
6. Washington State
It’s tough not to feel bad for the Pac-2, Washington State and Oregon State. They didn’t deserve to lose their places in a power conference.
We already know Wazzu is a program capable of competing in a power league. We already know it can produce a lot of talented players. The Cougars would fit in just fine with a conference like the Big 12.
5. Oregon State
Everything I said about Washington State applies to Oregon State. But it would be a bummer to see either of those teams leave the Pac-12 after rebuilding the conference.
4. Tulane
There’s no doubt Tulane has had the talent to compete in a power conference over the past decade. The Green Wave have endured just one losing season since 2017, and they have appeared in the last four American Conference Championships. They won the league title in 2025 and earned a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Even going back to the Willie Fritz era in 2022, Tulane’s win over USC in the Cotton Bowl showcased what the program can do against top-notch competition.
And since the university is located in New Orleans, it’s positioned well in a good media market compared to many other Group of Six teams.
3. UNLV
Yes, UNLV doesn’t have a super rich history when it comes to performance on the field.
However, the team went 9-5 overall in 2023 after losing to Boise State in the Mountain West Championship and to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The Rebels defeated two Big 12 teams, reached the Mountain West Championship again, and beat Cal in the LA Bowl en route to going 11-3 overall in 2024. And UNLV went 10-4 this past season with another Mountain West Championship appearance.
Plus, wins are not all conferences consider when thinking of teams to add. Pro sports leagues have moved or expanded to Las Vegas because it’s a good market.
2. South Florida
USF is a school which many wouldn’t have immediately thought of as a Power Four-worthy team just a couple years ago. But there would be some benefits for leagues like the ACC or Big 12 to add the Bulls.
USF wasn’t extremely successful over the past decade. But energy has picked up for the program after USF went 9-4 in 2025 with a win at Florida. The Bulls were ranked as highly as 18th in the Associated Press Top 25. Plus, in Tampa, USF is in a substantial market.
1. Memphis
Memphis has won a fair number of games the past few years. The Tigers put together a good season in 2023 by going 10-3 overall after beating Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl. In 2024, they were 11-2 overall and ended the season with a victory over West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl. Memphis went 8-5 in 2025 after starting out 6-0, including a win over Arkansas.
Maybe this all could help springboard them into Power Four consideration. Memphis did reportedly try to join the Big 12, offering the league approximately $200 million to do so, but it didn’t work out. That shows the Tigers are willing to pay up to jump to a power conference.
Memphis has much more going for it as well, including being a good basketball school. Of the teams in the American, and the G6 for that matter, I think Memphis is the most likely to make a move.
