Conference realignment has resulted in several FCS affiliation changes over the last few years.
And there are more coming in 2026.
Below is a running list of FCS affiliation changes that will occur next year.
RELATED: Conference Affiliation Changes In 2025
Villanova, William & Mary Join The Patriot League As Football Members
Villanova and William & Mary depart CAA Football to join the Patriot League in 2026 as football-only members. The two follow Richmond, who made a similar conference jump starting in the 2025 season.
In 2026, the Patriot League will expand to 10 teams: Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Richmond, Villanova, and William & Mary.
Saint Francis Moves To D3
Saint Francis University, a member of the NEC, will reclassify from Division I to Division III after the 2025-26 academic year. The Red Flash will move to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
“This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees,” Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman said. “The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game.”
Chicago State Launches Football
Chicago State University will begin its FCS football program in 2026. Bobby Rome II was named the first-ever head football coach in April 2025.
Chicago State is expected to play an independent schedule in 2026 before playing an NEC schedule in 2027.
Sac State Leaves Big Sky
In April 2025, Sacramento State filed an application and waiver to transition from FCS to FBS as a football independent starting in 2026. A waiver was needed due to the school trying to transition from FCS to FBS without a conference invite.
In June, Sac State’s waiver was denied by the Division 1 Council, which is made up of FBS administrators. Prior to this decision, the school announced it was leaving the Big Sky for the Big West in 2026 for its non-football sports.
Unless a conference invite comes, Sac State football will be playing either as an FCS independent or FBS independent in 2026. The school is still saying it plans to be an FBS member in 2026 despite its only known and current pathway being blocked.
The school has hired well-known sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler to explore legal avenues as it continues to try and get into the FBS.
Southern Utah, Utah Tech Leave UAC/WAC To Join The Big Sky + WAC Rebranding Fully To The UAC
Southern Utah and Utah Tech will join the Big Sky in 2026, departing the WAC and UAC Football. The Big Sky will grow to 13 football members with the departure of Sac State and the additions of the two Utah schools.
The United Athletic Conference is a football-only league for football-playing members of the ASUN and the WAC. However, the WAC is rebranding to the UAC in 2026, making the UAC an all-sports conference. The football-playing members of the ASUN (Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, West Georgia) will join the UAC for all sports. The two remaining football-playing WAC members are Abilene Christian and Tarleton State.
The eight-member all-sports UAC will consist of Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, West Georgia, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, and non-football-playing UT Arlington.
The ASUN will have seven members, mostly schools that don’t sponsor football: Bellarmine, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville, Lipscomb, North Florida, Queens University of Charlotte, and Stetson (Stetson plays in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League).
Sacred Heart Joins CAA Football
Sacred Heart, currently an FCS independent, will join as a football member starting July 1, 2026. Sacred Heart had recently left the NEC for the MAAC for its Olympic sports, leaving the football team as an FCS independent in 2024.
CAA Football will move to 13 members in 2026 as Sacred Heart joins UAlbany, Bryant, Campbell, Elon, Hampton, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, North Carolina A&T, Rhode Island, Stony Brook, and Towson.
Tennessee Tech To Join The SoCon In 2026
Tennessee Tech Athletics departs the OVC-Big South Football Association and the OVC for the SoCon.
The SoCon will grow to 11 overall members and 10 football members as TN Tech joins Chattanooga, ETSU, Furman, Mercer, Samford, The Citadel, VMI, Western Carolina, and Wofford. UNC Greensboro does not sponsor football.
The OVC-Big South Football Association will drop to eight members — six from the OVC and two from the Big South. Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, SEMO, Tennessee State, UT Martin, and Western Illinois are in the OVC, while Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb are the Big South members.
