Look at a map of fbs football schools from just three years ago and you’ll basically see a relic of a forgotten era. It’s wild. Geography used to be the bedrock of college football, but honestly, that's dead. We’ve reached a point where the "Atlantic" Coast Conference has schools in California and the "Big Ten" has eighteen teams stretching from the Jersey Shore to Seattle.
If you're trying to track where the 136 current FBS programs actually sit on a map today, you're not just looking at a sports league. You're looking at a multi-billion dollar real estate scramble.
Why the Map of FBS Football Schools Looks So Messy Right Now
The traditional regional borders have been totally nuked. We used to have neat little bubbles. The SEC was the South. The Big Ten was the Midwest. Now? It’s sort of a free-for-all.
Texas and Oklahoma officially moved to the SEC, which pushed that conference's footprint deep into the Great Plains. Meanwhile, the Big 12 reacted by grabbing schools like Utah, Arizona, and even UCF in Florida. If you were to draw a line connecting the Big 12 schools, it would look like a toddler's doodle across the entire United States.
Then there’s the Pac-12. Or what’s left of it.
The Great Western Migration
For a minute there, the Pac-12 was just Oregon State and Washington State sitting in an empty house. But the 2026 map of fbs football schools is about to show a massive revival. Starting July 1, 2026, the Pac-12 officially welcomes:
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- Boise State (moving from the Mountain West)
- San Diego State (moving from the Mountain West)
- Colorado State (moving from the Mountain West)
- Fresno State (moving from the Mountain West)
- Utah State (moving from the Mountain West)
- Texas State (moving from the Sun Belt)
Think about that for a second. The Pac-12 is effectively poaching the Mountain West's best assets to survive. This isn't just about football; it’s about TV markets and staying alive in the new playoff system.
The Newcomers and the "Group of Six"
While the big dogs are fighting over millions, a few smaller programs are quietly climbing the ladder. You’ve probably noticed names on the scoreboard recently that didn't use to be there.
Delaware and Missouri State are the newest kids on the block, officially moving up to the FBS level in 2025 to join Conference USA. This brings the total count of FBS schools to 136. These transitions are expensive—schools have to pay a massive application fee (we're talking $5 million) just to get the invite—so nobody does this on a whim.
Kennesaw State just finished its first full year in the FBS, and schools like James Madison and Jacksonville State have already proven that "new" doesn't mean "bad." JMU, in particular, has been a nightmare for established teams since they moved up.
The Mountain West Counter-Move
Because the Pac-12 took their top teams, the Mountain West had to scramble. Their part of the map of fbs football schools is getting a weird makeover too. To fill the holes, they’ve reached out to:
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- UTEP (coming over from Conference USA)
- Northern Illinois (joining as a football-only member from the MAC)
- Hawaii (who is finally becoming a full member instead of just a football affiliate)
It’s a bit of a geographical headache. Northern Illinois is in DeKalb, IL. They’ll be playing conference games in Laramie, Wyoming and Reno, Nevada. The travel budget for those mid-week games is going to be a total nightmare for the athletic directors.
The Power 4 vs. Everyone Else
We don't really talk about the "Power 5" anymore. It's the Power 4 now: the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC.
| Conference | Teams | Footprint |
|---|---|---|
| Big Ten | 18 | Coast-to-Coast (NJ to WA) |
| SEC | 16 | Deep South and Great Plains |
| Big 12 | 16 | The "Wild West" and Florida |
| ACC | 17 | East Coast plus CA and TX |
The ACC's map is particularly hilarious. They have Stanford and Cal-Berkeley on the West Coast, SMU in Dallas, and then everyone else on the Atlantic. If you’re a volleyball player at Boston College, you’re now flying across the entire continent for a "conference" game. It's exhausting just thinking about it.
Where the Independent Schools Fit In
There aren't many "lone wolves" left on the map of fbs football schools. Notre Dame is the big one, obviously. They value their independence more than almost anything, mostly because their TV deal with NBC lets them keep all the cash.
UConn and UMass are the others. UMass is actually heading back to the MAC soon, and UConn is sort of drifting in the wind, playing whoever will schedule them. Being an independent is getting harder because as conferences get bigger, they have fewer "open" dates on their schedules to play non-conference games.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Map
People think these moves are about rivalries. They aren't. Honestly, most of these moves actively destroy rivalries.
The "Bedlam" game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State? Gone. The "Apple Cup" and "Civil War" games in the Northwest? They’re now non-conference games scheduled through gritted teeth. The map is being redrawn by TV executives in New York and Bristol, not by fans in the stands.
If you’re looking at a map of fbs football schools to plan a road trip, you need to double-check the year. A 2024 map is already outdated. A 2025 map is a "lame duck" version. The 2026 map is where the new reality really sets in.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Check the 2026 Schedules Early: With the Pac-12 and Mountain West reshuffle, your team's traditional November opponents might be totally different.
- Track the "Group of Six" Playoff Spot: Remember, the highest-ranked champion from the non-Power conferences gets a guaranteed spot in the 12-team playoff. The new-look Pac-12 is going to be the frontrunner for that spot.
- Watch the MAC: They are the only conference that has stayed relatively stable. If you want old-school, regional college football, the "Mid-American Conference" is the last bastion of sanity on the map.
The geography of the sport is unrecognizable compared to a decade ago, but the chaos is exactly what makes it so addictive to watch.