Before 2012, you never heard Missouri fans cheering the name of their conference.

That’s because Mizzou was in the Big 12, a storied and successful conference that, despite its longtime history with the Tigers, just didn’t have the same zing as the premier conference in college football.

That conference is, of course, the SEC. The Tigers were a part of its latest expansion in 2012, and since that time Missouri has held its own.

Despite those questioning if Missouri belonged in its new conference, Tigers fans embraced the switch. Chants of “SEC! SEC!” could be heard at football, basketball and even softball games against former Big 12 opponents following the school accepting its new conference invitation.

Missouri’s switch has been among the most successful of major college football programs during the last 10 years of conference realignment. Here’s how we ranked conference transitions based off success:

12. West Virginia — Big East to Big 12 (2012) 

It still doesn’t make much sense that the Mountaineers are Big 12 members. The school doesn’t border any other state with a Big 12 program, and closer conferences (ACC, American Athletic) have had expansions in recent years. West Virginia football has been fairly successful in the Big 12, but it’s tough to see that continuing with all the recruiting and travel hurdles the program faces.

11. Utah — Mountain West to Pac-12 (2011) 

Previously a big fish in a small pond, the Utes now are tasked with sticking out to recruits whom bigger Pac-12 programs covet. There’s no doubt Utah’s move has made sense economically and raised excitement for the football program around the state. But, unlike Missouri, Utah hasn’t been able to break through in its new conference. The Utes have never finished above third in the Pac 12’s South Division and haven’t won more than nine games in a seasons since making the switch. Utah administrators will never concede that the move hasn’t paid off, but Utes fans likely miss the days of double-digit wins in the Mountain West.

10. Cincinnati — Conference USA to Big East/American Athletic (2005) 

The Bearcats were ahead of the curve in the mid-2000s, ditching Conference USA for what was then the Big East. It took a few years for Cincinnati to excel in its new conference, but Brian Kelly and Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk’s brother, Ben Mauk, helped change that between 2007-09. The Bearcats averaged 11 wins during those seasons. The program has made impressive coaching hires since Kelly left for Notre Dame, but one can’t help thinking Cincinnati could have landed in a bigger conference.

9. Nebraska — Big 12 to Big Ten (2011) 

Nebraska’s move has been the most impactful of modern realignment. If the Cornhuskers hadn’t switched to the Big Ten, programs like Missouri, Colorado and West Virginia may not be in their new conferences. Still, it’s hard not to think that the pre-2011 status quo was better for Nebraska. The Cornhuskers went from perennial division champions in what was then a well-respected Big 12 to just another program in the Big Ten. Couple that with the school’s loss of its Association of American Universities (AAU) status in 2011, which was a big component of Nebraska’s move to the academically distinguished Big Ten, and you have a conference switch that hasn’t been all that successful.

8. Colorado — Big 12 to Pac-12 (2011) 

While other schools who bolted the Big 12 left behind important rivalries (see: Missouri-Kansas), Colorado was a more detached member despite originally being in the Big 8. The Buffaloes have more money in the Pac-12, plus get to keep their rivalry with Colorado State, but are still football bottom dwellers. Just like in the Big 12, Colorado remains a geographic outlier in its new conference.

7. Syracuse — Big East to ACC (2013) 

For basketball purposes, it’s crazy to think that Syracuse is no longer a Big East school. But the Orange landed in a solid football conference when switching in 2013 while also staying roughly in their geographic footprint. Syracuse is never going to beat out Miami or Florida State as the top team in the ACC, but the Orange should find their place in the middle of the conference.

6. Navy — Independent to American Athletic (2015) 

Previously one of the most prominent independent programs, Navy is switching over to the American Athletic Conference this season for football only. While it’s to be determined how the Midshipmen will perform, Navy has the stability of long-time coach Ken Niumatalolo and existing non-conferene rivalries to make this a smooth transition.

5. Boston College — Big East to ACC (2005) 

Although not exactly a football powerhouse, Boston College’s litigious switch in the mid-2000s could be considered the starting point for major conference realignment. And the Eagles began their switch with a bang, posting nine-, 10- and 11-win seasons in the three subsequent years after joining the ACC. The Eagles have been mediocre since the ACC expanded again in recent years. But the school has been able to hold its own in football when considering the size disadvantage it faces with other conference schools. Boston College got a nice return on its move, too; The ACC doubled the payout Boston College would have received from the Big East the year after making the switch.

4. Houston — Conference USA to American Athletic Conference (2013) 

Houston’s move to Conference USA has a Mizzou connection; it was orchestrated by new Missouri athletic director Mack Rhoades. Under Rhoades and former coaches Art Briles and Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars outgrew their old conference. Major facility upgrades, as well as the hiring of new coach Tom Herman, position Houston as a future powerhouse within the American Athletic Conference.

3. Missouri — Big 12 to SEC (2012) 

A program that won back-to-back SEC East titles in its first three years as SEC members speaks volumes. Despite a rocky start, Missouri had a strong enough football program in place to successfully make the move to the nation’s toughest conference. Losing Kansas as a rival is among the greatest tragedies in college sports, but things are heating up between Missouri and Arkansas, the Tigers’ new cross-division rival. The decision to pair the two Ozark states was born from geographic reasoning, where as Missouri’s placement in the East doesn’t hold as much weight in that regard. This is especially true during even years, when the Tigers must travel to outposts like Gainesville, Fla., and Columbia, S.C. Despite the lack of proximity to other SEC East schools, Missouri’s division placement allowed the Tigers to ease into and succeed in their new conference.

2. Louisville — Conference USA to Big East (2005); Big East to ACC (2014) 

Another program that’s been ahead of the curve, Louisville twice has switched conferences in the last 10 years. The first time the Cardinals did it back in 2005, their football program was beginning to establish itself as a force in college football under Bobby Petrino. Now, with Petrino back, Louisville is boasting impressive facility additions along with its solid record (9-4) in the program’s first ACC season.

1. Texas A&M — Big 12 to SEC (2012) 

Texas A&M’s conference switch is the benchmark for all future conference switches. The Aggies hired Sumlin from Houston to guide them through the switch, implemented massive facility upgrades while capitalizing on the Texas Longhorns’ demise and Johnny Football, both within the state of Texas as well as on a national scale. The Aggies also brought their incredible fans and traditions to the SEC, fitting right in with the conference’s other proud members. The one downside of this move, like Missouri’s, is the loss of the Aggies’ top rival in Texas. But, as it stands, the benefits of the SEC switch far outweigh the costs.