The last round of realignment in college football led to some of the biggest shifts in the sport’s history, essentially wiping out the Pac-12 and leaving the Big 12 almost unrecognizable.
Now, the next round of realignment is on the horizon, and this time we could see massive shake-ups in Group of 6 conferences as teams scramble to find the best possible landing spot amid the chaos.
While any major shifts are still a ways off, that hasn’t stopped some programs from getting a head start on the process, with On3 insider Brett McMurphy reporting Friday morning that several G6 squads have reached out to the American to join.
Per McMurphy, Miami of Ohio, UConn, and James Madison have all made overtures to the AAC, with Miami reportedly offering between $30 and $40 million to make the move.
Despite these efforts, though, McMurphy says that his sources have said the powerbrokers at the top of the American are not currently looking to expand the conference past its current 14 members. The American released a statement saying it is not looking to add new members.
As the landscape of college sports continues to evolve competitively, legislatively and legally, the American Conference remains focused on driving innovation and helping shape key decisions and opportunities for our member institutions, student-athletes and the industry,” the conference said in a statement Friday morning to On3. “The American is not proactively seeking additional members. We will continue to evaluate the changing landscape and opportunities that strengthen the conference and support our collective mission.
That said, it seems unlikely the American won’t eventually expand as schools begin to shuffle around, especially since it’s widely considered the strongest G6 conference in the country.
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