A bill introduced in Congress known as the Protect College Sports Act seeks to freeze the size of the four largest NCAA conferences at nineteen teams each, a move that would lock in the current Power Four – the Big Ten, the SEC, the ACC and the Big 12 – and prevent further expansion beyond that limit.
The legislation would force those conferences to add a handful of Group of Six programs, reshaping the traditional power map and creating new regional narratives that could dominate headlines for years to come.
Who Might Join Which Conference?
Under the proposal, Notre Dame would become the final piece of the Big Ten, drawn by its geographic fit and academic prestige. The SEC would look to bring in North Carolina and Miami, citing their strong academic standing and recent football success. The ACC could welcome Tulane, UConn and the Army/Navy duo, leveraging their academic credentials and athletic momentum. Meanwhile, the Big 12 is expected to absorb Boise State, Memphis and San Diego State, programs that bring solid football pedigrees and basketball pedigrees to the mix.
A distinctive feature of the bill is a five‑year independent period for existing Power Four members before they can move to another league, a constraint that would force schools to weigh short‑term stability against long‑term ambition.
Conference leaders have different priorities that guide their expansion thinking. The Big Ten emphasizes academics and AAU membership, the SEC values contiguous geography and football tradition, while the ACC prioritizes academic excellence and broad athletic success, including UConn’s strong football and basketball programs.
If enacted, the realignment could generate new rivalries, shift television contracts and affect the financial calculus for schools such as Texas Tech, which might bypass the independent requirement if it can meet a $700 million revenue threshold, opening a pathway into the SEC.
Analysts warn that the plan also raises questions about competitive balance, especially for programs like Florida State and Clemson that are being courted by the SEC but face in‑state political hurdles and recent on‑field challenges.
The bill’s sponsors argue that the changes would preserve the integrity of each conference’s identity while providing a structured pathway for emerging programs to compete at the highest level, potentially ushering in a new era for college football.