Realignment revisited: Ranking every Power 5 school who switched conferences since 2000

Was realignment worth it? 

For the 15 schools that have left for Power 5 conferences since 2000 – whether it was an upward or lateral move – the money, television exposure and revenue are always the better choice for a school. 

On the field? Well, that can be a different story. Colorado – which left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 – made news last week when it returned to its previous conference. They are one of several schools who found out that switching conferences did not lead to more success on the field. 

How did that go for the other schools? Miami, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Pitt, Boston College and Louisville joined the ACC. Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland joined the Big Ten. TCU and West Virginia joined the Big 12. Utah was the other school that joined the Pac-12, and Texas A&M and Missouri joined the SEC. 

MORE: Latest updates on Arizona's possible move to Big 12

Sporting News looked at the 15 schools to see their winning percentage since leaving – and whether that increased or decreased in the same time frame before they left. That study turned up some interesting results. 

Realignment revisited since 2000

It's one thing to just throw out blanket statements about schools and realignment. We used a formula that judged the schools by the following categories: 

Before and after winning percentage

We looked at the difference in winning percentage for a program using the same number of seasons they have been in their current conferences up against the same numbers of years when they left.

Louisville, for example has a .544 winning percentage since joining the ACC nine years ago. They had a .646 winning percentage the previous nine seasons before joining the conference. That is a difference of -.102. 

Conference winning percentage 

How have those teams fared in their new conference? It's an easy metric, and 60% of the teams are less than .500 in conference play since leaving their previous home. 

A look at each school's conference winning percentage since switching conferences: 

Bonus points 

Schools were given for the following

• Conference championship game appearance: 1 point
• Conference championship: 2 points 
• National championship game appearance: 10 points 

Scoring 

We ranked those programs 1-15 (AP Style) in those three categories and came up with a total score. Who won the realignment battle? A look at our rankings. Ties go to the program with the highest overall winning percentage since they switched conferences. 

MORE: Realignment reset - who will be where in 2023, 2024?

Realignment rankings 

1. Virginia Tech 

Move: Big East to ACC (2004) 

Score: 41.5

Lowdown: No program has had more success since moving up. Virginia Tech parlayed the Michael Vick heyday under Frank Beamer into a bid to a major conference – and they took advantage of it. Virginia Tech won four ACC championships from 2004-11 as part of a run where they had 10 or more wins each of those seasons. It's been a reality check post-Beamer with Justin Fuente and now Brent Pry – and it will be interesting to see how the Hokies adjust to the next chapter of college football. Still, this was a little-known independent program before joining the Big East in 1990. They've come a long way in Blacksburg. 

2. Pitt 

Move: Big East to ACC (2013) 

Score: 40.5

Lowdown: Pitt has eight winning seasons in 10 years in the ACC, and that led to a slight increase in winning percentage from the previous 10 seasons. Pat Narduzzi led the Panthers to an ACC championship in 2021, and the program has been steady through his eight seasons. Pitt has finished in the Top 25 the last two years. Pitt has a .583 winning percentage in conference play; which ranks second among the 15 schools on this list. If anything, realignment has enhanced expectations for the program. 

3. Utah 

Move: Mountain West to Pac-12 (2011) 

Score: 39

Lowdown: Utah moved its way to the top of the Pac-12 under Kyle Whittingham, and there were adjustments after the leap up. The Utes were 33-6 in their last three seasons in the Mountain West Conference. Utah is 34-13 the last four years in the Pac-12, and that includes back-to-back conference championships and Rose Bowl appearances. It's not out of place to hear the Utes in the CFP conversation, but the uncertainty of the Pac-12 could change this ranking in the future. Still, Utah has made its mark by moving up. 

4. TCU 

Move: Mountain West to Big 12 (2012) 

Score: 39

Lowdown: It's fitting the Horned Frogs tied with the Utes. One could argue TCU should be ranked No. 1 based on last year's run to the College Football Playoff championship game. The Horned Frogs are the only team on this list to play for a national championship, but there have been some bumps in the move up to the Big 12. The Horned Frogs are 56-45 in Big 12 play since making the jump. While Sonny Dykes was critical of realignment at this year's Big 12 Media Days, it has helped the Horned Frogs to a great extent. That will continue when Oklahoma and Texas leave the conference. 

5. Texas A&M

Move: Big 12 to SEC (2012) 

Score: 25

Lowdown: This is a tough one because the Aggies have the highest increase in program winning percentage by our formula, but they have yet to play for a conference championship. That's the difference with the first four schools on the list. Texas A&M has a .652 winning percentage since joining the SEC, and they increased the program's attention ten-fold during the Johnny Manziel years. That also might speak to how down the program was in its last 11 years in the Big 12. Texas A&M does have the most exposure of any program on this list with the SEC spotlight, but they'll have to share that with Texas again in 2014. How will that shake out long term? 

6. Boston College 

Move: 2005 (Big East to ACC) 

Score: 18

Lowdown: Boston College has had significantly more time to acclimate to playing in the ACC.  It's an 18-year sample size, and the Eagles did reach back-to-back ACC championship games in 2007-08. The CFP era has been less kind. The Eagles have a 52-59 record in that stretch; which ranks 11th in the conference. It's been a struggle for Boston College, who had a streak of six seasons with six or more victories snapped last season. 

7. Syracuse 

Move: Big East to ACC (2013) 

Score: 18

Lowdown: The Orange are an admitted anomaly on this list, but the fact remains the winning percentage has improved since leaving the Big East for the ACC. Syracuse has a winning percentage of .410 – a shade above the .388 the previous 10 seasons. Granted, this comes with a 50-72 record since joining the ACC – the worst record of any team in the conference.  Still, the move to the ACC has not had a negative impact on the football program. It can only go up from here. 

8. Missouri 

Move: Big 12 to SEC (2012) 

Score: 17

Lowdown: Most Tigers' fans will tell you that it's better than the Big 12 no matter what, especially considering Missouri did reach a pair of SEC championship games in 2013 and 2014 under Gary Pinkel. The program's overall winning percentage hasn't changed much, and they have the eighth-best record in the conference in that stretch at 41-51. The question is whether that is max value for the program in the 12-team CFP era. The Tigers have had a winning record in conference only one time since Pinkel retired. 

9. Miami 

Move: Big East to ACC (2004) 

Score: 15 

Lowdown: Where else would we put the Hurricanes? The program has seen a 25% drop in overall winning percentage from 1985-2003 compared to the last 19 seasons in the conference. That's the most-jarring number on this list. The Hurricanes knew the competition would get better, but did anybody think one of college football's best programs from the 1980s and 1990s would go two decades without winning a conference championship? When that happens under Mario Cristobal, then you can start saying “The U” is back. 

10. Louisville 

Move: AAC to ACC (2014) 

Score: 15

Lowdown: The Cardinals spent one season in the American Athletic Conference before leveling up to the ACC – and 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson helped make that transition a little easier. The Cardinals have a .500 record in conference play, and not counting a two-game season in 2020 because of COVID-19 the program has just two losing years in that stretch. The arrival of Jeff Brohm should help too, but the next step is reaching an ACC championship game. 

11. West Virginia 

Move: Big East to Big 12 (2011) 

Score: 13

Lowdown: The Mountaineers had a .705 winning percentage in 11 seasons before joining the Big 12 – a product of the Rich Rodriguez teams that were close to a few BCS championship games. The adjustment to Big 12 play has not been easy. West Virginia is 47-51 in conference play – and that includes just one season with six Big 12 wins. The Mountaineers are trying to avoid a third straight losing season under Neal Brown. West Virginia's spot in the new Big 12 is safe, but will they compete for conference championships again? 

12. Maryland 

Move: ACC to Big Ten (2014) 

Score: 13

Lowdown: The trajectory of Maryland football simply has not changed much with the move. The Terps had a .464 winning percentage nine seasons before joining the conference. That number has dropped to .429 in nine seasons since. The Terrapins have not competed in the Big Ten championship game, and the D.J. Durkin scandal in 2017 preceded five straight losing seasons. Mike Locksley had led an impressive turnaround with back-to-back winning seasons and bowl victories the last two years. Will that continue in the 16-team Big Ten in 2024? 

13. Nebraska

Move: Big 12 to Big Ten (2011) 

Score: 11

Lowdown: Does this seem too low? It might not when you realize Nebraska has a 75-72 record and a .510 winning percentage since joining the Big Ten. That's a half-game behind Northwestern, which isn't the expectation Huskers fans had when joining the conference. Matt Rhule will be Nebraska's fourth coach since coming to the Big Ten; a lineup that includes Bo Pelini, Mike Riley and Scott Frost. The program is a long way from the 1990s national championship machine. Nebraska won the Legends Division in 2012 – but that was accompanied with a 70-31 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. 

14. Colorado 

Move: Big 12 to Pac-12 (2011) 

Score: 10

Lowdown: This is an indicative of a miserable 12-year stretch in the Pac-12. Colorado reached the Pac-12 championship game in 2016 – a 41-10 loss to Washington. The Buffaloes had a .338 winning percentage in that dozen-year stretch – one that came with four coaching changes. This is the program that Deion Sanders inherited – and it made more sense to go back to the Big 12. The move to the Pac-12 was a failed experiment, and the Buffs might have got their parachute out at the right time. 

15. Rutgers 

Move: AAC to Big Ten (2014) 

Score: 2

Lowdown: The Scarlet Knights had a .617 winning percentage in nine seasons between the Big East and American Athletic Conference before making the move to the Big Ten, where's it been a struggle. Rutgers is 13-66 in Big Ten play – and average of less than two conference wins per season – though Greg Schiano's return has helped incrementally the last two seasons. The Scarlet Knights will benefit from not having to play Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State every year. Rutgers is 1-26 against those schools since joining the conference – with the lone victory coming against the Wolverines in 2014.