Group of Five Conferences: What Football Teams & Leagues Are In The G5?

The Group of Five refers to the five FBS college football conferences which are not considered part of the Power Four leagues. The AAC, Conference USA, the MAC, the Mountain West, and the Sun Belt are the G5 conferences.

While the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC were previously part of the Power Five, most of the teams in the Pac-12 decided to go to other “power” conferences except for Oregon State and Washington State. Those two teams have made a scheduling arrangement with the Mountain West for 2024.

Why Is It Called The Group of Five?

The Group of Five is a controversial term because it’s designated for the FBS conferences that aren’t often viewed as the “top” conferences based on different metrics. Schools from the SEC and Big Ten are often competing for national championships and College Football Playoff berths, while G5 schools often aren’t.

G5 teams certainly have the potential to upset Power Four teams. Look no further than the 2023 Cotton Bowl when a loaded Tulane team defeated future No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams and USC.

However, broadly speaking, the Power Four teams do have several advantages that Group of Five teams do not. For example, television deals dole out much more money to the P4 leagues than the G5. And with more financial resources, Power Four teams can afford to lure elite players through the transfer portal and highly-respected coaches. 

And sometimes that means some of the top G5 teams want to “move up” to the Power Four because of those financial resources and visibility. SMU, for example, was invited to go to the ACC beginning this year. The Mustangs ended their time as a member of the AAC with a conference championship.

Some argue the Group of Five label is an arbitrary term used to separate some teams from others based on many factors which are outside of success on the field, despite all of these teams competing in the FBS.

Who Plays In The Group of Five?

Teams in the AAC, CUSA, the MAC, the Mountain West, and the Sun Belt are considered to be Group of Five. Some also include independent teams outside of Notre Dame – so UMass and UConn currently – as G5 programs.

Here’s a look at the makeup of the Group of Five right now.

Conferences In The Group of Five

• American Athletic Conference
• Conference USA
• Mid-American Conference
• Mountain West Conference
• Sun Belt Conference

Every Group of Five Team

List of Group of Five Teams Organized By Conference