The rising power of college football's overlooked mid-major conferences

Countries & Cities · Published 14 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For years, a specific tier of college football conferences lived in the shadow of the giants. Often dismissed as less prestigious, these 'Group of Six' programs are now rewriting the rules of the postseason, proving that even the underdogs can crash the most exclusive playoffs.

In the complex hierarchy of NCAA Division I football, the Group of Six (G6) represents a collection of conferences that operate with a degree of autonomy from certain NCAA regulations. While often categorized as 'mid-majors' in sports other than football, these conferences have historically struggled with a significant resource gap. A 201s ESPN analysis revealed that these conferences generated only one-third of the revenue produced by the more dominant power conferences.

The group's composition has shifted recently due to massive realignment. Originally known as the Group of Five (G5), the core members included the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences. The landscape changed in the early 2020s when the Pac-12—formerly a power conference—effectively joined the group after losing its autonomy status following the departure of most of its members.

Despite lower financial influence and perceived lower quality of play, these teams are notorious for causing major upsets. The gap is closing in the postseason. In 2021, the American's Cincinnati Bearcats became the first G6 team to reach the College Football Playoff under its four-team format. As the playoff expanded to 12 teams starting in the 2024 season, the path for champions became even more secure.

The momentum continued into the 2025 season, which saw a historic milestone: two G6 teams, Tulane and James Madison University (JMU), both qualified for the College Football Playoff. This marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape, as programs like JMU, which recently transitioned up from the FCS, now compete on the sport's grandest stage.

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