College football conference power rankings for 2024 season

Ranking college football's conferences from worst to first as a historic 2024 season kicks off.

College football's best and worst conferences ranked for a historic 2024 season marked by realignment and the expanded playoff. / Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The old Power Five is history after college football underwent a major conference realignment that becomes official in 2024, but with the new-look Power Four still at the helm of the sport, there are 10 conferences that make up the FBS at the highest level of the sport.

And as the College Football Playoff expands from four to 12 teams, competition for the national championship will now officially include the Group of Five, whose highest-ranked champion will receive an automatic bid in the new postseason.

Still, not all conferences are created equally, especially not after the major reshuffling that just took place.

As the 2024 season gets underway, let's get an early look at the conference power rankings across college football, from worst to first.

Ranking college football's 10 conferences in 2024

10. Pac-12

Or the Pac-2 after the former "Conference of Champions" was gutted, and just Oregon State and Washington State remaining in the league.

Of the two, the Cougars have a little more stability with head coach Jake Dickert leading the program, and after the Beavers lost a ton of key players and their head coach to Michigan State.

Still, both teams should be able to make a run at their respective 7.5 win total numbers going against a largely Mountain West-centric schedule.

9. Conference USA

There's no such thing as a one-team conference, but there's also no denying that Liberty is far and away the most important school in this league.

The Flames owned CUSA in its first year as a member and most of that team returns in 2024, led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter leading a run-heavy attack that could put this squad in the G5's playoff spot.

8. MAC

A year ago, the Mid-American produced a trio of 10-win teams, but two of the quarterbacks who piloted those rosters are gone, via the transfer portal.

Dequan Finn departed Toledo, and Kurtis Rourke left Ohio for Indiana, but Brett Gabbert remains in place at Miami of Ohio, which is in position to compete for a more wide-open league title this season.

7. Sun Belt

Texas State and James Madison are two Sun Belt teams that have performed well as of late, although the latter lost its coach and some key players, but Appalachian State is in position to take the league to new heights.

The Mountaineers look to be in the driver's seat for the Sun Belt's automatic playoff appearance, with several key offensive pieces coming back, including record-holder quarterback Joey Aguilar.

6. Mountain West

Air Force and UNLV are coming off 9-win efforts last season and could be in the mix for the conference once again, but right now this league belongs to Boise State until proven otherwise.

Ashton Jeanty returns as one of college football's best running backs, one of an expected 18 returning starters on its league-title squad, and one of a select few G5 teams in the playoff hunt in 2024.

5. American

Among the Group of Five conferences, the AAC has arguably, or inarguably, the highest number of potential College Football Playoff qualifying teams.

That's even when accounting for the large disparity between the top and bottom half of this league, including cellar-dwellers like Charlotte and Temple.

Memphis, UTSA, Tulane, and maybe USF all have a shot at making a run at the CFP, although right now it's Memphis in the lead, coming off a 10-win outing and returning top-flight offensive talent.

4. Big 12

After losing Texas and Oklahoma and adding four other programs, suddenly the Big 12 looks like the most competitive of the Power Four conferences.

Incoming Utah has won two Pac-12 titles in recent years and should be in contention for the Big 12 crown, while other contenders include Kansas State and Oklahoma State, in addition to expansion newcomer Arizona, which has a shot with its dynamic passing offense.

3. ACC

While the standard-bearers in the ACC look to possibly exit this conference in the future, right now Florida State and Clemson are the favorites to win in Charlotte and represent the league in the College Football Playoff.

The transfer portal has also helped teams like Miami and NC State move closer to contention, while Louisville and Virginia Tech are teams to watch who can exploit their situation this fall.

2. Big Ten

The revival of Michigan as a national power once again on the heels of its national championship is good not just for the Big Ten, but for the sport, and helps even things out at the top of this conference going forward.

And the league's ambitious expansion project -- adding Oregon, USC, Washington, and UCLA -- further increases its brand, with more than a few analysts picking the Ducks to win this conference in its first year as members.

1. SEC

A full half of the SEC should be in the mix for the College Football Playoff, as the nation's best conference is expected to put at least three teams in the new format, with Georgia, Texas, and Alabama squarely in the title hunt.

The SEC has fielded 14 national champions since the start of the 21st century, including six in the College Football Playoff era, and by adding Texas and Oklahoma, the league only increased its talent base and branding power moving into the future.

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