For the third time since making the move to the NCAA Division I level in 2014, the Abilene Christian Wildcats are feeling the ripple effects of conference realignment reverberating throughout college sports.
ACU, which joined the Southland Conference in 2014 and later moved to the Western Athletic Conference in 2021, will now join the newly-formed United Athletic Conference – an all-sports merger between the remaining WAC schools and the Atlantic Sun Conference’s football-playing membership.
Here’s an in-depth breakdown of all the new the schools, teams and conference rivals that will compete with the Abilene Christian Wildcats in the United Athletic Conference beginning in 2026:
AUSTIN PEAY GOVERNORS
Location: Clarksville, Tennessee
Established: 1927
How they got to the UAC: Austin Peay State University competed as part of the NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference for 60 years before moving all its athletic programs to the Atlantic Sun Conference effective July 1, 2022. The Governors have competed as a part of the UAC’s football branch alongside other legacy A-Sun and WAC programs since 2023.
UAC member in these sports: All sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats beat the Governors in their last matchup, a 45-31 win for ACU in Abilene. Abilene Christian holds a 2-0 record against Austin Peay in football since moving up to the NCAA Division I level in 2014.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Established: 1907
How they got to the UAC: The Bears previously competed in the Southland Conference from 2006 through 2021 before making the move to the Atlantic Sun Conference full time on July 1, 2021. Central Arkansas has competed in the UAC’s football branch since 2023 as well.
UAC member in these sports: All sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats took down the Bears in their last matchup, a 45-31 win for ACU in Abilene. Abilene Christian holds a 3-7 record against Central Arkansas in football since moving up to the NCAA Division I level in 2014.
EASTERN KENTUCKY COLONELS
Location: Richmond, Kentucky
Established: 1874
How they got to the UAC: EKU competed as a longtime member of the Ohio Valley Conference from 1948 until 2021, when the Colonels made the move to the A-Sun alongside longtime conference rival Austin Peay. Eastern Kentucky – a traditional FCS football powerhouse – won its 22nd conference championship in the A-Sun in 2022, a year before the Colonels joined the UAC’s football branch that started in 2023.
UAC member in these sports: All sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats topped the Colonels in their last matchup, a 17-10 road win for ACU. Abilene Christian holds a 2-1 record against Eastern Kentucky in football since moving up to the NCAA Division I level in 2014.
LITTLE ROCK TROJANS
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
Established: 1927
How they got to the UAC: On Oct. 10, 2025, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock announced that it would leave the Ohio Valley Conference to join the United Athletic Conference in all sports effective July 1, 2026. The Trojans will factor heavily into the UAC’s baseball conference championship picture fresh off their first trip to the College World Series.
UAC member in these sports: All sports except football
History versus ACU: Abilene Christian lost its only meeting against Little Rock in men’s basketball, a 117-87 road loss in a non-conference game in December 1994. The Wildcats and Trojans have never played each other in baseball.
NORTH ALABAMA LIONS
Location: Florence, Alabama
Established: 1830
How they got to the UAC: The UNA Lions joined the Atlantic Sun Conference on July 1, 2018, when they began their transition to NCAA Division I after competing in the Division II Gulf South Conference since 1971. North Alabama joins the United Athletic Conference as one of the longest-tenured legacy A-Sun programs.
UAC member in these sports: All sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats beat the Lions in their last meeting, a 52-23 road victory for ACU. Abilene Christian holds a 2-1 record against North Alabama in football since moving up to the NCAA Division I level in 2014.
TARLETON STATE TEXANS
Location: Stephenville, Texas
Established: 1899
How they got to the UAC: Tarleton joined the then Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2020, as part of the school’s transition to NCAA Division I after previously competing in the Division II Lone Star Conference. The Texans join the United Athletic Conference alongside ACU as a legacy WAC program who has also competed in the UAC’s football branch since 2023.
UAC member in these sports: All sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats beat the Texans on a game-winning field goal in their last matchup, a 31-28 victory for ACU in Abilene. Abilene Christian holds a 4-1 record against Tarleton State since the Texans moved up to the NCAA Division I level in 2020.
UT-ARLINGTON MAVERICKS
Location: Arlington, Texas
Established: 1895
How they got to the UAC: UT-Arlington was one of the founding members of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference in 1963. The Mavericks competed in the Southland through the end of the 2011-12 school year before joining the Western Athletic Conference for one year. UT-Arlington then switched conferences again, joining the Sun Belt Conference effective July 1, 2013. The Mavericks, however, ultimately rejoined the WAC in the summer of 2022 and now join the United Athletic Conference as a non-football playing WAC legacy member.
UAC member in these sports: All sports except football
History versus ACU: The Wildcats hold a 7-6 all-time record against UT-Arlington in their men’s basketball series history, with Abilene Christian winning five of their last nine matchups since the Mavericks joined the WAC prior to the 2021-22 season.
WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Established: 1963
How they got to the UAC: The UWF Argonauts joined the United Athletic Conference on July 1, 2026, as an affiliate member in football only while competing in the Atlantic Sun – which doesn’t sponsor football as a conference – in all other sports. West Florida moved up from the NCAA Division II level to Division I beginning in 2026-27.
UAC member in these sports: Football
History versus ACU: Abilene Christian will host West Florida for a conference football game on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Wildcat Stadium that will represent the first ever meeting between the Argonauts and Wildcats in any sport.
WEST GEORGIA WOLVES
Location: Carrollton, Georgia
Established: 1906
How they got to the UAC: The University of West Georgia – which had previously competed in the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference since 1983 – officially joining the Atlantic Sun Conference and the UAC’s football branch on July 1, 2024, as part of the Wolves’ transition to the NCAA Division I level. UWG joins the United Athletic Conference as a full all-sports member in 2026 with postseason eligibility for the first time since moving up to the Division I level.
UAC member in these sports: All Sports
History versus ACU: The Wildcats beat the Governors in their last matchup, a 45-31 win for ACU in Abilene. Abilene Christian holds a 2-0 record against West Georgia since the Wolves’ move to the NCAA Division I level in 2024.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Who are ACU’s new conference opponents in United Athletic Conference?
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
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By Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
