Editing Conference USA (section)

===2005–06 realignment===
The conference saw radical changes for the 2005–06 academic year. The [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East Conference]] had lost several members, and looked to Conference USA to attract replacements. Five CUSA members departed for the Big East, including three football-playing schools ([[University of Cincinnati|Cincinnati]], [[University of Louisville|Louisville]], and [[University of South Florida|South Florida]]) and two non-football schools ([[DePaul University|DePaul]] and [[Marquette University|Marquette]]; both joined the [[Big East Conference|New Big East]] in 2013). Another two schools ([[University of North Carolina at Charlotte|Charlotte]] and [[Saint Louis University|Saint Louis]]) left for the [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10]]; [[Texas Christian University|TCU]] joined the [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]] (and is now in the [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]] with several other former Southwest Conference members); and a ninth member, [[United States Military Academy|Army]], which was C-USA football-only, opted to become an independent in that sport again.

With the loss of these members, CUSA lured six schools from other conferences: [[University of Central Florida|UCF]] and [[Marshall University|Marshall]] from the [[Mid-American Conference|MAC]], as well as [[Rice University|Rice]], [[Southern Methodist University|SMU]], [[University of Tulsa|Tulsa]], and later [[University of Texas at El Paso|UTEP]] from the [[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]]. UCF played in the MAC for football only; for all other sports, it was a member of the [[Atlantic Sun Conference]] (ASUN).

With CUSA's membership now consisting of 12 schools, all of which sponsor football, the conference adopted a two-division alignment.