The American Athletic Conference voted unanimously to add Army as a football-only member starting in 2024, two people with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement was still in the works. AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco was planning to attend a news conference at West Point, New York, with school officials later Wednesday.
Army will replace SMU, which is moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, to keep the American a 14-team football league. The move puts Army and Navy football in the same conference, but their traditional, end-of-the-season, standalone matchup will remain a nonconference game so it can be played after conference championships.
Army mostly competes in the Patriot League, but it has been an independent in football for most of the program’s existence. The Black Knights competed in Conference USA from 1998-2004 and never won more than three football games in a season.
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