Here's what I consider at least a somewhat plausible future timeline leading to a Power 4.
Fun P4 map:
2020s
- Navy (FB) from AAC to FBS Ind
- Connecticut (FB) and Massachusetts (FB) from FBS Ind to CAA
- NC A&T from MEAC to Big South
Early 2030s
- Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech from Big 12 to Pac-12/16
- Central Florida, Cincinnati, Houston, and South Florida from AAC to Big 12
- Old Dominion, Rice, UAB, and UTSA from CUSA to AAC
FBS 2033ish
ACC,
Big Ten,
MAC,
MWC,
SEC, and
Sun Belt: no change
Pac-16: see below
AAC
East: East Carolina, Memphis, Old Dominion, UAB, Temple
West: Rice, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, UTSA
NFB: Wichita State
Big 12
East: Central Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa State, South Florida, West Virginia
West: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Houston, TCU
CUSA
East: Charlotte, FAU, FIU, Marshall, Western Kentucky
West: Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Southern Miss, UTEP
FBS Ind
Army* (Patriot), BYU* (WCC), Liberty* (A-Sun), Navy* (Patriot), New Mexico State* (WAC), Notre Dame* (ACC)
Late 2030s
- North Carolina and Virginia from ACC to Big Ten
- NC State and Virginia Tech from ACC to SEC
- Houston, Kansas, TCU, and West Virginia from Big 12 to ACC
- Notre Dame (FB) from FBS Ind to ACC
- Cincinnati from Big 12 to ACC
- Memphis, Old Dominion, SMU, Temple, and UAB from AAC to Big 12
- Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Southern Miss, and UTEP from CUSA to AAC
- East Carolina from AAC to CUSA
- Arkansas State and Texas State from Sun Belt to AAC
- Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State from Sun Belt to CUSA
- Chattanooga from SoCon to Sun Belt
- Jacksonville State from OVC to Sun Belt
- Lamar from Southland to Sun Belt
- NC A&T from Big South to Sun Belt
- New Mexico State (FB) from FBS Ind to Sun Belt
FBS 2039ish
MAC and
MWC: no change
ACC
East Pod: Boston College, Miami-FL, Notre Dame, Wake Forest
North Pod: Syracuse, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
South Pod: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Duke
West Pod: TCU, Houston, Kansas, Louisville
Big Ten
East Pod: Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State
North Pod: Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, Purdue
South Pod: Maryland, North Carolina, Rutgers, Virginia
West Pod: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin
Pac-16
East Pod: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech
North Pod: Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State
South Pod: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah
West Pod: California, Stanford, UCLA, USC
SEC
East Pod: Florida, Georgia, NC State, South Carolina
North Pod: Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Vanderbilt
South Pod: Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss
West Pod: LSU, Texas A&M, Missouri, Arkansas
AAC
East: Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa
West: North Texas, Rice, Texas State, UTEP, UTSA
NFB: Wichita State
Big 12
East: Central Florida, Old Dominion, South Florida, Temple, UAB
West: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Memphis, SMU
CUSA
North: Charlotte, East Carolina, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky
South: Appalachian State, FAU, FIU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State
Sun Belt
East: Chattanooga, Coastal Carolina, Jacksonville State, NC A&T, Troy
West: Lamar, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, New Mexico State* (WAC), South Alabama
NFB: Little Rock, Texas-Arlington
FBS Ind
Army* (Patriot), BYU* (WCC), Liberty* (A-Sun), Navy* (Patriot)