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Missouri college football player dies after medical emergency during season opener
Confirmed
August 29, 2026 / 6:19 PM EDT / CBS News A football player for William Jewell College in Missouri died Saturday after experiencing a medical emergency during the team's season opener, according to school officials. Ahead of the 2026 college football season, 22 teams changed conferences.
The Pac-12 will include nine schools for college basketball season as Gonzaga came over from the West Coast Conference, but doesn't have a football program. In its own social media post , Fort Lewis College said that a "medical emergency" occurred on the "William Jewel sideline.
The 10-time FCS national champions come over from the Missouri Valley Football Conference for its debut season in the FBS. "Fort Lewis College Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the William Jewell College community following the tragic passing of a Cardinals football student-athlete, MicahJo Barnett," Fort Lewis College Director of Athletics Shawn Jakubowski said in a statement.
Additions: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State After a season in which Washington State and Oregon State were the only two teams representing the Pac-12, the conference has expanded to eight Division I football schools.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo's family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss," William Jewell said in a statement. The school identified the player as William Jewell running back MicahJo Barnett, a junior majoring in business administration.
To help you keep up with the trends, and remember who each team will compete against for conference titles, here's a look at who came, who went and who remained in each FBS conference. But two years ago, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington joined the Big Ten; Arizona, ASU, Utah and Colorado went to the Big 12; and Stanford and Cal became members of the ACC.
Five of the Group of Six leagues experienced changeover, while the Power 4 remained the same. Northern Illinois went west, Sacramento State moved east and the Pac-12 is actually back.
Boise State and San Diego State are two of five Mountain West teams to join the Pac-12. Texas State also made the move to the Pac-12 from the Sun Belt Conference.
What's confirmed
- August 29, 2026 / 6:19 PM EDT / CBS News A football player for William Jewell College in Missouri died Saturday after experiencing a medical emergency during the team's season opener, according to school officials.
- Ahead of the 2026 college football season, 22 teams changed conferences.
- The Pac-12 will include nine schools for college basketball season as Gonzaga came over from the West Coast Conference, but doesn't have a football program.
- The 10-time FCS national champions come over from the Missouri Valley Football Conference for its debut season in the FBS.
- Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State After a season in which Washington State and Oregon State were the only two teams representing the Pac-12, the conference has expanded t
- "Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo's family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss," William Jewell said in a statement.
What's still developing
- The school identified the player as William Jewell running back MicahJo Barnett, a junior majoring in business administration.
- "Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo's family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss," William Jewell said in a statement.
- In its own social media post , Fort Lewis College said that a "medical emergency" occurred on the "William Jewel sideline.
- "Fort Lewis College Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the William Jewell College community following the tragic passing of a Cardinals football student-athlete, MicahJo Barnett," Fort Lewis College…
- Northern Illinois went west, Sacramento State moved east and the Pac-12 is actually back.
- Five of the Group of Six leagues experienced changeover, while the Power 4 remained the same.
- But two years ago, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington joined the Big Ten; Arizona, ASU, Utah and Colorado went to the Big 12; and Stanford and Cal became members of the ACC.
- Then in 2025, three more teams changed conferences.