The Southern Conference (or SoCon) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. SoCon football teams compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Formed in 1921 as a result of a split from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Southern Conference ranks as the fourth oldest major college athletic conference in the United States.

Charter members were Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Maryland, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Sewanee, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Washington & Lee.

The SoCon is particularly notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1933, thirteen schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) departed the SoCon to form the Southeastern Conference. In 1953, seven schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew from the SoCon to form the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Other former members (in addition to those listed above) were East Carolina (1964-1976), East Tennessee State (1978-2005), George Washington (1936-1970), Marshall (1976-1997), Richmond (1936-1976), Virginia (1921-1937), VMI (1924-2003), Virginia Tech (1921-1965), Washington & Lee (1921-1958), William & Mary (1936-1977), and West Virginia (1950-1968).