Six schools -- Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB -- have accepted invitations to join the American Athletic Conference, the league announced Thursday.

"I think they will definitely take great advantage of the exposure and the platforms that are going to be provided by this conference," AAC commissioner Mike Aresco said of the additions.

The American is replacing Cincinnati, UCF and Houston, which were accepted to join the Big 12 last month after that conference learned it was losing Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC.

The six schools are all leaving Conference USA, leaving it with eight members.

The Sun Belt has said it is interested in expanding beyond its current 10 football members, and some of Conference USA's remaining eight schools would be geographic fits.