A Comprehensive Overview of College Football Teams

College football is a popular sport in the United States, with a large number of teams competing at various levels. This article provides an overview of the different divisions and conferences in college football, with a focus on the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

NCAA Divisions and Scholarship Rules

College football teams are divided into different divisions within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The two main divisions are the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

A key distinction between FBS and FCS schools lies in the number of scholarships they are allowed to offer. FBS schools can provide scholarship aid to a total of 85 players, granting a full scholarship to each one if they choose. FCS schools, on the other hand, are limited to financial assistance equivalent to a maximum of 63 full scholarships. This means that FCS schools can grant partial scholarships, but they are still limited to a total of 85 players receiving assistance.

The NCAA classifies FBS football as a "head-count" sport, meaning that each player receiving any athletically-related aid from the school counts fully against the 85-player limit. FCS football is classified as an "equivalency" sport. Another NCAA rule stipulates that any multi-sport athlete who plays football and receives any athletic aid is counted against the football limit, with an exception for players in non-scholarship FCS programs who receive aid in another sport.

College Football Playoff

Starting in 2014, the FBS began playing a tournament known as the College Football Playoff (CFP) culminating in a National Championship Game to determine its national champion, a system that has been in place from the 2014-2025 seasons by contract with ESPN, broadcaster of the games. The CFP featured four teams from its first season in 2014 through the 2023 season and expanded to 12 teams in 2024. But since the CFP is not sanctioned by the NCAA, this makes FBS football the only sport without an NCAA-sanctioned champion.

FBS Teams

The list includes all current and former FBS, Division I-A, Division I, University Division, and Major-College football teams since 1946 when the NCAA started having continuous records of major football teams. In addition to the following list of FBS programs, there is also a List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums.

Conferences and Teams

There are numerous conferences in college football, each with its own set of member teams. Here's a glimpse into the diverse landscape of college football teams across different conferences and divisions.

NCAA Division I FBS Conferences and Teams

American Athletic Conference: The American Athletic Conference consists of teams such as Florida Atlantic, the University of Miami, and East Carolina.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC): This conference includes teams like Boston College, Clemson, and Duke.
Big 12 Conference: The Big 12 features teams like Arizona State and Baylor.
Conference USA: Teams such as Florida International and Liberty.
Mid-American Conference (MAC): Includes teams like Ball State and Bowling Green.
Mountain West Conference: Teams in this conference include Boise State and Colorado State.
Pac-12 Conference: The Pac-12 considers the Pacific Coast Conference or PCC as part of its own history, even though the PCC was established with different charter members and was disbanded due to major crisis and scandal. There is considerable continuity between the two leagues.
Southeastern Conference (SEC): A conference with teams like Auburn and Arkansas.
Sun Belt Conference: Teams in the Sun Belt Conference include Appalachian State and Arkansas State.

NCAA Division I FCS Conferences and Teams

Big Sky Conference: Teams such as California Polytechnic State University and Eastern Washington University.
Big South Conference: Includes teams like Charleston Southern University.
Colonial Athletic Association: Teams include Elon University.
Ivy League: Features prestigious institutions such as Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Delaware State University is a member.
Northeast Conference: Teams like Central Connecticut State University.
Ohio Valley Conference: Features teams such as Eastern Illinois University and Charleston, IllinoisPublic.
Patriot League: Teams like Bucknell University and Colgate University.
Pioneer Football League: Includes teams such as Butler University, Davidson College, and Drake University.
Southern Conference: Teams such as East Tennessee State University and Furman University.
Southland Conference: Features teams such as Houston Christian University and McNeese State University.
Southwestern Athletic Conference: Teams such as Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University.

NCAA Division II Conferences and Teams

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA): Includes teams like Bluefield State University, Bowie State University, Elizabeth City State University, and Fayetteville State University.
Great American Conference: Teams include Arkansas Tech University and East Central University.
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Teams include Grand Valley State University.
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: Teams include Ashland University.
Gulf South Conference: Includes teams like Christian Brothers University, Delta State University, and University of West Georgia.
Lone Star Conference: Angelo State University and Eastern New Mexico University are members.
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA): Teams include Emporia State University and Fort Hays State University.
Mountain East Conference: Teams such as Concord University, Fairmont State University, and Frostburg State University.
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference: Teams include Augustana University, Bemidji State University, and Concordia University, St. Paul.
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC): Teams include Bloomsburg University, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, and Edinboro University.
South Atlantic Conference: Teams such as Anderson University, Brevard College, Carson-Newman University, Catawba College, Emory & Henry College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Limestone University, Mars Hill University, Newberry College, and Tusculum University.
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC): Teams include Albany State University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, and Tuskegee University.

NCAA Division III Conferences and Teams

Centennial Conference: Teams include Dickinson College and Franklin & Marshall College.
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin: Teams such as Augustana College, Carroll University, Carthage College, Elmhurst University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Millikin University, North Park University, and Wheaton College.
Commonwealth Coast Conference: Teams include Curry College, Endicott College, Nichols College, and Western New England University.
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference: Teams include Alfred State College, Anna Maria College, Dean College, Fitchburg State University, Maritime College, MIT, and Norwich University.
Empire 8 Athletic Conference: Alfred University is a member.
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference: Teams include Anderson University, Bluffton University, Defiance College, Franklin College, Hanover College, Manchester University, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Landmark Conference: Catholic University is a member.
Liberty League: Teams include Buffalo University.
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference: Teams include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, and Framingham State University.
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA): Teams include Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, and Trine University.
Middle Atlantic Conferences: Teams such as Albright College, Delaware Valley University, and FDU-Florham.
Midwest Conference: Teams such as Beloit College and Cornell College.
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Teams include Augsburg University, Bethel University, Carleton College, Concordia College-Moorhead, Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University, Macalester College, Saint John's University, Saint Olaf College, and St. Scholastica.
North Coast Athletic Conference: Teams include The College of Wooster, Denison University, DePauw University, and Ohio Wesleyan University.
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference: Teams include Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, and Lakeland University.
Old Dominion Athletic Conference: Teams include Averett University, Bridgewater College, Ferrum College, Guilford College, Hampden-Sydney College, Shenandoah University, and Washington and Lee University.
Presidents' Athletic Conference: Teams include Allegheny College, Bethany College, Case Western Reserve University, Geneva College, Grove City College, Thiel College, Washington & Jefferson College, and Westminster College.
Southern Athletic Association: Teams such as Berry College, Centre College, and Sewanee: The University of the South.
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Eureka College is a member.
United East Conference: Gallaudet University is a member.
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Minnesota Morris is a member.
Wooster, Ohio: The College of Wooster is located here.

NAIA Conferences and Teams

Appalachian Athletic Conference: Bluefield University is a member.
Association of Independent Institutions: Central Methodist University is a member.
Continental Athletic Conference: Arkansas Baptist College is a member.
Frontier Conference: Teams include Carroll College and Dickinson State University.
Great Plains Athletic Conference: Teams include Briar Cliff University, Concordia University (Nebraska), Dakota Wesleyan University, Doane University, Dordt University, Hastings College, Jamestown University, Midland University, Morningside University, Mount Marty University, Northwestern College, and University of Nebraska-Kearney.
Heart of America Athletic Conference: Teams include Baker University, Benedictine College, Central Methodist University, Clarke University, Culver-Stockton College, Evangel University, Graceland University, Grand View University, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Missouri Valley College, Mount Mercy University, Peru State College, and William Penn University.
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference: Teams include Bethany College, Bethel College, Friends University, Kansas Wesleyan University, McPherson College, Ottawa University, Southwestern College, Sterling College, and Tabor College.
Mid-South Conference: Teams include Bethel University, Campbellsville University, Cumberland University, Faulkner University, Georgetown College, Kentucky Christian University, Life University, Lindsey Wilson College, Pikeville University, Reinhardt University, Southeastern University, Thomas More University, Union College, and University of the Cumberlands.
North Star Athletic Association: Teams include Dakota State University, Dickinson State University, Presentation College, and Valley City State University.
Sooner Athletic Conference: Arizona Christian University is a member.
Southern States Athletic Conference: Faulkner University is a member.
Sun Conference: Florida Memorial University and St. Thomas University are members.

Junior College (JC) Conferences and Teams

Big 8 Conference: Diablo Valley College is a member.
Central Valley Conference: Teams include Coalinga College, Fresno City College, and Visalia College.
Coast Conference: Teams include De Anza College, Foothill College, and Los Altos Hills College.
Golden Valley Conference: Teams include Butte College and College of the Redwoods.
ICCAC: Ellsworth Community College is a member.
IEAC: College of the Desert is a member.
KJCCC: Teams include Butler Community College and Dodge City Community College.
MACCC: Teams include Coahoma Community College, Decatur, and Scooba.
MCAC: Central Lakes College is a member.
NCCCC: College of DuPage is a member.
OEC: Fullerton College is a member.
Region 3: Erie Community College is a member.
Scenic West Athletic Conference: Snow College is a member.
SCC: Teams include Cerritos College and El Camino College.
SJCC: Blinn College is a member.
South Coast Conference: Rancho Cucamonga.
SWJCFC: Cisco College is a member.
Western State Conference: Teams include Allan Hancock College, Bakersfield College, and College of the Canyons.
Western States Conference: Glendale Community College is a member.

Athletic Nicknames

Several schools have different athletic nicknames for men's and women's teams. Usually, this is a matter of preceding the main nickname with "Lady", such as LSU Lady Tigers and Tennessee Lady Vols. The two FBS schools nicknamed Cowboys, Oklahoma State and Wyoming, use Cowgirls for women's teams. However, in some cases, the women's team nickname has a completely different form, as in Hawaii Rainbow Wahine and Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters.

tags: #all #teams #in #college #football