Navigating the Landscape: A Comprehensive Map of NCAA Football Teams

For aspiring college football players, the sheer number of teams to choose from can be daunting. With nearly 900 college football programs nationwide, understanding the landscape is crucial. This article provides a structured overview of NCAA football, offering a "map" to help navigate the various divisions, conferences, and institutions.

Understanding the NCAA Football Divisions

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) divides its member schools into three main divisions: I, II, and III. However, in football, Division I is further subdivided into the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)

The FBS represents the highest level of college football in the United States. These schools are typically the largest and most well-funded, generating significant revenue and drawing large crowds. FBS teams are known for their competitive play, national exposure, and the potential for players to be drafted into the National Football League (NFL).

Key Characteristics of FBS:

Scholarships: FBS schools are allowed to provide scholarship aid to a total of 85 players, granting full scholarships to all 85 if they choose.
College Football Playoff (CFP): Since 2014, the FBS has participated in the College Football Playoff (CFP), a tournament culminating in a National Championship Game to determine its national champion. The CFP featured four teams from its first season in 2014 through the 2023 season and expanded to 12 teams in 2024.
Revenue Generation: Top FBS programs generate tens of millions of dollars in yearly revenue through ticket sales, television deals, and merchandise.
NFL Draft Prospects: FBS players make up the vast majority of the players picked in the NFL Draft.
Roster Size: FBS programs have a hard roster limit of 105, but all rostered players may receive full scholarships.

FBS Conferences:

Most FBS schools are members of a conference. Through the 2023 season, all of the FBS conferences had between 10 and 14 members, although independent Notre Dame has a scheduling agreement with the then-14-member ACC. The ten conferences are split into two groups for the purposes of the College Football Playoff. The "Power Four conferences" consist of most of the largest and best-known college athletic programs in the country. A school from one of the power conferences (including the Pac-12, which was a power conference prior to 2024) won every BCS National Championship Game (which operated from 1999 to 2014), and has won every College Football Playoff National Championship. The remaining six conferences are known as the "Group of Six".

Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

The FCS is the second tier of Division I college football. While still highly competitive, FCS schools generally have smaller budgets and less national exposure than their FBS counterparts.

Key Characteristics of FCS:

Scholarships: FCS schools are limited to financial assistance amounting to a maximum of 63 full scholarships, although some conferences voluntarily place further restrictions on athletic aid. FCS football is classified as an "equivalency" sport, meaning that scholarship aid is limited to the equivalent of a specified number of full scholarships. In turn, this means that FCS schools can freely grant partial scholarships but are also limited to a total of 85 players receiving assistance.
NCAA-Sanctioned Championship: Unlike the FBS, the NCAA officially sanctions a playoff tournament to determine the FCS national champion.
Focus on Academics: FCS schools often place a greater emphasis on academics and may offer a more intimate campus environment.
Potential for Growth: Although FCS programs can draw thousands of fans per game, many FCS schools attempt to join the FBS in hopes of increased revenue, corporate sponsorship, alumni donations, prestige, and national exposure.

Division II and Division III Football

Below the FBS and FCS levels are NCAA Division II and Division III. These divisions offer a different college football experience, often emphasizing a balance between athletics and academics.

Division II

Division II schools offer a mix of scholarship opportunities and competitive athletics. These institutions are typically smaller than Division I schools but still provide a high level of competition.

Division III

Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, emphasizing the student-athlete experience. Football in Division III is often characterized by a strong sense of community and a focus on personal development.

Other Football Organizations

Beyond the NCAA, other organizations offer college football opportunities, including the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and junior colleges (JC).

NAIA

The NAIA is a governing body for smaller colleges and universities. NAIA football programs offer scholarships and a competitive athletic experience.

Junior Colleges (JC)

Junior colleges, also known as community colleges, provide a stepping stone for players looking to develop their skills and potentially transfer to a four-year university.

Mapping the Teams: A Geographical Overview

College-bound football players have a lot of college football teams to choose from, nearly 900 nationwide. Here's a glimpse of the geographical distribution of college football teams across different states and conferences:

Alabama: Auburn (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Alabama A&M (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Alabama State (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Jacksonville State (FBS, Conference USA), Troy (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), South Alabama (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Tuskegee (D2, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
Alaska: There are no college football teams in Alaska.
Arizona: Arizona State (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Arizona (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Northern Arizona (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Grand Canyon University (no football program).
Arkansas: Arkansas (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Arkansas State (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), UAPB (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Central Arkansas (FCS, Atlantic Sun Conference).
California: USC (FBS, Big Ten Conference), UCLA (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Stanford (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), California (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), San Jose State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Fresno State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), San Diego State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Sacramento State (FBS, Big Sky Conference).
Colorado: Colorado (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Colorado State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Air Force (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Northern Colorado (FCS, Big Sky Conference).
Connecticut: UConn (FBS, Independent), Central Connecticut State (FCS, Northeast Conference), Yale (FCS, Ivy League).
Delaware: Delaware (FBS, Conference USA), Delaware State (FCS, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).
Washington, D.C.: Howard University (FCS, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), Georgetown University (FCS, Patriot League).
Florida: Florida (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Florida State (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Miami (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), UCF (FBS, Big 12 Conference), USF (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Florida Atlantic (FBS, American Athletic Conference), FIU (FBS, Conference USA), Florida A&M (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference).
Georgia: Georgia (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Georgia Tech (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Georgia Southern (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Georgia State (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Kennesaw State (FBS, Conference USA), Jacksonville State (FBS, Conference USA).
Hawaii: Hawaii (FBS, Mountain West Conference).
Idaho: Boise State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Idaho (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Idaho State (FCS, Big Sky Conference).
Illinois: Illinois (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Northwestern (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Northern Illinois (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Eastern Illinois (FCS, Ohio Valley Conference), Southern Illinois (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference), Western Illinois (FCS, Ohio Valley Conference).
Indiana: Notre Dame (FBS, Independent), Purdue (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Indiana (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Ball State (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Indiana State (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference), Valparaiso (FCS, Pioneer Football League).
Iowa: Iowa (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Iowa State (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Northern Iowa (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference), Drake (FCS, Pioneer Football League).
Kansas: Kansas (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Kansas State (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Wichita State (no football program).
Kentucky: Kentucky (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Louisville (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Western Kentucky (FBS, Conference USA), Eastern Kentucky (FCS, United Athletic Conference), Murray State (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference), Morehead State (FCS, Pioneer Football League).
Louisiana: LSU (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Tulane (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Louisiana Tech (FBS, Conference USA), ULM (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Louisiana (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), McNeese (FCS, Southland Conference), Nicholls (FCS, Southland Conference), Northwestern State (FCS, Southland Conference), Southeastern Louisiana (FCS, Southland Conference), Southern (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Grambling State (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference).
Maine: There are no FBS or FCS college football teams in Maine.
Maryland: Maryland (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Navy (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Towson (FCS, Coastal Athletic Association), Morgan State (FCS, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).
Massachusetts: Boston College (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), UMass (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Harvard (FCS, Ivy League), Holy Cross (FCS, Patriot League).
Michigan: Michigan (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Michigan State (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Central Michigan (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Eastern Michigan (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Western Michigan (FBS, Mid-American Conference).
Minnesota: Minnesota (FBS, Big Ten Conference), St. Thomas (FCS, Pioneer Football League).
Mississippi: Ole Miss (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Mississippi State (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Southern Miss (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Jackson State (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Alcorn State (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference), Mississippi Valley State (FCS, Southwestern Athletic Conference).
Missouri: Missouri (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Missouri State (FBS, Conference USA).
Montana: Montana (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Montana State (FCS, Big Sky Conference).
Nebraska: Nebraska (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Creighton (no football program).
Nevada: UNLV (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Nevada (FBS, Mountain West Conference).
New Hampshire: There are no FBS college football teams in New Hampshire.
New Jersey: Rutgers (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Princeton (FCS, Ivy League), Monmouth (FCS, Coastal Athletic Association).
New Mexico: New Mexico (FBS, Mountain West Conference), New Mexico State (FBS, Conference USA).
New York: Syracuse (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Army (FBS, Independent), Buffalo (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Columbia (FCS, Ivy League), Cornell (FCS, Ivy League).
North Carolina: North Carolina (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), NC State (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Duke (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Wake Forest (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Appalachian State (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), East Carolina (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Charlotte (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Coastal Carolina (FBS, Sun Belt Conference).
North Dakota: North Dakota State (FBS, Conference USA), North Dakota (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference).
Ohio: Ohio State (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Cincinnati (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Toledo (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Bowling Green (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Ohio (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Kent State (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Miami (FBS, Mid-American Conference), Akron (FBS, Mid-American Conference).
Oklahoma: Oklahoma (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Oklahoma State (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Tulsa (FBS, American Athletic Conference).
Oregon: Oregon (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Oregon State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Portland State (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Eastern Washington (FCS, Big Sky Conference).
Pennsylvania: Penn State (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Pittsburgh (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Temple (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Villanova (FCS, Coastal Athletic Association), Duquesne (FCS, Northeast Conference), Lafayette (FCS, Patriot League), Lehigh (FCS, Patriot League).
Rhode Island: There are no FBS college football teams in Rhode Island.
South Carolina: Clemson (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), South Carolina (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Coastal Carolina (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Citadel (FCS, Southern Conference), South Carolina State (FCS, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), Furman (FCS, Southern Conference), Wofford (FCS, Southern Conference).
South Dakota: South Dakota State (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference), South Dakota (FCS, Missouri Valley Football Conference).
Tennessee: Tennessee (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Vanderbilt (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Memphis (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Middle Tennessee (FBS, Conference USA), Tennessee State (FCS, Ohio Valley Conference), UT Martin (FCS, Ohio Valley Conference), Chattanooga (FCS, Southern Conference), East Tennessee State (FCS, Southern Conference).
Texas: Texas (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Texas A&M (FBS, Southeastern Conference), Texas Tech (FBS, Big 12 Conference), TCU (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Baylor (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Houston (FBS, Big 12 Conference), UTSA (FBS, American Athletic Conference), North Texas (FBS, American Athletic Conference), Rice (FBS, American Athletic Conference), SMU (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), UTEP (FBS, Conference USA), Sam Houston State (FBS, Conference USA), Texas State (FBS, Sun Belt Conference).
Utah: Utah (FBS, Big 12 Conference), BYU (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Utah State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Weber State (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Southern Utah (FCS, United Athletic Conference).
Vermont: There are no college football teams in Vermont.
Virginia: Virginia (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Virginia Tech (FBS, Atlantic Coast Conference), Old Dominion (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), James Madison (FBS, Sun Belt Conference), Liberty (FBS, Conference USA), Richmond (FCS, Coastal Athletic Association), William & Mary (FCS, Coastal Athletic Association).
Washington: Washington (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Washington State (FBS, Mountain West Conference), Eastern Washington (FCS, Big Sky Conference), Central Washington (D2, Great Northwest Athletic Conference).
West Virginia: West Virginia (FBS, Big 12 Conference), Marshall (FBS, Sun Belt Conference).
Wisconsin: Wisconsin (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Wisconsin-Madison (FBS, Big Ten Conference), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (no football program).
Wyoming: Wyoming (FBS, Mountain West Conference).

Conference examples:

Western Athletic Conference: Abilene Christian, Saint George.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Alamosa, Spearfish, Chadron, Durango, Golden, Grand Junction, Pueblo.
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association: Adrian, Albion, Alma, Grand Rapids.
Southwestern Athletic Conference: Normal, Montgomery, Alcorn State, Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Jackson.
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Albany, Columbia, Wilberforce, Atlanta, Fort Valley, Jacksonville, Montgomery.
Middle Atlantic Conferences: Reading, Doylestown, Madison, Saint Davids.
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference: Alfred, Paxton, Franklin.
Empire 8 Athletic Conference: Alfred.
Western State Conference: Santa Maria, Bakersfield, Glendora, Santa Clarita.
Presidents' Athletic Conference: Meadville, Bethany, Cleveland.
Northeast-10 Conference: Springfield, Worcester, Waltham, Rindge.
NCFC: Sacramento.
New England Small College Athletic Conference: Amherst, Lewiston, Brunswick, Waterville.
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference: Anderson, Bluffton, Franklin.
South Atlantic Conference: Anderson, Brevard, Jefferson City, Salisbury, Emory.
Sun Belt Conference: Boone, Jonesboro, Conway.
Sooner Athletic Conference: Glendale.
Big 12 Conference: Tempe, Waco, Provo.
Continental Athletic Conference: Little Rock.
Great American Conference: Russellville, Ada.
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Moorhead, Northfield.
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin: Rock Island, Waukesha, Kenosha, Elmhurst.
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference: Sioux Falls, Bemidji, Saint Paul.
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference: Aurora, Lisle, River Forest, Mequon.
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference: Sherman, Shreveport.
Atlantic Sun Conference: Clarksville, Richmond.
Sun Conference: Ave Maria, Miami Gardens.
Old Dominion Athletic Conference: Danville, Bridgewater, Ferrum.
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference: Kansas City, Lindsborg, North Newton, Bethany, Springfield, Wichita.
Heart of America Athletic Conference: Baldwin City, Atchison, Fayette, Dubuque, Canton.
Mid-American Conference: Muncie, Bowling Green, Mount Pleasant, Ypsilanti.
Collegiate Conference of the South: Jackson.
Great Plains Athletic Conference: Sioux City, Seward, Mitchell, Crete, Sioux Center.
American Rivers Conference: Storm Lake, Pella, Cedar Rapids.
Liberty League: Buffalo.
Big East Conference: Indianapolis.
Golden Valley Conference: Oroville, Eureka, Weed, Quincy.
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference: Caldwell.
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Thousand Oaks, Orange, Claremont.
Big Sky Conference: San Luis Obispo, Sacramento, Cheney.
Ohio Athletic Conference: Berea, Columbus.
Frontier Conference: Helena, Dickinson, La Grande.
University Athletic Association: Pittsburgh.
Northeast Conference: New Britain.
Coast Conference: Hayward, Cupertino, Los Altos Hills.
South Coast Conference: Rancho Cucamonga.
Big South Conference: Charleston.
Gulf South Conference: Murfreesboro, Cleveland, Due West.
Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference: Newport News.
Central Valley Conf: Coalinga, Visalia, Fresno.
Patriot League: Lewisburg, Hamilton, Worcester.
Scenic West Athletic Conference: Redlands.
Mountain East Conference: Athens, Fairmont, Frostburg.
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Saint Bonifacius.
Mid-South Conference: Mckenzie, Lebanon, Campbellsville.
Commonwealth Coast Conference: Milton, Beverly.
North Star Athletic Association: Madison.
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Grand Rapids, Big Rapids.
Pioneer Football League: Buies Creek, Davidson, Des Moines.
Mid-States Football Association: Defiance.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Dover, Elizabeth City.
North Coast Athletic Conference: Wooster, Granville, Greencastle.
Centennial Conference: Carlisle, Lancaster.
American Southwest Conference: Marshall.
Ohio Valley Conference: Charleston.
Lone Star Conference: San Angelo, Portales, Commerce.
Colonial Athletic Association: Elon.
United East Conference: Washington.

The Evolving Landscape of College Football

College football has a rich history, dating back over a century. The game and its organizational structure have evolved significantly during that time.

Key Moments in College Football History:

1869: The first college football game was played.
1902: The first bowl game, the Rose Bowl, was played.
1906: The forward pass became legal.
1935: The Heisman Trophy was presented for the first time.
1973: The NCAA divided into three divisions.
1978: Division I separated into Division I-A (predecessor to the FBS) and I-AA (predecessor of the FCS).
2014: The College Football Playoff (CFP) was established.
2021: FBS football players gained the right to profit from their name, image, and likeness.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

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