This is a list of schools in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States . By definition, all schools in this grouping have varsity football teams. Schools in Division I FBS are distinguished from those in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) by the following:
FBS programs are allowed to provide scholarship aid to a total of 85 players, and may grant a full scholarship to all 85. 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. Unlike FBS schools, for whom an athlete receiving a partial scholarship counts fully against the limit of 85, FCS schools can freely grant partial scholarships, but are also limited to a total of 85 players receiving assistance.
The three service academies that play in Division I FBS — Air Force, Army, and Navy — are exempt from this rule because all students at these schools receive full scholarships from the federal government.
Division I FBS football is the only NCAA sport without a formal tournament to determine an undisputed national champion. FBS schools instead play in a series of postseason bowl games , culminating in the BCS National Championship Game , which attempts to crown a single national champion. Other organizations, most notably the Associated Press , crown their own champions via polling. The BCS and AP have not always agreed on a single champion. In contrast, Division I FCS football conducts a 20-team single-elimination tournament, the NCAA Division I Football Championship , to determine its undisputed champion.
Football Bowl Subdivision programs
School[1]
Team[2]
City[3]
State[4]
Current
Conference[5]
Former
Conferences[6]
First
Played[7]
Joined
Div I[8]
Air Force
Falcons
Colorado Springs
Colorado
Mountain West
Independent , WAC
1955
Akron
Zips
Akron
Ohio
MAC
1891
Alabama
Crimson Tide
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1892
Arizona
Wildcats
Tucson
Arizona
Pac-12
BIAA , WAC
1899
Arizona State
Sun Devils
Tempe
Arizona
Pac-12
BIAA , WAC
1897
Arkansas
Razorbacks
Fayetteville
Arkansas
SEC
SWC
1894
Arkansas State
Red Wolves
Jonesboro
Arkansas
Sun Belt
1911
Army
Black Knights
West Point
New York
Independent
Independent , C-USA
1890
Auburn
Tigers
Auburn
Alabama
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1892
Ball State
Cardinals
Muncie
Indiana
MAC
1924
Baylor
Bears
Waco
Texas
Big 12
SWC
1899
Boise State
Broncos
Boise
Idaho
WAC
Big Sky , Big West
1933[1 ]
1996
Boston College
Eagles
Chestnut Hill
Massachusetts
ACC
Big East
1893
Bowling Green
Falcons
Bowling Green
Ohio
MAC
1919
Buffalo
Bulls
Buffalo
New York
MAC
1894
BYU
Cougars
Provo
Utah
Independent
Rocky Mountain , Mountain States , WAC , MWC
1922
California
Golden Bears
Berkeley
California
Pac-12
Pacific Coast
1882
Central Michigan
Chippewas
Mount Pleasant
Michigan
MAC
1896
Cincinnati
Bearcats
Cincinnati
Ohio
Big East
C-USA
1885
Clemson
Tigers
Clemson
South Carolina
ACC
SAIAA , SIAA , Southern
1896
Colorado
Buffaloes
Boulder
Colorado
Pac-12
Colorado Football Association , Rocky Mountain , Mountain States , Big Eight , Pac-12
1890
Colorado State
Rams
Fort Collins
Colorado
Mountain West
WAC
1893
Connecticut
Huskies
Storrs
Connecticut
Big East
Yankee , A10 , Independent
1896
Duke
Blue Devils
Durham
North Carolina
ACC
Southern
1888
Eastern Michigan
Eagles
Ypsilanti
Michigan
MAC
1891
ECU
Pirates
Greenville
North Carolina
C-USA
Independent , North State Conference , Carolinas Conference , Southern Conference
1932
FIU
Golden Panthers
Miami
Florida
Sun Belt
2002
2005
Florida
Gators
Gainesville
Florida
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1906
Florida Atlantic
Owls
Boca Raton
Florida
Sun Belt
2001
Florida State
Seminoles
Tallahassee
Florida
ACC
Independent
1947
Fresno State
Bulldogs
Fresno
California
WAC
1921
Georgia
Bulldogs
Athens
Georgia
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1892
Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets
Atlanta
Georgia
ACC
SIAA , Southern , SEC , Independent
1892
Hawaii
Warriors
Honolulu
Hawaii
WAC
1909
Houston
Cougars
Houston
Texas
C-USA
SWC
1946
Idaho
Vandals
Moscow
Idaho
WAC
Big Sky , Big West , Sun Belt
1894
Illinois
Fighting Illini
Urbana -Champaign
Illinois
Big Ten
1890
Indiana
Hoosiers
Bloomington
Indiana
Big Ten
1887
Iowa
Hawkeyes
Iowa City
Iowa
Big Ten
Missouri Valley
1889
Iowa State
Cyclones
Ames
Iowa
Big 12
Missouri Valley , Big 6, Big 7, Big 8
1892
Kansas
Jayhawks
Lawrence
Kansas
Big 12
Missouri Valley, Big 6, Big 8
1890
Kansas State
Wildcats
Manhattan
Kansas
Big 12
Big 8
1893
Kent State
Golden Flashes
Kent
Ohio
MAC
1920
Kentucky
Wildcats
Lexington
Kentucky
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1881
Louisiana Tech
Bulldogs
Ruston
Louisiana
WAC
SIAA , Southland Conference , Independent , Big West
1901
Louisiana-Lafayette
Ragin' Cajuns
Lafayette
Louisiana
Sun Belt
Independent , Big West
1901
Louisiana-Monroe
Warhawks
Monroe
Louisiana
Sun Belt
SIAA
1931
Louisville
Cardinals
Louisville
Kentucky
Big East
SIAA , Independent , C-USA
1912
LSU
Tigers
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1893
Marshall
Thundering Herd
Huntington
West Virginia
C-USA
WVIAC , MAC , Southern , MAC
1895
Maryland
Terrapins
College Park
Maryland
ACC
MIFA , SAIAA , Southern
1892
Memphis
Tigers
Memphis
Tennessee
C-USA
SIAA
1912
Miami
Hurricanes
Coral Gables
Florida
ACC
SIAA , Independent , Big East
1926
Miami University
RedHawks
Oxford
Ohio
MAC
1888
Michigan
Wolverines
Ann Arbor
Michigan
Big Ten
IAAN
1879
Michigan State
Spartans
East Lansing
Michigan
Big Ten
1896
Middle Tennessee
Blue Raiders
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
Sun Belt
SIAA , OVC
1912
Minnesota
Golden Gophers
Minneapolis -Saint Paul
Minnesota
Big Ten
IAAN
1882
Mississippi State
Bulldogs
Starkville
Mississippi
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1895
Missouri
Tigers
Columbia
Missouri
Big 12
Big 8
1890
Navy
Midshipmen
Annapolis
Maryland
Independent
1879
NC State
Wolfpack
Raleigh
North Carolina
ACC
SAIAA , SIAA , Southern
1892
Nebraska
Cornhuskers
Lincoln
Nebraska
Big Ten
Big 8 , Big 12 , Missouri Valley , Big 6, Big 7,
1890
Nevada
Wolf Pack
Reno
Nevada
WAC
1896
New Mexico
Lobos
Albuquerque
New Mexico
Mountain West
BIAA , WAC
1889
New Mexico State
Aggies
Las Cruces
New Mexico
WAC
BIAA , MVC , PCAA/Big West , Sun Belt
1888
North Carolina
Tar Heels
Chapel Hill
North Carolina
ACC
SAIAA , SIAA , Southern
1888
North Texas
Mean Green
Denton
Texas
Sun Belt
1913
Northern Illinois
Huskies
DeKalb
Illinois
MAC
1899
Northwestern
Wildcats
Evanston
Illinois
Big Ten
IAAN
1876
Notre Dame
Fighting Irish
South Bend
Indiana
Independent
1887
Ohio
Bobcats
Athens
Ohio
MAC
1894
Ohio State
Buckeyes
Columbus
Ohio
Big Ten
1890
Oklahoma
Sooners
Norman
Oklahoma
Big 12
Big 8
1895
Oklahoma State
Cowboys
Stillwater
Oklahoma
Big 12
Big 8
1901
Ole Miss
Rebels
Oxford
Mississippi
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1893
Oregon
Ducks
Eugene
Oregon
Pac-12
1894
Oregon State
Beavers
Corvallis
Oregon
Pac-12
1893
Penn State
Nittany Lions
University Park
Pennsylvania
Big Ten
Independent
1887
Pittsburgh
Panthers
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
Big East
Independent
1890
Purdue
Boilermakers
West Lafayette
Indiana
Big Ten
1887
Rice
Owls
Houston
Texas
C-USA
SWC , WAC
1912
Rutgers
Scarlet Knights
Piscataway
New Jersey
Big East
1869
San Diego State
Aztecs
San Diego
California
Mountain West
WAC
1921
San Jose State
Spartans
San José
California
WAC
1893
SMU
Mustangs
University Park
Texas
C-USA
SWC , WAC
1915
South Carolina
Gamecocks
Columbia
South Carolina
SEC
SIAA , Southern , ACC , Independent
1892
South Florida
Bulls
Tampa
Florida
Big East
Independent , C-USA
1997
2001
Southern Miss
Golden Eagles
Hattiesburg
Mississippi
C-USA
SIAA
1912
Stanford
Cardinal
Palo Alto
California
Pac-12
1891
Syracuse
Orange
Syracuse
New York
Big East
1889
TCU
Horned Frogs
Fort Worth
Texas
Mountain West
SWC , WAC , C-USA
1896
Temple
Owls
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
MAC
Independent , Big East
1894
Tennessee
Volunteers
Knoxville
Tennessee
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1891
Texas
Longhorns
Austin
Texas
Big 12
SIAA , SWC
1893
Texas A&M
Aggies
College Station
Texas
Big 12
SIAA , SWC
1894
Texas Tech
Red Raiders
Lubbock
Texas
Big 12
SWC
1925
Toledo
Rockets
Toledo
Ohio
MAC
1917
Troy
Trojans
Troy
Alabama
Sun Belt
SIAA
1909
Tulane
Green Wave
New Orleans
Louisiana
C-USA
SIAA , Southern , SEC , Independent
1893
Tulsa
Golden Hurricane
Tulsa
Oklahoma
C-USA
WAC
1895
UAB
Blazers
Birmingham
Alabama
C-USA
1991
1996
UCF
Knights
Orlando
Florida
C-USA
MAC
1979
1996
UCLA
Bruins
Los Angeles
California
Pac-12
1919
UNLV
Rebels
Las Vegas
Nevada
Mountain West
PCAA/Big West , WAC
1968
1978
USC
Trojans
Los Angeles
California
Pac-12
1888
Utah
Utes
Salt Lake City
Utah
Pac-12
Mountain States , WAC , MWC
1892
Utah State
Aggies
Logan
Utah
WAC
Big West , Independent
1892
UTEP
Miners
El Paso
Texas
C-USA
BIAA , WAC
1914
Vanderbilt
Commodores
Nashville
Tennessee
SEC
SIAA , Southern
1890
Virginia
Cavaliers
Charlottesville
Virginia
ACC
SAIAA , Southern
1888
Virginia Tech
Hokies
Blacksburg
Virginia
ACC
SAIAA , SIAA , Southern , Independent , Big East
1892
Wake Forest
Demon Deacons
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
ACC
Southern
1888
Washington
Huskies
Seattle
Washington
Pac-12
1889
Washington State
Cougars
Pullman
Washington
Pac-12
1894
West Virginia
Mountaineers
Morgantown
West Virginia
Big East
Southern , Independent
1891
Western Kentucky
Hilltoppers
Bowling Green
Kentucky
Sun Belt
Sun Belt
1913
2009
Western Michigan
Broncos
Kalamazoo
Michigan
MAC
MCC
1905
Wisconsin
Badgers
Madison
Wisconsin
Big Ten
IAAN
1889
Wyoming
Cowboys
Laramie
Wyoming
Mountain West
WAC
1893
[edit ] Reclassifying to FBS from Division I FCS [ ]
[edit ] FBS programs by state [ ]
[edit ] Alabama [ ]
[edit ] Arizona [ ]
[edit ] Arkansas [ ]
[edit ] California [ ]
[edit ] Colorado [ ]
[edit ] Connecticut [ ]
[edit ] Florida [ ]
[edit ] Georgia [ ]
[edit ] Hawaii [ ]
[edit ] Idaho [ ]
[edit ] Illinois [ ]
[edit ] Indiana [ ]
[edit ] Iowa [ ]
[edit ] Kansas [ ]
[edit ] Kentucky [ ]
[edit ] Louisiana [ ]
[edit ] Maryland [ ]
[edit ] Massachusetts [ ]
[edit ] Michigan [ ]
[edit ] Minnesota [ ]
[edit ] Mississippi [ ]
[edit ] Missouri [ ]
[edit ] Nebraska [ ]
[edit ] Nevada [ ]
[edit ] New Jersey [ ]
[edit ] New Mexico [ ]
[edit ] New York [ ]
[edit ] North Carolina [ ]
[edit ] Ohio [ ]
[edit ] Oklahoma [ ]
[edit ] Oregon [ ]
[edit ] Pennsylvania [ ]
[edit ] South Carolina [ ]
[edit ] Tennessee [ ]
[edit ] Texas [ ]
[edit ] Utah [ ]
[edit ] Virginia [ ]
[edit ] Washington [ ]
[edit ] West Virginia [ ]
[edit ] Wisconsin [ ]
[edit ] Wyoming [ ]