List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
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This is a list of schools in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that play football in the United States as a varsity sport and are members of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), known as Division I-AA from 1978 through 2005. There are 129 FCS programs as of the 2024 season.[1] Conference affiliations are current for the 2024 season. The teams in this subdivision compete in a 24-team playoff for the NCAA Division I Football Championship. All leagues allow scholarships with the exception of the Ivy League and Pioneer Football League.
FCS programs
Transitioning from Division II
The following programs are transitioning from NCAA Division II to FCS, or have announced definitive plans to do so. Under current NCAA rules, they must have an invitation from a Division I conference to begin the transition. During the normally four-year transition period, they are ineligible for the FCS playoffs. Since January 2025, the NCAA has expedited the reclassification period for schools, by one year, with schools already reclassifying to Division I being given the option to use either the new, shorter reclassification period or the original, longer period they initially agreed to. The new transition period is three years instead of the previous four for schools transitioning from Division II.[2] As of February 21, Lindenwood and East Texas A&M have exercised this option.[3][4]
| Team | School | City | State | Founded | First played | Conference | Full membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Texas A&M Lions | East Texas A&M University | Commerce | Texas | 1889 | 1915 | Southland | 2025Template:Efn |
| Lindenwood Lions | Lindenwood University | Script error: No such module "sort". | Missouri | 1827 | 1990 | OVC–Big SouthTemplate:Efn | 2025Template:Efn |
| Mercyhurst LakersTemplate:Efn | Mercyhurst University | Erie | Pennsylvania | 1926 | 1981 | NEC | 2027[5] |
| New Haven ChargersTemplate:Efn | Script error: No such module "sort". | West Haven | Connecticut | 1920 | 1973 | NECTemplate:Efn | 2028[6] |
| Stonehill Skyhawks | Stonehill College | Script error: No such module "sort". | Massachusetts | 1948 | 1970 | NEC | 2025Template:Efn |
| West Georgia WolvesTemplate:Efn | University of West Georgia | Script error: No such module "sort". | Georgia | 1906 | 1981 | UAC | 2027[7] |
Transitioning from Division III
Normally, under current NCAA rules, teams are not allowed to reclassify directly from NCAA Division III to Division I. However, after St. Thomas was involuntarily removed from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, they and their future primary conference home, the Summit League, worked with the NCAA to move directly to Division I. On July 15, 2020, it was announced that the NCAA had approved this transition, and St. Thomas has played in Division I starting with the 2021 season.[8] Since January 2025, the NCAA has expedited the reclassification period for schools, by one year, with schools already reclassifying to Division I being given the option to use either the new, shorter reclassification period or the original, longer period they initially agreed to. The new transition period is four years instead of the previous five for schools transitioning from Division III.[2] As of January 15, St. Thomas has exercised this option.[9]
| Team | School | City | State | Founded | First played | Conference | Full membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Saint Paul | Minnesota | 1885 | 1904 | PFL | 2025 |
See also
Programs moving to FCS
This lists existing members of Division I that have announced plans to start FCS programs. Conference affiliations are those expected to be in effect for the season when the program begins FCS play.
| Team | School | City | State | Future conference |
Begins play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Script error: No such module "sort". | Brownsville & EdinburgTemplate:Efn | Texas | SouthlandTemplate:Efn | 2025Template:Efn |
| Chicago State Cougars | Chicago State University | Chicago | Illinois | Northeast | 2026Template:Efn |
Former Division I FCS football programs
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See also
- List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums
- List of NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances by team
- List of NCAA Division I non-football programs
- List of NCAA Division I institutions
- List of NCAA Division II institutions
- List of NCAA Division III institutions
- List of NCAA Division I FBS football programs
- List of NCAA Division II football programs
- List of NCAA Division III football programs
- List of NAIA football programs
- List of community college football programs
- List of colleges and universities with club football teams
- List of defunct college football teams
References
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