Full List of Division 1 Football Teams: Find the Right Fit for Your Goals

Football players running into football stadium

At the Division 1 level, you’ll find the best football programs in the country. Division 1 football teams are classified in one of two subdivisions: FBS and FCS.

What is FBS?

FBS, Football Bowl Subdivision, is the highest level of college football in the U.S. The most elite football teams are found in the NCAA FBS. 

The most elite teams are found in the FBS subdivision. These schools are allowed to give out 85 full-ride scholarships, and usually attract five-star and four-star recruits at the top of their game.

FCS football teams are extremely competitive in their own right, with their fair share of five-star and four-star athletes, as well.

What is FCS?

FCS stands for Football Championship Subdivision. FCS football teams can give out a maximum of 63 scholarships and can split up their scholarship money however they want.

Division 1 football teams are characterized by their rigorous schedules, and football is almost full-time job on top of the student-athlete’s academics. Student-athletes who play on these teams have to be prepared to put in a lot of work and potentially not see playing time until junior or senior year—or not at all. If an athlete has the talent and love of the game, D1 FBS or FCS good be a good fit for you. 

How many Division 1 football teams are there?

There are 125 Division 1 FCS football teams and 129 FBS football teams. FCS, or the Football Championship Subdivision, comprises 14 conferences: the Big Sky, Big South, CAA, Independent, Ivy, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Pioneer, Southern, Southland and SWAC conferences. FCS football teams compete in a 24-team playoff for the NCAA Division 1 Football Championship. 

FBS, or the Football Bowl Subdivision, consists of 11 different conferences: the ACC, American, Big 12, Big Ten, C-USA, Independent, MAC, Mountain West, PAC-12, SEC and Sun Belt conferences. FBS football teams compete in a four-team tournament culminating in the National Championship Game to determine the national champion. 

Related Articles

Division 1 football rankings  

With 250+ four-year institutions offering college football, researching what program is right for a student-athlete can be time-consuming and stressful. To reduce the stress and help student-athletes more easily research prospective schools, NCSA has developed Power Rankings that analyze data such as cost, academics, size and location, to rank the top D1 football schools.

Visit the NCAA website for Division 1 FBS football rankings and Division 1 FCS football rankings

Review our full list of Division 1 football teams

In this comprehensive list of Division 1 football colleges, families can look for college football teams by state, conference, city and more. Use this information to familiarize yourself with the wealth of schools available.

Full list of Division 1 football teams

School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Abilene, Texas
Private
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Normal, Alabama
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Montgomery, Alabama
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Alcorn State, Mississippi
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Boone, North Carolina
Public
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Tempe, Arizona
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Auburn, Alabama
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Clarksville, Tennessee
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Muncie, Indiana
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Waco, Texas
Private
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Daytona Beach, Florida
Private
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Boise, Idaho
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Bowling Green, Ohio
Public
Central Collegiate Hocke
NCAA D1 FBS
Provo, Utah
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Smithfield, Rhode Island
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Private
Collegiate Water Polo Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Indianapolis, Indiana
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
San Luis Obispo, California
Public
Big West Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Fresno, California
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Sacramento, California
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Buies Creek, North Carolina
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
New Britain, Connecticut
Public
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Charleston, South Carolina
Private
Big South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Clemson, South Carolina
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Conway, South Carolina
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Hamilton, New York
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Fort Collins, Colorado
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
New York, New York
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Ithaca, New York
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Hanover, New Hampshire
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Davidson, North Carolina
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
Dover, Delaware
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Des Moines, Iowa
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
Durham, North Carolina
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Greenville, North Carolina
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Johnson City, Tennessee
Public
Atlantic Sun Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Charleston, Illinois
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Richmond, Kentucky
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Public
Mid-America Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Cheney, Washington
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Elon, North Carolina
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Tallahassee, Florida
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Boca Raton, Florida
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Miami, Florida
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Tallahassee, Florida
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Bronx, New York
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Greenville, South Carolina
Private
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Boiling Springs, North Carolina
Private
Big South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Statesboro, Georgia
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Atlanta, Georgia
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Atlanta, Georgia
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Grambling, Louisiana
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Hampton, Virginia
Private
Big South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Houston, Texas
Private
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Pocatello, Idaho
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Normal, Illinois
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Terre Haute, Indiana
Public
Missouri Valley Football Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Bloomington, Indiana
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Ames, Iowa
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Jackson, Mississippi
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Jacksonville, Alabama
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Manhattan, Kansas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Kennesaw, Georgia
Public
Atlantic Sun Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Kent, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Easton, Pennsylvania
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Beaumont, Texas
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1 FCS
Lynchburg, Virginia
Private
Atlantic Sun Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Saint Charles, Missouri
Private
GLVC
NCAA D1 FCS
Long Island, New York
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Ruston, Louisiana
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Poughkeepsie, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Huntington, West Virginia
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Macon, Georgia
Private
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
North Andover, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Oxford, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
East Lansing, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Mississippi State, Mississippi
Public
NCAA (Division I)
NCAA D1 FBS
Itta Bena, Mississippi
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Springfield, Missouri
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
West Long Branch, New Jersey
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Bozeman, Montana
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Morehead, Kentucky
Public
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
Baltimore, Maryland
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Murray, Kentucky
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Norfolk, Virginia
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Greensboro, North Carolina
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Durham, North Carolina
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Raleigh, North Carolina
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Fargo, North Dakota
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Flagstaff, Arizona
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
DeKalb, Illinois
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Evanston, Illinois
Private
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Columbus, Ohio
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Athens, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Norfolk, Virginia
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FBS
Corvallis, Oregon
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
University Park, Pennsylvania
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Portland, Oregon
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Prairie View, Texas
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Clinton, South Carolina
Private
Big South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Princeton, New Jersey
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
West Lafayette, Indiana
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Houston, Texas
Private
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Piscataway, New Jersey
Private
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Fairfield, Connecticut
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Huntsville, Texas
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Birmingham, Alabama
Private
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
San Diego, California
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
San Jose, California
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Orangeburg, South Carolina
Public
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Brookings, South Dakota
Public
Western Wrestling Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Hammond, Louisiana
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Carbondale, Illinois
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Dallas, Texas
Private
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cedar City, Utah
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Stanford, California
Private
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Nacogdoches, Texas
Public
Western Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
DeLand, Florida
Private
Atlantic Sun Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Easton, Massachusetts
Private
Norteast Conference (NEC)
NCAA D1 FCS
Stony Brook, New York
Public
America East Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Albany, New York
Public
America East Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Buffalo, New York
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Syracuse, New York
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Stephenville, Texas
Public
WAC
NCAA D1 FCS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Nashville, Tennessee
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cookeville, Tennessee
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
College Station, Texas
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Fort Worth, Texas
Private
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Houston, Texas
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
San Marcos, Texas
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Lubbock, Texas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Charleston, South Carolina
Public
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Towson, Maryland
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Troy, Alabama
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
USAFA, Colorado
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
West Point, New York
Public
Atlantic Hockey Association (Division I for men's ice hockey)
NCAA D1 FBS
Annapolis, Maryland
Public
Collegiate Water Polo Association (Division I)
NCAA D1 FBS
Akron, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Birmingham, Alabama
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Tucson, Arizona
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Public
Southwestern Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Berkeley, California
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Davis, California
Public
Big West Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Los Angeles, California
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Conway, Arkansas
Public
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Orlando, Florida
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Cincinnati, Ohio
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Boulder, Colorado
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Storrs, Connecticut
Public
Big East Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Dayton, Ohio
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
Newark, Delaware
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Gainesville, Florida
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Athens, Georgia
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Honolulu, Hawaii
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Houston, Texas
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Moscow, Idaho
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Champaign, Illinois
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Iowa City, Iowa
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Lawrence, Kansas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Lexington, Kentucky
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Lafayette, Louisiana
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Monroe, Louisiana
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Louisville, Kentucky
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Orono, Maine
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
College Park, Maryland
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Amherst, Massachusetts
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Memphis, Tennessee
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Coral Gables, Florida
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
University, Mississippi
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Columbia, Missouri
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Missoula, Montana
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Mount Olive, North Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D1 FBS
Lincoln, Nebraska
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Las Vegas, Nevada
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Reno, Nevada
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Durham, New Hampshire
Public
American East Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Florence, Alabama
Public
Gulf South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Charlotte, North Carolina
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Denton, Texas
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Greeley, Colorado
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Notre Dame, Indiana
Private
Division I-A Independents
NCAA D1 FBS
Norman, Oklahoma
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Eugene, Oregon
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Kingston, Rhode Island
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Virginia
Private
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
San Diego, California
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Mobile, Alabama
Public
Sun Belt Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Columbia, South Carolina
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Vermillion, South Dakota
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Tampa, Florida
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Los Angeles, California
Private
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Knoxville, Tennessee
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Public
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Martin, Tennessee
Public
Ohio Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Austin, Texas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
El Paso, Texas
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
San Antonio, Texas
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
San Antonio, Texas
Private
Southland Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Toledo, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Private
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Salt Lake City, Utah
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Charlottesville, Virginia
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Seattle, Washington
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Madison, Wisconsin
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Laramie, Wyoming
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Logan, Utah
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Saint George, Utah
Public
Western Athletic Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Valparaiso, Indiana
Private
Missouri Valley Conference, Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1 FCS
Nashville, Tennessee
Private
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Lexington, Virginia
Public
Big South Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Blacksburg, Virginia
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Staten Island, New York
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Pullman, Washington
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Ogden, Utah
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Morgantown, West Virginia
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Cullowhee, North Carolina
Public
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Macomb, Illinois
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Public
Conference USA
NCAA D1 FBS
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1 FBS
Williamsburg, Virginia
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1 FCS
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Private
Southern Conference
NCAA D1 FCS
New Haven, Connecticut
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1 FCS
Youngstown, Ohio
Public
Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA D1 FCS