NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions in the United States whose football programs are not members of a football conference. This means that FCS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition as conference schools do.
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1978 |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FCS |
| No. of teams | 2 (1 in 2026) |
| Official website | ncaa.com/independents |
As of the 2025 season, Merrimack and Sacred Heart will be competing as independents since their primary conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, does not sponsor football. They were previously members of the Northeast Conference, which sponsored the sport. Following the 2025 season, Sacred Heart will leave the independent ranks to join CAA Football.
As of the 2026 season, the California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State), will join the Big West Conference as a full member, leaving the Big Sky Conference. Big West does not sponsor football, so the Sacramento State Hornets football team will operate as an FCS Independent.
Current FCS independents
| Institution | Location | Founded | First | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment | Nickname | Colors | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack College | North Andover, Massachusetts | 1947 | 1996 | 2024 | Private (Augustinian) | 5,505 | $55,700,000 | Warriors | MAAC | |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, Connecticut | 1963 | 1991 | 2024 | Private (Catholic) | 6,524 | $246,000,000 | Pioneers | MAAC |
Former FCS independents
The following is a complete list of teams that have been Division I-AA/FCS Independents since the formation of Division I-AA in 1978. The "Current Conference" column indicates affiliations for the 2023 college football season. The years listed in this table are football seasons; since football is a fall sport, this means that the final season of independent status, or membership in a given conference, is the calendar year before a conference change took effect.
Teams in italics are current FBS members; this includes second-year transitional schools that are counted as FBS for scheduling purposes but not bowl game eligibility. Because James Madison met FBS scheduling requirements in its first season in the Sun Belt Conference in 2022 (specifically five home games against FBS opposition), it was allowed to skip the first year of the normal two-year process.
| Years | Team | Previous conference | Conference joined | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Abilene Christian | Lone Star (Div. II) | Southland (2014–2020) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 1987–1991 | Arkansas State | Southland | Division I-A Independent (1992) | Sun Belt (2001–present) |
| 1997–2000 | Austin Peay | Ohio Valley | Pioneer Football League (2001–2005) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 2006 | Pioneer Football League | Ohio Valley (2007–2021) | ||
| 1978–1985 | Bucknell | Division II Independent | Patriot League (1986–present) | |
| 1993–1998 | Buffalo | Division III Independent | Mid-American Conference (1999–present) | |
| 1996–2003 | Cal Poly | American West | Great West (2004–2011) | Big Sky (2012–present) |
| 2001 | Cal State Northridge | Big Sky | Dropped football | |
| 2006 | Central Arkansas | Gulf South (Div. II) | Southland (2007–2020) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 1993–1995 | Central Connecticut | Division II Independent | Northeast (1996–present) | |
| 1993–2001 | Charleston Southern | No football program | Big South (2002–2022) | OVC–Big South (2023–present) |
| 2013–2014 | Charlotte | No football program | CUSA (2015–2022) | American (2023–present) |
| 2016 | Coastal Carolina | Big South | Sun Belt (2017–present) | |
| 1982–1985 | Colgate | Division I-A Independent | Patriot League (1986–present) | |
| 1989 | Davidson | Colonial League | Division III Independent (1990–1992) | |
| 1993–2000 | Division III Independent | Pioneer Football League (2001–present) | ||
| 1980–1985 | Delaware | Division II Independent | Yankee Conference (1986–1996) | Conference USA (2025–present) |
| 1993 | Duquesne | Division III Independent | MAAC (1994–2007) | Northeast (2008–present) |
| 2015 | East Tennessee State | No football program | Southern (2016–present) | |
| 1984–1986 | Eastern Washington | Division II Independent | Big Sky (1987–present) | |
| 1998–2001 | Elon | Division II Independent | Big South (2002) | CAA Football (2014–present) |
| 1984–1987 | Florida A&M | MEAC | MEAC (1988–2003, 2005–2020) | SWAC (2021–present) |
| 2004 | MEAC | MEAC (2005–2020) | SWAC (2021–present) | |
| 2002–2004 | FIU | No football program | Sun Belt (2005–2012) | CUSA (2013–present) |
| 2001–2004 | Florida Atlantic | No football program | Sun Belt (2005–2012) | The American (2023–present) |
| 1989 | Fordham | Liberty Football Conference | Patriot League (1990–present) | |
| 2000 | Georgetown | MAAC | Patriot League (2001–present) | |
| 1984–1991 | Georgia Southern | Club football | Southern (1992–2013) | Sun Belt (2014–present) |
| 2010–2011 | Georgia State | No football program | CAA Football (2012) | Sun Belt (2013–present) |
| 2018 | Hampton | MEAC | Big South (2019–2021) | CAA Football (2022–present) |
| 1991–2000 | Hofstra | Division III Independent | Atlantic 10 (2001–2006) | Dropped football |
| 1982–1985 | Holy Cross | Division I-A Independent | Patriot League (1986–present) | |
| 2013 | Houston Christian | No football program | Southland (2014–present) | |
| 2008 | Iona | MAAC (1993–2007) | Dropped football | |
| 2013 | Incarnate Word | Lone Star (Div. II) | Southland (2014–present) | |
| 1982–1985 | Indiana State | Division I-A Independent | MVFC (1997–present) | |
| 1998–2000 | Jacksonville | No football program | Pioneer Football League (2001–2019) | Dropped football |
| 1980–1992 | James Madison | Division III Independent | Yankee Conference (1993–1996) | Sun Belt (2022–present) |
| 2023 | Kennesaw State | ASUN | CUSA (2024–present) | |
| 1978–1985 | Lafayette | Division II Independent | Patriot League (1986–present) | |
| 1987–1989 | Lamar | Southland | Dropped program (1989–2009) | |
| 2010 | No football program | Southland (2011–2020) | Southland (2022–present) | |
| 1997–1998 | La Salle | No football program (1942–1996) | MAAC (1999–2007) | Dropped football |
| 1978–1985 | Lehigh | Division II Independent | Patriot League (1986–present) | |
| 1988–2001 | Liberty | Division II Independent | Big South (2002–2017) | CUSA (2023–present) |
| 1987–1988 | Louisiana Tech | Southland | Division I-A Independent (1989–1992) | CUSA (2013–present) |
| 1993 | Marist | Liberty Football Conference | MAAC (1994–2007) | |
| 2008 | MAAC | Pioneer Football League (2009–present) | ||
| 1993–1995 | Monmouth | No football program | Northeast (1996–2012) | CAA Football (2022–present) |
| 2013 | Northeast | Big South (2014–2021) | ||
| 1996–2000 | Morehead State | Ohio Valley | Pioneer Football League (2001–present) | |
| 2001–2002 | Morris Brown | SIAC (Div. II) | Dropped football | |
| 1978 | Nevada | Division II Independent | Big Sky (1979–1991) | Mountain West (2012–present) |
| 1980–1983 | Nicholls | Division II Independent | Gulf Star (1984–1986) | Southland (1992–present) |
| 1987–1990 | Gulf Star | Southland (1991–present) | ||
| 2018 | North Alabama | Gulf South (Div. II) | Big South (2019–2021) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 2018–2019 | North Dakota | Big Sky | MVFC (2020–present) | |
| 1978–1992 | Northeastern | Division II Independent | Yankee (1993–1996) | Dropped football (2010) |
| 2003 | Northern Colorado | North Central | Great West (2004–2005) | Big Sky (2006–present) |
| 1978–1983 | Northwestern State | Division I Independent | Gulf Star (1984–1986) | Southland (1987–present) |
| 2009–2010 | Old Dominion | No football program | CAA Football (2011–2012) | |
| 2013 | CAA Football | CUSA (2014–2021) | Sun Belt (2022–present) | |
| 1978–1980 | Portland State | Division II Independent | Division II Independent (1981) | Big Sky (1996–present) |
| 2020 | Presbyterian | Big South Conference | Pioneer Football League (2021–present) | |
| 1982–1985 | Richmond | Division I-A Independent | Yankee Conference (1986–1996) | CAA Football (2007–present) |
| 1994–1995 | Robert Morris | No football program | Northeast (1996–2019) | Northeast (2024–future) |
| 1993–1995 | Saint Francis (PA) | Division III Independent | Northeast (1996–present) | |
| 1989–2002 | Samford | Division III Independent | Ohio Valley (2003–2007) | Southern (2008–present) |
| 2002–2009 | Savannah State | Division II Independent | MEAC (2010–2018) | SIAC (Div. II; 2019–present) |
| 2011 | South Alabama | Unclassified (exhibition only) | Sun Belt (2012–present) | |
| 1997–2000 | South Florida | No football program | Division I-A Independent (2001–2002) | American (2013–present) |
| 1980–1983 | Southeastern Louisiana | Division II Independent | Gulf Star (1984–1985) | Southland (2005–present) |
| 2003–2004 | No football program | Southland (2005–present) | ||
| 1996–2003 | Southern Utah | American West | Great West (2004–2011) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 1998–1999 | St. John's | MAAC | Northeast (2000–2002) | Dropped football (2003) |
| 1993–2003 | Saint Mary's | Division II Independent | Dropped football (2004) | |
| 2007 | Stony Brook | Northeast | Big South (2008–2012) | CAA Football (2013–present) |
| 2020 | Tarleton | Lone Star (Division II) | WAC (2021–2022) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 1981–1987 | Tennessee State | Division I-A Independent | Ohio Valley (1988–2022) | OVC–Big South (2023–present) |
| 1987–1996 | Towson | Division II Independent | Patriot League (1997–2003) | CAA Football (2007–present) |
| 1993–1995 | Troy | Division II Independent | Southland (1996–2000) | |
| 2001 | Southland | Division I-A Independent (2002–2003) | Sun Belt (2004–present) | |
| 1993–1995 | UAB | Division III Independent | Division I-A Independent (1996–1998) | American (2023–present) |
| 1990–1995 | UCF | Division II Independent | Division I-A Independent (1996–2001) | Big 12 (2023–present) |
| 2020 | Utah Tech | RMAC (Division II) | WAC (2021–2022) | UAC (2023–present) |
| 2011 | UTSA | No football program | WAC (2012) | American (2023–present) |
| 1987 | Villanova | No football program | Yankee Conference (1988–1996) | CAA Football (2007–present) |
| 1993–1995 | Wagner | Liberty Football Conference | Northeast (1996–present) | |
| 1982–1998 | Western Kentucky | Ohio Valley | Ohio Valley (1999–2000) | |
| 2007–2008 | Gateway Football Conference | Sun Belt (2009–2013) | CUSA (2014–present) | |
| 1982–1992 | William & Mary | Division I-A Independent | Yankee Conference (1993–1996) | CAA Football (2007–present) |
| 1995–1996 | Wofford | Division II Independent | Southern (1997–present) | |
| 2006 | Winston–Salem State | CIAA (Div. II) | MEAC (2007–2009) | CIAA (Div. II) (2010–present) |
| 1988–1996 | Youngstown State | Ohio Valley | MVFC (1997–present) | |
See also
- List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
- NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
- NCAA Division I independent schools
- NCAA Division II independent schools
- NCAA Division III independent schools
- NAIA independent schools
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