NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions in the United States whose football programs are not part of a football conference. This means that FCS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition as conference schools do. As of the 2024 season, Merrimack and Sacred Heart will be competing as independents, as their primary conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, does not sponsor football after previously being members of the Northeast Conference. Merrimack and Sacred Heart are confirmed to play as FCS independents in 2024.[1] [2]

Current FCS independents

Years Team Nickname Previous conference Future conference
2024 Merrimack Warriors Northeast Conference TBD
2024 Sacred Heart Pioneers Northeast Conference TBD

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)[3]
1987–1991 Arkansas State Southland Division I-A Independent (1992) Sun Belt (2001–present)[N 1]
1997–2000 Austin Peay Ohio Valley[N 2] Pioneer Football League (2001–2005) UAC (2023–present)[3]
2006 Pioneer Football League Ohio Valley (2007–2021)
1978–1985 Bucknell Division II Independent Patriot League (1986–present)[N 3]
1993–1998 Buffalo Division III Independent Mid-American Conference (1999–present)[N 4]
1996–2003 Cal Poly American West Great West (2004–2011)[N 5] 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)[3]
1993–1995 Central Connecticut Division II Independent Northeast (1996–present)
1993–2001 Charleston Southern No football program Big South (2002–2022) Big South–OVC (2023–present)
2013–2014 Charlotte No football program CUSA (2015–2022) American (2023–present)[4]
2016 Coastal Carolina Big South Sun Belt (2017–present)[N 6]
1982–1985 Colgate Division I-A Independent Patriot League (1986–present)[N 3]
1989 Davidson Colonial League[N 3] 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) CAA Football (2007–2024)[N 7][N 8][N 9]
1993 Duquesne Division III Independent MAAC (1994–2007) Northeast (2008–present)
2015 East Tennessee State No football program[N 10] Southern (2016–present)[N 11]
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[N 12] MEAC (1988–2003, 2005–2020) SWAC (2021–present)
2004 MEAC[N 13] 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)[4]
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)[N 3]
2013 Houston Christian[N 14] 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)[N 15]
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–future)
1978–1985 Lafayette Division II Independent Patriot League (1986–present)[N 3]
1987–1989 Lamar Southland Dropped program (1989–2009)[5]
2010 No football program Southland (2011–2020)[5] Southland (2022–present)[6]
1997–1998 La Salle No football program (1942–1996) MAAC (1999–2007) Dropped football
1978–1985 Lehigh Division II Independent Patriot League (1986–present)[N 3]
1988–2001 Liberty Division II Independent Big South (2002–2017)[N 16] CUSA (2023–present)[N 17][7]
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)[3]
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)[N 8]
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)[N 18]
1997–2000 South Florida No football program Division I-A Independent (2001–2002) American (2013–present)[N 19]
1980–1983 Southeastern Louisiana Division II Independent Gulf Star (1984–1985) Southland (2005–present)
2003–2004 No football program[N 20] Southland (2005–present)
1996–2003 Southern Utah American West Great West (2004–2011)[N 5] UAC (2023–present)[3]
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)[3]
1981–1987 Tennessee State Division I-A Independent Ohio Valley (1988–2022) Big South–OVC (2023–present)
1987–1996 Towson Division II Independent Patriot League (1997–2003) CAA Football (2007–present)[N 21]
1993–1995 Troy Division II Independent Southland (1996–2000)
2001 Southland Division I-A Independent (2002–2003) Sun Belt (2004–present)[N 22]
1993–1995 UAB Division III Independent Division I-A Independent (1996–1998) American (2023–present)[4]
1990–1995 UCF Division II Independent Division I-A Independent (1996–2001) Big 12 (2023–present)[8]
2020 Utah Tech[N 23] RMAC (Division II) WAC (2021–2022) UAC (2023–present)[3]
2011 UTSA No football program WAC (2012) American (2023–present)[4]
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[N 15] Sun Belt (2009–2013) CUSA (2014–present)
1982–1992 William & Mary Division I-A Independent Yankee Conference (1993–1996) CAA Football (2007–present)[N 24][N 8]
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)[N 15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Arkansas State has been a full Sun Belt member since 1991, but the conference did not sponsor football until 2001.
  2. ^ Austin Peay only departed OVC football; it remained a full but non-football member before returning to OVC football in 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f The conference now known as the Patriot League began in 1986 as the football-only Colonial League. It adopted its current name in 1990, when it became an all-sports conference.
  4. ^ Buffalo became a full member of the MAC in 1998, but was not a football member until 1999.
  5. ^ a b The Great West Conference began in 2004 as the Great West Football Conference. It became an all-sports conference in 2008.
  6. ^ Coastal Carolina joined the Sun Belt Conference as a full but non-football member in 2016, and joined Sun Belt football in 2017.
  7. ^ Delaware has been a full member of the Coastal Athletic Association since 2001 (when that conference was known as the Colonial Athletic Association). However, the CAA did not sponsor football until 2007, when it effectively took over the football league previously sponsored by the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), establishing the separate entity of CAA Football to govern that sport.
  8. ^ a b c CAA Football is the direct successor of both the Yankee Conference and A-10 football conference. The football-only Yankee Conference was absorbed by the A-10 after the 1996 season. After the 2006 season, the A-10 dropped football after all of its football members joined the newly formed CAA Football. The Yankee Conference's automatic bid to the I-AA/FCS playoffs passed in succession to the A-10 and CAA Football.
  9. ^ Delaware will begin a transition to FBS in 2024 and join Conference USA in 2025.
  10. ^ ETSU resurrected its football program, dormant since the end of the 2003 season, in 2015, playing that season as an independent before joining Southern Conference football in 2016.
  11. ^ ETSU, which had previously been a Southern Conference member from 1978 to 2005, rejoined the SoCon in 2014, initially as a non-football member.
  12. ^ Florida A&M was a member of the MEAC in 1986 & 1987, but games played did not count as conference games.
  13. ^ Florida A&M was a member of the MEAC in 2004, but games played did not count as conference games
  14. ^ Known before 2022 as Houston Baptist.
  15. ^ a b c The MVFC did not adopt its current name until 2008. Before then, it was known as the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (1982–1993) and Gateway Football Conference (1993–2008).
  16. ^ Liberty became a full member of the Big South in 1991, remaining a member until joining the non-football ASUN Conference in 2018, but the Big South did not sponsor football until 2002.
  17. ^ Liberty began a transition to FBS in the 2017 season, and became a full FBS member in 2019.
  18. ^ South Alabama has been a Sun Belt member from the conference's creation in 1976. However, the Sun Belt did not sponsor football until 2001. South Alabama did not start a football program until 2009, and did not play Sun Belt football until 2012.
  19. ^ The original Big East Conference split into the football-sponsoring American Athletic Conference and a new non-football Big East Conference in 2013. South Florida remained with the FBS schools in The American.
  20. ^ Southeastern Louisiana dropped football after the 1985 season.
  21. ^ Towson was a CAA member at the conference's formation in 1979, but left in 1981; after having been a member of four other conferences, it rejoined the CAA in 2001. However, the CAA did not sponsor football until 2007, when it effectively took over the football league previously sponsored by the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), establishing the separate entity of CAA Football to govern that sport.
  22. ^ Troy joined the Sun Belt for football in 2004, and became an all-sports member in 2005.
  23. ^ Known before 2022 as Dixie State.
  24. ^ William & Mary has been a CAA member since the conference's establishment in 1979. However, the CAA did not sponsor football until 2007, when it effectively took over the football league previously sponsored by the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), establishing the separate entity of CAA Football for that sport.

References

  1. ^ "Five Home Games Highlight 2024 SHU Football Schedule" (Press release). Sacred Heart Pioneers. February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024. The Pioneers, in their first season as an FCS Independent, begin 2024 with three straight home games, including the opener against Delaware State on Aug. 31.
  2. ^ "Football Releases 2024 Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands as the United Athletic Conference" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "American Announces Entrance Agreements With Incoming Members for 2023-24 Season" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Lamar Football 2012 Info Guide" (PDF). Lamar University Department of Athletics. p. 101. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  6. ^ "Lamar University Prepares for Early Move to Southland Conference" (Press release). Southland Conference. July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  7. ^ "Conference USA Adds Four Members" (Press release). Conference USA. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  8. ^ "American Announces Agreements With UCF, Cincinnati and Houston on Departure" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
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