How Many D1 College Football Conferences Are There in 2025?

By Sarah Miller · July 5, 2053

As of the 2025 season, there are 11 Division I college football conferences in the NCAA, all competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level—the highest tier of college football.

Understanding NCAA Division I Football Conferences

The NCAA Division I is divided into two main subdivisions for football: the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). However, when people refer to “D1 college football,” they typically mean FBS, where the most competitive programs and major bowl games reside. As of the 2025 season, there are exactly 11 FBS conferences, each with its own structure, geographic footprint, and media agreements.

What Defines an FBS Conference?

Must have at least 12 member schools sponsoring football.
Must meet minimum average attendance requirements (though this rule has been relaxed recently).
Must play a conference championship game if it has at least 12 football members split into divisions.
Conferences are eligible for automatic qualification to New Year’s Six bowl games based on performance.

List of Current FBS (D1) College Football Conferences

The following 11 conferences make up the current FBS landscape as of the 2025 season. These leagues represent over 130 universities across the United States.

ACC – Atlantic Coast Conference
Big 12 Conference
Big Ten Conference
Pac-12 Conference (in transition)
SEC – Southeastern Conference
American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Conference USA (C-USA)
Mid-American Conference (MAC)
Mountain West Conference (MWC)
Sun Belt Conference
Independent Schools (Not a conference, but includes Army, UConn, and UMass)

Realignment and Structural Changes in 2025

The college football landscape underwent significant realignment starting in 2023 and continuing into 2025. The Pac-12 effectively dissolved as a football conference after losing 10 of its 12 members to the Big Ten and Big 12. However, Oregon State and Washington State remain in a restructured, two-team version of the Pac-12 that maintains scheduling alliances and retains the conference’s branding and NCAA governance rights.

Key Realignment Moves (2023–2025)

USC and UCLA moved to the Big Ten in 2024.
Tennessee-based schools like Tennessee Tech joined new scheduling pacts.
Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Colorado joined the Big Ten in 2024.
Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah joined the Big 12 in 2024.
Oregon State and Washington State formed a scheduling alliance with Mountain West for 2024–2025 seasons.

Conference	Member Schools (Football)	Founded	2025 Expansion Status
ACC	17	1953	Lost Miami, Virginia Tech, others to potential future realignment
Big Ten	18	1896	Added USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington (2024)
Big 12	16	1996	Added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, BYU (2024)
Pac-12	2	1915	Reduced to Oregon State, Washington State; seeking expansion
SEC	16	1932	Added Oklahoma, Texas (2024)
AAC	14	2013	Stable; added Army in 2024
Mountain West	12	1999	Added Oregon State, Washington State for scheduling (2024–2025)
Sun Belt	14	2001	No changes in 2025
Mid-American (MAC)	12	1946	Stable membership
Conference USA	10	1995	Beloit College not fielding team; working toward 12
Independents	3	N/A	Army now in AAC; UConn, UMass remain independent

Table data source:NCAA, Sports Reference, CBS Sports

The data shows a major shift in power and geography within college football. The Big Ten and SEC now each have 16 teams, making them the largest conferences. The Pac-12's drop to two members highlights the instability caused by media-driven realignment. Meanwhile, the Mountain West has expanded its influence through scheduling partnerships, while C-USA struggles to maintain the minimum 12-member threshold required for a championship game.

Impact of Media Rights and Revenue

Conference realignment has been largely driven by television revenue. Power conferences like the Big Ten and SEC have secured billion-dollar media deals with networks like Fox, ESPN, and NBC. These deals provide massive financial incentives for schools to join larger, more marketable conferences.

The Big Ten signed a 7-year, $7 billion deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC (starting 2023).
The SEC extended its deal with ESPN, worth approximately $3 billion per year through 2030.
The ACC’s deal with ESPN is less lucrative, contributing to member departures.

Future Outlook for D1 College Football

The number of FBS conferences may change in the coming years. The Pac-12 is actively seeking new members and could expand by 2026. Potential candidates include San Diego State, Boise State, and other Mountain West schools. If the Pac-12 adds four or more schools, it would regain autonomy status and access to major bowl tie-ins.

In addition, the NCAA may reconsider structural rules, such as lowering the minimum number of members required for a conference, which could lead to more regional alliances or hybrid models.

Frequently Asked Questions About D1 College Football Conferences

How many D1 college football conferences are there in 2025?

There are 11 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences in NCAA Division I college football for the 2025 season. This includes 10 formal conferences and one group of independent schools that do not belong to any conference.

Why is the Pac-12 down to only two schools?

The Pac-12 dropped to two members (Oregon State and Washington State) after 10 schools left for the Big Ten and Big 12 between 2022 and 2024. Despite the departure, the conference retained its NCAA certification through legal and administrative efforts, allowing it to continue operations and pursue new members.

Which conference has the most teams in 2025?

The Big Ten and SEC are tied for the most teams in 2025, each with 16 member schools sponsoring football. The Big Ten added USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington in 2024, while the SEC welcomed Oklahoma and Texas in the same year.

Are there any new conferences forming in 2025?

No entirely new FBS conferences are forming in 2025. However, the Pac-12 is in the process of rebuilding and may add new members by 2026. Additionally, scheduling alliances like the one between the Mountain West and Pac-12 schools suggest a trend toward cooperative models rather than new league creation.

Do all D1 conferences play a championship game?

Not all D1 FBS conferences are required to play a championship game. Conferences with fewer than 12 teams are exempt. As of 2025, Conference USA has only 10 full football members, so it does not currently hold a championship game. All other FBS conferences with 12 or more teams host title games.