How Many NCAA Football Teams Are There? 2025 Breakdown

By Sarah Miller · July 14, 2035

As of the 2025 season, there are 133 NCAA Division I FBS football teams, 128 in Division II, and 246 in Division III, totaling 507 NCAA football programs across all three divisions.

Understanding NCAA Football Structure

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) governs college football in the United States across three competitive divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Each division varies in scholarship offerings, team size, competition level, and postseason structure. The highest-profile division is NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), home to major programs like Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia.

Key Differences Between NCAA Divisions

FBS (Division I-A): Top-tier programs with large budgets, full athletic scholarships, and participation in bowl games and the College Football Playoff.
FCS (Division I-AA): Also part of Division I but with fewer scholarships and a playoff-based national championship.
Division II: Mid-sized schools offering partial scholarships; competes in a national playoff format.
Division III: No athletic scholarships; emphasizes academic balance with competitive athletics.

NCAA Football Teams by Division

Below is a detailed breakdown of the number of football-playing institutions in each NCAA division for the 2025 season.

NCAA Division	Number of Teams	Scholarship Limit	Postseason Format
Division I FBS	133	85 (full scholarships)	Bowl Games & College Football Playoff
Division I FCS	129	63 (equivalency)	24-team NCAA Tournament
Division II	128	36 (equivalency)	28-team NCAA Tournament
Division III	246	No athletic scholarships	32-team NCAA Tournament
Total NCAA Teams	636	-	-

Table data source:1, 2, 3

The data shows that Division III has the largest number of teams, reflecting its broad accessibility and focus on student-athlete experience over commercialized sport. Meanwhile, FBS remains the most visible, with high-profile media coverage and major conference affiliations such as the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC. The steady growth in FCS reflects increasing interest in competitive yet balanced collegiate football programs.

Conference Affiliations in NCAA Football

NCAA football teams are organized into athletic conferences that determine regular-season schedules and automatic qualification for postseason play.

Major FBS Conferences (2025)

SEC (Southeastern Conference): 16 teams including Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma
Big Ten Conference: 18 teams including Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and Oregon
ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference): 14 teams including Clemson, Miami, Florida State
Big 12 Conference: 16 teams including Arizona, BYU, Colorado, Utah
Pac-12 Conference: Rebuilding with 2 remaining members; most departed for other conferences

Growth and Realignment Trends

Conference realignment continues to reshape the NCAA football landscape. As of 2025, major shifts include:

Expansion of the Big Ten and Big 12 to 18 and 16 teams respectively
Departure of most Pac-12 schools to other Power Five conferences
Addition of new FBS programs such as UC Davis (projected 2026 transition)
Increased focus on media rights and revenue distribution

Frequently Asked Questions About NCAA Football Teams

How many Division I NCAA football teams are there?

There are 133 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and 129 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), totaling 262 Division I football programs in 2025.

What is the difference between FBS and FCS?

FBS teams play in larger stadiums, offer up to 85 full scholarships, and compete in bowl games. FCS allows 63 scholarship equivalents and determines its champion through a 24-team playoff tournament.

Which division has the most NCAA football teams?

Division III has the most teams with 246 programs, emphasizing academic integration and regional competition without athletic scholarships.

Are there any new NCAA football teams joining in 2025?

While no new schools are transitioning to FBS in 2025, several are moving from Division II to FCS, including University of Bridgeport (pending approval). UC Davis is projected to begin FBS transition in 2026.

How many teams make the College Football Playoff?

Starting in the 2024 season, the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, selected by a committee based on rankings, strength of schedule, and conference championships.