How Many College D1 Football Teams Are There?
College football is a beloved sport in the United States, with fans eagerly following their favorite teams and players. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) divides college football programs into three divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Among these divisions, Division I is considered the highest level of competition. In this article, we will focus on Division I football and answer some common questions related to the number of teams participating in this division.
1. How many Division I football teams are there?
As of the 2021 season, there are 130 Division I football teams in the NCAA.
2. Are all Division I football teams equal?
No, Division I football is further divided into two subdivisions: the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). FBS teams generally have larger budgets, more revenue, and compete in bowl games, while FCS teams compete in a championship tournament.
3. How many FBS teams are there?
Currently, there are 130 FBS teams in Division I football.
4. How many FCS teams are there?
There are 127 FCS teams, making up the remaining Division I football programs.
5. How many conferences are there in Division I football?
There are 10 conferences in FBS and 13 conferences in FCS. These conferences consist of teams from different universities that compete against each other.
6. What are some popular FBS conferences?
Some popular FBS conferences include the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference (SEC).
7. Are there any independent FBS teams?
Yes, there are a few independent FBS teams, such as Notre Dame, Army, and BYU, who are not affiliated with any conference.
8. What about FCS conferences?
Popular FCS conferences include the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Southland Conference, and Big Sky Conference.
9. How many teams are in each FBS conference?
The number of teams in each FBS conference varies. For example, the SEC has 14 teams, while the Big 12 has 10 teams.
10. How are FBS teams selected for bowl games?
FBS teams need to achieve a minimum number of wins (usually six) to be eligible for bowl games. Bowl game selection committees then assign teams to various bowl games based on their performance and rankings.
11. Are there any playoffs in FBS?
Unlike FCS, FBS does not have an official playoff system to determine a national champion. Instead, a selection committee ranks teams and chooses the top four to compete in the College Football Playoff (CFP).
12. How are FCS teams selected for the championship tournament?
The FCS championship tournament consists of 24 teams. The selection committee chooses teams based on their performance during the regular season.
13. Can FBS and FCS teams play against each other?
Yes, FBS teams can schedule games against FCS teams. These matchups often provide smaller FCS programs with an opportunity to compete against larger FBS schools.
14. How many teams participate in the FCS championship tournament?
As mentioned earlier, the FCS championship tournament includes 24 teams. They compete in a single-elimination format until a national champion is crowned.
In conclusion, there are 130 Division I football teams in the NCAA, with 130 teams in FBS and 127 teams in FCS. These teams participate in different conferences and compete against each other at their respective levels. While FBS teams have the opportunity to compete in bowl games and the College Football Playoff, FCS teams participate in a championship tournament.
