College football conferences 2026

FBS: 11 conferences, 138 teams

Big Ten18

Big Ten Conference

ACC17

Atlantic Coast Conference

  • Boston College
  • California
  • Clemson
  • Duke
  • Florida State
  • Georgia Tech
  • Louisville
  • Miami
  • NC State
  • North Carolina
  • Pittsburgh
  • SMU
  • Stanford
  • Syracuse
  • Virginia
  • Virginia Tech
  • Wake Forest

Big 1216

Big 12 Conference

SEC16

Southeastern Conference

American Athletic14

American Athletic Conference

Sun Belt14

Sun Belt Conference

Pac-128

Pac-12 Conference

FBS Independents2

Mountain West membership since 1999

8 programs played the first Mountain West season in 1999: Utah, BYU, Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico, San Diego State, Air Force, UNLV.

  1. 2005 Joined: TCU.
  2. 2011 Joined: Boise State. Gone: Utah, BYU.
  3. 2012 Joined: Fresno State, Nevada, Hawai'i. Gone: TCU.
  4. 2013 Joined: Utah State, San José State.
  5. 2026 Joined: North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, UTEP. Gone: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State, Colorado State.

Worked out from the Mountain West standings each season (CollegeFootballData via our data hub): a program appears the first season it plays a conference schedule.

FCS: 14 conferences, 128 teams

Big Sky13

Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Southern Utah, UC Davis, Utah Tech, Weber State

Coastal Athletic13

Bryant, Campbell, Elon, Hampton, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, North Carolina A&T, Rhode Island, Sacred Heart, Stony Brook, Towson, UAlbany

SWAC12

Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Grambling, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Texas Southern

Pioneer11

Butler, Davidson, Dayton, Drake, Marist, Morehead State, Presbyterian, San Diego, St. Thomas (MN), Stetson, Valparaiso

Patriot10

Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Richmond, Villanova, William & Mary

Southern10

Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, Samford, Tennessee Tech, The Citadel, VMI, Western Carolina, Wofford

Southland10

East Texas A&M, Houston Christian, Incarnate Word, Lamar, McNeese, Nicholls, Northwestern State, SE Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, UT Rio Grande Valley

MVFC9

Illinois State, Indiana State, Murray State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State

Ivy8

Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale

NEC8

Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Long Island University, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Robert Morris, Stonehill, Wagner

OVC8

Charleston Southern, Eastern Illinois, Gardner-Webb, Lindenwood, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State, UT Martin, Western Illinois

UAC8

Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Tarleton State, West Florida, West Georgia

MEAC6

Delaware State, Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina Central, South Carolina State

FCS Independents2

Chicago State, Merrimack

Conference membership for 2026 from CollegeFootballData via our data hub.

Every college football conference for 2026: the 11 FBS conferences with all 138 teams, the 14 FCS conferences with 128 teams, and how the Mountain West has changed since 1999. For what separates the two subdivisions, see FBS vs FCS; for the Mountain West today, the teams and the standings.

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Frequently asked questions

How many FBS conferences are there in 2026?

10 conferences plus the independents: Big Ten (18), ACC (17), Big 12 (16), SEC (16), American Athletic (14), Sun Belt (14), Mid-American (13), Conference USA (10), Mountain West (10), Pac-12 (8), FBS Independents (2). 138 FBS teams in all.

How many teams are in the Mountain West?

10: Air Force, Hawai'i, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, San José State, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming.

Which teams have joined the Mountain West?

2005: TCU. 2011: Boise State. 2012: Fresno State, Nevada, Hawai'i. 2013: Utah State, San José State. 2026: North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, UTEP.

Which teams have left the Mountain West?

after 2010: Utah, BYU. after 2011: TCU. after 2025: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State, Colorado State.

How many FCS conferences are there?

14 conferences with 128 FCS teams in 2026.