College football is basically a giant, shifting puzzle right now. If you've been trying to keep track of every move, you probably feel like you're chasing a moving target. Honestly, the list of fcs teams is no longer just a static directory; it's a living document of programs trying to find their footing in a world where the gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" feels wider than ever.
As we roll into 2026, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) consists of roughly 129 teams. But that number is a bit slippery. Between schools jumping up to the FBS, like Delaware and Missouri State recently did, and others like Saint Francis (PA) dropping down to Division III, the landscape is constantly evolving. It's not just about who's playing; it's about where they’re playing and why the geography of the sport is being rewritten.
The Big Sky and the Power of the West
The Big Sky Conference has essentially become the heavyweight division of the FCS. With the 2026 season seeing Southern Utah and Utah Tech officially coming back home from the United Athletic Conference, this league is a 13-team monster.
You’ve got the Montana schools—Montana and Montana State—who basically treat football like a religion. Then you have the California contingent with UC Davis and Sacramento State. Speaking of Sac State, they’ve had a wild ride. They actually tried to fast-track a move to the FBS as an independent for 2026, but the NCAA basically said "not so fast." So, they’re still on our list of fcs teams, but they’re playing as an independent this year. It's a weird spot to be in, sort of like being in a long-distance relationship with your own conference.
Who’s in the Big Sky for 2026?
- The Montana Powerhouses: Montana Grizzlies, Montana State Bobcats.
- The Utah Newcomers: Southern Utah Thunderbirds, Utah Tech Trailblazers.
- The California Crew: UC Davis Aggies, Cal Poly Mustangs.
- The Rest of the Pack: Idaho Vandals, Idaho State Bengals, Eastern Washington Eagles, Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, Northern Colorado Bears, Portland State Vikings, Weber State Wildcats.
The East Coast Shuffle: Patriot League and the CAA
If you look at the Atlantic coast, things get even more tangled. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) used to be the dominant force in the East, but they've been getting picked apart.
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Starting this 2026 season, Villanova and William & Mary are officially moving their football programs to the Patriot League. They’re following in the footsteps of Richmond, who made the jump a year earlier. Why? It’s mostly about stability and playing against schools that look and act like them. The CAA is still huge, though. They added Sacred Heart this year to keep their numbers up.
It’s kind of funny—the Patriot League used to be seen as the "academic" league where football was a secondary thought. Now, with Villanova and William & Mary, they’re actually a legitimate football powerhouse.
The Patriot League Lineup
The league now boasts a solid 10-team roster. You’ve got the staples like Lehigh and Lafayette (who play the most-played rivalry in college football), alongside Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Georgetown, and Holy Cross. Add the newcomers—Richmond, Villanova, and William & Mary—and you have a conference that could easily put three teams in the playoffs.
The Rebranded UAC and the Southland Surge
Down south, the branding experts have been busy. The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the ASUN officially completed their merger. They are now just the United Athletic Conference (UAC) for all sports. It’s a leaner, meaner 7-team football league featuring:
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- Abilene Christian
- Austin Peay
- Central Arkansas
- Eastern Kentucky
- North Alabama
- Tarleton State
- West Georgia
Meanwhile, the Southland Conference is having a bit of a moment. They added East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M-Commerce) and brought in UTRGV, which is finally launching its football program. Texas football is just built different, and the Southland is leaning into that regional identity hard.
Why Does the List of FCS Teams Keep Changing?
You might wonder why these schools don't just stay put. It's almost always about money and "the path."
For a school like Chicago State, which is launching a brand-new football program in 2026 as an FCS independent, it's about institutional growth. They want the visibility that comes with Division I athletics. On the flip side, you have schools like North Dakota State (NDSU) and South Dakota State (SDSU). They’ve won so much in the FCS that fans are practically begging them to move to the FBS. But where do they go? The Mountain West? The MAC?
The list of fcs teams is often just a waiting room for the FBS. But it’s an expensive waiting room. The NCAA recently jacked up the fee to move from FCS to FBS to $5 million. That’s a lot of car washes and alumni donations just to change your label.
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The "True" FCS Experience: Ivy and Pioneer
We can't talk about this list without mentioning the "purists."
The Ivy League (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.) is still the only conference that refuses to play in the postseason. They play 10 games, crown a champ, and go home. Then you have the Pioneer Football League (PFL). It’s a non-scholarship league. Schools like Butler, Drake, and San Diego play here because they want the D1 label without the $10 million football budget. It's a unique corner of the world where players are truly "student-athletes" in the most traditional sense.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're a fan or a bettor looking at the list of fcs teams this year, here’s how to actually use this info:
- Watch the Patriot League: With Villanova and William & Mary joining, the power balance in the East has shifted. Don't assume the CAA winner is the best team in the region anymore.
- The 12-Game Rule: 2026 is the first year the NCAA is allowing a permanent 12-game regular season for FCS. This means more "buy games" against the FBS (where FCS teams get paid to likely lose) but also more chances for playoff resumes.
- New Program Alert: Keep an eye on UTRGV and Chicago State. New programs are usually "easy wins" for established teams, but they often cover the spread because they’re playing with zero expectations.
- The Dakota Dominance: Until proven otherwise, the road to the National Championship in Frisco, Texas, still goes through Fargo or Brookings. NDSU and SDSU remain the gold standard.
Check your local listings or ESPN+ for the early season "Week 0" games. With the Big Sky playing conference games as early as August 29th this year, the season is hitting the ground running faster than ever before.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close eye on the weekly FCS Coaches Poll and the Stats Perform Top 25. Since realignment is still a "thing," checking the official NCAA membership database every July 1st—the official start of the athletic year—is the only way to be 100% sure who is playing where. For now, enjoy the chaos of the 12-game schedule and the new rivalries forming in the Patriot and Big Sky.