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how many d1 college football teams are there

There are just over 260 Division I college football teams when you combine both FBS and FCS programs, with the exact number fluctuating slightly due to ongoing realignment and schools transitioning between subdivisions. Within that total, around 130–135 schools compete at the FBS level and roughly the same number at the FCS level as of the mid‑2020s.

What “D1 college football teams” means

When people ask “how many D1 college football teams are there,” they usually mean all NCAA Division I schools that sponsor varsity football, not just the big‑name FBS programs. Division I football is split into two main subdivisions that both count as “D1.”

  • FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
    • The top tier with the largest scholarships and budgets.
    • Competes for bowl games and the College Football Playoff.
  • FCS (Football Championship Subdivision)
    • Still Division I but generally smaller programs.
    • Plays an NCAA‑run playoff tournament to determine its national champion.

Current team counts (big picture)

The exact count moves around because of conference realignment and schools moving up from FCS to FBS or starting/dropping football.

  • Recent breakdowns from D1 football resources and fan analyses place:
    • FBS in the low‑ to mid‑130s teams as of the 2025–2026 seasons.
* FCS in the **high‑120s to low‑130s** teams.
  • That yields a combined Division I football total a bit above 260 programs nationwide.

So when you see different answers—like 130, 133, 136—that’s usually because a source is either:

  • Counting only FBS.
  • Including schools in transition.
  • Using data from a specific season before or after realignment changes.

Why the number keeps changing

Division I football is in a constant state of motion, which is why any “how many D1 college football teams are there” answer is always a snapshot in time.

Key reasons the total shifts:

  • Conference realignment
    • Teams switch leagues for TV money, geography, or competitive reasons.
    • Moves can trigger chain reactions across conferences.
  • Transitions from FCS to FBS
    • Schools like Kennesaw State, Sam Houston State, and others have moved (or are moving) to FBS in the 2020s.
    • During multi‑year transition periods, counting them can differ by source.
  • New or discontinued programs
    • Some universities launch football to boost enrollment and visibility, while others cut it due to cost.

Because of all this, fans on forums and blogs often debate the “real” number and specify the season they’re talking about when they say how many D1 college football teams there are.

Simple takeaway for quick reference

  • If you need a clean, quick answer for today:
    • Say there are a bit over 260 total Division I college football teams , split roughly evenly between FBS and FCS.
  • If you’re being very precise, you have to specify the season and whether you’re including transitioning programs, because that can shift the count by a handful of teams.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.