FCS Independents
Established: 1978
Headquarters: inside us all along
Commissioner: the friends we’ve made along the way
Website
History
Since the dawn of time well before the split of Division I football into subdivisions, there have been schools not affiliated with one of the recognized football conferences. During the earlier years of the (now) FCS, this was often due to a school’s primary conference not sponsoring football and an unwillingness or inability to join another conference as a football affiliate member. It also, like today, could be due to a program transitioning up or down in division or subdivision (whether a program coming up from Division II or Division III play, or a school making a transitions from FCS to FBS).
In the entire history of the FCS, there have only been three seasons without at least one team participating as an Independent. These have all come more recently, in 2012, 2017, and 2022. Every other season has seen at least one, and as many as 20 teams (1995) play the season as an unaffiliated Independent. In fact, a total of 52 current (51 come 2024) FCS teams (or over 40% of the current FCS) have spent at least one season as an Independent in their time in the subdivision. And a total of 82 teams have played at some point in Division I-AA/FCS as an Independent.
Being unaffiliated does not prevent a team (assuming they’re otherwise in good standing) from competing in, or potentially winning, the FCS playoffs. There was at least one Independent team in the playoffs every year from 1978-1995, and maybe even more impressively, there was an Independent team in the National Championship game 11 of those 18 years. But this success has dropped off a bit in more recent years. Had it not been for North Dakota’s run in 2019, you’d have to look back to 2003 and FAU to find an independent team in the playoffs. Much of this stems from the larger conference realignments in the NCAA from 2001-2004, which saw most programs become more closely aligned or affiliated with established conferences. This has left most modern teams that play unaffiliated to do so for only a year or two as transitional moves between conferences or divisions.
Membership
Current Members
For the coming 2023 season, there will be—arguably—one team playing as an FCS independent: Kennesaw State. I say arguably because the Owls are in their first year of the two year transition process to Conference USA in the FBS. As such, they’re in a limbo FBS transition classification by the NCAA. So while they’re playing an ostensibly FCS schedule, they’re also allowed to have more guys on scholarship than FCS teams are normally allowed, and they’re ineligible for FCS postseason play.
Current Teams | Location | Years Independent | Membership
:-- | :-- | :-- | :-- | :--
Kennesaw State Owls | Kennesaw, Georgia | 2023 | Primary Conference: ASUN
Former Members
There have been 82 teams that at one time played as independents in the I-AA/FCS that are no longer doing so.
| Team | Years as an FCS Independent | Former Conference | Joined Conference | Current Conference |
|---|
| Abilene Christian | 2013 | Lone Star (Div II) | Southland | UAC |
| Arkansas State | 1987–1991 | Southland | Division I-A Independent | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| Austin Peay | 1997-2000, again in 2006 | 1996: OVC; 2001-2005: Pioneer | 2001-2005: Pioneer; 2007: OVC | UAC |
| Bucknell | 1978–1985 | Division II Independent | Patriot | Patriot |
| Buffalo | 1993–1998 | Division III Independent | Mid-American Conference | MAC (FBS) |
| Cal Poly | 1996–2003 | American West | Great West | Big Sky |
| Cal State Northridge | 2001 | Big Sky | Dropped football | N/A |
| Central Arkansas | 2006 | Gulf South (Div II) | Southland | UAC |
| Central Connecticut | 1993–1995 | Division II Independent | NEC | NEC |
| Charleston Southern | 1993–2001 | No football program | Big South | Big South |
| Charlotte | 2013–2014 | No football program | Conference USA (FBS) | AAC (FBS) |
| Coastal Carolina | 2016 | Big South | Sun Belt (FBS) | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| Colgate | 1982–1985 | Division I-A Independent | Patriot | Patriot |
| Davidson | 1989, again 1993-2000 | 1988: Colonial League; 1990-1992: Division III Independent | 1990-1992: Division III Independent; 2001: Pioneer | Pioneer |
| Delaware | 1980–1985 | Division II Independent | Yankee Conference | CAA |
| Duquesne | 1993 | Division III Independent | MAAC | NEC |
| Eastern Washington | 1984–1986 | Division II Independent | Big Sky | Big Sky |
| Elon | 1998–2001 | Division II Independent | Big South | CAA |
| ETSU | 2015 | No football program | SoCon | SoCon |
| FIU | 2002–2004 | No football program | Sun Belt (Div I-A) | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Florida A&M | 1984–1987, again in 2004 | MEAC; then again MEAC | MEAC; then again MEAC | SWAC |
| Florida Atlantic | 2001–2004 | No football program | Sun Belt (Div I-A) | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Fordham | 1989 | Liberty Football Conference | Patriot | Patriot |
| Georgetown | 2000 | MAAC | Patriot | Patriot |
| Georgia Southern | 1984–1991 | Club football | SoCon | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| Georgia State | 2011 | Unclassified (exhibition only) | CAA | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| Hampton | 2018 | MEAC | Big South | CAA |
| Hofstra | 1991–2000 | Division III Independent | Atlantic 10 | Dropped football program |
| Holy Cross | 1982–1985 | Division I-A Independent | Patriot | Patriot |
| HCU | 2013 | No football program | Southland | Southland |
| UIW | 2013 | Lone Star (Div II) | Southland | Southland |
| Iona | 2008 | MAAC | Dropped football | N/A |
| Jacksonville | 1998–2000 | No football program | Pioneer | Dropped football |
| James Madison | 1980–1992 | Division III Independent | Yankee Conference | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| La Salle | 1997–1998 | No football program | MAAC | Dropped football |
| Lafayette | 1978–1985 | Division II Independent | Patriot | Patriot |
| Lamar | 1987–1989, again in 2010 | 1986: Southland; 1989-2009: no football program | 1989-2009: no football program; 2011: Southland | UAC |
| Lehigh | 1978–1985 | Division II Independent | Patriot | Patriot |
| Liberty | 1988–2001 | Division II Independent | Big South | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Louisiana Tech | 1987–1988 | Southland | Division I-A Independent | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Marist | 1993, again in 2008 | 1992: Liberty Football Conference; 1994-2007: MAAC | 1994-2007: MAAC; 2009: Pioneer | Pioneer |
| Merrimack | 2019 | Northeast-10 (Div II) | NEC | NEC |
| Monmouth | 1993–1995, again in 2013 | 1992: no football program; 1996-2012: NEC | 1996-2012: NEC; 2014: Big South | CAA |
| Morehead State | 1996–2000 | OVC | Pioneer Footbal League | Pioneer |
| Morris Brown | 2001–2002 | SIAC (Div II) | Dropped football | N/A |
| Nevada | 1978 | Division II Independent | Big Sky | Mountain West (FBS) |
| Nicholls | 1980–1983, again 1987–1990 | 1979: Division II Independent; 1984-1986: Gulf Star | 1984-1986: Gulf Star; 1991: Southland | Southland |
| North Alabama | 2018 | Gulf South (Div II) | Big South | UAC |
| North Dakota | 2018-2019 | Big Sky | MVFC | MVFC |
| Northeastern | 1978–1992 | Division II Independent | Yankee Conference | Dropped football |
| Northern Colorado | 2003 | North Central | Great West | Big Sky |
| Northwestern State | 1978–1983 | Division I Independent | Gulf Star | Southland |
| Old Dominion | 2009-2010, again in 2013 | 2008: no football program; 2011-2012: CAA | 2011-2012: CAA; 2014: Conference USA (FBS) | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Portland State | 1978–1980 | Division II Independent | Division II Independent | Big Sky |
| Presbyterian | 2020 | Big South | Pioneer | Pioneer |
| Richmond | 1982–1985 | Division I-A Independent | Yankee Conference | CAA |
| Robert Morris | 1994–1995 | No football program | NEC | Big South |
| Saint Francis (PA) | 1993–1995 | Division III Independent | NEC | NEC |
| Saint Mary's | 1993–2003 | Division II Independent | Dropped football | N/A |
| Samford | 1989–2002 | Division III Independent | OVC | SoCon |
| Savannah State | 2002–2009 | Division II Independent | MEAC | SIAC (Div II) |
| South Alabama | 2011 | Unclassified (exhibition only) | Sun Belt (FBS) | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| Tarleton State | 2020-2021 | Lone Star (Div II) | UAC | UAC |
| South Florida | 1997–2000 | No football program | Division I-A Independent | AAC (FBS) |
| Utah Tech | 2020-2021 | RMAC (Div II) | UAC | UAC |
| Southeastern | 1980–1983, again 2003-2004 | 1979: Division II Independent; 1986-2003: no football program | 1984: Gulf Star; 2005: Southland | Southland |
| Southern Utah | 1996–2003 | American West | Great West | UAC |
| St. John's | 1998–1999 | MAAC | NEC | Dropped football |
| Stony Brook | 2007 | NEC | Big South | CAA |
| Tennessee State | 1981–1987 | Division I-A Independent | OVC | OVC |
| Towson | 1987–1996 | Division II Independent | Patriot | CAA |
| Troy | 1993–1995, then again in 2001 | 1992: Division II Independent; 1996-2000: Southland | 1996-2000: Southland; 2002: Division I-A Independent | Sun Belt (FBS) |
| UAB | 1993–1995 | Division III Independent | Division I-A Independent | Conference USA (FBS) |
| UCF | 1990–1995 | Division II Independent | Division I-A Independent | Big 12 (FBS) |
| UTSA | 2011 | No football program | WAC (FBS) | Conference USA (FBS) |
| Villanova | 1987 | No football program | Yankee Conference | CAA |
| Wagner | 1993–1995 | Liberty Football Conference (Div III) | NEC | NEC |
| WKU | 1982–1998, again 2007-2008 | 1981: OVC; 2006: Gateway Football Conference | 1999: OVC; 2009: Sun Belt (FBS) | Conference USA (FBS) |
| William & Mary | 1982–1992 | Division I-A Independent | Yankee Conference | CAA |
| Winston–Salem State | 2006 | CIAA (Div II) | MEAC | CIAA (Div II) |
| Wofford | 1995–1996 | Division II Independent | SoCon | SoCon |
| Youngstown State | 1988–1996 | OVC | MVFC | MVFC |
Conference Success and Strength
Conference Championships
N/A (Every year winners baby!)
FCS National Championships
FCS Independents have won the national championship a total of 7 times. In the span of 10 seasons. Split between just two teams.
Which is to say that Georgia Southern and Youngstown State were absolute juggernauts at the time. Georgia Southern went from having no-program at all to National Champions over the course of four years under legendary coach Erk Russel (succeeded by Tim Stowers in the 1990 season). Youngstown State made their run under an otherwise obscure coach that college football fanatics may remember, a guy named Jim Tressel.
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1985 - Georgia Southern (13-2)
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1986 - Georgia Southern (13-2)
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1989 - Georgia Southern (15-0)
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1990 - Georgia Southern (12-3)
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1991 - Youngstown State (12-3)
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1993 - Youngstown State (13-2)
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1994 - Youngstown State (14-0-1)