FBS vs FCS
FBS
Football Bowl Subdivision
- Formerly
- Division I-A
- Teams in 2026
- 138
- Conferences
- 11
- Season ends with
- Bowl games and the 12-team College Football Playoff (40 bowl games in 2025)
FCS
Football Championship Subdivision
- Formerly
- Division I-AA
- Teams in 2026
- 128
- Conferences
- 14
- Season ends with
- The FCS playoff bracket, ending in the FCS national championship game
FBS vs FCS in 2026
FCS wins over FBS teams
- SE Louisiana beat UL Monroe 38-35
- Illinois State beat Northern Illinois 28-24
- Montana State beat Nevada 20-7
- Tarleton State beat Bowling Green 20-13
- The Citadel beat Charlotte 43-41
- Idaho State beat Utah State 29-17
Completed 2026 games between an FBS and an FCS team.
The American Conference against FCS teams
Recent FCS champions
- 2025 Montana State 35-34 vs Illinois State
- 2024 North Dakota State 35-32 vs Montana State
- 2023 South Dakota State 23-3 vs Montana
- 2022 South Dakota State 45-21 vs North Dakota State
Against programs that are FCS today, every meeting on record.
FBS and FCS are the two halves of Division I college football. The 138 FBS teams, the American Conference among them, play for bowl games and the College Football Playoff; the 128 FCS teams decide their champion in a playoff bracket. Every FBS and FCS conference and its members are on the conferences page, and past champions on national champions.
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Frequently asked questions
What does FBS stand for in college football?
FBS is the Football Bowl Subdivision, the top level of Division I (formerly Division I-A). In 2026 it has 138 teams in 11 conferences, including the independents.
What does FCS stand for in college football?
FCS is the Football Championship Subdivision, the second level of Division I (formerly Division I-AA). In 2026 it has 128 teams in 14 conferences.
What is the difference between FBS and FCS?
FBS teams finish their season in bowl games and the College Football Playoff (40 bowl games last season, playoff games included). FCS teams play for the national title in the FCS playoff bracket. When the two meet, the FBS team usually wins: 113-6 so far in 2026.
How has the American Conference done against FCS teams?
American Conference programs are 924-302-58 all-time against today's FCS teams. The last loss: Charlotte fell 43-41 to The Citadel in 2026.
Who won the last FCS national championship?
Montana State, beating Illinois State 35-34 in the 2025 title game.