List of NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football seasons

A list of NCAA Division I-AA college football seasons since the divisional split in 1978. In 2006, Division I-AA was renamed Division I Football Championship Subdivision (or Division I FCS for short).^[1]

Year	Conference Champions^[2]	National Champion	Payton Award^[3]	Buchanan Award^[4]
1978	Big Sky Conference – Northern Arizona Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State Yankee Conference – Massachusetts	Florida A&M {{1978 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1979	Big Sky Conference – Montana State Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Morgan State Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State and Grambling State Yankee Conference – Boston U and Massachusetts	Eastern Kentucky {{1979 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1980	Big Sky Conference – Boise State Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State and Jackson State Yankee Conference – Boston U	Boise State {{1980 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1981	Big Sky Conference – Idaho State Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Massachusetts and Rhode Island	Idaho State {{1981 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1982^[5]	Big Sky Conference – Montana Ivy League – Dartmouth, Harvard, and Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Southern Conference – Furman Southland Conference – Louisiana Tech Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Boston U, Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts	Eastern Kentucky {{1982 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1983	Big Sky Conference – Nevada Ivy League – Harvard and Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Southern Conference – Furman Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana and North Texas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State Yankee Conference – Boston U and Connecticut	Southern Illinois {{1983 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1984	Big Sky Conference – Montana State Ivy League – Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Southern Conference – Chattanooga Southland Conference – Louisiana Tech Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State Yankee Conference – Boston U and Rhode Island	Montana State {{1984 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1985	Big Sky Conference – Idaho Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference^[6] – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee Southern Conference – Furman Southland Conference – Arkansas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State and Jackson State Yankee Conference – Rhode Island	Georgia Southern {{1985 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1986	Big Sky Conference – Nevada Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Eastern Illinois Ivy League – Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Arkansas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Connecticut, Delaware, and Massachusetts	Georgia Southern {{1986 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}
1987	Big Sky Conference – Idaho Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Harvard Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Maine and Richmond	Northeast Louisiana {{1987 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Kenny Gamble – RB (Colgate)
1988	Big Sky Conference – Idaho Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Western Illinois Ivy League – Cornell and Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, and Florida A&M Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Lafayette Southern Conference – Furman and Marshall Southland Conference – Northwestern State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Delaware and Massachusetts	Furman {{1988 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Dave Meggett – RB (Towson)
1989	Big Sky Conference – Idaho Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Southwest Missouri State Ivy League – Princeton and Yale Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Furman Southland Conference – Stephen F. Austin Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Connecticut, Maine, and Villanova	Georgia Southern {{1989 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	John Friesz – QB (Idaho)
1990	Big Sky Conference – Nevada Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Cornell and Dartmouth Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Furman Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Massachusetts	Georgia Southern {{1990 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Walter Dean – RB (Grambling State)
1991	Big Sky Conference – Nevada Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference^[7] – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Dartmouth Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama State Yankee Conference – Delaware, New Hampshire, and Villanova	Youngstown State {{1991 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Jamie Martin – QB (Weber State)
1992	Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington and Idaho Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Dartmouth and Princeton Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee Patriot League – Lafayette Southern Conference – The Citadel Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State Yankee Conference – Delaware	Marshall {{1992 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Michael Payton – QB (Marshall)
1993	American West Conference^[8] – Southern Utah and UC Davis Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference^[9] – Iona Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Georgia Southern Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern Yankee Conference – Boston University	Youngstown State {{1993 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Doug Nussmeier – QB (Idaho)
1994	American West Conference – Cal Poly Big Sky Conference – Boise State Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Marist and St. John's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Lafayette Pioneer Football League – Butler and Dayton Southern Conference – Marshall Southland Conference – North Texas Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State and Grambling State Yankee Conference – New Hampshire	Youngstown State {{1994 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Steve McNair – QB (Alcorn State)
1995	American West Conference – Sacramento State Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Eastern Illinois and Northern Iowa Ivy League – Princeton Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State Patriot League – Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Drake Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Delaware	Montana {{1995 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Dave Dickenson – QB (Montana)	Dexter Coakley – LB (Appalachian State)
1996	Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Dartmouth Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M Northeast Conference – Monmouth and Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State Patriot League – Bucknell Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Marshall Southland Conference – Troy State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference^[10] – William & Mary	Marshall {{1996 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Archie Amerson – RB (Northern Arizona)	Dexter Coakley – LB (Appalachian State)
1997	Atlantic 10 Conference – Villanova Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois Ivy League – Harvard Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Georgetown Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton Northeast Conference – Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Colgate Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Georgia Southern Southland Conference – McNeese State and Northwestern State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern	Youngstown State {{1997 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Brian Finneran – WR (Villanova)	Chris McNeil – DE (North Carolina A&T)
1998	Atlantic 10 Conference – Richmond Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Fairfield and Georgetown Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M and Hampton Northeast Conference – Monmouth and Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference – Tennessee State Patriot League – Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Drake Southern Conference – Georgia Southern Southland Conference – Northwestern State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern	Massachusetts {{1998 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Jerry Azumah – RB (New Hampshire)	James Milton – LB (Western Illinois)
1999	Atlantic 10 Conference – James Madison and Massachusetts Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Illinois State Ivy League – Brown and Yale Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Northeast Conference – Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference – Tennessee State Patriot League – Colgate and Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Appalachian State, Furman, and Georgia Southern Southland Conference – Stephen F. Austin and Troy State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern	Georgia Southern {{1999 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Adrian Peterson – RB (Georgia Southern)	Al Lucas – DT (Troy State)
2000	Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware and Richmond Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M Northeast Conference – Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky Patriot League – Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Dayton, Drake, and Valparaiso Southern Conference – Georgia Southern Southland Conference – Troy State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State	Georgia Southern {{2000 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Louis Ivory – RB (Furman)	Edgerton Hartwell – LB (Western Illinois)
2001	Atlantic 10 Conference – Hofstra, Maine, Villanova, and William & Mary Big Sky Conference – Montana Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Harvard Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M Northeast Conference – Sacred Heart Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois Patriot League – Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Furman and Georgia Southern Southland Conference – McNeese State and Sam Houston State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State	Montana {{2001 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Brian Westbrook – RB (Villanova)	Derrick Lloyd – LB (James Madison)
2002	Atlantic 10 Conference – Maine and Northeastern Big Sky Conference – Idaho State, Montana, and Montana State Big South Conference^[11] – Gardner-Webb Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois and Western Kentucky Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman Northeast Conference – Albany Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois and Murray State Patriot League – Colgate and Fordham Pioneer Football League – Dayton Southern Conference – Georgian Southern Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State	Western Kentucky {{2002 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Tony Romo – QB (Eastern Illinois)	Rashean Mathis – FS (Bethune-Cookman)
2003	Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware and Massachusetts Big Sky Conference – Montana, Montana State, and Northern Arizona Big South Conference – Gardner-Webb Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois Ivy League – Penn Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Northeast Conference – Albany and Monmouth Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State Patriot League – Colgate Pioneer Football League – Valparaiso Southern Conference – Wofford Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern	Delaware {{2003 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Jamaal Branch – RB (Colgate)	Jared Allen – DE (Idaho State)
2004	Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware, James Madison, and William & Mary Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington and Montana Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina Gateway Football Conference – Southern Illinois Great West Football Conference – Cal Poly Ivy League – Harvard Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton and South Carolina State Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State and Monmouth Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State Patriot League – Lafayette and Lehigh Pioneer Football League – Drake Southern Conference – Furman and Georgia Southern Southland Conference – Northwestern State and Sam Houston State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama State	James Madison {{2004 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Lang Campbell – QB (William & Mary)	Jordan Beck – LB (Cal Poly)
2005	Atlantic 10 Conference – New Hampshire and Richmond Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington, Montana, and Montana State Big South Conference – Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Youngstown State Great West Football Conference – Cal Poly and UC Davis Ivy League – Brown Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State and Stony Brook Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois Patriot League – Colgate and Lafayette Pioneer Football League – San Diego Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Nicholls State and Texas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State	Appalachian State {{2005 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}}	Erik Meyer – QB (Eastern Washington)	Chris Gocong – DE (Cal Poly)
2006	Atlantic 10 Conference^[12] – Massachusetts Big Sky Conference – Montana Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina Gateway Football Conference – Youngstown State Great West Football Conference – North Dakota State Ivy League – Princeton and Yale Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne and Marist Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton Northeast Conference – Monmouth Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin Patriot League – Colgate, Lafayette, and Lehigh Pioneer Football League – San Diego Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M	Appalachian State {{2006 Division I FCS playoff navbox}}	Ricky Santos – QB (New Hampshire)	Kyle Shotwell – LB (Cal Poly)
2007	Big Sky Conference – Montana Big South Conference – Liberty Colonial Athletic Association – Massachusetts and Richmond Gateway Football Conference^[13] – Northern Iowa Great West Football Conference^[14] – South Dakota State Ivy League – Harvard Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne, Iona, and Marist Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State Northeast Conference – Albany Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Fordham Pioneer Football League – Dayton and San Diego Southern Conference – Appalachian State and Wofford Southland Conference – McNeese State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State	Appalachian State {{2007 Division I FCS playoff navbox}}	Jayson Foster – QB (Georgia Southern)	Kroy Biermann – DE (Montana)
2008	Big Sky Conference – Montana and Weber State Big South Conference – Liberty Colonial Athletic Association – James Madison Great West Conference – Cal Poly Ivy League – Brown and Harvard Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Missouri Valley Football Conference – Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois Northeast Conference – Albany Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky Patriot League – Colgate Pioneer Football League – Jacksonville Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Texas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State	Richmond {{2008 Division I FCS playoff navbox}}	Armanti Edwards – QB (Appalachian State)	Greg Peach – DE (Eastern Washington)
2009	Big Sky Conference – Montana Big South Conference – Liberty and Stony Brook Colonial Athletic Association – Richmond and Villanova Great West Conference – UC Davis Ivy League – Pennsylvania Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Missouri Valley Football Conference – Southern Illinois Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois Patriot League – Holy Cross Pioneer Football League – Butler and Dayton Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin Southwestern Athletic Conference – Prairie View A&M	Villanova {{2009 Division I FCS playoff navbox}}	Armanti Edwards – QB (Appalachian State)	Arthur Moats – DE (James Madison)

References

^ Steve Wieberg (2006-08-03). "NCAA to rename college football subdivisions". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-03-ncaa-subdivisions_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
^ "2008 Division I Football Records Book:Conference Standings and Champions". NCAA. 2008. pp. 430–436. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=35770.
^ The Walter Payton Award was established in 1987. From its inception through 1994, it was presented to the most outstanding player on the I-AA level. Since the 1995 season, it has been presented to the most outstanding offensive player on the I-AA/FCS level. History
^ The Buck Buchanan Award, established in 1995, is presented to the most outstanding defensive player on the I-AA/FCS level.
^ The Ivy, Southern, and Southland Conferences were all downgraded from I-A after the 1981 season.
^ After the Missouri Valley Conference scrapped its hybrid I-A and I-AA football conference, the I-AA programs in the MVC allied themselves with the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference, at that time a women's athletic conference parallel to the MVC.
^ After the 1991–92 academic year, the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference merged with the Missouri Valley Conference. The football portion of the conference kept the Gateway charter and slightly changed its name.
^ The American West Conference began play in 1993 and disbanded after only three years in 1995. It contained both I-AA and Division II schools.
^ The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference was founded in 1980, added football in 1993, and dropped football sponsorship after the 2007 season.
^ After the 1996 football season, the Yankee Conference merged with the Atlantic 10 Conference, which would sponsor football until the 2006 season.
^ The Big South Conference was founded in 1983 and added football in 2002.
^ The Atlantic 10 dropped football sponsorship and teams moved to the Colonial Athletic Association beginning with the 2007 season.
^ Changed name to the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the 2008 season.
^ Expanded to an all sports conference in 2008 and changed name to the Great West Conference.

NCAA college football seasons

Pre-regulation	1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905

IAAUS	1906 1907 1908 1909

NCAA	1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972

NCAA Division I	1973 1974 1975 1976 1977

NCAA Division I-A/FBS	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

List of NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football seasons

See also

References