Division: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Sports Type: NCAA Division I

Number of Member Schools and Organizations by 2020: seven

Subdivision Founding: 1978

Independents Football Commissioner: Mark Emmert

Regions Accommodated: Eastern US, Midwestern US, Southern US, Mountain States

Independents Football Tickets

Throughout the NCAA Division I, it’s a common practice for teams to join conferences where they face off against other collegiate teams. Not every team opts to join a conference, and this is where the NCAA Division I FBS Independent Schools come in. These seven schools are four-year institutions that aren’t part of any NCAA conference. In the past, many of the armed services were part of this grouping, and there were others like Arkansas State and Cal State Fullerton, but some teams opted to drop the sport, and others, like the Air Force, decided to join conferences. Independent schools are able to play in the College Football Playoff, and Independents Football tickets continue to be a draw of revenue for each of the schools associated. Many of the schools that have independent status state that it’s their fan bases that keeps them from joining conferences. StubHub is the place to go to purchase some Independents Football tickets today.

Which teams make up the Independents?

Currently, the independent universities have counted far fewer members than have been present in previous years. Still, the current crop includes University of Massachusetts Amherst, Notre Dame, New Mexico State University, Liberty University and Brigham Young University. In addition, the United States Military Academy at West Point is also considered a member of the Independents. One of the most unique features of this grouping is that it’s made up of several types of schools: private, public, federal, Christian and Catholic.

What are the most recent entries into the ranks of the Independents?

While the independent universities have fluctuated over the past several decades, there are a few that have only recently joined this group. These include UMASS Amherst, which only became an Independent team in 2016; New Mexico, which was part of Sun Belt Conference and which joined in 2018; and Liberty, which was part of the Big South Conference and which joined also joined in 2018. The seventh member of the selection of Independent universities is the University of Connecticut’s Huskies football team, which is joining in 2020.

Do these schools have full-sized stadiums for their games?

Like all of the conference teams, the Independent teams have sizable stadiums in which to play their games. If you have Independents Football tickets, it’s fairly easy to find seating, especially considering that the largest capacity stadium can seat over 77,500 visitors. This stadium is Notre Dame Stadium, but BYU, which is the home of LaVell Edwards Stadium, and UMASS’s Gillette Stadium can host more than 63,000 fans each. It’s important to note that all of these schools have very busy seasons, and all of the teams are at the Division I level, so not being part of a formal conference hasn’t really been to the detriment of Independent football ticket sales.

What bowls can Independent colleges participate in for football?

While not every school is allowed to play in the bowls that require a conference, the access bowls will allow at least some Independent schools to play. These include the Orange Bowl, the Military Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Cotton Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Do Independent football teams play some conference teams?

Yes. Many Independent football games are scheduled against opponents from various conferences. For instance, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame does tend to go up against ACC opponents. This is due to the fact that Notre Dame has a deal with the ACC that allows it to schedule five games per season.