American Football Database
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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 ConferenceNorthern Arizona
Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceSouth Carolina State
Ohio Valley ConferenceWestern Kentucky
Southwestern Athletic ConferenceGrambling State
Yankee ConferenceMassachusetts

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 LeagueDartmouth, Harvard, and Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern ConferenceFurman
Southland ConferenceLouisiana 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 LeagueHoly 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 GambleRB (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 MeggettRB (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 FrieszQB (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 DeanRB (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 MartinQB (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 PaytonQB (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 LeagueDayton
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 NussmeierQB (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 McNairQB (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 DickensonQB (Montana) Dexter CoakleyLB (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 ConferenceMonmouth 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 AmersonRB (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 FinneranWR (Villanova) Chris McNeilDE (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 AzumahRB (New Hampshire) James MiltonLB (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 PetersonRB (Georgia Southern) Al LucasDT (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 IvoryRB (Furman) Edgerton HartwellLB (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 WestbrookRB (Villanova) Derrick LloydLB (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 RomoQB (Eastern Illinois) Rashean MathisFS (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 BranchRB (Colgate) Jared AllenDE (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 CampbellQB (William & Mary) Jordan BeckLB (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 MeyerQB (Eastern Washington) Chris GocongDE (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 SantosQB (New Hampshire) Kyle ShotwellLB (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 FosterQB (Georgia Southern) Kroy BiermannDE (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 EdwardsQB (Appalachian State) Greg PeachDE (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 EdwardsQB (Appalachian State) Arthur MoatsDE (James Madison)

See also[]

References[]

  1. 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.
  2. "2008 Division I Football Records Book:Conference Standings and Champions". NCAA. 2008. pp. 430–436. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=35770.
  3. 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
  4. The Buck Buchanan Award, established in 1995, is presented to the most outstanding defensive player on the I-AA/FCS level.
  5. The Ivy, Southern, and Southland Conferences were all downgraded from I-A after the 1981 season.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference was founded in 1980, added football in 1993, and dropped football sponsorship after the 2007 season.
  10. After the 1996 football season, the Yankee Conference merged with the Atlantic 10 Conference, which would sponsor football until the 2006 season.
  11. The Big South Conference was founded in 1983 and added football in 2002.
  12. The Atlantic 10 dropped football sponsorship and teams moved to the Colonial Athletic Association beginning with the 2007 season.
  13. Changed name to the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the 2008 season.
  14. Expanded to an all sports conference in 2008 and changed name to the Great West Conference.
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