There are currently about 777 colleges and universities nationwide that offer college football programs. This total includes all NCAA divisions, the NAIA, and independent schools, with some new programs launching recently and more planned soon. This number spans schools across different competitive levels, not just NCAA Division I.
For reference:
- The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) alone has about 134-136 teams.
- NCAA Division I including FCS and FBS has over 260 teams.
- When adding lower divisions such as NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior colleges, the total reaches close to around 777 recognized four-year institutions fielding teams.
Thus, the broadest count of college football teams across all levels in the US is approximately 777.
