NCAA Division I FCS independent schools

NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions in the United States whose football programs are not members of a football conference. This means that FCS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition as conference schools do.

As of the most recent 2025 season, Merrimack and Sacred Heart competed as independents since their primary conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, does not sponsor football. They were previously members of the Northeast Conference (now officially known as NEC), which sponsored the sport. Following the 2025 season, Sacred Heart will leave the independent ranks to join CAA Football.

As of the 2026 season, Chicago State, a full NEC member, will play its first season of varsity football as an FCS independent before joining NEC football in 2027.