The 2025 FBS Independents Football Helmet Schedule is now available, and it also includes the two Pac-12 members. The PDF schedule features the team helmets, date, and opponent for four teams total.
There are two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Independent teams for the 2025 season — Notre Dame and UConn. UMass returns to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) this season after competing for eight seasons as an FBS Independent.
The two Pac-12 teams, Oregon State and Washington State, will essentially play the 2025 season as FBS Independents before the Pac-12 returns with a minimum eight-team lineup in 2026.
Three FBS Independent teams will kickoff their 2025 seasons on Saturday, Aug. 30 — UConn hosts the Central Connecticut Blue Devils, Oregon State hosts the California Golden Bears, while Washington State welcomes the rival Idaho Vandals to Pullman.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish open their season one day later on Sunday, Aug. 31 on the road against the Miami Hurricanes. The game will be nationally televised by ABC at 7:30pm ET.
The 2025 SEC Football Helmet Schedule and 2025 ACC Football Helmet Schedule were previously released. The remaining college football helmet schedules for the 2025 season will be released over the next few weeks.
Helmet Schedules
2025 FBS Independents Football Helmet Schedule (w/ Pac-12)
I fully support UConn remaining Independent in CFB Sorry Z-Man also I would like to see Sacramento State to start as an Independent when they leapfrog to FBS before which conference they will be invited to.
Doesn’t the Pac-12 still need one more football member before it can be considered an FBS conference next season?
Yes
Correct, rumor has it an announcement will be made by end of May that includes both the media deal/partners and 8th football member (likely Texas St)
I hope it’s Texas State. They’re decent at football, and decent at baseball (which Oregon State will like). I wonder if they invite UTSA as well to be a travel partner.
@Evan The pundits or rumours seem to be discouraging for any AAC schools including UTSA from joining the PAC as part of 2026 due to the comments from earlier in the year by Memphis and Tulane. UNT was also rumoured but again not likely. 2026 looks more and more like only 8 members total for FB and be reassessed as we get closer to 2030-31 when the next wave of conference media rights deals end.
If somehow the MW defectors are able to significantly reduce or even escape from paying the MWC the additional “poaching fees” there’s a chance AFA and UNLV could still join. But there’s no timetable nor any clear projections of that happening soon if ever.
When Oregon State and Washington State decided to schedule 2 games against each other for next season, there were still several FBS schools that had openings. It may have been a short-sighted decision. It’s too late to change it now, but I wonder if they wish they had sought out other FBS opponents. For example, I know UConn and Air Force each had openings until recently.
Didn´t they close those by scheduling each other?
UMass in the MAC might finally give the team some momentum and confidence, something they havent had since going FBS. The same old UMass ends this season
That´s part of why I thin teams should join conference´s unless independence it´s the 100% best option for them. It gives the team something to play for and allows them to properly develop rivalries. Of course, the exception to all this Notre Dame because, well, they´re Notre Dame.
It´s crazy that officially there are only two independents left in college football.
Maybe three Sacramento State make a perfect independent team.
thanks
Washington State should be on upset alert on week 1. For the first time since 2000 Idaho might just escape with a check and a win.
I wouldn´t bet on it. Washington State just hired one of the best FCS coaches and Idaho lost their coach to New Mexico and with the transfer portal, coach hirings and firings are more impactful to a program than ever before.
But Idaho did pick up power 4 transfers along with the best rushing duo in the fcs and 2 quarterbacks who had starts and meaningful reps when their starting qb was injured from the Oregon game. When you add their defense saw little let alone no change talent wise, they should pull the upset. Just because WSU obtained the best head coach from the fcs doesn’t mean they will win.
You do bring up good points and it could be a good game, however, I still really struggle to see Idaho managing to pull it off.