Of the 138 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs set to compete this season, only 13 – or nine percent – won’t play an opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). That’s up three from the 10 who didn’t play one last season.
Of the 13 teams on this year’s honor roll, nine hail from a power conference, including Notre Dame, while four represent a Group of Six league. The Big Ten again leads the way with six representatives, while the SEC and Mountain West are tied for second with two teams apiece. The American, Pac-12, and Independents have one representative each.
The ACC, Big 12, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt are the conferences not represented, as every member plays an FCS team this season.
2026 non-conference schedule: at USC (Sept. 4), Sacramento State (Sept. 12), at San Jose State (Sept. 19), Rice (Sept. 26), San Diego State (Nov. 28; Flex Game)
Fresno State scheduled Sacramento State prior to the school jumping from the FCS to the FBS this season. Moving forward, Fresno State’s future schedule includes future games against Utah Tech (2027) and Cal Poly (2028).
2026 non-conference schedule: at Stanford (Aug. 29), New Mexico State (Sept. 12), at Arizona State (Oct. 10), Sacramento State (Nov. 28)
Hawaii last faced an FCS team on the gridiron in 2025, defeating Portland State 23-3 in Honolulu. The Rainbow Warriors are slated to host Northwestern State in 2027 and Fordham in 2028.
2026 non-conference schedule: Western Michigan (Sept. 5), Oklahoma (Sept. 12), UTEP (Sept. 19)
Michigan last played an FCS opponent in 2010, defeating UMass 42-37 on Sept. 18, 2010 in Ann Arbor (UMass was playing its final transition season in the FCS before moving up to the FBS). The Wolverines have no future games scheduled against FCS teams.
2026 non-conference schedule: Toledo (Sept. 4), Eastern Michigan (Sept. 12), at Notre Dame (Sept. 19)
Michigan State last faced an FCS team in 2025, defeating Youngstown State 41-24 in East Lansing. The Spartans are slated to host Duquesne next season, which is currently their only future FCS opponent.
2026 non-conference schedule: Wisconsin (Sept. 6; in Green Bay), Rice (Sept. 12), Michigan State (Sept. 19), at Purdue (Sept. 26), at North Carolina (Oct. 3), Stanford (Oct. 10), at BYU (Oct. 17), vs Navy (Oct. 31; in Foxborough), Miami FL (Nov. 7), Boston College (Nov. 14), SMU (Nov. 21), at Syracuse (Nov. 28)
Notre Dame rarely schedules FCS opponents, and its most recent such matchup came in 2023, when the Irish defeated Tennessee State 56–3 in South Bend. At present, the program has no future FCS games on its slate.
2026 non-conference schedule: Ball State (Sept. 5), at Texas (Sept. 12), Kent State (Sept. 19)
Ohio State last faced an FCS team on the gridiron in 2025, defeating Grambling State 70-0 in Columbus. The Buckeyes are next slated to host New Hampshire in 2027 and Youngstown State in 2029.
2026 non-conference schedule: UTEP (Sept. 4), at Michigan (Sept. 12), New Mexico (Sept. 19)
Oklahoma hosted Illinois State last season, earning a 35–3 win over the FCS opponent. As of now, the Sooners do not have any FCS programs scheduled in their future non‑conference slates.
2026 non-conference schedule: Marshall (Sept. 5), at Temple (Sept. 12), Buffalo (Sept. 19)
Penn State last played an FCS opponent in 2025, defeating Villanova 52-6. After a one-year hiatus, the Nittany Lions will entertain FCS Maine next season on Sept. 11.
2026 non-conference schedule: Texas State (Sept. 5), Ohio State (Sept. 12), UTSA (Sept. 19)
The Texas Longhorns last played an FCS opponent on September 30, 2006, defeating Sam Houston State 56–3 in Austin. At present, the Longhorns have no future FCS games scheduled.
2026 non-conference schedule: at Duke (Sept. 5), South Alabama (Sept. 12), at Kansas State (Sept. 19), Southern Miss (Sept. 26)
Tulane last faced an FCS team on the gridiron in 2024, defeating Southeastern Louisiana 52-0 in New Orleans. The Green Wave are next slated to host Nicholls on Sept. 25, 2027.
2026 non-conference schedule: at California (Sept. 5), San Diego State (Sept. 12), Nevada (Oct. 31)
UCLA’s last game against an FCS opponent was in 2023, a 59-7 win over North Carolina Central in Pasadena. The Bruins have future games scheduled against UC Davis for both the 2027 and 2029 seasons.
2026 non-conference schedule: Memphis (Aug. 29), at North Texas (Sept. 12), at Akron (Sept. 26), California (Oct. 3)
UNLV hosted FCS Idaho State last season in Las Vegas, which resulted in a 38-31 Rebels win. As of now, the Rebels do not have any FCS programs on their future non‑conference slates.
2026 non-conference schedule: San Jose State (Aug. 29), Fresno State (Sept. 4), Louisiana (Sept. 12)
USC has never played an FCS team in the history of their program. The Trojans remain the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to never schedule or play a lower-division opponent since the division split in 1978.
View Comments (3)
This is probably the last year that you will see an SEC team on this list.
I would not mind Michigan to play a FCS opponents if they want to if not that OK.
Many of these FBS teams are easier than a good chunk of FCS teams