The 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 156th season of college football in the United States, the 120th season organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the 50th of the highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 23 and ended on December 13. The postseason began on December 13, and, aside from any all-star games that are scheduled, ended on January 19, 2026, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes by a score of 27–21 to claim their first national championship in school history. The Hoosiers became the first FBS team since the 1894 Yale Bulldogs to have a perfect 16–0 season. This was the second season of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) system.

Conference realignment

Two schools played their first FBS seasons in 2025; Delaware (from the Coastal Athletic Association) and Missouri State (from the Missouri Valley conference) began their transitions from Division I FCS in 2024 and joined Conference USA (CUSA) in July 2025. One formerly independent school, UMass, rejoined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2025, but this time as a full member instead of football-only.

Team Conference in 2024 Conference in 2025 Delaware CAA Football (FCS) CUSA Missouri State Missouri Valley (FCS) CUSA UMass Independent (FBS) MAC

The 2025 season was the last for eight FBS teams in their then-current conferences. On February 9, 2026 Both The Mountain West and North Dakota State Confirmed a deal to let the Bison in the Conference by the 2026 season.

School Current conference Future conference Boise State Mountain West Pac-12 Colorado State Mountain West Pac-12 Fresno State Mountain West Pac-12 Louisiana Tech CUSA Sun Belt Northern Illinois MAC Mountain West North Dakota State Missouri Valley (FCS) Mountain West Sacramento State Big Sky (FCS) MAC San Diego State Mountain West Pac-12 Texas State Sun Belt Pac-12 Utah State Mountain West Pac-12 UTEP CUSA Mountain West

Rule changes The following playing rule changes were approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee on April 17, 2025: In an effort to reduce feigned injuries, if medical personnel have to enter the field to tend to an injured player after the ball is spotted by officials ready for play, that team will be charged a timeout (or a five-yard delay of game penalty if out of timeouts). If this occurs after the two-minute timeout (and the injury is the only reason for the clock to stop), a 10-second runoff applies if the team is out of timeouts. Starting with the third overtime period, teams will only be permitted one timeout to use until the game is concluded. Previously teams received a timeout for each overtime period, including the two-point attempts that begin with the third overtime. Eliminating media timeouts after the second overtime period, and reducing the mandatory rest periods in games without media timeouts to only after the second overtime period (instead of after the second and fourth overtimes). Once a decision is made on instant replay reviews, the referee will only use the terms "Overturned" and "Upheld". "Confirmed" or "Stands" will no longer be used. On punt formations, no player can be directly in line of the snap to a potential kicker and no player can be inside of the frame of the snapper to qualify as a legal scrimmage kick formation. If these requirements are not met, five players numbered 50–79 must be on the line of scrimmage. Also, if the snapper is on the end of a line, he loses the scrimmage kick protection and the defense can line up a player over the snapper. If a player on the kickoff return team gives a "T" signal with his arms, the team gives up their right to return the kickoff and the play will be whistled dead once the ball is caught or recovered. Enhanced rules regarding words or signals used to distract opponents trying to put the ball in play. The terms "stem" and "move" would only be permitted for defenses, and defenses cannot use cadence or sounds that simulate offensive team signals. Included players attempting to recover a loose ball to the list of "defenseless players". Contact to an offensive player in a passing posture is now considered "Roughing the Passer". If targeting occurs with this act, the roughing the passer penalty would remain even if the targeting penalty is overturned on replay. Added "simulating brandishing a weapon" to the list of acts considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Codifying the rule change from 2024's Ohio State at Oregon game, after the two-minute timeout, teams called for having 12 or more players participating in a down will be penalized five yards, and the offense would have the option to reset the game clock to the time at the start of the play. If the 12th or more player(s) were running off the field and had no influence on the play, the yardage penalty would apply but no clock reset option would be available. The clock reset option is also available without accepting the penalty. The Coach to Player (C2P green dot) communication technology currently used in FBS will be a permissible option for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In 2026, the C2P technology will be allowed in Divisions II and III.

Points of emphasis

Continued focus on protection of defenseless players, concussions, pre-snap actions from both offense/defense, and feigning injuries. Focus on penalizing taunting actions by players and pre-game actions between teams that become unsportsmanlike conduct. Sideline control, including leaving the playing area to dispute an officiating decision. Illegal contact against a passer. Pace of play and substituting during up-tempo offenses, ensuring defenses are not at a disadvantage before the snap.

Headlines April 25, 2025 – The University of Kentucky (UK) board of trustees approved a proposal to transfer the UK athletic program to a separate though related non-profit company known as Champions Blue, LLC. Both UK and outside media characterized the move, believed to be the first of its type by a major university, as a reaction to the then-impending settlement of the House v. NCAA legal case, which led to a formal revenue-sharing arrangement between athletic programs and student-athletes. July 21 – The American Athletic Conference announced a name change to the American Conference as part of a comprehensive rebranding strategy. The conference will also no longer use an initialism, opting for "American" as its short form. September 4 – The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee voted on major changes to the transfer portal. Under the proposal, the current 30-day period for players to enter the portal, divided into a 20-day December window and a 10-day April window, would be replaced by a single 10-day window that would run from January 2–11. This new 10-day window would apply to both undergraduate and graduate transfers. The committee also recommended that the month of December become a recruiting "dead period" during which coaches and recruits cannot meet in person, and that the signing date for new recruits change from August 1 to November 15 of a recruit's senior year in high school. September 17 – The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved the proposed single January transfer portal, but chose not to adopt the proposed January 2–11 dates. In response to feedback from FBS and FCS players, the oversight committees for both subdivisions were to discuss the dates and duration of the portal, with the Administrative Committee to set the final parameters at its scheduled October meeting. Players still competing in postseason play when the new portal closes will have a 5-day portal after their teams' final games, and the existing 30-day window for players undergoing a head coaching change will tentatively remain in place. September 29 – The FBS Oversight Committee recommended that the single January transfer portal be open for 15 days from January 2–16 instead of the originally proposed 10-day window. The revised recommendation also creates a 5-day window for players involved in postseason contests on or after January 12, with the window opening on the day after the team's last game. The Administrative Committee, whose next meeting was October 7–8, had to approve these changes before they took effect. The committee also discussed possible changes to the 30-day window for players undergoing a head coaching change, with continuing discussions set for its next scheduled meeting. October 8: The Administrative Committee, which officially renamed itself the Division I Cabinet at its scheduled meeting, introduced a proposal to expand allowed logos on student-athletes' uniforms and equipment beyond those of the manufacturer. It also approved the following changes to the transfer portal, effective immediately: The committee approved the previously recommended single window running from January 2–16. This only affects entry into the portal. The window for players undergoing a head coaching change was modified. The window for these players will open five calendar days after the hiring or public announcement of a new head coach, and run for 15 days. Should a school not hire or announce a new head coach after 30 days from the previous coach's departure, a separate 15-day window will open on the 31st day, provided that the 31st day is on or after January 3. The opportunity for such a window will exist through June 30. October 12 – James Franklin was fired at Penn State after 12 seasons with the school. Franklin's contract had called for a buyout of more than $49 million, at the time the second biggest buyout in college football history, but a much lower buyout of $9 million was later negotiated when Franklin was hired for the vacancy at Virginia Tech. Franklin was 4–21 against AP top-10 opponents in his time at Penn State. Associate head coach Terry Smith served as the Nittany Lions' interim head coach for the remainder of the season. December 10 – Sherrone Moore was fired for cause by Michigan after 2 seasons as the head coach, due to evidence he allegedly engaged in an inapproriate relationship with a staff member. Immediately following his firing, Moore spiralled out of control, went to the house of the staff member he was alleged to have an affair with, and threatened to take both her life and his own life. He was soon arrested and charged for three crimes: felonious third-degree home invasion, stalking in a domestic relationship, and breaking and entering.

Stadiums Sam Houston played its 2025 home games at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston during construction of a new press box at Bowers Stadium. The UCF Knights announced new naming rights as following the name change of FBC Mortage to Acrisure Mortgage, the FBC Mortgage Stadium was renamed to the Acrisure Bounce House. Following a donation of $100 million by businessman and Illinois alumnus Larry Gies to the school's athletic department, the Fighting Illini's stadium was renamed Gies Memorial Stadium in memory of his late father Larry Sr. shortly after the start of the season. As part of a project to better connect Rice University with the adjacent Rice Village shopping and restaurant district, the university announced that it would downsize Rice Stadium from its current capacity of about 47,000. By project completion, set for 2028, the new capacity is expected to be slightly over 30,000. On November 11, the University of Arizona announced a 20-year naming rights deal with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, with the venue now being called Casino Del Sol Stadium.

Kickoff games

Week 0 The regular season began on Saturday, August 23 with five games in Week 0.

Week 1

Top 10 matchups