When the college football season kicks off each fall, it continues a tradition that began on Nov. 6, 1869 — the day Princeton and Rutgers clashed in New Brunswick, NJ, at the first intercollegiate football game. The sport has evolved a lot since then. Players are faster, the equipment is state of the art and the media covers virtually every game. Revamped rules in 1912 changed the downs system and made the forward pass legal. Those changes brought forth today’s game, which is resplendent with lots of rushing and passing action. Over the years, there has also been a lot of development in the way college football is organized through the NCAA. There are now three divisions and many conferences of play. FBS Division I-A is the toughest division, featuring large universities with massive sports budgets that award many full-ride scholarships to draw the best high school players in the country. Division I-A includes the American, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Conference USA, FBS Independents, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC and Sun Belt conferences. Division I-AA includes the Big Sky, Big South, CAA, FCS Independents, Great West, Ivy, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Pioneer, Southern, Southland and SWAC conferences.

Where can I get tickets to an NCAA football game?

Grab your NCAA Football tickets at StubHub. You can catch your alma mater or favorite college team playing its biggest rival this year.

Who are some of the top NCAA football head coaches of all time?

College football has had some storied coaches through its years. Some of the best known who influenced the style of gameplay include Bear Bryant, Knute Rockne, Barry Switzer, Joe Paterno and Bobby Stoops. You can catch coaching legends Nick Saban and Urban Meyer still at work this season.

What is the NCAA football schedule?

In general, the annual football season begins in late August and extends through early January. In 2019, the official NCAA football season kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 24, and culminates on Jan. 13, 2020, with the national championship game.

How is the tailgating scene at NCAA football games?

Many schools are as well known for their tailgating parties as for their football programs. Major universities like the University of Oklahoma host separate tailgate areas for donors and cordon off areas for general tailgating. Sports news outlets like ESPN set up in the tailgate area to broadcast live and host their own parties.

What are the top games this year for NCAA football?

You can count on the big rivalries continuing to make for top games this year. However, every year produces new top teams, which is part of the fun of college football. While the Associated Press and ESPN try to predict who will field a powerhouse team, the players determine the final outcome. That changes each year as some of the best players graduate or enter the NFL draft, which makes room for new talent to shine. You’ll need to follow the top 10 teams rankings released weekly to know which teams will play the big games.Back to Top

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