The University of Delaware is moving to the top level of college football.
Conference USA announced Tuesday that Delaware would be joining the conference in 2025. The move makes Delaware the 134th school to play college football at the FBS level.
Delaware currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association at the FCS level and are currently 9-3 after a 36-34 win over Lafayette in the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Blue Hens play at Montana in the second round on Dec. 2.
The school has won five Division II national titles and won the FCS championship in 2003.
“Just like our football team, the whole University of Delaware, is on the rise,” Delaware President Dennis Assanis said in a statement. “UD ranks among the nation’s leading public research institutions and is recognized nationally for delivering exceptional professional outcomes for our students. Joining Conference USA will help increase our visibility to shine a light on our excellent academic programs, our ground-breaking research initiatives and our enduring impact on our community and the world.”
Delaware will be the third school to make the jump from FCS to Conference USA in recent years. Jacksonville State and Sam Houston are currently in their first season at the FBS level. They joined Conference USA as the conference scrambled to add teams and stay intact following the latest round of conference realignment.
The Blue Hens’ move up to the FBS level means there will be just seven states in the U.S. that don’t have a team at the top level of college football; Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
When Delaware joins Conference USA, the conference will have 10 football teams. Liberty and New Mexico State are set to play Friday night for the conference title.
