There are four NCAA Division I schools in Rhode Island . All four schools compete in different conferences . The Brown University Bears compete in the Ivy League , the Bryant University Bulldogs compete in the Northeast Conference , the Providence College Friars compete in the Big East Conference , and the University of Rhode Island Rams compete in the Atlantic-10 Conference . Three of the schools ' football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the second-highest level of college football in the United States . Brown plays FCS football in the Ivy League , Bryant plays FCS football in the Northeast Conference , and Rhode Island plays FCS football in the Colonial Athletic Association . All four of the Division I schools in the state compete in an intrastate all-sports competition known as the Ocean State Cup , with Bryant winning the most recent cup in 2011 – 12 academic year
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Rhode Island