The FBS also has six independent schools as of the 2018 season : Notre Dame , Army , BYU , Liberty , New Mexico State , and UMass . Notre Dame is currently considered equal to the Power Five schools , being a full ( with the exception of football ) member of the ACC with an annual five-game football scheduling agreement with that conference , its own national television contract , and its own arrangement for access to the CFP-affiliated bowl games should it meet stated competitive criteria . All Power Five leagues that require their members to schedule at least one Power Five team in nonconference play ( currently the ACC , Big Ten , Big 12 , and SEC ) consider Notre Dame to be a Power Five opponent for such purposes . The ACC , Big Ten and SEC also count BYU as a Power Five opponent for scheduling purposes , and the Big Ten and SEC count Army as well
independent schools
NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
Power Five conferences