NCAA Division I-A Independent Schools
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NCAA Division I-A independent schools are four-year institutions whose football programs are not part of an NCAA-affiliated conference. This does not mean that I-A independents schedule each other for competition like conference schools do. There are considerably fewer independent schools than in years past; many independent schools later join (or attempt to join) established conferences.
NCAA Division I-A independent schools for 2005
- United States Military Academy (Army) (Left Conference USA after the 2004 season.)
- United States Naval Academy (Navy)
- University of Notre Dame (member of Big East Conference for all other sports sponsored by that league)
Two former independents in football joined a conference starting with the 2004 season. The University of Connecticut, which was already a Big East member in other sports, became a full member in football. Troy University joined the Sun Belt Conference for football. Temple University, although dismissed from the Big East after the 2004 season and originally planning to become an indepedent, instead joined the Mid-American Conference in late May 2005.