List of defunct college football conferences
This is a list of defunct college football conferences in the United States and a defunct university football conference in Canada. Not all of the conferences listed here are truly defunct. Some simply stopped sponsoring football and continue under their current names, where others changed their names after changes in membership.
United States
- Conferences whose charter no longer functions, listed by year of dissolution.
- *██ indicates a former Division I FBS/I–A or University Division conference
- *██ indicates a former Division I FCS/I–AA conference
- *██ indicates a former Division II/College Division conference
- *██ indicates a former Division III conference
- *██ indicates a former NAIA conference
- *† indicates a former conference, of any level, that technically still exists but under a different name
- *‡ indicates a conference that still exists but has ended its sponsorship of football
- Successor conferences in bold are still in existence:
| Conference | First Season | Final Season | Geographic Areas | Predecessor | Successor |
| Central States Football League | 2000 | 2017 | Arizona, Midwest, South Central States | – | Sooner |
| Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference ‡ College Athletic Conference | 1962 | 2016 | South | – | SAA |
| New England Football Conference | 1965 | 2016 | New England | – | Commonwealth Coast |
| West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1924 | 2013 | Pennsylvania, West Virginia | – | Mountain East |
| Great West Conference Great West Football Conference | 2004 | 2013 | California, Interior West, Upper Midwest | – | Big Sky MVFC |
| Western Athletic Conference ‡ | 1962 | 2012 | Western States | – | Mountain West |
| Big East Conference † | 1993 | 2012 | Eastern States | – | American |
| Dakota Athletic Conference | 2000 | 2012 | North Dakota, South Dakota | NDCAC SDIC | North Star |
| Pacific-10 Conference † Pacific-8 Conference Big Six Conference Big Five Conference Athletic Association of Western Universities | 1959 | 2011 | Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington | – | Pac-12 |
| Great Lakes Football Conference | 2006 | 2011 | Midwest | – | GLVC |
| Atlantic Central Football Conference | 1997 | 2010 | Mid-Atlantic | – | Empire 8 NJAC USA South |
| Gateway Football Conference Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference ‡ | 1985 | 2008 | Plains States, Midwest States | – | MVFC |
| Illini-Badger Football Conference Illini-Badger-Hawkeye Football Conference | 1976 | 2007 | Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin | – | NACC |
| North Central Conference North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1922 | 2008 | Upper Midwest | – | |
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ‡ | 1993 | 2007 | Mid-Atlantic States | – | – |
| Dixie Conference † | 1963 | 2003 | Southern United States | – | USA South |
| Atlantic 10 Conference ‡ | 1997 | 2006 | Mid-Atlantic States | Yankee | CAA |
| Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference† | 1995 | 2004 | New York | – | Liberty League |
| Freedom Football Conference | 1992 | 2003 | New England, New York | – | Empire Eight NEFC NJAC Liberty League |
| Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference † Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1969 | 2000 | Iowa, Nebraska | – | GPAC |
| Big West Conference ‡ Pacific Coast Athletic Association | 1969 | 2000 | Western States | – | WAC |
| Columbia Football Association | 1987 | 2000 | Oregon, Washington | CFL | GNAC |
| Eastern Football Conference | 1997 | 2000 | Northeast | – | Northeast-10 |
| North Dakota College Athletic Conference North Dakota Intercollegiate Conference | 1931 | 1999 | North Dakota | – | Dakota AC |
| Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference † | 1987 | 1998 | Ohio Valley | – | HCAC |
| Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference Midwest Intercollegiate Conference | 1990 | 1999 | Midwest | Heartland GLIAC | GLIAC |
| South Dakota-Iowa Athletic Conference | 1995 | 1999 | Iowa, South Dakota | SDIC | DAC |
| Mid-Ohio Conference† Mid-Ohio League | 1949 | 1998 | Ohio | – | American Mideast |
| Northern California Athletic Conference Far Western Conference | 1925 | 1998 | California, Nevada, Oregon | California Coast | – |
| Wisconsin State University Conference Wisconsin State Normal Conference | 1913 | 1997 | Wisconsin | – | WIAC |
| Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference | 1974 | 1997 | Oklahoma | OCC | Lone Star |
| Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1976 | 1997 | Texas | – | ASC |
| Eastern Collegiate Football Conference | 1990 | 1997 | New England | – | NEFC |
| Southwest Conference | 1914 | 1996 | Arkansas, Texas | – | Big 12 Conference USA |
| Big Eight Conference Big Seven Conference Big Six Conference | 1907 | 1996 | Interior West, Plains States | MVIAA | Big 12 |
| Yankee | 1947 | 1996 | Mid-Atlantic States, New England | New England | Atlantic 10 |
| American West Conference | 1993 | 1996 | California, Utah | Western | Big Sky Big West |
| South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference | 1917 | 1995 | South Dakota | – | SDIAC |
| Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference | 1928 | 1995 | Arkansas | – | Gulf South Lone Star SCAC Sooner Athletic TransSouth Athletic |
| Association of Mideast Colleges | 1991 | 1995 | Kentucky, Ohio | – | – |
| Northern Intercollegiate Conference† State Teacher's College Conference of Minnesota Northern Teachers Athletic Conference | 1932 | 1993 | Upper Midwest | – | Northern Sun |
| Western Football Conference | 1982 | 1993 | California, Utah | – | Big Sky Great West |
| Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association † | 1912 | 1992 | Missouri | – | MIAA |
| Liberty Football Conference | 1985 | 1992 | New York | Met-Intercollegiate | MAAC |
| College Athletic Conference† | 1962 | 1991 | Southern United States | – | SCAC |
| Independent College Athletic Conference | 1964 | 1991 | New Jersey, New York | – | Empire 8 |
| Atlantic Collegiate Football Conference | 1988 | 1991 | Mid-Atlantic | – | – |
| Heartland Collegiate Conference Indiana Collegiate Conference | 1951 | 1989 | Indiana, Ohio | – | MIFC |
| Tri-State Athletic Conference | 1988 | 1989 | Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota | – | – |
| Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Conference | 1965 | 1988 | Maine | Maine IAA | NESCAC |
| Columbia Football League | 1987 | 1988 | Oregon, Washington | Evergreen | CFA |
| Prairie College Conference | 1988 | 1988 | Illinois | – | – |
| Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives † Big Ten Conference Big Nine Conference Western Conference | 1896 | 1987 | Midwestern United States | IAAN | Big Ten |
| Gulf Star Conference | 1984 | 1987 | Louisiana, Texas | – | Southland |
| Central States Intercollegiate Conference | 1976 | 1986 | Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska | Great Plains | MIAA |
| Missouri Valley Conference ‡ | 1907 | 1985 | Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma | – | Mountain West |
| Hoosier-Buckeye Conference Hoosier Conference | 1948 | 1985 | Indiana, Ohio | – | HCAC |
| Pacific Northwest Conference | 1926 | 1984 | Idaho, Oregon, Washington | – | Northwest |
| Evergreen Conference Washington Intercollegiate Conference | 1948 | 1984 | Oregon, Washington | Tri-Normal | Columbia FL |
| Met-Intercollegiate Conference | 1979 | 1984 | New York | Metropolitan IC | Liberty FC |
| Mid-Continent Athletic Association ‡ Summit League | 1978 | 1981 | Midwestern States | – | Gateway/MVFC Ohio Valley |
| Tri-State Conference | 1960 | 1978 | Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota | – | GPAC |
| Twin River Collegiate Conference | 1976 | 1978 | Minnesota | – | – |
| Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference | 1972 | 1977 | New York | – | Met-Intercollegiate |
| Nebraska College Athletic Conference Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference | 1916 | 1976 | Nebraska | – | NIAC/GPAC |
| Great Plains Athletic Conference | 1972 | 1976 | Colorado, Plains States | RMAC | CSIC North Central RMAC |
| Middle Three Conference | 1929 | 1975 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania | – | Big Ten MAC Patriot |
| Virginia Collegiate Athletic Association | 1972 | 1975 | Virginia | Virginia Little Eight | ODAC |
| Mason-Dixon Conference | 1936 | 1974 | Mid-Atlantic States | Chesapeake | ODAC |
| Gateway Conference | 1962 | 1974 | Illinois, Wisconsin | – | – |
| Eastern Football Conference | 1965 | 1974 | Northeast | – | – |
| Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1893 | 1973 | Maine | – | Yankee NESCAC |
| Oklahoma Collegiate Conference | 1929 | 1973 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma IC | Oklahoma IC |
| Carolinas Conference Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North State Conference | 1930 | 1973 | North Carolina, South Carolina | – | – |
| Mid-South Athletic Conference† | 1971 | 1972 | Mid-South | – | Gulf South |
| Missouri College Athletic Union | 1924 | 1970 | Missouri | MIAA | Heart of America |
| Gulf States Conference | 1948 | 1970 | Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi | Louisiana IC | – |
| Alabama Collegiate Conference | 1960 | 1969 | Alabama | Alabama Intercollegiate | Gulf South |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1928 | 1968 | Kansas, Missouri | – | KCAC Great Plains |
| Prairie College Conference | 1953 | 1967 | Illinois, Indiana | – | – |
| Western Pennsylvania Conference | 1958 | 1967 | Pennsylvania | – | – |
| Midwestern Conference Midwest Conference Midwest Athletic Association | 1926 | 1966 | Central States | – | – |
| Oregon Collegiate Conference | 1950 | 1965 | Oregon | – | Evergreen |
| South Carolina Little Three South Carolina Little Four | 1946 | 1964 | South Carolina | – | – |
| Great Plains College Association | 1963 | 1964 | Nebraska | – | – |
| Mountain States Conference | 1938 | 1963 | Interior West | RMAC Border | Big 8 WAC |
| Green Mountain Conference | 1963 | 1963 | Vermont | – | – |
| Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1931 | 1962 | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas | – | WAC |
| Frontier Conference New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference | 1940 | 1962 | Arizona, Colorado New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | – | – |
| Volunteer State Athletic Conference | 1949 | 1962 | Tennessee | Smoky Mountain | – |
| Southeastern Athletic Conference South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1929 | 1961 | Florida, Georgia, South Carolina | – | – |
| South Central Athletic Conference | 1942 | 1961 | Southern United States | – | SWAC |
| Badger-Gopher Conference Badger-Illini Conference Badger State Intercollegiate Conference Tri-State Conference | 1932 | 1961 | Minnesota, Wisconsin | – | – |
| Gulf Coast Athletic Conference | 1958 | 1961 | Louisiana, Texas | – | – |
| Pacific Coast Conference | 1915 | 1959 | Pacific States, Interior West | – | Pac-12 |
| Alabama Intercollegiate Conference | 1938 | 1959 | Alabama | – | Alabama Collegiate |
| Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 1953 | 1959 | South Atlantic States | – | CIAA |
| Western New York Little Three Conference | 1946 | 1958 | Western New York | – | – |
| Virginia Little Eight Conference Virginia Little Seven Conference Virginia Little Six Conference | 1949 | 1958 | Virginia | – | Mason-Dixon VCAA |
| Smoky Mountain Conference | 1927 | 1957 | Tennessee, Virginia | – | Volunteer State |
| Big Seven Conference | 1947 | 1957 | Colorado, Plains States | Big Six Skyline | Big 8 |
| Gulf Coast Conference | 1949 | 1957 | Texas | Lone Star | SIAC |
| Central Church College Conference | 1951 | 1957 | Missouri, Nebraska | – | – |
| Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference | 1926 | 1956 | New Mexico, Texas | TIAA | Southwest Lone Star |
| New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference | 1940 | 1954 | New Mexico | – | – |
| Dixie Conference | 1948 | 1954 | Southeastern United States | – | – |
| Midlands Conference | 1947 | 1952 | Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin | – | – |
| Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1908 | 1970 | Illinois, Michigan | – | MAC |
| Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | 1922 | 1950 | Indiana | – | Indiana CC |
| Vermont State Conference | 1948 | 1950 | Vermont | – | – |
| Upper Peninsula Conference | 1949 | 1949 | Michigan | – | – |
| Pioneer Conference | 1947 | 1949 | Illinois | – | – |
| Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1928 | 1948 | Nebraska | – | – |
| Dakota-Iowa Athletic Conference | 1946 | 1948 | Iowa, South Dakota | – | – |
| Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference | 1939 | 1947 | Louisiana | – | Gulf States |
| New England Conference | 1923 | 1946 | New England | – | Yankee |
| North Atlantic Conference | 1946 | 1946 | Mid-Atlantic States | – | – |
| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1894 | 1942 | Southern United States | – | Southern SAIAA Dixie Louisiana |
| Illinois Intercollege Conference | 1938 | 1942 | Illinois | – | – |
| Dixie Conference | 1930 | 1941 | Southeastern United States | – | – |
| Michigan-Ontario Collegiate Conference | 1930 | 1941 | Michigan, Ontario | – | – |
| South Dakota College Conference | 1933 | 1940 | South Dakota | – | – |
| Alamo Conference | 1936 | 1940 | Texas | – | – |
| Eastern Pennsylvania Conference | 1937 | 1940 | Pennsylvania | – | – |
| Buckeye Athletic Association | 1926 | 1939 | Ohio | Ohio Athletic | Mid-American |
| Tri-Normal League | 1920 | 1937 | Washington | – | Evergreen |
| Chesapeake Conference | 1933 | 1937 | Virginia | Virginia | Mason-Dixon Virginia Little Eight |
| Virginia Conference | 1928 | 1935 | Virginia | – | Chesapeake Southern |
| New York State Conference | 1925 | 1934 | New York | – | – |
| Mississippi Valley Conference | 1928 | 1934 | Mid-South | – | – |
| Tri-State Conference | 1932 | 1934 | Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia | – | – |
| Middle Atlantic Athletic Association | 1934 | 1934 | Mid-Atlantic | – | – |
| Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1909 | 1932 | Texas | – | – |
| Northwest Ohio League Little Ohio Conference | 1921 | 1932 | Ohio | – | – |
| Big Four Conference of Wisconsin | 1923 | 1932 | Wisconsin | – | – |
| Michigan Collegiate Conference | 1926 | 1932 | Michigan | – | – |
| Big Four Conference | 1929 | 1932 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma Intercollegiate | – |
| Metropolitan Conference | 1923 | 1931 | New York | – | – |
| Arkansas Association | 1927 | 1929 | Arkansas | – | Arkansas Intercollegiate |
| Metropolitan Collegiate Conference | 1928 | 1929 | New York | – | – |
| Kansas Collegiate Athletic Association Kansas College Athletic Conference Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1890 | 1928 | Kansas | – | KCAC |
| Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference | 1914 | 1928 | Oklahoma | – | OCC Big Four Conference |
| Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1907 | 1927 | Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma | – | Big Six Missouri Valley |
| Western Interstate Conference | 1923 | 1927 | Illinois, Iowa | – | – |
| Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1912 | 1925 | Louisiana | SIAA | SIAA Louisiana IC |
| California Coast Conference | 1922 | 1924 | California | – | Far Western |
| Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletics Association† | 1913 | 1922 | Mid-Atlantic States | – | MAC |
| South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1911 | 1921 | East Coast | – | Southern |
| Little Five Conference | 1912 | 1917 | Illinois | – | Illinois IAC |
| Hawkeye College Conference | 1914 | 1917 | Iowa | – | Iowa IAC Western IC |
| Indiana College Athletic League | 1916 | 1917 | Indiana | – | – |
| Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1914 | 1916 | Kentucky | – | KIAC |
| Colorado Football Association | 1890 | 1908 | Colorado | – | RMAC |
| Triangular Football League Northeast Intercollegiate League Eastern Intercollegiate Football Association Northern Intercollegiate Football Association | 1885 | 1901 | Massachusetts, New Hampshire | – | – |
| Maryland Intercollegiate Football Association | 1894 | 1899 | Maryland | – | SAIAA |
| Western Interstate University Football Association | 1892 | 1897 | Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska | – | MVIAA |
| Illinois Intercollegiate Football League | 1891 | 1895 | Illinois | – | – |
| Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 1890 | 1894 | Indiana | – | – |
| Middle States Intercollegiate Football League | 1893 | 1894 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania | – | – |
| Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest | 1892 | 1893 | Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin | – | ICFR' |
| Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football Association | 1891 | 1891 | Pennsylvania | – | – |
Canada
- Ontario-Québec Intercollegiate Football Conference – This conference existed with varying membership with many Ontario teams leaving for the current Ontario University Athletics in 1980. The remaining Ontario teams departed after the 2000 season and the remaining Quebec teams ultimately became the Quebec University Football League in 2004.