Delaware Poised to Join Conference USA, Move Up to FBS

Delaware is preparing to join Conference USA in the 2025–26 academic year, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Pete Thamel initially broke the news.

The Blue Hens, who currently play in Coastal Athletic Association, will become the 11th program to join the CUSA. Kennesaw State, which previously played in the Big South and Atlantic Sun Conference the past eight seasons, is set to join the league as the 10th team in 2024-25.

With Delaware’s move from the FCS to the FBS, it would become the first program required to pay the $5 million application fee, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network. In October, the NCAA Division I Council raised the cost from $5,000 to $5 million to move up from FCS to FBS.

In the past two seasons, C-USA has lost nine programs to the Sun Belt Conference and the American Athletic Conference: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA, Southern Miss, Marshall and Old Dominion. 

Those departing teams were replaced this season by Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State. The Blue Hens have played on the FCS level since 1980 and won a national championship in ’03.

Currently, Delaware (9–3, 6–2 CAA) is heading into a second-round matchup at Montana in the FCS playoffs after defeating Lafayette, 36–34, on Saturday. During the 2023 regular season, the Blue Hens finished tied for fourth in the CAA behind Albany, Villanova and Richmond.