Chicago State Cougars football
Football team of Chicago State University
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The Chicago State Cougars football team represents Chicago State University at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, the second-highest level of college football in the United States. Chicago's only NCAA Division I football program, they will compete as an independent school during the 2026 season, and in the Northeast Conference beginning in the 2027 season.
1st season, 0–0 (–)
| Chicago State Cougars football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| First season | 2026; 0 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Monique Carroll | ||
| Head coach | Bobby Rome II 1st season, 0–0 (–) | ||
| Location | Bridgeview, Illinois, U.S. | ||
| Stadium | SeatGeek Stadium (capacity: 20,000) | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference |
| ||
| Colors | Green and white[1] | ||
| All-time record | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Website | GoCSUCougars.com | ||
Background
The team is the only NCAA Division I football program in Chicago.[2] The most recent NCAA Division I football program in Chicago was the 1939 edition of the Chicago Maroons football team representing University of Chicago in the Big Ten Conference.[2] Prior to the establishment of Chicago State, ten schools had started NCAA Division I football programs since 2000, only two of them have been at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level and seven have been in Texas, Georgia or Florida.[3] The most recently created Division I football program in Illinois was the Southern Illinois Salukis football program in 1904,[3] which had its inaugural game on October 4, 1913.[4]
History
In January 2023, Chicago State formed an exploratory committee to pursue Division I football competition. The committee included National Football League veterans Vaughn Bryant, Howard Griffith, Tom Thayer and Otis Wilson, Chicago high school football coaches, community leaders and school officials.[5] In September 2023, Chicago State announced fundraising to expand its athletics program.[6][7] When Chicago State announced that the Chicago State Cougars would be competing in the Northeast Conference, it was an early step towards launching a football program.[8] Chicago State began its football head coach search in February 2025,[9] hiring Bobby Rome II two months later as its head coach.[3]
The team will compete as an FCS Independent school in the 2026 season, then as a member of the Northeast Conference for the 2027 season. The team's home games are currently scheduled to be played off-campus at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois; however, the university included the immediate construction of an on-campus turfed practice field in the initial decision to field a program, with plans to build an on-campus stadium at an undetermined point in the future.[2][10][11]
On National Signing Day (February 4, 2026), the team announced its inaugural signing class of 55 athletes.[12]
Classifications
- 2026–present: NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)[2]
Conference memberships
- 2026: NCAA Division I FCS independent[2]
- From 2027: Northeast Conference[2]
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of May 27, 2026.[13]
| 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|
| Roosevelt (8/29) | North Carolina A&T (9/18) |
| at UT Martin (9/5) | |
| Kentucky Christian (9/12) | |
| at Butler (9/19) | |
| Norfolk State (9/26) | |
| at Tarleton State (10/3) | |
| at North Carolina A&T (10/17) | |
| at Lindenwood (10/24) | |
| UFTL (10/31) | |
| Virginia–Lynchburg (11/14) | |
| at Southern Utah (11/21) |