In college football, FBS stands for Football Bowl Subdivision, which is the highest level of college football in the United States. FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and as of the 2023 season, there are 10 conferences and 133 schools in FBS. FBS teams can offer up to 85 scholarships, while FCS schools are limited to 63. FBS schools tend to have deeper rosters and more competitive recruiting classes. FBS teams must play in a bowl game if they are eligible, while FCS teams can only participate in their playoffs. FBS players make up the vast majority of the players picked in the NFL Draft.

On the other hand, FCS stands for Football Championship Subdivision, which is the second-highest level of collegiate football. FCS comprises 124 mostly medium-sized public institutions. FCS teams can only have 63 players on scholarship. FCS teams usually play 11-game schedules while FBS programs play 12 each. FCS football teams compete in a 24-team playoff for the NCAA Division 1 Football Championship.

In summary, FBS and FCS are two subdivisions of Division I football in the NCAA. FBS is the highest level of college football, while FCS is the second-highest level. The primary differences between FBS and FCS football are the number of scholarships offered, the number of regular-season games played, and the postseason format.