Wikipedia:WikiProject College football/Major vs small college compendium

1946
In early September 1946, AP Newsfeatures published a "Major College Football Schedule". It included 99 schools.

AP Newsfeatures
In early September 1947, AP Newsfeatures published a "Major College Football Schedule". It identified 98 "major" teams as follows:

Big Nine (9/9): Illinios, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big Six (6/6): Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma

Ivy League (8/8): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale

PCC (10/10): California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

SEC (12/12): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt

Southwest (7/7): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU

Southern (11/16): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, Richmond, South Carolina, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, William & Mary (Not included: The Citadel, Davidson, Furman, George Washington, Washington and Lee )

Middle Three (2/3): Lafayette, Rutgers (Not included: Lehigh)

Mountain States (5/7): Colorado, Denver, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming (Not included: BYU, Colorado A&M)

Missouri Valley (2/5): Oklahoma A&M, Tulsa (Not included: Drake, Saint Louis, Wichita)

Rocky Mountain (2/5): Colorado College, Montana State (Not included: Colorado State–Greeley, Colorado Mines, Western State (CO))

Border (3/9): Arizona, New Mexico, Texas Tech, (Not included: Arizona State, Arizona State-Flagstaff, Hardin-Simmons, New Mexico A&M, Texas Mines, West Texas State)

Eastern independents (13): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Holy Cross, Merchant Marine, NYU, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova

Other (8): Georgetown, Marquette, Michigan State, Navy, Notre Dame, Saint Mary's (CA), Virginia, West Virginia

National Collegiate Athletic Bureau
The National Collegiate Athletic Bureau (predecessor to the NCAA Service Bureau?) maintained its own list of "major" colleges that appears to have been significantly more extensive than the AP Newsfeatures' list. For example, we have published articles indicating that the Athletic Bureau rated the following teams as within the "major college" category: Chattanooga, Colorado A&M, Drake, Furman, Nevada, Saint Louis, Lehigh, Texas Mines, BYU, Davidson, Detroit, Hardin-Simmons, Nevada, San Francisco, and Wichita.

1948
In August 1948, AP Newsfeatures published a "Major College Football Schedule" identifying the following 102 teams as "major". The team included are as follows:

Big Nine (9/9): Illinios, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big Seven (7/7): Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma

Ivy League (8/8): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale

PCC (10/10): California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

SEC (12/12): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt

Southwest (7/7): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU

Southern (12/16): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, Richmond, South Carolina, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington and Lee, William & Mary (Not included: The Citadel, Davidson, Furman, George Washington)

Skyline (4/6): Denver, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming (Not included: BYU, Colorado A&M)

Middle Three (2/3): Lafayette, Rutgers (Not included: Lehigh)

Missouri Valley (2/5): Oklahoma A&M, Tulsa (Not included: Drake, Saint Louis, Wichita)

Border (3/9): Arizona, New Mexico, Texas Tech, (Not included: Arizona State, Arizona State-Flagstaff, Hardin-Simmons, New Mexico A&M, Texas Mines, West Texas State)

Eastern independents (14): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Holy Cross, Merchant Marine, NYU, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova,

Other (12): Colorado College, Georgetown, Marquette, Miami (FL), Michigan State, Montana State, Navy, Notre Dame, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's (CA), Virginia, West Virginia

The NCAA Service Bureau used its own classification system and included teams not listed by the AP Newsfeatures. E.g., Miami (OH), Nevada. There are also newspaper accounts indicating other schools were classified as "major". E.g., Portland.

1949
Source:

East (27): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Georgetown, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Maryland, Navy, NYU, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, West Virginia, Yale

Midwest (21): Detroit, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wisconsin

South (26): Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, William & Mary

Southwest (8): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (8): Arizona, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (13): California, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Oregon, Oregon State, St. Mary's, Santa Clara, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams: 48

1950
Source:

East (27): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Georgetown, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Maryland, Navy, NYU, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, West Virginia, Yale

Midwest (21): Detroit, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wisconsin

South (26): Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, William & Mary

Southwest (8): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (8): Arizona, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (13): California, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Oregon, Oregon State, St. Mary's, Santa Clara, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams: 48

Changes from 1949: none

1951
Source:

East (25): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Maryland, Navy, NYU, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, Yale

Midwest (21): Detroit, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wisconsin

South (28): Alabama, Auburn, Chattanooga, Clemson, Duke, Florida, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, West Virginia, William & Mary

Southwest (8): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (8): Arizona, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (15): California, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, San Francisco, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams: 46

Changes from 1950 (net +2): Georgetown dropped, West Virginia moved to South, Chattanooga added, Pacific added, San Francisco added, San Jose State added, St. Mary's dropped

1952
Source:

East (24): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Navy, NYU, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, Yale

Midwest (23): Detroit, Drake, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wichita, Wisconsin

South (32): Alabama, Auburn, Chattanooga, Citadel, Clemson, Davidson, Duke, Florida, Furman, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, West Virginia, William & Mary

Southwest (9): Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (9): Arizona, Brigham Young, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (14): California, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams (net +6): 47

Changes from 1951: Maryland moved to South, Drake added, Wichita added, Citadel added, Davidson added, Furman added, Houston added, Brigham Young added, San Francisco dropped

1953
Source:

East (23): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Navy, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, Yale

Midwest (24): Cincinnati, Detroit, Drake, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wichita, Wisconsin

South (32): Alabama, Auburn, Chattanooga, Citadel, Clemson, Davidson, Duke, Florida, Furman, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, West Virginia, William & Mary

Southwest (9): Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (9): Arizona, Brigham Young, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (13): California, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, San Jose State, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams (net -1): 47

Changes from 1952: NYU dropped, Cincinnati added, Santa Clara dropped

1954
Note: discrepancies in the below need to be understood and/or resolved.

Per various sources
Per the NCAA Service Bureau, there were 103 "major college" teams in 1954. Per 1954 newspaper accounts, the majors included:

ACC (8): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest

Big Seven (7): Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma

Big Ten (10): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Border Conference (7): Arizona, Arizona State, Hardin–Simmons, New Mexico A&M, Texas Tech, Texas Western, West Texas State

Ivy (8): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth,  Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale

Missouri Valley Conference (5): Detroit, Houston, Oklahoma A&M, Tulsa, Wichita

PCC (9): California, Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

Skyline (8): BYU, Colorado A&M, Denver, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

SEC (12): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt

Southern (9): Citadel, Davidson, Furman, George Washington, Richmond, VMI, VPI, West Virginia, William & Mary

Southwest Conference (7): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU

Other: Army, Boston College, Boston University,  Bucknell, Chattanooga, Cincinnati  Colgate, Drake, Fordham,  Holy Cross,  Lafayette, Marquette, Miami (FL),  Navy,  Notre Dame, Pacific, Penn State,  Pittsburgh, Rutgers, San Jose State, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova

Total teams:

Per preseason "major college" schedule
As published in August in various newspapers.

Source:

East (23): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Navy, Pennsylvania, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova, Yale

Midwest (24): Cincinnati, Detroit, Drake, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M, Purdue, Tulsa, Wichita, Wisconsin

South (31): Alabama, Auburn, Chattanooga, Citadel, Clemson, Davidson, Duke, Florida, Furman, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Richmond, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, VPI, Wake Forest, West Virginia, William & Mary

Southwest (10): Arkansas, Baylor, Hardin-Simmons, Houston, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Rocky Mountain (12): Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, Colorado A&M, Colorado, Denver, Montana, Montana State, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming

Far West (11): California, Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, San Jose, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA, Washington, Washington State

Total teams (net +1): 47

Changes from 1953: Washington & Lee dropped, Hardin-Simmons added, Arizona State added, Montana moved to Rocky Mountain, Montana State moved to Rocky Mountain, San Jose State now listed as San Jose

1962
This article from October states there are 119 "major" teams, with the determination of major being made by "the NCAA delegates to the Football Writers Association of America".

1963
In the 1963 Official Collegiate Football Record Book, published by the NCAA, 136 teams were included in the NCAA University Division, as follows:

AAWU (6/6): California, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

ACC (8/8): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest

Big Eight (8/8): Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Big Ten (10/10): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

SEC (12/12): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt

Southwest Conference (8/8): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Ivy League (8/8): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale

Mid-American Conference (7/7): Bowling Green, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan

Middle Atlantic Conference, University Division (6/6): Bucknell, Delaware, Gettysburg, Lafayette, Lehigh, Temple

Missouri Valley (5/5): Cincinnati, Louisville, North Texas State, Tulsa, Wichita

Western Athletic Conference (6/6): Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

Southern Conference (8/9): The Citadel, Furman, George Washington, Richmond, VMI, VPI, West Virginia, William & Mary (Not included: Davidson)

Middle Three Conference (1): Rutgers [Lehigh and Lafayette counted in Middle Atlantic]

Big Sky (1/4): Montana State (Not included: Idaho State, Montana, Weber State)

Eastern independents (11): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Buffalo, Colgate, Holy Cross, Muhlenberg, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova

Western independents (9): Air Force, Colorado State, Idaho, New Mexico State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pacific, San Jose State, Utah State

Southern independents (8): Florida State, Hardin-Simmons, Houston, Memphis State, Miami (FL), Navy, Texas Western, West Texas State

Midwestern independents (4): Dayton, Detroit, Notre Dame, Xavier

There are four University Division teams without 1963 season articles: Dayton, Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, West Texas State

1964
In the 1964 Official Collegiate Football Record Book, published by the NCAA, 116 teams were included in the NCAA University Division, as follows:

AAWU (8/8): California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

ACC (8/8): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest

Big Eight (8/8): Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Big Ten (10/10): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

SEC (11/11): Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt

Southwest Conference (8/8): Arkansas, Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech

Ivy League (8/8): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Yale

Mid-American Conference (7/7): Bowling Green, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan

Missouri Valley (5/5): Cincinnati, Louisville, North Texas State, Tulsa, Wichita State

Western Athletic Conference (6/6): Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

Southern Conference (8/9): The Citadel, Furman, George Washington, Richmond, VMI, VPI, West Virginia, William & Mary (Not included: Davidson)

Middle Three Conference (1/3): Rutgers [Not included: Lehigh and Lafayette]

Eastern independent (10): Army, Boston College, Boston University, Buffalo, Colgate, Holy Cross, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova

Midwest independent (4): Dayton, Detroit, Notre Dame, Xavier

Southern independent (7): Florida State, Houston, Memphis State, Miami (FL), Navy, Texas Western, West Texas

Western independent (7): Air Force, Colorado State, Idaho, New Mexico State, Pacific, San Jose State, Utah State

Changes from 1963: Middle Atlantic-University Division, Hardin-Simmons, Montana State, Muhlenberg, moved to College Division