The Pioneer Football League (PFL) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a football-only conference. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. It is headquartered in St. Louis, in the same complex that also contains the offices of the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference. Unlike most other Division I FCS conferences, the Pioneer League consists of institutions that choose not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") to football players.
The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was known as the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship.
The 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season, the 2010 season of college football for teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), began in September 2010 and concluded with the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game on January 7, 2011. In the title game, Eastern Washington defeated Delaware, 20–19, to claim their first Division I national title in any team sport.
The 2015 The Citadel Bulldogs football team represented The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bulldogs were led by second-year head coach Mike Houston and played their home games at Johnson Hagood Stadium. They played as members of the Southern Conference, as they have since 1936. They finished the season 9–4, 6–1 in SoCon play to finish in a share for the SoCon title with Chattanooga. Due to their head-to-head loss to Chattanooga, they did not receive the SoCon's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. However, they received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Coastal Carolina in the first round before losing in the second round to Charleston Southern.
The 2017 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team represented Lehigh University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Mountain Hawks were led by 12th-year head coach Andy Coen and played their home games at Goodman Stadium. They were a member of the Patriot League. They finished the season 5–7, 5–1 in Patriot League play to finish in a tie for the Patriot League championship with Colgate. Due to their head-to-head win over Colgate, Lehigh received the Patriot League's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they lost to Stony Brook in the first round.
The 2017 Monmouth Hawks football team represented Monmouth University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Big South Conference. They were led by 25th-year head coach Kevin Callahan and played their home games at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Monmouth finished the season 9–3 overall a nd 4–1 in Big South play to place in second. The Hawks received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs marking the school's first playoff berth. There they lost to Northern Iowa in the first round.
The 2018 Monmouth Hawks football team represented Monmouth University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Big South Conference. They were led by 26th-year head coach Kevin Callahan and played their home games at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, New Jersey Monmouth finished the season 8–3 overall and 4–1 in Big South play to place second.
The 2018 Kennesaw State Owls football team represented Kennesaw State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Brian Bohannon and played their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia as fourth-year members of the Big South Conference. They finished the season 11–2, 5–0 in Big South play to win the Big South conference championship for the second consecutive year. The Owls received the Big South's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. The Owls earned a No. 4 seed and a first round bye. They defeated Wofford in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to No. 5 South Dakota State.
The 2018 Duquesne Dukes football team represented Duquesne University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 14th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt and played their home games at Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field. They played as a member of the Northeast Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 5–1 in NEC play to be NEC co-champions with Sacred Heart. Due to their head-to-head win over Sacred Heart, they received the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Towson in the first round before losing in the second round to South Dakota State.
The 2018 Colgate Raiders football team represented Colgate University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Dan Hunt and played their home games at Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium. They were a member of the Patriot League. They finished the season 10–2, 6–0 in Patriot League play to be Patriot League champions. They received the Patriot League's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where, after a first round bye, they defeated James Madison in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to North Dakota State. Following the season, they were awarded the Lambert Division I FCS Cup by the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the Metropolitan New York Football Writers, signifying the Raiders as the best team in the East in Division I FCS.
The 2019 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross as a member of the Patriot League during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Bob Chesney, Holy Cross compiled an overall record of 7–6 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, winning the Patriot League title. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Monmouth. They played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The 2019 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 23rd-year head coach John Stiegelmeier and played their home games at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in MVFC play to finish in a three-way tie for third place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where, after a first round bye, they lost in the second round to Northern Iowa.
The 2019 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Grizzlies were led by second-year head coach Bobby Hauck, ninth overall as he previously was head coach from 2003–2009, and played their home games on campus at Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana as a charter member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 10–4, 6–2 in Big Sky play to finish in a three-way tie for third place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where, after a first round bye, they defeated Southeastern Louisiana in the second round before losing to Weber State in the quarterfinals.
The 2019 James Madison Dukes football team represented James Madison University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Curt Cignetti and played their home games at Bridgeforth Stadium. They competed as a member of CAA Football. They finished the season 14–2, 8–0 in CAA play to be CAA champions. They received the CAA's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Monmouth, Northern Iowa, and Weber State to advance to the FCS National Championship Game where they lost to North Dakota State.
The 2019 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented California State University, Sacramento as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Troy Taylor, the Hornets compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the Big Sky title with Weber State. Sacramento State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs where, after a first-round bye, they lost to Austin Peay in the second round. The Hornets played home games at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California.
The 2019 Wofford Terriers football team represents Wofford College in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by second-year head coach Josh Conklin and play their home games at Gibbs Stadium. They are a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
The 2019 Furman Paladins team represented Furman University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Clay Hendrix, the Paladins compiled an overall record of 8–5 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing second in the SoCon. Furman received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to Austin Peay in the first round. The team played home games at Paladin Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina.
The 2019 Kennesaw State Owls football team represented Kennesaw State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Brian Bohannon and played their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia as fifth-year members of the Big South Conference. They finished the season 11–3, 5–1 in Big South play to finish in second place. The Owls received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs. They defeated Wofford in the first round before losing to Weber State in the second round.
The 2019 Montana State Bobcats football team represented Montana State University as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Jeff Choate, the Bobcats compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the Big Sky. Montana State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first round bye, the Bobcats defeated Albany in the second round and Austin Peay in the quarterfinals before losing in the semifinals to the eventual national champion, North Dakota State. The team played home games at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana.
The 2020 Monmouth Hawks football team represented Monmouth University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Big South Conference. They will be led by 28th-year head coach Kevin Callahan and play their home games at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
