List of NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances by team

Last updated

The list of current Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools that have participated in the playoffs leading to the NCAA Division I Football Championship stands at 92. Known as Division I-AA from 1978 through 2005, it was renamed FCS prior to the 2006 season. [1] [2]

Contents

Field

The playoffs began with four teams in 1978, then expanded to eight in 1981, twelve in 1982, and sixteen in 1986. The bracket went to five rounds with a field of twenty teams in 2010, [3] and to 24 teams in 2013. [4]

YearsTeamsByes
1978–19804
19818
1982–1985124
1986–2009160
2010–20122012
2013–248

Current FCS members

TeamAppearancesFirstLastWinsLossesTotalPct.Championships
Abilene Christian Wildcats 120242024000–
Albany Great Danes 320112023224.500
Alcorn State Braves 319841994033.000
Austin Peay Governors 220192023224.500
Bethune–Cookman Wildcats 520022013055.000
Butler Bulldogs 120132013011.000
Cal Poly Mustangs 420052016145.200
Central Arkansas Bears 520112019257.286
Central Connecticut Blue Devils 320172024022.000
Charleston Southern Buccaneers 120152015112.500
Chattanooga Mocs 519842023459.444
The Citadel Bulldogs 519882016256.286
Colgate Raiders 111982201871118.389
Davidson Wildcats 320202022033.000
Dayton Flyers 120152015011.000
Delaware State Hornets 120072007011.000
Drake Bulldogs 220232024011.000
Duquesne Dukes 320152023134.250
East Tennessee State Buccaneers 319962021233.400
Eastern Illinois Panthers 161982201541620.200
Eastern Kentucky Colonels 2319792024162036.4441979, 1982
Eastern Washington Eagles 1519852021201434.5882010
Elon Phoenix 420092022044.000
Florida A&M Rattlers 8197820215712.4171978
Fordham Rams 620022022369.333
Furman Paladins 2019822023211839.5381988
Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs 220222023123.333
Grambling State Tigers 319801989033.000
Hampton Pirates 519972006055.000
Holy Cross Crusaders 619832022257.286
Howard Bison 119931993011.000
Idaho Vandals 141982202471219.368
Idaho State Bengals 219811983314.7501981
Illinois State Redbirds 91998202410818.556
Incarnate Word Cardinals 420182024224.500
Indiana State Sycamores 319832014235.400
Jackson State Tigers 121978199701212.000
Lafayette Leopards 520042023055.000
Lamar Cardinals 120182018011.000
Lehigh Mountain Hawks 121979202461117.353
Maine Black Bears 8198720185813.385
McNeese Cowboys 1619912015111627.407
Mercer Bears 220232024112.500
Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 119841984011.000
Monmouth Hawks 320172020134.250
Montana Grizzlies [a] 2819822024382563.6031995, 2001
Montana State Bobcats 1419842024141226.5381984
Morgan State Bears 120142014011.000
Murray State Racers 519792002156.167
New Hampshire Wildcats 1819912024151732.469
Nicholls Colonels 7198620233710.300
Norfolk State Spartans 120112011011.000
North Carolina A&T Aggies 519862016156.167
North Carolina Central Eagles 120232023011.000
North Dakota Fighting Hawks 520162023156.167
North Dakota State Bison 152010202451556.9112011, 2012, 2013, 2014,
2015, 2017, 2018, 2019,
2021, 2024
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks [b] 619962024156.167
Northern Iowa Panthers 2219852021262248.542
Northwestern State Demons 6198820044610.400
Portland State Vikings 220002015022.000
Rhode Island Rams 419812024235.400
Richmond Spiders 1419842024171229.5862008
Robert Morris Colonials 120102010011.000
Sacramento State Hornets 420192023246.333
Sacred Heart Pioneers 420132021044.000
Saint Francis Red Flash 220162022022.000
Samford Bulldogs 619912022358.375
San Diego Toreros 520142019257.286
South Carolina State Bulldogs 619812013268.250
South Dakota Coyotes 420172024224.500
South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1420092024221133.6672022, 2023
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 520102024145.200
Southeastern Louisiana Lions 520132022459.444
Southern Illinois Salukis 1119832023111021.5241983
Southern Utah Thunderbirds 320132017033.000
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks [c] 8198820217815.467
Stony Brook Seawolves 420112018347.429
Tarleton State Texans 120242024000–
Tennessee State Tigers [d] 519862024145.200
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 120112011011.000
Towson Tigers 320112018336.500
UC Davis Aggies 320182024123.333
UT Martin Skyhawks 320062024123.333
Villanova Wildcats 1619892024131326.5002009
VMI Keydets 120202020011.000
Wagner Seahawks 120122012112.500
Weber State Wildcats 101987202281018.444
Western Carolina Catamounts 119831983314.750
Western Illinois Leathernecks 111988201771118.389
William & Mary Tribe 111986202281018.444
Wofford Terriers 102003201991019.474
Youngstown State Penguins 131987202330939.7691991, 1993, 1994, 1997

No appearances [a]

Conference alignments are current for the upcoming 2025 season.

* – The OVC–Big South Football Association began play in 2023 as a de facto merger of the football leagues of the Big South Conference and Ohio Valley Conference.

† – CAA Football is technically separate from the all-sports Coastal Athletic Association, although both leagues share the same administration.

‡ – The United Athletic Conference began play in 2023 as a merger of the football leagues of the Atlantic Sun Conference and Western Athletic Conference.

Former FCS members

Thirty former FCS schools have participated in the playoffs. Of these, 27 have moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), while the other three no longer sponsor football.

TeamAppearancesFirstLastWinsLossesTotalPct.Championships
Akron Zips [e] 119851985011.000
Arkansas State Red Wolves [e] [f] 4198419876410.600
Appalachian State Mountaineers [e] 2019862012241741.5852005, 2006, 2007
Boise State Broncos [e] 5198019948412.6671980
Boston University Terriers [g] 519821994257.286
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers [e] 6200620154610.400
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens [e] 1919812023261844.5912003
Florida Atlantic Owls [e] 120032003213.667
Georgia Southern Eagles [e] 1919852012451358.7761985, 1986, 1989
1990, 1999, 2000
Hofstra Pride [g] 519952001257.286
Jacksonville State Gamecocks [e] 102003202071017.412
James Madison Dukes [e] 1819872021241640.6002004, 2016
Kennesaw State Owls [e] 420172021549.556
Liberty Flames [e] 120142014112.500
Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks [e] [i] 419871993538.6251987
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs [e] 219821984426.667
Marshall Thundering Herd [e] 81987199623629.7931992, 1996
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders [e] 7198419946713.462
Missouri State Bears [e] 419892021145.200
Nevada Wolf Pack [e] 7197819919716.563
North Texas Mean Green [e] 419831994044.000
Northeastern Huskies [g] 120022002011.000
Old Dominion Monarchs [e] 220112012224.500
Sam Houston Bearkats [e] [c] 1319862021241236.6672020
Texas State Bobcats [e] 220052008224.500
Troy Trojans [e] [h] 7199320005712.417
UCF Knights [e] 219901993224.500
UConn Huskies [e] [d] 119981998112.500
UMass Minutemen [e] 81978200710717.5881998
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers [e] 8198720048715.5332002

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ According to conferences in football, not necessarily a team's primary conference.
  2. ↑ The Ivy League did not participate in the FCS playoffs prior to the 2025 season.
  3. ↑ The program was officially branded as "Sam Houston State" for almost all of its FCS tenure. The word "State" was dropped from the athletic branding, but not the university name, in 2020.
  4. ↑ The program was officially branded as "Connecticut" before 2013 (well after its move to FBS), though "UConn" was widely used informally before that time.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I FCS independent schools</span> Institutions in the United States whose football programs are not part of a football conference

NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions in the United States whose football programs are not part of a football conference. This means that FCS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition as conference schools do. As of the 2024 season, Merrimack and Sacred Heart will be competing as independents, as their primary conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, does not sponsor football. They were previously members of the Northeast Conference which does sponsor the sport. Merrimack and Sacred Heart are confirmed to play as FCS independents in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division II football championship</span> American college football tournament

The NCAA Division II football championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination playoff with eight teams. The tournament field has subsequently been expanded three times: to 16 teams in 1988, 24 teams in 2004, and 28 teams in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I Football Championship</span> Annual post-season college football game

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 called the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, during the period when the FCS was known as NCAA Division I-AA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I</span> Highest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athletic powers, with large budgets, more elaborate facilities and more athletic scholarships than Division II and Division III as well as many smaller schools committed to the highest level of intercollegiate competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montana Grizzlies football</span> University of Montana college football team

The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference since 1963, where it is a founding member. They play their home games on campus in Missoula at Washington–Grizzly Stadium, where they had an average attendance of 26,978 in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision</span> Top level of college football in the U.S.

The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As of the 2024 season, there are 10 conferences and 134 schools in FBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football</span> College football team that represents Western Kentucky University

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University. The team competes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level and represents the university as a member of Conference USA in the Eastern division. The 2002 team was the FCS national champion. The program has 13 conference championships and 7 FBS-level bowl game victories. The Hilltoppers play their home games at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the team's head football coach is Tyson Helton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Illinois Panthers football</span> Intercollegiate American football team

The Eastern Illinois Panthers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Eastern Illinois University located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the OVC–Big South Football Association. The school's first football team was fielded in 1899. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat O'Brien Field, which is named after former head coach Maynard O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Illinois Leathernecks football</span> Intercollegiate American football team

The Western Illinois Leathernecks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Western Illinois University located in Macomb, Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They are members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), and play their games as part of the OVC–Big South Football Association, which combines teams from the Ohio Valley and Big South conferences. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seat Hanson Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Kentucky Colonels football</span> Football program representing Eastern Kentucky University

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels football program represents Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in college football, competing at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The school has traditionally had much success on the football field, having won 21 OVC conference titles and two Division I FCS National Championships in 1979 and 1982, and reaching the finals in 1980 and 1981. Much of the success came during the long tenure of head coach Roy Kidd from 1964 to 2002. In 1990, Eastern honored Kidd by naming the school's football stadium Roy Kidd Stadium. Eastern Kentucky's football team was able to secure 31 consecutive winning seasons before finally posting a losing season record in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Kentucky Colonels</span> Eastern Kentucky University athletic teams

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), located in Richmond, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the ASUN Conference since the 2021–22 academic year. Its football team competes in the United Athletic Conference (UAC), which starts play in 2023 as a football-only merger of the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Colonels previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2020–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision</span> Level of college football in the US

The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the FCS level comprises 129 teams in 13 conferences as of the 2024 season. The FCS designation is relevant only for football; members of the subdivision compete in NCAA Division I in all other sports.

This article depicts the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Alignment History—specifically, all schools that have competed in the lower tier of NCAA Division I college football since Division I football was split into two subdivisions in 1978. This includes schools competing in:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Youngstown State Penguins football</span> College football team

The Youngstown State Penguins football team represents Youngstown State University in American college football. Youngstown State currently plays as a member of the NCAA at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The Penguins have played their home games in Stambaugh Stadium, more commonly called "The Ice Castle," since 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville State Gamecocks football</span> Intercollegiate American football team

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Jacksonville State University (JSU) located in the U.S. state of Alabama. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Jacksonville State's first football team was fielded in 1904. The team plays its home games at the 24,000-seat Burgess–Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.

The Austin Peay Governors football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Austin Peay State University, located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and played the most recent 2022 season as members of the ASUN Conference. For the 2023 season and beyond, Peay will play in the United Athletic Conference, created shortly after the 2022 season by the merger of the football leagues of the ASUN and Western Athletic Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1930. They were previously a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and the Pioneer Football League (2001–2005). Austin Peay Governors football plays its home games at the 10,000 seat Fortera Stadium.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ "NCAA Q&A on Postseason Football". NCAA. December 4, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  2. ↑ David Worlock (December 17, 2007). "Postseason Football Q&A". NCAA. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  3. ↑ "NCAA approves playoff expansion to 20 teams for 2010". The Sports Network. April 25, 2008. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Three Division I championships to expand". NCAA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.