FCS Football Championship 2025: Selection Show, Bracket and Full Schedule

2025–26 FCS football championship

The 24-team FCS playoff bracket for 2025–2026 will begin play on Saturday, November 29, and end on Monday, January 5. The remaining 16 teams in the 24-team field compete in the first round, while the top 16 teams and the top eight seeds automatically advance to the second round.

Everything you need to know about the Division I Football Championship postseason is provided here.

FCS selections

On Sunday, November 23, 2025, the 2025–26 FCS Championship bracket selections were made. The bracket was made revealed through a selections release and a selection program on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET.

Playoff spots are automatically awarded to eleven conferences (or conference partnerships/alliances). The final 13 at-large bids are chosen by the FCS Championship Committee.

FCS championship bracket

FCS championship schedule

All times Eastern

First Round

Saturday, November 29 on ESPN+
- 12 p.m. | No. 9 Rhode Island vs. Central Conn. St.
- 12 p.m. | No. 12 Villanova vs. Harvard
- 12 p.m. | No. 15 Youngstown St. vs. Yale
- 1 p.m. | No. 10 Abilene Christian vs. Lamar
- 1 p.m. | No. 11 South Dakota vs. Drake
- 1 p.m. | No. 13 Tennessee Tech vs. North Dakota
- 1 p.m. | No. 14 South Dakota St. vs. New Hampshire
- 1 p.m. | No. 16 Southeastern La. vs. Illinois St.

Second Round

Saturday, December 6 on ESPN+
- 12 p.m. | Winner of Harvard/No. 12 Villanova at No. 5 Lehigh
- 12 p.m. | Winner of Drake/No. 11 South Dakota at No. 6 Mercer
- 1 p.m. | Winner of Lamar/No. 10 Abilene Christian at No. 7 Stephen F. Austin
- 1 p.m. | Winner of North Dakota/No. 13 Tennessee Tech at No. 4 Tarleton State
- 1 p.m. | Winner of Illinois State/No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana at No. 1 North Dakota State
- 2 p.m. | Winner of Yale/No. 15 Youngstown State at No. 2 Montana State
- 2 p.m. | Winner of New Hampshire/No. 14 South Dakota State at No. 3 Montana
- 3 p.m. | Winner of Central Connecticut State/No. 9 Rhode Island at No. 8 UC Davis

Quarterfinals

Friday, December 12
- 9 p.m. ET | ESPN
Saturday, December 13
- 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
- 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- TBD time | ESPN+

Semifinals

Saturday, December 20
- Semifinal 1 | 4 p.m. ET | ABC
- Semifinal 2 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

National Championship

Monday, January 5
- Played at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

FCS championship rounds, dates

Selection show: 12 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 23 on ESPNU
First round: Saturday, Nov. 29
Second round: Saturday, Dec. 6
Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 12 through Saturday, Dec. 13
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 20
National championship: Monday, Jan. 5 on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET

FCS championship history

North Dakota Dakota State is the reigning national champion, winning its 10 title in 2024 with a 35-32 win over Montana State. Here’s every FCS champion and runner-up from the past decade:

Year	Champion	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2024	North Dakota State	Tim Polasek	35-32	Montana State	Frisco, Texas
2023	South Dakota State	Jimmy Rogers	23-3	Montana	Frisco, Texas
2022	South Dakota State	John Stiegelmeier	45-21	North Dakota State	Frisco, Texas
2021	North Dakota State	Matt Entz	38-10	Montana State	Frisco, Texas
2020	Sam Houston	K.C. Keeler	23-21	South Dakota State	Frisco, Texas
2019	North Dakota State	Matt Entz	28-20	James Madison	Frisco, Texas
2018	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	38-24	Eastern Washington	Frisco, Texas
2017	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	17-13	James Madison	Frisco, Texas
2016	James Madison	Mike Houston	28-14	Youngstown State	Frisco, Texas
2015	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	37-10	Jacksonville State	Frisco, Texas
2014	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	29-27	Illinois State	Frisco, Texas
2013	North Dakota State	Craig Bohl	35-7	Towson	Frisco, Texas
2012	North Dakota State	Craig Bohl	39-13	Sam Houston State	Frisco, Texas
2011	North Dakota State	Craig Bohl	17-6	Sam Houston State	Frisco, Texas
2010	Eastern Washington	Beau Baldwin	20-19	Delaware	Frisco, Texas
2009	Villanova	Andy Talley	23-21	Montana	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2008	Richmond	Mike London	24-7	Montana	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2007	Appalachian State	Jerry Moore	49-21	Delaware	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2006	Appalachian State	Jerry Moore	28-17	Massachusetts	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2005	Appalachian State	Jerry Moore	21-16	UNI	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2004	James Madison	Mickey Matthews	31-21	Montana	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2003	Delaware	K.C. Keeler	40-0	Colgate	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2002	Western Kentucky	Jack Harbaugh	34-14	McNeese State	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2001	Montana	Joe Glenn	13-6	Furman	Chattanooga, Tenn.
2000	Georgia Southern	Paul Johnson	27-25	Montana	Chattanooga, Tenn.
1999	Georgia Southern	Paul Johnson	59-24	Youngstown State	Chattanooga, Tenn.
1998	Massachusetts	Mark Whipple	55-43	Georgia Southern	Chattanooga, Tenn.
1997	Youngstown State	Jim Tressel	10-9	McNeese State	Chattanooga, Tenn.
1996	Marshall	Bob Pruett	49-29	Montana	Huntington, W.Va.
1995	Montana	Don Read	22-20	Marshall	Huntington, W.Va.
1994	Youngstown State	Jim Tressel	28-14	Boise State	Huntington, W.Va.
1993	Youngstown State	Jim Tressel	17-5	Marshall	Huntington, W.Va.
1992	Marshall	Jim Donnan	31-28	Youngstown State	Huntington, W.Va.
1991	Youngstown State	Jim Tressel	25-17	Marshall	Statesboro, Ga.
1990	Georgia Southern	Tim Stowers	36-13	Nevada	Statesboro, Ga.
1989	Georgia Southern	Erk Russell	37-34	Stephen F. Austin *	Statesboro, Ga.
1988	Furman	Jimmy Satterfield	17-12	Georgia Southern	Pocatello, Idaho
1987	Louisiana-Monroe	Pat Collins	43-42	Marshall	Pocatello, Idaho
1986	Georgia Southern	Erk Russell	48-21	Arkansas State	Tacoma, Wash.
1985	Georgia Southern	Erk Russell	44-42	Furman	Tacoma, Wash.
1984	Montana State	Dave Arnold	19-6	Louisiana Tech	Charleston, S.C.
1983	Southern Illinois	Rey Dempsey	43-7	Western Carolina	Charleston, S.C.
1982	Eastern Kentucky	Roy Kidd	17-14	Delaware	Wichita Falls, Texas
1981	Idaho State	Dave Kragthorpe	34-23	Eastern Kentucky	Wichita Falls, Texas
1980	Boise State	Jim Criner	31-29	Eastern Kentucky	Sacramento, Calif.
1979	Eastern Kentucky	Roy Kidd	30-7	Lehigh	Orlando, Fla.
1978	Florida A&M	Rudy Hubbard	35-28	Massachusetts	Wichita Falls, Texas