Of the 24 teams who will participate in the 2019 FCS playoffs, 10 earned automatic bids to the field via conference championships.
Below are all 10 automatic qualifiers for the 2019 FCS championship. The remaining 14 championship participants will be selected at large. The full championship bracket will be unveiled Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
FCS SCORES AND NEWS: Full FCS football scoreboard | Latest rankings | Updated 2019 stats leaders
Here are the 10 conference champions who receive automatic qualification.
| CONFERENCE | CHAMPION | STANDINGS |
|---|---|---|
| Big Sky | Weber State | Click here for full standings |
| Big South | Monmouth | Click here for full standings |
| Colonial Athletic Association | James Madison | Click here for full standings |
| Missouri Valley Football Conference | North Dakota State | Click here for full standings |
| Northeast Conference | Central Connecticut State | Click here for full standings |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Austin Peay | Click here for full standings |
| Patriot League | Holy Cross | Click here for full standings |
| Pioneer Football League | San Diego | Click here for full standings |
| Southern Conference | Wofford | Click here for full standings |
| Southland Conference | Nicholls | Click here for full standings |
Here were last year's conference champions and automatic qualifiers for the 2018 FCS playoffs:
- Big Sky: Weber State
- Big South: Kennesaw State
- CAA: Maine
- MVFC: North Dakota State
- NEC: Duquesne
- OVC: Jacksonville State
- Patriot: Colgate
- Pioneer: San Diego
- Southern: Wofford
- Southland: Nicholls
GET READY FOR FRISCO: 2019 FCS championship information | Buy tickets now | Event schedule
2019 FCS championship: Bracket, format and schedule
The 2019 FCS championship bracket will be announced Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET in a selection show aired on ESPNU. Twenty-four teams will be selected to the single-elimination tournament.
The top eight teams in the tournament will be seeded and given first round byes. The eight first round games will kick off Saturday, Nov. 30. Here are the important dates for the 2019 championship:
- ESPNU selection show: Sunday, Nov. 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET
- First round (8 games): Saturday, Nov. 30
- Second round (8 games): Saturday, Dec. 7
- Quarterfinals (4 games): Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14
- Semifinals (2 games): Saturday, Dec. 21
- Championship game: Saturday, Jan. 11
FCS championship history: All-time national champions
North Dakota State became the first program to win seven national championships with its 38-24 win over Eastern Washington in the 2018 national championship game. The Bison have won seven of the past eight FCS titles.
FCS ROYALTY: Schools with the most FCS national championships
Find the full FCS national championship history below, since 1978.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Ruby Hubbard | 35-28 | Massachusetts | Wichita Falls, Texas |
* -- Stephen F. Austin's participation in 1989 championship vacated.
