2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Field Announced

INDIANAPOLIS— The field of 24 teams competing for the 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship was announced today by the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee. 

South Dakota State (11-0), winners of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, earned the top seed in their 12thconsecutive appearance in the championship. The defending champion Jackrabbits have won 25 games in a row.

Montana (10-1) is the number two seed earning the automatic qualifying berth from the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies are making their third straight appearance after winning their conference for the first time since 2009.

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South Dakota (9-2) is the number three seed after securing an at-large bid. The Coyotes will be making their third all-time appearance in the championship and first time earning a first-round bye.  

Idaho (8-3) rounds out the top four seeds following a third-place finish in the Big Sky Conference.  This will be the Vandals second-straight appearance and 13th overall since 1982.

UAlbany (9-3) secured the number five seed after earning a share of the Coastal Athletic Association title. The Great Danes will make their third appearance in the FCS championship since 2011.

Montana State (8-3) will be the sixth seed after placing second in the Big Sky Conference. The 2022 national championship game Bobcats are making their 13th playoff appearance.

Furman (9-2) clinched the seven seed. The Paladins earned the automatic qualifier from the Southern Conference and are making their 20th appearance in the FCS championship.  

Villanova (9-2) rounds out the top eight seeds receiving first round byes. The Wildcats earned the automatic qualifier in the Coastal Athletic Association and will be making their 15th appearance in the FCS championship.

During the previous 46 years of the championship, 23 schools have won a national title, ten of which earned a place in this year’s bracket.

The 2023 championship field consists of 10 automatic qualifiers and 14 at-large qualifiers. Team pairings are determined primarily according to geographical proximity.

Teams from the same conference will not be paired for first round games. (except for teams from the same conference that did not play against each other during the regular season; such teams may play each other in the first round).

AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (10)

AT-LARGE SELECTIONS (14)

Longest Consecutive Tournament Appearances in the Championship
(Including 2023)

• North Dakota St. – 14
• South Dakota St. – 12

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Consecutive Tournament Appearances in the Championship Ending

• Holy Cross – 4
• Davidson – 3 

Most Tournament Appearances in the Championship
(Including 2023)

• Montana – 27
• Furman – 20 
• Delaware – 19
• North Dakota St. – 14
• Villanova – 14 
• Idaho – 13 
• Montana St. – 13
• Richmond – 13 
• South Dakota St. – 13

SEEDS: The importance of a top seed in the FCS playoffs, explained

Schools Making the Championship for the First Time

• Drake
• Mercer
• N.C. Central

Longest Stretch between Championship Appearances

• Lafayette – 2013
• Chattanooga – 2016 
• Youngstown St. – 2016 
• Duquesne – 2018

Schools by Conference 

• Missouri Valley Football Conference – 6
• Big Sky Conference – 4
• Coastal Athletic Association – 4
• Southern Conference – 3 

DATES/SITES/PAIRINGS-FIRST-ROUND GAMES

November 25 at Macon, Georgia, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Gardner-Webb (7-4) at Mercer (8-3)

November 25 at Youngstown, Ohio, 5 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Duquesne (7-4) at Youngstown St. (7-4)

November 25 at Richmond, Virginia, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• N.C. Central (9-2) at Richmond (8-3)

November 25 at Carbondale, Illinois, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Nicholls (6-4) at Southern Ill. (7-4) 

November 25 at Grand Forks, North Dakota, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Sacramento St. (7-4) at North Dakota (7-4)

November 25 at Fargo, North Dakota, 3:30 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Drake (8-3) at North Dakota St. (8-3)

November 25 at Clarksville, Tennessee, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Chattanooga (7-4) at Austin Peay (9-2)

November 25 at Newark, Delaware, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN+)

• Lafayette (9-2) at Delaware (8-3)

Television schedules and game times for all rounds of the 2023 championship will be updated at . All rounds of the FCS playoffs can be seen on ESPN’s family of networks with first-round games taking place Saturday, November 25 and concluding with the national championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, Sunday, January 7 at 2 p.m. (ET) on ABC.