2024 FCS playoffs automatic bid tracker and scenarios

The 2024 FCS playoffs are approaching and 10 automatic bids are up for grabs.

Ten teams automatically qualify for this year's playoffs via conference affiliation. An additional 14 teams earn at-large bids selected by the FCS Playoff Committee. The complete 24-team bracket will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 24. The FCS playoffs conclude with the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

We will fill in the winner of each conference's automatic bid below as they are decided:

STANDINGS: See the latest FCS standings from every conference 

Conference winners who abstain from the FCS playoffs are as follows:

• Ivy:
  • TBD
• MEAC:
  • South Carolina State
• SWAC
  • SWAC East: Jackson State
  • SWAC West: Southern

Teams that clinched in Week 12

ASUN-WAC (UAC)

• Abilene Christian clinched the UAC auto-bid with a Week 12 win over Tarleton State. 

Big Sky

• Montana State clinched the Big Sky auto-bid with a win over UC Davis in Week 12.

CAA

• Richmond clinched the CAA bid, even with a Rhode Island win, after Stony Brook and Villanova lost. Richmond has a head-to-head win over Delaware, a one-loss team in CAA play. Rhode Island's only CAA loss is to Delaware. If all three teams finish with one CAA loss, Richmond will receive the auto-bid based on the head-to-head and common opponent tiebreakers.

MEAC

• South Carolina State clinched the MEAC title with a Week 12 win over Morgan State.

Southland

• UIW clinched the Southland auto bid with a Week 12 win over Stephen F. Austin.

SWAC East

• Jackson State clinched the SWAC East division with a win over Alabama State in Week 12.

SWAC West

• Southern clinched the SWAC West division in Week 12 with a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Failed clinched scenarios from Week 12

Big South-OVC

• Southeast Missouri State can clinch the Big South-OVC bid with a Week 12 win over Western Illinois
  • AND 
    • UT Martin loses to Tennessee Tech
    • Tennessee State loses to Gardner-Webb

Update: The Big South WILL NOT be clinched in Week 12. Southeast Missouri State and Tennessee State both won their games.

Ivy

• The Ivy League could not be clinched outright in Week 12. Harvard has already clinched at-least a share but the conference allows shared championships.

MVFC

• North Dakota State can clinch the MVFC auto-bid with a win over Missouri State
  • AND
    • South Dakota loses to North Dakota
• Missouri State can clinch the MVFC title* with a win over North Dakota State
  • AND
    • South Dakota State loses to Southern Illinois
    • South Dakota loses to North Dakota

*Missouri State isn't eligible for the MVFC's auto bid. 

Update: South Dakota defeated North Dakota. The MVFC WILL NOT be clinched in Week 12.

NEC 

• Duquesne can clinch the NEC auto bid with a win over Wagner
  • AND
    • Central Connecticut State loses to Robert Morris

Update: Duquesne won and Central Connecticut State won. The NEC WILL NOT be clinched in Week 12.

Patriot

• Bucknell can clinch the Patriot League auto bid with a Week 12 win over Holy Cross.
  • AND
    • Lehigh loses to Colgate
    • Georgetown loses to Fordham

Update: Holy Cross defeated Bucknell. The Patriot League WILL NOT be clinched in Week 12.

Pioneer

• Drake can clinch the Pioneer Football League auto bid with a Week 12 win over Morehead State.

Update: Drake lost to Morehead State. The Pioneer Football League WILL NOT be clinched in Week 12.

Past clinched scenarios

• SoCon — Mercer was the first FCS team in 2024 to clinch an auto bid with a Week 11 win over VMI.​​​​​​​​​​​