The 2025-26 FCS playoffs consist of a 24-team bracket with the top 16 teams seeded and the top eight seeds receiving automatic byes to the second round. The rest of the 24-team field (the remaining 16 teams) play in the first round.
Here's everything you need to know for the Division I Football Championship postseason.
FCS selections
The bracket selections for the 2025-26 FCS Championship will be on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. The bracket will be revealed via a selection show on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET.
Eleven conferences (or conference partnerships/alliances) will receive automatic bids to the playoffs. The FCS Championship Committee will select the remaining 13 at-large bids.
AUTOMATIC BIDS: Click or tap here to see all 11 of the clinched auto-bids
FCS championship bracket
Click or tap here to view the bracket.
FCS championship schedule
First Round
- Saturday, November 29 on ESPN+
- Eight games
Second Round
- Saturday, December 6 on ESPN+
- Eight games
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 |
Click here for a full list of every champion since 1978.
🏈 LATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS 🏈
📊 POLLS: FCS Coaches | Stats Perform Top 25
💥MORE: Standings | Scoreboard | FCS-FBS upsets
🔥 HBCU FOOTBALL: Follow the 2025 season
🥇 AWARDS: Walter Payton Award | Buck Buchanan Award | Jerry Rice Award
😤 RIVALRY: Dakota Marker | Brawl of the Wild | Bayou Classic | Florida Classic | The Game | The Rivalry
👀 HISTORY: Most national titles | Winningest teams | Most unbreakable FCS records | Biggest stadiums | Longest OT games
🎟️ TICKETS:
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
