The FCS has crowned national champions every year since 1978; South Dakota State was the most recent winner. A brief overview of the 2023–24 FCS National Championship Game is provided below, along with information on the TV network, scheduling, and team selection process:
Who will take part in the FCS National Championship Game in 2023–2024?
After defeating No. 5 UAlbany 59-0, No. 1 South Dakota State earned a spot in the FCS championship game in 2023. The victor of the second semifinal contest will be faced by the Jackrabbits.
What date is the FCS National Championship Game in 2023–2024?
The 2023–24 FCS Championship will take place at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
How to watch the FCS Championship in 2023–2024
ABC will broadcast the FCS Championship in 2023.
The FCS Championship for 2023–24 is held where?
The FCS championship game in 2023–24 will take place at Frisco, Texas’ Toyota Stadium. The FCS Championship Game will take place in Frisco for the fourteenth time.
When will the FCS Championship 2023–24 be selected?
The 2023–24 FCS bracket choices will be on ESPNU on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
How does the FCS bracket for 2023–24 look?
In the FCS playoffs of 2023–24, a 24-team bracket will be used, with the top eight teams being seeded and guaranteed a bye to the second round. In the first round, the remaining 16 teams in the 24-team field will play.
The selection committee aims to reduce travel by regionalizing the FCS playoff bracket for the first two rounds. To minimise travel for organisations, first round matchups are regionalized. Convergence teams that have already faced one another will not be paired together in the first round. And last, in an additional attempt to reduce travel, first-round matches will be paired regionally amongst teams ranked one through eight.
How do teams for the FCS Championship get chosen?
In 2023–24, twenty-four teams will compete for the FCS Championship. Ten conferences (or conference partnerships/alliances) will automatically be invited to the FCS playoffs following the conclusion of the regular season. The remaining fourteen at-large bids will be chosen by the FCS Championship Committee. The top eight teams will be seeded by the committee and receive byes in the first round.
Past FCS champions from 1978 to today
Here are the previous winners of the FCS Championship Game, which started in the 1978 season.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |