Sizing Up the Fascinating 2024-25 FCS Playoff Picture

© Samantha Laurey/Argus Leader/USA TODAY NETWORK

The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) comprises 13 conferences and 129 teams. The 2024 FCS playoffs commence on Nov. 30 and conclude on Jan. 6, 2025, with the championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits of the Missouri Valley Football Conference are the defending FCS champions.

Here's a look at the exciting prospects for the upcoming 2024-25 FCS tournament.

FCS Playoff Format

The 24 teams that make the FCS playoffs consist of 10 automatic qualifiers and 14 at-large selections. The automatic spots are awarded to the champions of the following conferences:

1. Big Sky Conference

2. Big South Conference

3. Colonial Athletic Association

4. Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)

5. Northeast Conference

6. Patriot League

7. Pioneer Football League

8. Southern Conference

9. Southland Conference

10. United Athletic Conference

Three conferences—the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Ivy League and the Southwestern Athletic Conference—abstain from participating in the playoffs for various reasons. The Ivy League's abstinence is based on agreements entered into by the member universities back in the 1940s. Conflicts with final exams and player safety were the two main reasons for the agreements.

FCS Rankings

In the American Coaches Football Association (ACFA) FCS Poll, the top 5 FCS teams are:

1. North Dakota State Bison (10-1, 7-0 MVFC)

2. Montana State Bobcats (11-0, 7-0 Big Sky)

3. South Dakota State (9-2, 6-1 MVFC)

4. South Dakota Coyotes (8-2, 6-1 MVFC)

5. UC Davis Aggies (9-2, 6-1 Big Sky)

These top five FCS squads have similar résumés, featuring games against one another and competitive contests with FBS teams.

The only loss suffered by the top-ranked Bison was a narrow, season-opening loss to the No. 16 team in the FBS, the Colorado Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12 Conference). The Bison conclude their regular season in a clash with No. 4 South Dakota on Nov. 23. NDSU senior quarterback Cam Miller is the frontrunner for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the best offensive player in the FCS. Completing 76.92 percent of his passes, he has thrown for 2,166 yards and 22 touchdowns, with only 1 interception.

No. 2 Montana State opened its season with an impressive win over an FBS opponent, the New Mexico Lobos (5-6, 3-3 Mountain West Conference), and has run the table since. The Bobcats close the regular season on Nov. 23 with a matchup against in-state rival, the Montana Grizzlies (8-3, 5-2 Big Sky).

The No. 3 Jackrabbits' only losses this year have come at the hands of the Bison and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-7, 0-7 Big 12). Their final game before the playoffs is a battle in Springfield, Mo. with the No. 18 Missouri State Bears (8-3, 6-1), who are transitioning to Conference USA and the FBS in 2025.

The Coyotes' only losses were to the Wisconsin Badgers (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten Conference) and their in-state rival, the Jackrabbits.

The No. 5 Aggies lost two hard-fought games. In their season opener, they fell to the Cal Golden Bears (5-5, 1-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), and Nov. 16, the Bobcats nipped them 30-28.

Eight of the last 10 FCS champions were MVFC teams. The other two have since transitioned to the FBS.

This year's FCS playoffs get underway on Nov. 30 with first-round matchups. The Jackrabbits are the betting favorite to win the championship.