The FCS Playoffs 2024 is set following the completion of the regular-season. The complete bracket, 10 automatic qualifiers, full 24-team field, and FCS Playoff Schedule were announced today by the NCAA.
Ten teams that won their respective conference championships move on to the 2024 FCS Playoffs as automatic qualifiers. Those teams are listed below:
- Big Sky: Montana State
- Big South-OVC: Southeast Missouri
- CAA: Richmond
- MVFC: South Dakota State
- NEC: Central Connecticut
- Patriot: Lehigh
- Pioneer: Drake
- SoCon: Mercer
- Southland: UIW
- UAC: Abilene Christian
Below are the top eight seeds for the 2024 FCS Playoffs. The top eight teams receive a first-round bye and will host a second-round matchup on Saturday, Dec. 7:
1. Montana State
2. North Dakota State
3. South Dakota State
4. South Dakota
5. UC Davis
6. UIW
7. Mercer
8. Idaho
The remaining 16 qualifiers (14 at-large) open the FCS Playoffs with a First-Round matchup on Saturday, Nov. 30. Below is the schedule for the first two rounds of the 2024 FCS Playoffs:
FIRST-ROUND GAMES (NOV. 30)
*All games ET and streaming via ESPN+ unless noted.
CCSU 17, (10) Rhode Island 21
(12) Illinois St. 35, SE Missouri 27
UT Martin 41, (16) New Hampshire 10
Lehigh 20, (9) Richmond 16
EKU 17, (11) Villanova 22
NAU 0, (15) Abilene Christian 24
Drake 29, (13) Tarleton State 43
Tennessee State 27, (14) Montana 41
SECOND-ROUND GAMES (DEC. 7)
*All games ET and streaming via ESPN+.
(14) Montana at (3) South Dakota State – 2pm
(10) Rhode Island at (7) Mercer – 2pm
Villanova at (6) UIW – 2pm
UT Martin at (1) Montana State – 3pm
(15) ACU at (2) North Dakota State – 3pm
(13) Tarleton State at (4) South Dakota – 3pm
(12) Illinois State at (5) UC Davis – 4pm
Lehigh at (8) Idaho – 9pm
The FCS Championship Game for the 2024 season is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game will be nationally televised by ESPN at 7:00pm ET.
FCS Playoff Bracket (PDF)