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(Editor's Note: 17 days after this article was written, the ASUN and WAC became the United Athletic Conference, or UAC).
The 2023-24 FCS season will once again end in Frisco, Texas with the National Championship game to be played at Toyota Stadium on Saturday January 6.
128 teams will play FCS football this year with 7 of those schools ineligible for the playoffs - Kennesaw State, Lindenwood, Stonehill, St. Thomas (MN), Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Commerce, and Utah Tech.
The FCS loses Jacksonville State and Sam Houston to the FBS this year, and will see Kennesaw State depart next season. Neither JSU nor SHSU were eligible for the FCS title last year and they won't be eligible for the FBS title this season.
The not-too-distant future could see several more departures. The A-Sun and WAC are looking to merge into a single 10-member football-only conference by 2024 and then become a new FBS conference in 2025. That plan involves current WAC members Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State and Utah Tech, in addition to A-SUN members Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and North Alabama. Texas-Rio Grande Valley is constituting a new program and looks to rapidly move up and become the 10th member of the new conference.
Early odds have been posted for the upcoming season's marquee intersectional matchups and rivalry games.
The defending champions, South Dakota State, will begin a new chapter after long-time head coach John Stiegelmeier announced his retirement two weeks after the game. Jimmy Rogers, who served as Stiegelmeier's assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, was immediately named as his successor. Stiegelmeier ended his 26-year tenure with a record of 199-112 and 11 consecutive postseason appearances. The 45-21 national championship victory over was the fourth straight win by the Jackrabbits over border rival North Dakota State.
The list of Coaching Changes includes several of those that made runs at last year's title and were lured away by FBS schools, and they didn't have to travel far to find a new home. Incarnate Word's G.J. Kinne goes 50 miles to Texas State, Sacramento State's Troy Taylor treks 128 miles to Stanford, and Weber State's Jay Hill, who became the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at BYU, goes 75 miles from Ogden to Provo.
Multiple FCS players could once again be selected in the NFL Draft after 20 were taken a year ago. South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft is among the top prospects, along with a pair of teammates from the defensive line - Caleb Sanders and Reece Winkelman. Lindsey Scott of Incarnate Word was human highlight reel at quarterback as he set the single-season FCS record by accounting for 62 touchdowns (55 passing, 7 rushing).
When the 2023 regular season is over, the playoffs will see AQ bids go to ten conference champions with 14 teams being selected on an at-large basis to fill out the 24-team bracket. The top eight seeds receive First Round byes. The playoffs will begin November 25/26 after seeding is announced on November 19.
For 2023, AQ bids will got the following:
ASUN/WAC Partnership (Now known as the UAC)
Big Sky
Big South/Ohio Valley - Joint Association
CAA
MVFC
NEC
Patriot
Pioneer
SoCon
Southland
No AQ Bid:
Independent
Ivy League
MEAC
SWAC
Kennesaw State is the only currently designated independent program.
The Ivy, MEAC and SWAC do NOT receive auto bids and the IVY forbids postseason play. The MAC and SWAC have their champions square off in the Celebration Bowl, but the SWAC also saw Florida A&M nab an at-large playoff bid in 2021.
(Editor's Note: 17 days after this article was written, the ASUN and WAC became the United Athletic Conference, or UAC).
Jacksonville State had the best record of all of the members a year ago, but the Gamecocks were ineligible as they transition to the FBS. Eastern Kentucky received the bid instead and fell at home in the first round, 52-41, to Gardner-Webb.
The ASUN Conference and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) present the fall 2023 schedule to officially announce the third consecutive year of the two-conference partnership. The ASUN-WAC partnership will function in the manner of a single sport conference this season. The 2023 schedule, based on existing commitments, will be limited to six conference games.
“Announcing our 2023 schedule is a major step in the evolution of this partnership,” said WAC Commissioner Brian Thornton. “Operating in this single sport model creates the legitimacy and strength shared by similarly structured conferences.”
The ASUN-WAC Football partnership began with a combined group that built the ASUN-WAC Challenge in 2021. Featuring an automatic qualifier (AQ) into the FCS playoff each of the past two years, the football group enters year three with nine participating institutions.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Abilene Christian
Austin Peay
Central Arkansas
Eastern Kentucky
North Alabama
Southern Utah
Stephen F. Austin
Tarleton State
Utah Tech
The group will add the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) as a 10th member in the fall of 2025.
“This partnership has built competitive opportunities, created a new AQ for the FCS playoffs, and brought a great group of like-minded institutions together to play football,” said ASUN Commissioner Ted Gumbart. “We are planning for a long and strong relationship in this group and it provides certainty and security for our football programs and for the strength of both the WAC and the ASUN in all sports.”
The group is currently building the 2024 schedule which will feature a full eight-game single round robin. Future schedules are also being constructed as part of the multi-year conference agreement.
The Big Sky sees no changes for the 2023 season. Each of the 12 schools will play 8 conference games and 3 games versus at-large competition.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Cal Poly
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
Northern Arizona
Northern Colorado
Portland State
Sacramento State
UC Davis
Weber State
Montana State and Sacramento State were co-champions last season with 8-0 conference marks. They advanced to the 24-team field of the NCAA Playoff last season, along with Idaho, Montana and Weber State.
Campbell and North Carolina A&T left the Big South to join the CAA. Murray State left the Ohio Valley to join the MVFC
The Big South Conference's 4 members and the Ohio Valley Conference's 6 members will mark the first year of a joint association of the league’s football member institutions in 2023.
The 10 combined teams in 2023 will play a six-game conference schedule, as prior scheduling commitments prevented opportunities for additional Big South-OVC games in the first year.
More details of the association’s administration, including tiebreakers for the automatic bid to the playoffs, will be announced at a later date.
Here is the school membership for 2023 (BS=Big South; OVC=Ohio Valley Conference):
Bryant (BS)
Charleston Southern (BS)
Eastern Illinois (OVC)
Gardner-Webb (BS)
Lindenwood (OVC)
Robert Morris (BS)
SE Missouri State (OVC)
Tennessee State (OVC)
Tennessee Tech (OVC)
UT-Martin (OVC)
Gardner-Webb and SEMO both received auto bids in 2022. The Runnin' Bulldogs advanced to the 2nd round where they were pummeled 54-14 by William & Mary. SEMO was bounced 34-24 in the first round at Montana.
The Colonial Athletic Association adds former Big South members Campbell and North Carolina A&T as it balloons to 15 teams.
Teams will play 8 conference games. Under the league’s new scheduling format, each team is paired with two permanent partners that it faces every season. The other six conference opponents rotate through the schedule, ensuring that all teams meet each other at least once at home and on the road over an eight-year period. Limiting air travel to reduce costs was also a priority in the new scheduling model, with most teams not having more than one flight each season during conference play.
The CAA had five teams (Delaware, Elon, New Hampshire, Richmond and William & Mary) receive berths in the 2022 NCAA FCS playoffs. The five selections were the most for the conference since 2018 and marked the 11th time that at least four CAA teams were chosen for the playoffs.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Albany
Campbell
Delaware
Elon
Hampton
Maine
Monmouth
New Hampshire
North Carolina A&T
Richmond
Rhode Island
Stony Brook
Towson
Villanova
William & Mary
Playoff teams last year included CAA champ WiIliam & Mary which was buried 55-7 at Montana in the quarterfinals after crushing Gradner-Webb 54-14 in the 2nd round. Elon, Delaware, New Hampshire and Richmond all garnered at-large bids.
There are no changes in the historic lineup of 8 prestigious schools, no automatic bid to compete for, and no postseason play.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Brown
Columbia
Cornell
Dartmouth
Harvard
Penn
Princeton
Yale
Yale (6-1) edge Penn and Princeton (each 5-2) for the conference title in 2022.
There are no changes to the 6-team lineup and no automatic bid to compete for as the champion plays the SWAC champion in the Celebration Bowl.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Delaware State
Howard
Morgan State
Norfolk State
North Carolina Central
South Carolina State
North Carolina Central and Howard were co-champions with 4-1 records, but the Bison were left out of the playoff as NC Central won the head-to-head matchup 50-21. The Eagles went on to defeat Deion Sanders' Jackson State team in the Celebration Bowl, 41-34 in overtime, in Sanders' game with the Tigers..
The conference adds a 12th member as it welcomes Murray State from the OVC.
The statement from the league said that each member will play 8 conference games each year. Every MVFC institution plays every other MVFC institution at least two-thirds of the time in a six-year cycle (at least 4 out of every 6 seasons), supporting continuation of league identity and increasing competitive fairness over time.
Multiple options were considered, including divisional play, four-team pods and a true rotation, before arriving at the current model, which utilizes agreed-upon scheduling principles, including maximizing bus trips to the greatest extent possible and protecting rivalries.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Illinois State
Indiana State
Missouri State
Murray State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
Northern Iowa
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Youngstown State
South Dakota State is the defending conference champs and NATIONAL CHAMPS.
The Northeast Conference (NEC) 2023 football schedule will feature 8 teams contesting a single round-robin schedule, and all but Stonehill will vie for the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. This is Merrimack's first season as a full-fledged member. Stonehill is currently not eligible for the FCS playoffs until 2026.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Central Connecticut
Duquesne
LIU
Merrimack
Sacred Heart
Saint Francis (Pa.)
Stonehill
Wagner
St. Francis was the league's lone participant in the FCS playoffs in 2022, earning the AQ bid as regular season NEC champs.The Red Flash fell 56-17 to Delaware in the first round.
Amid all the upheaval, the Patriot League once again remains intact and all 7 schools will compete for the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Bucknell
Colgate
Fordham
Georgetown
Holy Cross
Lafayette
Lehigh
The Patriot League had two entrants in the FCS playoff in 2022. Holy Cross (6-0) won the league title and received the AQ bid while Fordham (5-1) was given an at-large invite. The Crusaders were eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual national champion South Dakota State. The Rams were eliminated at New Hampshire in the opening round.
There are no changes to the lineup of the 11 non-scholarship schools. Every team is eligible for the conference's AQ bid, except St. Thomas which is not eligible for the Pioneer title or the FCS playoffs until 2025
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Butler
Davidson
Dayton
Drake
Marist
Morehead State
Presbyterian
St. Thomas (MN)
San Diego
Stetson
Valparaiso
2022 conference champion St. Thomas wasn't eligible for the playoff so Davidson received the AQ bid and was the only Pioneer League member to receive a playoff bid. The Wildcats were mauled 41-0 at Richmond in the opening round.
The 2023 football schedule will feature 9 teams playing a round-robin conference schedule and 3 unaffiliated teams. All will vie for the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Chattanooga
East Tennessee State
Furman
Mercer
Samford
The Citadel
VMI
Western Carolina
Wofford
Samford (8-0) won the conference title while Furman picked up an at-large bid. The Bulldogs made it to the quarterfinals where they lost 27-9 at North Dakota State. The Paladins fell by only 3 points, 41-38, to Incarnate Word in the 2nd round.
The 2023 football schedule will feature 8 teams playing a round-robin conference schedule and 4 unaffiliated teams. All will vie for the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
Houston Christian
Incarnate Word (UIW)
Lamar
McNeese
Nicholls
NW State (La.)
SE Louisiana (SELA)
Texas A&M - Commerce
SE Louisiana and UIW shared the conference title, but the Lions won the regular season matchup 41-35 in Hammond and received the AQ bid. SELA then advanced to the second round before falling 48-42 at Samford. The Cardinals made it all the way to the semis before bowing to 35-32 at North Dakota State.
There are no changes to the 12-school, 2-division lineup and no automatic bid to compete for as the champion plays the MEAC champion in the Celebration Bowl.
Here is the school membership for 2023:
East Division:
Alabama A&M
Alabama State
Bethune-Cookman
Florida A&M
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
West Division:
Alcorn State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Grambling State
Prairie View A&M
Southern
Texas Southern
Jackson State on the west division a year ago with a perfect 8-0 conference mark. The Tigers downed Southern 43-24 in the SWAC Championship game.