- Copyright 2024 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
Only 3 games take place in "Week Zero", all on Saturday, with two of those being televised on traditional network and cable TV.
North Alabama and Mercer will do the honors of opening the 2023 season on ESPN at 3:30 eastern in the 9th annual FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Alabama. The game will mark the debut of North Alabama head coach Brent Dearmon. His only other head coaching experience was two years at the high school level in 2011-2012, and most recently for 2 years at NAIA member Bethel (TN) where we went 10-1 in 2018.
That game is scheduled to begin an hour after Navy and Notre Dame begin the FBS season in Dublin, Ireland on NBC.
At 7:30 on ABC, Jackson State and South Carolina State will meet in Atlanta for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff at the Georgia State University stadium. This one marks the debut of Deion Sanders' recommended successor, T.C. Taylor, who is just 1 of the 27 new head coaches at the FCS level in 2023.
The only other FCS game sends Fordham to Albany for a 7 PM kick-off.
Also See: FCS Picks/Schedule/Odds
Conference realignment in the FCS affected 12 schools last year. 2023 finds the movement of 6 schools and the creation of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) through a merger of the ASUN and WAC. Meanwhile, the Big South and Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) formed a coalition.
The total number of FCS programs is reduced from 130 to 128 after two schools have left the glitz and glamor the FBS. Jacksonville State and Sam Houston will both compete in Conference USA. They will be followed by Kennesaw State next year. The Owls will compete as an orphaned independent in 2023 with no eligibility for a playoff bid.
James Madison made quite the splash with its move to the FBS in 2022. The Dukes went 8-3 and would have played for the Sun Belt title had they not been ineligible due to the transition.
The changes this year include Campbell and North Carolina A&T joining the CAA to increase its membership to 15 schools. The CAA also changed its name from "Colonial" to "Coastal".
Murray State left the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and entered the Missouri Valley Football Conference. That move temporarily gives the MVFC 12 programs, but Western Illinois is going the opposite direction and heading to the OVC next year.
The most significant rules changes for this season are being made to quicken the pace of play, and shorten the over-all length of games. Personally, I have NEVER heard a fan say that a football game took too long. Regardless, expect these changes for clock management:
First Downs Clock Stoppage
The clock will no longer stop on a first down except in the last two minutes of each half. This change is effective immediately for DI and DII and will be implemented in 2024 for DIII.
Freezing the Kicker (Consecutive timeouts)
Consecutive charged team timeouts will no longer be allowed. Each team will be permitted to only a single timeout during any individual 'dead ball' period.
Penalty Extension of Periods
A period shall be extended for an untimed down only in the 2nd or 4th quarter if a penalty is accepted for a live-ball defensive foul, offsetting fouls, or an inadvertent whistle. Penalties at the end the 1st and 3rd quarters will be enforced at the start of the following quarter.
Instant Replay without an Instant Replay Booth Official (New Rule 12-2-1-c)
The optional use of instant replay in games that do not have an instant replay booth official is now permissible and must be in full compliance with Rule 12 (the replay rule).
Complete details on these and other changes are available HERE.
The FCS was 8-112 (.067) vs. the FBS last year, and is 148-1,648 (.081) since we began tracking this in 2003. 116 of the 131 FBS schools played at least one such game while Appalachian State, Army, Marshall and New Mexico State each played two. This season has 117 of the 133 FBS schools facing one FCS opponent, and Army playing two such games for a total of 118 FBS-FCS matchups.
These were the FCS wins in 2022:
September 2: William & Mary 41, Charlotte 24
September 3: Delaware14, Navy 7
September 10: Weber State 35, Utah State 7
September 10: Incarnate Word 55, Nevada 41
September 10: Holy Cross 37, Buffalo 31
September 10: Eastern Kentucky 59, Bowling Green 57 (7 OT's)
September 17: Southern Illinois 31, Northwestern 24
September 24: Sacramento State 41, Colorado State 10
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE - Won 14 straight over-all
Last: FCS Playoff 1-seed won 45-21 over North Dakota State in FCS Championship game on Sunday, January 8 at 2 p.m.
Next: Hosts Western Oregon on Thursday, August 31.
MONTANA STATE - Won 20 straight home games.
Last: FCS Playoff 4-seed lost 39-18 at 1-seed South Dakota State on Saturday, December 17.
Next: Hosts Utah Tech on Saturday, September 2.
WESTERN ILLINOIS - Lost 13 straight over-all.
Last: Lost 20-13 in OT at Illinois State on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Visits FBS member New Mexico State on Saturday, September 2.
WAGNER - Lost 19 straight road games.
Last: Lost 33-0 at Duquesne on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Visits Fordham on Saturday, September 2.
PRESBYTERIAN - Lost 16 straight conference games.
Last: Lost 42-21at Stetson on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Visits Murray State on Saturday, September 2.
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN - Lost 11 straight home games.
Last: Lost 49-7 at Tarleton on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Hosts NAIA member Arkansas Baptist on Saturday, September 2.
GEORGETOWN - Lost 11 straight home games.
Last: Lost 47-10 at home to Holy Cross on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Hosts Marist on Saturday, September 2.