View source for NCAA Division I Football Championship

{{Short description|Annual post-season college football game}}
{{about|the NCAA Division I FCS national championship|the current iteration of the [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|NCAA Division I FBS national championship]]|College Football Playoff National Championship}}
{{Infobox college football bowl game
| name = NCAA Division I<br>Football Championship
| full_name =
| nickname =
| defunct =
| logo = NCAA Division I FCS logo.svg
| image_size = 240
| caption = 
| stadium = [[FirstBank Stadium]] (2026–future)
| location = [[Nashville, Tennessee]] (2026–future)
| previous_stadiums = [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]] (2010–2025)<br>[[Finley Stadium]] (1997–2009)<br>[[Marshall University Stadium]] (1992–1996)<br>various (1978–1991)
| previous_locations = [[Frisco, Texas]] (2010–2025)<br>[[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] (1997–2009)<br>[[Huntington, West Virginia]] (1992–1996)<br>various (1978–1991)
| years = 2006–present
| preceded_by = NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship (1978–2005)
| succeeded_by =
| previous_tie-ins =
| conference_tie-ins = 
| payout =
| sponsors =
| former_names =
<!-- not using prev_matchup and next_matchup as they will page link to an FBS season -->
}}
{{infobox <!-- one-off usage here -->
| abovestyle  =
| above       =
| image       =
| caption     =
| headerstyle =
<!-- second-to-last game OR most recent game -->
| header1     = [[2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2023 season matchup]]
| data2       = [[2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team|South Dakota State]] vs. [[2023 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]
| data3       = ([[2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|South Dakota State 23–3]])
<!-- most recent game OR next scheduled game -->
| header4     = [[2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2024 season matchup]]
| data5       = 
| data6       = [[2024 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]] vs. [[2024 Montana State Bobcats football team|Montana State]]<br>([[2025 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|North Dakota State 35–32]])
<!-- only list two games above, in the style of FBS bowl games -->
}}
The '''NCAA Division I Football Championship''' is an annual post-season [[college football]] game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision]] (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was called the '''NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship''', during the period when the FCS was known as NCAA Division I-AA.

The game serves as the final match of an annual postseason [[bracket (tournament)|bracket tournament]] between top teams in FCS. Since 2013, 24 teams normally participate in the tournament, with some teams receiving automatic bids upon winning their conference championship, and other teams determined by a selection committee. The reigning national champions are the [[North Dakota State Bison football|North Dakota State Bison]], who have won 10 championships since the 2011 season.

The FCS is the highest division in college football to hold a playoff tournament sanctioned by the NCAA to determine its champion, as the [[College Football Playoff]] currently used by the [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS) is not NCAA-sanctioned.

==History==
===Playoff format===
In the inaugural season of Division I-AA, the [[1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|1978 postseason]] included just four teams; three regional champions (East, West, and South) plus an [[At-large bid|at-large]] selection.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26942893/television_debut_may_ignite_famu/ |title=Television Debut May Ignite FAMU |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |page=49 |date=November 18, 1978 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The field doubled to eight teams in [[1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|1981]], with champions of five conferences—[[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]], [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|Mid-Eastern]], [[Ohio Valley Conference|Ohio Valley]], [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|Southwestern]], and [[Yankee Conference|Yankee]]—receiving automatic bids.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26941653/recommends_expansion_for_iaa_playoffs/ |title=Recommends expansion for I-AA playoffs |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[The Des Moines Register]] |page=8 |date=April 10, 1982 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The top four teams were seeded, and then matched against the four remaining teams based on geographical proximity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28120161/delaware_will_be_easterns_playoff_foe/ |title=Delaware will be Eastern's playoff foe |first=Stan |last=Sutton |newspaper=[[The Courier-Journal]] |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |page=C9 |date=November 29, 1981 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The tournament was expanded to 12 teams in [[1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|1982]], with each of the top four [[Seed (sports)|seed]]s receiving a first-round [[Bye (sports)|bye]] and a home game in the quarterfinals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28120691/blue_hens_get_berth_earn_opening_bye/ |title=Blue Hens Get Berth; Earn Opening Bye |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[The Daily Times (Salisbury, Maryland)|The Daily Times]] |location=[[Salisbury, Maryland]] |page=10 |date=November 22, 1982 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Champions of the [[Southern Conference|Southern]] and [[Southland Conference|Southland]] conferences also received automatic bids.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26942234/will_iaa_numbers_hamper_easterns/ |title=Will I-AA numbers hamper Eastern's playoff bid? |first=Stan |last=Sutton |newspaper=[[The Courier-Journal]] |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |page=11 |date=September 9, 1982 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

The number of automatic bids has varied over time, due to changes in the number and size of conferences, with an automatic bid typically granted only to champions of conferences with at least six teams.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26945221/swac_loses_automatic_bid/ |title=SWAC loses automatic bid |newspaper=[[The Times (Shreveport)|The Times]] |location=[[Shreveport, Louisiana]] |page=6 |date=October 28, 1983 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Initially, the tournament was played in December; since the expansion to twelve teams in 1982, earlier rounds have been held in late November.

The playoffs expanded to a 16-team format in [[1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|1986]], requiring four postseason victories to win the title. Initially, only the top four teams were seeded,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28121512/iaa_playoffs/ |title=I-AA playoffs |newspaper=[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]] |location=[[Newport News, Virginia]] |page=C5 |date=November 24, 1986 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> with other teams geographically placed in the bracket. From 1995 through 2000, all 16 teams were seeded, independent of geography. In 2001, the number of seeded teams was reduced to four, with the seeded teams assured of home games in early tournament rounds, and other teams once again placed in the bracket to minimize travel.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27957303/ncaa_changes_format_for_playoff_pairings/ |title=NCAA changes format for playoff pairings |first=Jon |last=Kasper |newspaper=[[Missoulian]] |location=[[Missoula, Montana]] |page=D1 |date=November 12, 2001 |access-date=February 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Home team designation in games between unseeded teams is determined based on several factors, including attendance history and revenue potential.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27957366/ncaa_changes_format_for_playoff/ |title=NCAA changes format for playoff pairings (cont'd) |first=Jon |last=Kasper |newspaper=[[Missoulian]] |location=[[Missoula, Montana]] |page=D6 |date=November 12, 2001 |access-date=February 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

In April 2008, the NCAA announced that the playoff field would expand to 20 teams in [[2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|2010]], with the [[Big South Conference|Big South]] and [[Northeast Conference]] earning automatic bids for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26946084/nec_granted_access_to_playoffs/ |title=NEC granted access to playoffs |first=Tony |last=Graham |newspaper=[[Asbury Park Press]] |location=[[Asbury Park, New Jersey]] |page=28 |date=April 26, 2008 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> That bracket structure included seeding of the top five teams. Twelve teams received first-round byes; the remaining eight teams played first-round games, with the four winners advancing to face the top four seeds. The playoffs expanded to 24 teams beginning in [[2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|2013]], with the champion of the [[Pioneer Football League]] receiving an automatic bid for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26946372/flyers_set_sights_on_playoff_prize/ |title=Flyers set sights on playoff prize |first=Chris |last=Moorman |newspaper=[[Dayton Daily News]] |location=[[Dayton, Ohio]] |page=37 |date=August 4, 2013 |access-date=January 6, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The number of seeded teams was increased to eight, with the 16 unseeded teams playing in first-round games. The unseeded teams continue to be paired according to geographic proximity and then placed in the bracket according to geographic proximity to the top eight seeds. Teams cannot travel more than 400 miles via ground, and teams from the same conference that played each other during the regular season are not paired for first-round games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2020-01-11/fcs-championship-everything-you-need-know|title=FCS Championship: Everything you need to know &#124; NCAA.com|website=www.ncaa.com}}</ref> For the [[2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|2020]] season, affected by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]], the bracket was reduced to 16 teams.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://fbschedules.com/fcs-playoff-schedule-format-for-spring-2021-football-set/ |title=FCS Playoff Schedule format for Spring 2021 football season set |first=Kevin |last=Kelley |website=fbschedules.com |date=September 22, 2020 |access-date=October 22, 2020}}</ref> The bracket returned to 24 teams for the [[2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|2021]] season.<ref name=herder/>

The field is traditionally set the Sunday before [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] and play begins that weekend.

[[Image:NC TrophiesASU.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Appalachian State's National Championship trophies for 2005 (I-AA), 2006 (FCS), and 2007 (FCS)]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: %;"
|-
|+ Playoff format
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Season(s)
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Bracket<br>size
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Seeded<br>teams
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| 1st round<br>byes
|-
| 1978–1980 || 4 || — || —
|-
| 1981 || 8 || 4 || —
|-
| 1982–1985 || 12 || 4 || 4
|-
| 1986–1994 || rowspan=3|16 || 4 || —
|-
| 1995–2000 || 16 || —
|-
| 2001–2009 || 4 || —
|-
| 2010–2012 || 20 || 5 || 12
|-
| 2013–2019 || 24 || 8 || 8
|-
| 2020 || 16 || 4 || —
|-
| 2021–2023 || rowspan=2|24 || 8 || rowspan=2|8
|-
| 2024–present || 16
|}

====Team selection====
At-large selections and seeding within the bracket are determined by the FCS Playoff Selection Committee, which consists of one athletic director from each conference with an automatic bid.<ref name=Barnett>{{cite web |url=http://footballscoop.com/news/one-week-go-heres-fcs-playoff-primer/ |title=With one week to go, here's your FCS playoff primer |first=Zach |last=Barnett |website=footballscoop.com |date=November 15, 2018 |access-date=January 6, 2019}}</ref> As of the 2018 season, there were 10 conferences with automatic bids and the selection committee made 14 at-large selections.<ref name=Barnett/> An 11th automatic bid was added as of the 2021 season, reducing the number of at-large selections to 13.<ref name=herder>{{cite web |url=https://herosports.com/fcs-football-predicting-2021-playoff-bracket-bzbz/ |title=Predicting The 2021 FCS Playoff Bracket |first=Sam |last=Herder |website=herosports.com |date=August 9, 2021 |accessdate=September 5, 2021}}</ref> The number of automatic bids was reduced back to 10 in 2022 (due to the [[Big South Conference]] and [[Ohio Valley Conference]], which both previously sent their champions, merging their football operations into the [[OVC–Big South Football Association]]), but restored to 11 in 2025 following the [[Ivy League]]'s decision to enter the FCS Playoff for the first time.

===Championship final===
[[File:Toyotastadiumfcs.jpg|thumb|The January 2015 final between North Dakota State and Illinois State at [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]]]]
The tournament culminates with the national final, played between the two remaining teams from the playoff bracket. Unlike earlier round games in each year's playoff, which are played at campus sites, the title game is played at a site predetermined by the NCAA, akin to how the [[National Football League|NFL]] predetermines the site for each [[Super Bowl]]. Originally played in December, with the 2010 expansion to a 20-team field, the final moved to January, with two or three weeks between the semifinals and final.

The inaugural title game was played in 1978 in [[Wichita Falls, Texas]]. The 1979 and 1980 games were held in [[Orlando, Florida]], and [[Sacramento, California]], respectively, and the game returned to Wichita Falls for 1981 and 1982. The games played in Wichita Falls were known as the [[Pioneer Bowl (1971–1982)|Pioneer Bowl]], while the game played in Sacramento was known as the [[Camellia Bowl (1961–80)|Camellia Bowl]]—both names were used for various NCAA playoff games played in those locations, and were not specific to the I-AA championship. In 1983 and 1984, the game was played in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. In 1985 and 1986, [[Tacoma, Washington]], hosted the game, which the NCAA branded as the "Diamond Bowl".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31148618/iaa_championship_moved_to_tacoma/ |title=I-AA championship moved to Tacoma |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Billings Gazette]] |location=[[Billings, Montana]] |page=2-C |date=January 5, 1985 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

The 1987 and 1988 games were played in [[Pocatello, Idaho]]; and from 1989 through 1991, in [[Statesboro, Georgia]]. The 1992 through 1996 games were held in [[Huntington, West Virginia]]; and from 1997 through 2009, the title game was played in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]].

From 2010 through the 2024 season, the title game was played in [[Frisco, Texas]], a suburb north of [[Dallas]], at [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]], a [[multi-purpose stadium]] primarily used by [[FC Dallas]] of [[Major League Soccer]]. The stadium was known as Pizza Hut Park until the day after the final of the 2011 season, and then as FC Dallas Stadium until September 2013. The original contract with Frisco began in the 2010 season and ran through the 2012 season.<ref name=Frisco>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/ncf/news/story?id=4949141|title=20 teams to compete for FCS crown |first=Jeff |last=Caplan |publisher=ESPN| date=February 26, 2010|access-date=February 26, 2010}}</ref> The contract was extended three times; first through the 2015 season,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2012-12-19/ncaa-inks-three-year-extension-keep-fcs-title-game-frisco-texas |title=NCAA inks three-year extension to keep FCS title game in Frisco, Texas |publisher=NCAA |date=December 19, 2012 |access-date=December 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220072902/http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2012-12-19/ncaa-inks-three-year-extension-keep-fcs-title-game-frisco-texas |archive-date=February 20, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> then through the 2019 season,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2016/01/08/ncaa-keeping-fcs-title-game-in-frisco-through-at-least-2020/78514898/ |title=NCAA keeping FCS title game in Frisco through at least 2020 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=January 8, 2016 |access-date=January 12, 2016}}</ref> and finally through the 2024 season with an option for the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://southland.org/news/2019/1/3/administration-fcs-championship-will-stay-in-frisco-through-2025-with-option-for-2026.aspx |title=FCS Championship Will Stay in Frisco Through 2025 With Option for 2026 |publisher=[[Southland Conference]] |date=January 4, 2019 |access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref>

For at least 2026 and 2027, the title game will be played at [[FirstBank Stadium]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], home of the [[Vanderbilt Commodores football|Vanderbilt Commodores]], due to renovations beginning at Toyota Stadium following the 2025 title game.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/nashville-to-host-2026-2027-fcs-national-championships/ |title=Nashville, TN to host 2026, 2027 FCS National Championships |publisher=[[WKRN-TV]] |date=December 12, 2024 | access-date=December 12, 2024}}</ref>

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size: %;"
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Season(s)
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Venue
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Location
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Tenant NCAA team{{refn|at the time games were played|group=n|name=attime}}
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Title games by tenant
|-
| 1978 || [[Memorial Stadium (Wichita Falls)|Memorial Stadium]] || [[Wichita Falls, Texas]] || none || N/A
|-
| 1979 || [[Camping World Stadium|Orlando Stadium]] || [[Orlando, Florida]] || [[UCF Knights football|UCF Knights]] ([[NCAA Division III|D-III]]) || N/A
|-
| 1980 || [[Charles C. Hughes Stadium|Hughes Stadium]] || [[Sacramento, California]] || none || N/A
|-
| 1981–1982 || Memorial Stadium || Wichita Falls, Texas || none || N/A
|-
| 1983–1984 || [[Johnson Hagood Stadium]] || [[Charleston, South Carolina]] || [[The Citadel Bulldogs football|The Citadel Bulldogs]] || none
|-
| 1985–1986 || [[Tacoma Dome]] || [[Tacoma, Washington]] || none || N/A
|-
| 1987 || [[ICCU Dome|Minidome]]{{refn|group=n|name=earlier}} || rowspan=2|[[Pocatello, Idaho]] || rowspan=2|[[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State Bengals]] || rowspan=2|none
|-
| 1988 || [[ICCU Dome|Holt Arena]]
|-
| 1989–1991 || [[Paulson Stadium]] || [[Statesboro, Georgia]] || [[Georgia Southern Eagles football|Georgia Southern Eagles]] || 2: '''1989''', '''1990'''
|-
| 1992–1996 || [[Joan C. Edwards Stadium|Marshall University Stadium]] || [[Huntington, West Virginia]] || [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall Thundering Herd]] || 4: '''1992''', 1993, 1995, '''1996'''
|-
| 1997–2009 || [[Finley Stadium]] || [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] || [[Chattanooga Mocs football|Chattanooga Mocs]] || none
|-
| 2010–2011 || [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Pizza Hut Park]]{{refn|Earlier name of the same venue.|group=n|name=earlier}}|| rowspan=3|[[Frisco, Texas]] || rowspan=3|none || rowspan=3|N/A
|-
| 2012 || [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|FC Dallas Stadium]]{{refn|group=n|name=earlier}}
|-
| 2013–2025 || [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]]
|-
| 2026–future || [[FirstBank Stadium]] || [[Nashville, Tennessee]] || [[Vanderbilt Commodores football|Vanderbilt Commodores]] || N/A
|}
;Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}

There have been six instances where a team whose venue was predetermined to host the final game advanced to play for the championship on its own field. [[Georgia Southern Eagles football|Georgia Southern]] won both title games it played at [[Paulson Stadium]], while [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall]] had a 2–2 record in four title games it played at Marshall University Stadium (now known as [[Joan C. Edwards Stadium]]).

===Non-participants===
As of the 2025 season, two FCS conferences usually do not participate in the tournament: the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] (MEAC) and [[Southwestern Athletic Conference]] (SWAC).

The [[Ivy League]] has been at the FCS level since 1982 and prohibits its members from awarding athletic scholarships in any sport and plays a strict ten-game regular season.  Through the 2024 season, it did not participate in any postseason football, citing academic concerns.<ref>{{cite news|title=No playoffs for you!|first=Pablo |last=Torre |author-link=Pablo S. Torre |publisher=CNN/Sports Illustrated|date=November 29, 2007|access-date=June 27, 2009 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/sioncampus/11/29/ivyleague.football/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025182231/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/sioncampus/11/29/ivyleague.football/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Ivy League not likely to see I-AA playoffs"|author=David Burrick|publisher=The Daily Pennsylvanian|date=September 18, 2003|access-date=June 27, 2009|url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2003/09/ivy_league_not_likely_to_see_iaa_playoffs}}</ref> The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (consisting of student-athletes at all sports, including those who participated in the NCAA tournament in their respective sport) recommended the change be reversed, and on December 18, 2024, the Ivy League announced starting with the 2025 season, the league champion will participate in the tournament.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ivy League To Begin Participating in the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs Starting With 2025 Season|publisher=The Ivy League|date=December 18, 2024|access-date=December 18, 2024|url=https://ivyleague.com/news/2024/12/18/football-fb-fcs-announcement.aspx}}</ref>

The MEAC and SWAC, two conferences consisting of [[historically black colleges and universities]], opt to play the [[Celebration Bowl]] (which was established in 2015) instead of the FCS tournament.<ref>{{cite news|title=Not Exactly for THE SPORT OF IT|author=Craig T. Greenlee|publisher=Black Issues in Higher Education|date=January 6, 2000|access-date=June 27, 2009 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_23_16/ai_59019432/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040916204156/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_23_16/ai_59019432/ |archive-date=September 16, 2004 |via=[[Wayback Machine]]}}</ref> MEAC gave up its automatic spot in the tournament prior to the 2015 season,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://hbcusports.com/2014/12/30/listen-morgan-state-ad-confirms-meacswac-bowl-game-will-be-played-in-2015/ |title=Morgan State AD Confirms MEAC/SWAC Bowl Game Will Be Played In 2015 |first=Kenn |last=Rashad |website=hbcusports.com |date=December 30, 2014 |accessdate=December 3, 2021}}</ref> while the SWAC's regular season extends through the [[Turkey Day Classic]] and [[Bayou Classic]] at the end of November and the [[SWAC Championship Game]] is played in December. Teams from the MEAC and SWAC may accept at-large bids, so long as they aren't committed to other postseason games that would conflict with the tournament. The most recent MEAC and SWAC teams to accept bids were the [[2023 North Carolina Central Eagles football team|2023 North Carolina Central Eagles]] and [[2021 Florida A&M Rattlers football team|2021 Florida A&M Rattlers]], respectively.

Historically, conferences in FCS that did not offer athletic scholarships were not granted automatic bids into the tournament and, although in theory were eligible for at-large bids, never received any. The last non-scholarship conference in the subdivision, the [[Pioneer Football League]], now receives a tournament bid, which was initiated with the 2013 postseason.

===FCS conferences===
Membership numbers reflect the 2025 FCS season.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Conference
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Nickname
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Founded
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Football members
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Sports
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Headquarters
|-
|[[Big Sky Conference]]
|Big Sky
|1963
|12
|15
|[[Farmington, Utah]]
|-
|[[Big South Conference]]{{efn|group=conf|name=OVCBigSouthFB|The Big South and Ohio Valley Conference [[OVC–Big South Football Association|effectively merged their football leagues]] in 2023. Both leagues share a single automatic playoff berth.}}
|Big South 
|1983
|2
|19
|[[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
|-
|[[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|CAA Football]]{{efn|group=conf|CAA Football is administered by the multi-sports [[Coastal Athletic Association]] but is a separate legal entity.}}
|CAA
|1946{{efn|group=conf|Although CAA Football did not exist in its current form until 2007, it claims the football histories of the [[Yankee Conference]] (formed in 1946, played football from 1947 to 1995) and [[Atlantic 10 Conference]] (football from 1996 to 2006). It does not claim the history of the [[New England Conference]] (1938–1946), even though four of the six charter Yankee Conference members were NEC members in its final season.}}
|14
|1
|[[Richmond, Virginia]]
|-
|[[Ivy League]]{{efn|group=conf|The Ivy League abstained from the championship tournament and all postseason play until the end of the 2024 season.  Starting in 2025, the Ivy League champion will participate in the NCAA tournament.}}
|
|1954
|8
|33
|[[Princeton, New Jersey]]
|-
|[[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]]{{efn|group=conf|The MEAC champion, since 2015, forgoes its automatic bid to allow its champion to participate in the [[Celebration Bowl]]. Non-champions are eligible for at-large bids (an example being the [[2016 North Carolina A&T Aggies football team]], which now plays in CAA Football.).}}
|MEAC
|1970
|6
|16
|[[Norfolk, Virginia]]
|-
|[[Missouri Valley Football Conference]]
|MVFC
|1982 
|10
|1
|{{sort|Saint Louis|[[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]]}}
|-
|[[Northeast Conference]]
|NEC
|1981 
|8
|22
|[[Somerset, New Jersey]]
|-
|[[Ohio Valley Conference]]{{efn|group=conf|name=OVCBigSouthFB}}
|OVC
|1948
|7
|18
|[[Brentwood, Tennessee]]
|-
|[[Patriot League]]
|
|1986
|8
|24
|[[Center Valley, Pennsylvania]]
|-
|[[Pioneer Football League]]
|PFL
|1991 
|11
|1
|St. Louis, Missouri
|-
|[[Southern Conference]]
|SoCon
|1921 
|9
|20
|[[Spartanburg, South Carolina]]
|-
|[[Southland Conference]]
|
|1963 
|10
|17
|[[Frisco, Texas]]
|-
|[[Southwestern Athletic Conference]]{{efn|group=conf|The SWAC abstains from the championship tournament to allow for a longer regular season, a conference final, and participation in the Celebration Bowl against the MEAC champion since 2015.}}
|SWAC
|1920 
|12
|18
|[[Birmingham, Alabama]]
|-
|[[United Athletic Conference]]
|UAC
|2022{{efn|group=conf|Formed in 2022 as a joint venture of the [[Atlantic Sun Conference]] and [[Western Athletic Conference]] football playing members; first season in 2023.}}
|9
|1
|[[Englewood, Colorado]]
|}

;Notes
{{notelist|group=conf}}

==Champions==
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Current FCS members
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Team
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| #
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Seasons<!--not years-->
|-
| | '''[[North Dakota State Bison football|North Dakota State]]'''
| '''10'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024
|-
| | '''[[Youngstown State Penguins football|Youngstown State]]'''
| '''4'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997
|-
| | '''[[Eastern Kentucky Colonels football|Eastern Kentucky]]'''
|rowspan=3| '''2'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1979, 1982 
|-
| | '''[[Montana Grizzlies football|Montana]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1995, 2001
|-
| | '''[[South Dakota State Jackrabbits football|South Dakota State]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2022, 2023
|-
| | '''[[Eastern Washington Eagles football|Eastern Washington]]'''
|rowspan=8| '''1'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2010
|-
| | '''[[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1978
|-
| | '''[[Furman Paladins football|Furman]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1988
|-
| | '''[[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1981 
|-
| | '''[[Montana State Bobcats football|Montana State]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1984
|-
| | '''[[Richmond Spiders football|Richmond]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2008
|-
| | '''[[Southern Illinois Salukis football|Southern Illinois]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1983
|-
| | '''[[Villanova Wildcats football|Villanova]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2009
|}
{{col-break|gap=18px}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Former FCS members
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Team
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| #
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Seasons
|-
| | '''[[Georgia Southern Eagles football|Georgia Southern]]'''
| '''6'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000
|-
| | '''[[Appalachian State Mountaineers football|Appalachian State]]'''
| '''3'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2005, 2006, 2007
|-
| | '''[[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall]]'''
|rowspan=2| '''2'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1992, 1996 
|-
| | '''[[James Madison Dukes football|James Madison]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2004, 2016
|-
| | '''[[Boise State Broncos football|Boise State]]'''
|rowspan=6| '''1'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1980
|-
| | '''[[Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football|Delaware]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2003
|-
| | '''[[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Louisiana–Monroe]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1987
|-
| | '''[[Sam Houston Bearkats football|Sam Houston]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2020
|-
| | '''[[UMass Minutemen football|UMass]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1998 
|-
| | '''[[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football|Western Kentucky]]'''
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2002
|}
{{col-break|gap=15px}}
{{Location map+ | USA | width= 450 |float=right |  caption=''Schools that have won the FCS Championship''<br />'''[[File:ButtonGreen.svg|10px]] 10, [[File:ButtonBlue.svg|10px]] 6, [[File:ButtonRed.svg|10px]] 4, [[File:ButtonYellow.svg|10px]] 3, [[File:ButtonGray.svg|10px]] 2, [[File:ButtonWhite.svg|10px]] 1''' | relief=no | places=
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''ND State''' | position=right | mark=ButtonGreen.svg | link= | lat=46.89167 | long=-96.8}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''GA Southern'' | position=left | mark=ButtonBlue.svg | link= | lat=32.41944 | long=-81.77667}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Youngstown St.''' | position=left | mark=ButtonRed.svg | link= | lat=41.10556 | long=-80.59722}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Appalachian State'' | position=right | mark=ButtonYellow.svg | link= | lat=36.21389 | long=-81.67861}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Montana''' | position=right | mark=ButtonGray.svg | link= | lat=46.86 | long=-113.98528}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Marshall'' | position=left | mark=ButtonGray.svg | link= | lat=38.42508 | long=-82.42046}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Eastern KY''' | position=right | mark=ButtonGray.svg | link= | lat=37.74472 | long=-84.29361}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''J. Mad.'' | position=top | mark=ButtonGray.svg | link= | lat=38.4351 | long=-78.8698}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Delaware''' | position=right | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=39.67911 | long=-75.75217}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Furman''' | position=bottom | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=34.92583 | long=-82.43556}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Massachusetts'' | position=top | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=42.38889 | long=-72.52778}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Boise<br>State'' | position=left | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=43.604 | long=-116.204}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Eastern Washington''' | position=left | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=47.4913 | long=-117.58442}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Florida A&M''' | position=bottom | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=30.41778 | long=-84.28444}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Idaho St.''' | position=right | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=42.861 | long=-112.434}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''La.–Monroe'' | position=left | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=32.527 | long=-92.074}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Montana St.''' | position=right | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=45.66833 | long=-111.05}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Richmond''' | position=right | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=37.5759 | long=-77.541}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Sam Houston'' | position=left|mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=30.7130 | long=-95.5473}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Southern IL''' | position=left | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=37.71056 | long=-89.21944}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''Villanova''' | position=top | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=40.03771 | long=-75.33755}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=''Western KY'' | position=bottom | mark=ButtonWhite.svg | link= | lat=36.98611 | long=-86.45556}}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label='''SD State''' | position=right| mark=ButtonGray.svg | link= | lat=44.3114 | long=-96.7984}}
}}
{{col-end}}

===Championship game history===
{{see also|List of NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances by team}}
For each season since the inaugural year of Division I-AA play, 1978, the following table lists the date of each title game and the champion.<ref>{{cite web|title=FCS Football Championship History |website=NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fcs |date=January 2019 |access-date=February 5, 2019}}</ref> The score and runner-up are also noted, along with the host city, game attendance, and head coach of the championship team.

{| class="wikitable sortable"; style= "font-size:95%"
|-
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Ed.}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Season}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Date}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Champion}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}nowrap|{{color|#FFFFFF|Score}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Runner-up}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Location}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Attendance}}
!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA}}|{{color|#FFFFFF|Winning<br>head coach}}
|- 
| {{center|1}} || align=center|[[1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1978]] || [[1978 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 1978]] || [[1978 Florida A&M Rattlers football team|'''Florida A&M''']] || align=center|35–28 || [[1978 UMass Minutemen football team|Massachusetts]] || [[Wichita Falls, Texas|Wichita Falls, TX]] || align=center| 13,604 || {{sortname|Rudy|Hubbard}}
|-
| {{center|2}} || align=center|[[1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1979]] || [[1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 15, 1979]] || [[1979 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team|'''Eastern Kentucky''']] || align=center|30–7 || {{cfb link|year=1979|team=Lehigh Mountain Hawks|title=Lehigh}} || [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando, FL]] || align=center| 5,200 || {{sortname|Roy|Kidd}}
|- 
| {{center|3}} || align=center|[[1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1980]] || [[1980 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 20, 1980]] || '''[[1980 Boise State Broncos football team|Boise State]]''' || align=center|31–29 || [[1980 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team|Eastern Kentucky]] || [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] ||align=center| 8,157 || {{sortname|Jim|Criner}}
|-
| {{center|4}} || align=center|[[1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1981]] || [[1981 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1981]] || [[1981 Idaho State Bengals football team|'''Idaho State''']] || align=center|34–23 || [[1981 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team|Eastern Kentucky]] || Wichita Falls, TX ||align=center| 11,002 || {{sortname|Dave|Kragthorpe}}
|- 
| {{center|5}} || align=center|[[1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1982]] || [[1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 18, 1982]] || [[1982 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team|'''Eastern Kentucky''']] (2)|| align=center|17–14 || [[1982 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]] || Wichita Falls, TX ||align=center| 11,257 || {{sortname|Roy|Kidd}} (2)
|-
| {{center|6}} || align=center|[[1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1983]] || [[1983 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 17, 1983]] || [[1983 Southern Illinois Salukis football team|'''Southern Illinois''']] || align=center|43–7 || [[1983 Western Carolina Catamounts football team|Western Carolina]] || [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston, SC]] ||align=center| 15,950 || {{sortname|Rey|Dempsey}}
|- 
| {{center|7}} || align=center|[[1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1984]] || [[1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 15, 1984]] || '''[[1984 Montana State Bobcats football team|Montana State]]''' || align=center|19–6 || [[1984 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team|Louisiana Tech]] || Charleston, SC || align=center| 9,125 || {{sort|Arnold|[[Dave Arnold (American football)|Dave Arnold]]}}
|-
| {{center|8}} || align=center|[[1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1985]] || [[1985 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 21, 1985]] || [[1985 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] || align=center|44–42 || [[1985 Furman Paladins football team|Furman]] || [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma, WA]] || align=center| 5,306 || {{sortname|Erk|Russell}}
|- 
| {{center|9}} || align=center|[[1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1986]] || [[1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1986]] || [[1986 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (2)|| align=center|48–21 || {{cfb link|year=1986|team=Arkansas State Red Wolves|title=Arkansas State}} || Tacoma, WA || align=center| 4,419 || {{sortname|Erk|Russell}} (2)
|-
| {{center|10}} || align=center|[[1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1987]] || [[1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1987]] || '''[[1987 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]''' || align=center|43–42 || [[1987 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]] || [[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello, ID]] || align=center|11,513 || {{sortname|Pat|Collins|Pat Collins (American football)}}
|- 
| {{center|11}} || align=center|[[1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1988]] || [[1988 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 17, 1988]] || [[1988 Furman Paladins football team|'''Furman''']] || align=center|17–12 || [[1988 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|Georgia Southern]] || Pocatello, ID || align=center| 9,714 || {{sort|Satterfield|[[Jimmy Satterfield]]}}
|-
| {{center|12}} || align=center|[[1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1989]] || [[1989 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 1989]] || [[1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (3)|| align=center|37–34 || [[1989 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team|Stephen F. Austin]] || [[Statesboro, Georgia|Statesboro, GA]] || align=center| 25,725 || {{sortname|Erk|Russell}} (3)
|- 
| {{center|13}} || align=center|[[1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1990]] || [[1990 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 15, 1990]] || [[1990 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (4)|| align=center|36–13 || [[1990 Nevada Wolf Pack football team|Nevada]] || Statesboro, GA || align=center| 23,204 || {{sort|Stowers|[[Tim Stowers]]}}
|-
| {{center|14}} || align=center|[[1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1991]] || [[1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 21, 1991]] || [[1991 Youngstown State Penguins football team|'''Youngstown State''']] || align=center|25–17 || [[1991 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]] || Statesboro, GA ||align=center| 12,667 || {{sortname|Jim|Tressel}}
|-  
| {{center|15}} || align=center|[[1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1992]] || [[1992 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1992]] || '''[[1992 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]]''' || align=center|31–28 || [[1992 Youngstown State Penguins football team|Youngstown State]] || [[Huntington, West Virginia|Huntington, WV]] || align=center| 31,304 || {{sortname|Jim|Donnan}}
|-
| {{center|16}} || align=center|[[1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1993]] || [[1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 18, 1993]] || [[1993 Youngstown State Penguins football team|'''Youngstown State''']] (2)|| align=center|17–5 || [[1993 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]] || Huntington, WV || align=center| 29,218 || {{sortname|Jim|Tressel}} (2)
|- 
| {{center|17}} || align=center|[[1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1994]] || [[1994 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 17, 1994]] || [[1994 Youngstown State Penguins football team|'''Youngstown State''']] (3)|| align=center|28–14 || [[1994 Boise State Broncos football team|Boise State]] || Huntington, WV || align=center| 27,674 || {{sortname|Jim|Tressel}} (3)
|-
| {{center|18}} || align=center|[[1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1995]] || [[1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 1995]] || '''[[1995 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]''' || align=center|22–20 || [[1995 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]] || Huntington, WV ||align=center| '''32,106''' || {{sortname|Don|Read}}
|- 
| {{center|19}} || align=center|[[1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1996]] || [[1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 21, 1996]] || '''[[1996 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall]]''' (2)|| align=center|49–29 || [[1996 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Huntington, WV ||align=center| 30,052 || {{sortname|Bob|Pruett}}
|-
| {{center|20}} || align=center|[[1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1997]] || [[1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 20, 1997]] || [[1997 Youngstown State Penguins football team|'''Youngstown State''']] (4)|| align=center|10–9 || [[1997 McNeese State Cowboys football team|McNeese State]] || [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga, TN]] ||align=center| 14,771 || {{sortname|Jim|Tressel}} (4)
|-  
| {{center|21}} || align=center|[[1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1998]] || [[1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1998]] || '''[[1998 UMass Minutemen football team|Massachusetts]]''' || align=center|55–43 || [[1998 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|Georgia Southern]] || Chattanooga, TN ||align=center| 17,501 || {{sortname|Mark|Whipple}}
|-
| {{center|22}} || align=center|[[1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season|1999]] || [[1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 18, 1999]] || [[1999 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (5)|| align=center|59–24 || [[1999 Youngstown State Penguins football team|Youngstown State]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 20,052 || {{sortname|Paul|Johnson|Paul Johnson (American football coach, born 1957)}}
|-  
| {{center|23}} || align=center|[[2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2000]] || [[2000 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 2000]] || [[2000 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (6)|| align=center|27–25 || [[2000 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Chattanooga, TN ||align=center| 17,156 || {{sortname|Paul|Johnson|Paul Johnson (American football coach, born 1957)}} (2)
|-
| {{center|24}} || align=center|[[2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2001]] || [[2001 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 21, 2001]] || '''[[2001 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]''' (2)|| align=center|13–6 || [[2001 Furman Paladins football team|Furman]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 12,698 || {{sortname|Joe|Glenn|Joe Glenn (American football)}}
|-     
| {{center|25}} || align=center|[[2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2002]] || [[2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 20, 2002]] || [[2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team|'''Western Kentucky''']] || align=center|34–14 || [[2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team|McNeese State]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 12,360 || {{sortname|Jack|Harbaugh}}
|-
| {{center|26}} || align=center|[[2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2003]] || [[2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 2003]] || '''[[2003 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]]''' || align=center|40–0 || [[2003 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 14,281 || {{sortname|K. C.|Keeler}}
|- 
| {{center|27}} || align=center|[[2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2004]] || [[2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 17, 2004]] || [[2004 James Madison Dukes football team|'''James Madison''']] || align=center|31–21 || [[2004 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center|16,771 || [[Mickey Matthews]]
|-
| {{center|28}} || align=center|[[2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season|2005]] || [[2005 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 2005]] || '''[[2005 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' || align=center|21–16 || [[2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team|Northern Iowa]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 20,236 || {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}}
|- 
| {{center|29}} || align=center|[[2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2006]] || [[2006 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 15, 2006]] || '''[[2006 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' (2)|| align=center|28–17 || [[2006 UMass Minutemen football team|Massachusetts]] || Chattanooga, TN ||align=center| 22,808 || {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}} (2)
|-
| {{center|30}} || align=center|[[2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2007]] || [[2007 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 14, 2007]] || '''[[2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' (3)|| align=center|49–21 || [[2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 23,010 || {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}} (3)
|- 
| {{center|31}} || align=center|[[2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2008]] || [[2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 19, 2008]] || '''[[2008 Richmond Spiders football team|Richmond]]''' || align=center|24–7 || [[2008 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Chattanooga, TN || align=center| 17,823 || {{sortname|Mike|London}}
|-
| {{center|32}} || align=center|[[2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2009]] || [[2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 18, 2009]] || '''[[2009 Villanova Wildcats football team|Villanova]]''' || align=center|23–21 || [[2009 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Chattanooga, TN ||align=center| 14,328 || {{sortname|Andy|Talley}}
|- 
| {{center|33}} || align=center|[[2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2010]] || align=right|[[2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 7, 2011]] || '''[[2010 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|Eastern Washington]]''' || align=center|20–19 || [[2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]] || [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco, TX]] ||align=center| 13,027 || {{sortname|Beau|Baldwin}} 
|-
| {{center|34}} || align=center|[[2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2011]] || align=right|[[2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 7, 2012]] || '''[[2011 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]'''|| align=center|17–6 ||[[2011 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team|Sam Houston State]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 20,586 || {{sortname|Craig|Bohl}} 
|- 
| {{center|35}} || align=center|[[2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2012]] || align=right|[[2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 5, 2013]] || '''[[2012 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (2) || align=center|39–13 || [[2012 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team|Sam Houston State]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 21,411 || {{sortname|Craig|Bohl}} (2)
|-
| {{center|36}} || align=center|[[2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2013]] || align=right|[[2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 4, 2014]] || '''[[2013 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (3) || align=center|35–7 || [[2013 Towson Tigers football team|Towson]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 19,802 || {{sortname|Craig|Bohl}} (3)
|- 
| {{center|37}} || align=center|[[2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2014]] || align=right|[[2015 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 10, 2015]] || '''[[2014 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (4) || align=center|29–27 || [[2014 Illinois State Redbirds football team|Illinois State]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 20,918 || {{sortname|Chris|Klieman}}
|-
| {{center|38}} || align=center|[[2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2015]] || align=right|[[2016 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 9, 2016]] || '''[[2015 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (5) || align=center|37–10 || [[2015 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team|Jacksonville State]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 21,836 || {{sortname|Chris|Klieman}} (2)
|- 
| {{center|39}} || align=center| [[2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2016]] || align=right|[[2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 7, 2017]] ||'''[[2016 James Madison Dukes football team|James Madison]]''' (2) || align=center|28–14 || [[2016 Youngstown State Penguins football team|Youngstown State]] || Frisco, TX ||align=center| 14,423 || {{sortname|Mike|Houston|dab=American football}}
|-
|  {{center|40}} || align=center|[[2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2017]] || align=right|[[2018 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 6, 2018]] || '''[[2017 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (6) || align=center|17–13 || [[2017 James Madison Dukes football team|James Madison]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|19,090 || {{sortname|Chris|Klieman}} (3)
|- 
|  {{center|41}} || align=center|[[2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2018]] || align=right|[[2019 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 5, 2019]] || '''[[2018 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (7) || align=center|38–24 || [[2018 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|Eastern Washington]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|17,802 || {{sortname|Chris|Klieman}} (4)
|-
|  {{center|42}} || align=center|[[2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2019]] || align=right|[[2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 11, 2020]] || '''[[2019 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (8) || align=center|28–20 || [[2019 James Madison Dukes football team|James Madison]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|17,866 || {{sortname|Matt|Entz}}
|- 
| {{center|43}} || align=center|[[2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2020]] || align=right|[[2021 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|May 16, 2021]] || '''[[2020 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team|Sam Houston]]''' || align=center|23–21 || [[2020 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team|South Dakota State]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|7,840 || {{sortname|K. C.|Keeler}} (2)
|-
| {{center|44}} || align=center|[[2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2021]] || align=right|[[2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 8, 2022]] || '''[[2021 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (9)|| align=center|38–10 || [[2021 Montana State Bobcats football team|Montana State]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|18,942 || {{sortname|Matt|Entz}} (2)
|- 
| {{center|45}} || align=center|[[2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2022]] || align=right|[[2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 8, 2023]] || '''[[2022 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team|South Dakota State]]''' || align=center|45–21 || [[2022 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|18,023 || {{sortname|John|Stiegelmeier}}
|-
| {{center|46}} || align=center|[[2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2023]] || align=right|[[2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 7, 2024]] || '''[[2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team|South Dakota State]]''' (2)|| align=center|23–3 || [[2023 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|19,512 || {{sortname|Jimmy|Rogers|dab=American football coach}}
|-
| {{center|47}} || align=center|[[2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2024]] || align=right|[[2025 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|January 6, 2025]] || '''[[2024 North Dakota State Bison football team|North Dakota State]]''' (10) || align=center|35–32 || [[2024 Montana State Bobcats football team|Montana State]] || Frisco, TX || align=center|18,005 || {{sortname|Tim|Polasek}}
|-
| {{center|48}} || align=center | 2025 || align=right | January 5, 2026 || || align=center | ||  || [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville, TN]] || align=center | || 
|-
| {{center|49}} || align=center | 2026 || align=right | January 2027 || || align=center | ||  || Nashville, TN || align=center | || 
|}
Notes:
* 1987 champion Northeast Louisiana has been known as the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]] (Louisiana–Monroe) since 1999.
* The 2020–21 school year was the first in which Sam Houston State University called its athletic program "Sam Houston", without the word "State".
* Attendance at the 2020 championship game (played in May 2021) was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

==Appearances by team==
Updated through the January 2024 championship game, following the 2023 football season.

'''Key'''
* {{colorbox|#FFA500|'''CH'''|border=#AA5000}} National champion
* {{colorbox|#ACACAC|RU}} National runner-up
* {{colorbox|#F0E68C|SF}} Semifinals
* {{colorbox|#70E0E0|QF}} Quarterfinals
* {{colorbox|#9AE5E5|12}} {{colorbox|#9AE5E5|16}} Round of 12 (''1982 through 1985''), Round of 16 (''1986 to present'')
* {{colorbox|#DDDDDD|•}} First Round (''2010 to present, except for 2020'')

{{sticky table start}}
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-table-head sticky-table-col1" style="font-size:90%; text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan=2| School
! rowspan=2| Conference<br>(''as of 2025'')
!style="background: #EEEEEE;"| #
!style="background: #9AE5E5;"| 16
!style="background: #70E0E0;"| QF
!style="background: #F0E68C;"| SF
!style="background: #ACACAC;"| CG
!style="background: #FFA500;"| CH
!style="background: black;"| [[1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|78}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|79}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|80}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|81}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|82}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|83}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|84}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|85}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|86}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|87}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|88}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|89}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|90}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|91}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|92}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|93}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|94}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|95}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|96}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|97}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|98}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|99}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|00}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|01}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|02}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|03}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|04}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season#Postseason|{{white|05}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|06}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|07}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|08}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|09}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|10}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|11}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|12}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|13}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|14}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|15}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|16}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|17}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|18}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|19}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|20}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason|{{white|21}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Bracket|{{white|22}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Bracket|{{white|23}}]] 
!style="background: black;"| [[2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Bracket|{{white|24}}]]
|-
! class="sticky-table-none" | <br> !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|North Dakota State Bison}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|North Dakota State Bison|North Dakota State Bison football|North Dakota State}}''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''15''' || '''15''' || '''15''' || '''13''' || '''11''' || '''10'''|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Georgia Southern Eagles}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Georgia Southern Eagles|Georgia Southern Eagles football|Georgia Southern}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''19''' || '''19''' || '''17''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''6'''|| || || || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Youngstown State Penguins}};" | '''[[Youngstown State Penguins football|{{white|Youngstown State}}]]''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''13''' || '''13''' || '''9''' || '''8''' || '''7''' || '''4'''|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Appalachian State Mountaineers}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Appalachian State Mountaineers|Appalachian State Mountaineers football|Appalachian State}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''20''' || '''20''' || '''12''' || '''6''' || '''3''' || '''3'''|| || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Montana Grizzlies}};" | '''[[Montana Grizzlies football|{{white|Montana}}]]''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''29''' || '''29''' || '''15''' || '''12''' || '''8''' || '''2'''|| || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Marshall Thundering Herd}};" | ''[[Marshall Thundering Herd football|{{color|black|Marshall}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''8''' || '''8''' || '''8''' || '''7''' || '''6''' || '''2'''|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Eastern Kentucky Colonels}};" | '''[[Eastern Kentucky Colonels football|{{white|Eastern Kentucky}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''23''' || '''19''' || '''9''' || '''7''' || '''4''' || '''2'''|| || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|James Madison Dukes}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|James Madison Dukes|James Madison Dukes football|James Madison}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''18''' || '''17''' || '''9''' || '''7''' || '''4''' || '''2'''|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|South Dakota State Jackrabbits}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|South Dakota State Jackrabbits|South Dakota State Jackrabbits football|South Dakota State}}''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''14''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''7''' || '''3''' || '''2'''|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C;"|{{sort|5|SF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens|Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football|Delaware}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''19''' || '''18''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''4''' || '''1'''|| || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Sam Houston Bearkats}};" | ''[[Sam Houston Bearkats football|{{color|black|Sam Houston}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''13''' || '''13''' || '''10''' || '''7''' || '''3''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Furman Paladins}};" | '''[[Furman Paladins football|{{white|Furman}}]]''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''20''' || '''19''' || '''10''' || '''6''' || '''3''' || '''1'''|| || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Montana State Bobcats}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Montana State Bobcats|Montana State Bobcats football|Montana State}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''14''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''5''' || '''3''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}}  || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|UMass Minutemen}};" | ''[[UMass Minutemen football|{{white|UMass}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''8''' || '''8''' || '''5''' || '''3''' || '''3''' || '''1'''|| style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Eastern Washington Eagles}};" | '''[[Eastern Washington Eagles football|{{white|Eastern Washington}}]]''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''15''' || '''15''' || '''10''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Boise State Broncos}};" | ''[[Boise State Broncos football|{{white|Boise State}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || '''1'''|| || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Villanova Wildcats}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Villanova Wildcats|Villanova Wildcats football|Villanova}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''16''' || '''14''' || '''8''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Richmond Spiders}};" | '''[[Richmond Spiders football|{{white|Richmond}}]]''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''14''' || '''13''' || '''8''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Southern Illinois Salukis}};" | '''[[Southern Illinois Salukis football|{{white|Southern Illinois}}]]''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''11''' || '''11''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Florida A&M Rattlers}};" | '''[[Florida A&M Rattlers football|{{white|Florida A&M}}]]''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''8''' || '''7''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers}};" | ''[[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football|{{white|Western Kentucky}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''8''' || '''8''' || '''5''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks|Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Louisiana–Monroe}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Idaho State Bengals}};" | '''[[Idaho State Bengals football|{{color|black|Idaho State}}]]''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1'''|| || || || style="background:#FFA500;"|'''{{sort|7|CH}}''' || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|McNeese Cowboys}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|McNeese Cowboys|McNeese Cowboys football|McNeese}}''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''16''' || '''16''' || '''6''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Northern Iowa Panthers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Northern Iowa Panthers|Northern Iowa Panthers football|Northern Iowa}}''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''22''' || '''20''' || '''14''' || '''7''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Nevada Wolf Pack}};" | ''[[Nevada Wolf Pack football|{{white|Nevada}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''7''' || '''7''' || '''7''' || '''6''' || '''1''' || -|| style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Lehigh Mountain Hawks}};" | '''[[Lehigh Mountain Hawks football|{{white|Lehigh}}]]''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''12''' || '''10''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || -|| || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Illinois State Redbirds}};" | '''[[Illinois State Redbirds football|{{white|Illinois State}}]]''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''9''' || '''8''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks}};" | '''[[Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football|{{white|Stephen F. Austin}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''8''' || '''6''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Louisiana Tech Bulldogs}};" | ''[[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football|{{white|Louisiana Tech}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Colgate Raiders}};" | '''[[Colgate Raiders football|{{white|Colgate}}]]''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''11''' || '''10''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Arkansas State Red Wolves}};" | ''[[Arkansas State Red Wolves football|{{white|Arkansas State}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Jacksonville State Gamecocks}};" | ''[[Jacksonville State Gamecocks football|{{white|Jacksonville State}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''10''' || '''10''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Towson Tigers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Towson Tigers|Towson Tigers football|Towson}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Western Carolina Catamounts}};" | '''[[Western Carolina Catamounts football|{{white|Western Carolina}}]]''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || -|| || || || || || style="background:#ACACAC"|{{sort|6|RU}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|New Hampshire Wildcats}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|New Hampshire Wildcats|New Hampshire Wildcats football|New Hampshire}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''18''' || '''16''' || '''9''' || '''2''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Idaho Vandals}};" | '''[[Idaho Vandals football|{{color|black|Idaho}}]]''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''14''' || '''13''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || - || -|| || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|William & Mary Tribe}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|William & Mary Tribe|William & Mary Tribe football|William & Mary}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''11''' || '''11''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Troy Trojans}};" | ''[[Troy Trojans football|{{white|Troy}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''7''' || '''7''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Wofford Terriers}};" | '''[[Wofford Terriers football|{{white|Wofford}}]]''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''10''' || '''9''' || '''6''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders}};" | ''[[Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football|{{white|Middle Tennessee}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''7''' || '''7''' || '''6''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Weber State Wildcats}};" | '''[[Weber State Wildcats football|{{white|Weber State}}]]''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''10''' || '''9''' || '''5''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Western Illinois Leathernecks}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Western Illinois Leathernecks|Western Illinois Leathernecks football|Western Illinois}}''' || [[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]] || '''11''' || '''10''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Maine Black Bears}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Maine Black Bears|Maine Black Bears football|Maine}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''8''' || '''8''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Tennessee State Tigers}};" | '''[[Tennessee State Tigers football|{{white|Tennessee State}}]]''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''7''' || '''6''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Rhode Island Rams}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Rhode Island Rams|Rhode Island Rams football|Rhode Island}}'''|| [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Jackson State Tigers}};" | '''[[Jackson State Tigers football|{{white|Jackson State}}]]''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''12''' || '''12''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Northwestern State Demons}};" | '''[[Northwestern State Demons football|{{white|Northwestern State}}]]''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''6''' || '''6''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Murray State Racers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Murray State Racers|Murray State Racers football|Murray State}}''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|South Carolina State Bulldogs}};" | '''[[South Carolina State Bulldogs football|{{white|South Carolina State}}]]''' || [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''6''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Samford Bulldogs}};" | '''[[Samford Bulldogs football|{{white|Samford}}]]''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''6''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|South Dakota Coyotes}};" | '''[[South Dakota Coyotes football|{{white|South Dakota}}]]''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Incarnate Word Cardinals}};" | '''[[Incarnate Word Cardinals football|{{white|Incarnate Word}}]]''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}}  || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Grambling State Tigers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Grambling State Tigers|Grambling State Tigers football football|Grambling State}}''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''3''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Albany Great Danes}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Albany Great Danes|Albany Great Danes football|Albany}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|UCF Knights}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|UCF Knights|UCF Knights football|UCF}}''|| ''FBS'' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Texas State Bobcats}};" | ''[[Texas State Bobcats football|{{white|Texas State}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Florida Atlantic Owls}};" | ''[[Florida Atlantic Owls football|{{white|Florida Atlantic}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#F0E68C"|{{sort|5|SF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Eastern Illinois Panthers}};" | '''[[Eastern Illinois Panthers football|{{white|Eastern Illinois}}]]''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''16''' || '''14''' || '''4''' || - || - || -|| || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Holy Cross Crusaders}};" | '''[[Holy Cross Crusaders football|{{white|Holy Cross}}]]''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''6''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Boston University Terriers}};" | ''[[Boston University Terriers football|{{white|Boston University}}]]'' || ''no team'' || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Hofstra Pride}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Hofstra Pride|Hofstra Pride football|Hofstra}}'' || ''no team'' || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Coastal Carolina Chanticleers}};" | ''[[Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football|{{white|Coastal Carolina}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''6''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Kennesaw State Owls}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Kennesaw State Owls|Kennesaw State Owls football|Kennesaw State}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Indiana State Sycamores}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Indiana State Sycamores|Indiana State Sycamores football|Indiana State}}''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''3''' || '''3''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|East Tennessee State Buccaneers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|East Tennessee State Buccaneers|East Tennessee State Buccaneers football|East Tennessee State}}''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|UC Davis Aggies}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|UC Davis Aggies|UC Davis Aggies football|UC Davis}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''3''' || '''2''' || '''2''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Nicholls Colonels}};" | '''[[Nicholls Colonels football|{{white|Nicholls}}]]''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''7''' || '''5''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|The Citadel Bulldogs}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|The Citadel Bulldogs|The Citadel Bulldogs football|The Citadel}}''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Chattanooga Mocs}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Chattanooga Mocs|Chattanooga Mocs football|Chattanooga}}''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''5''' || '''5''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Northern Arizona Lumberjacks}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Northern Arizona Lumberjacks|Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football|Northern Arizona}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''7''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Fordham Rams}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Fordham Rams|Fordham Rams football|Fordham}}''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''6''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|North Carolina A&T Aggies}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|North Carolina A&T Aggies|North Carolina A&T Aggies football|North Carolina A&T}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''5''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Southeastern Louisiana Lions}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Southeastern Louisiana Lions|Southeastern Louisiana Lions football|Southeastern Louisiana}}''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''5''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|North Texas Mean Green}};" | ''[[North Texas Mean Green football|{{white|North Texas}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Sacramento State Hornets}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Sacramento State Hornets|Sacramento State Hornets football|Sacramento State}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''4''' || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Missouri State Bears}};" | ''[[Missouri State Bears football|{{white|Missouri State}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Cal Poly Mustangs}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Cal Poly Mustangs|Cal Poly Mustangs football|Cal Poly}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Alcorn State Braves}};" | '''[[Alcorn State Braves football|{{white|Alcorn State}}]]''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''3''' || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|North Dakota Fighting Hawks}};" | '''[[North Dakota Fighting Hawks football|{{color|black|North Dakota}}]]''' || [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || '''5''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Old Dominion Monarchs}};" | ''[[Old Dominion Monarchs football|{{color|#A1D0F0|Old Dominion}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Mercer Bears}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Mercer Bears|Mercer Bears football|Mercer}}''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''2''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Charleston Southern Buccaneers}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Charleston Southern Buccaneers|Charleston Southern Buccaneers football|Charleston Southern}}''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Austin Peay Governors}};" | '''[[Austin Peay Governors football|{{white|Austin Peay}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''2''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|UConn Huskies}};" | ''[[UConn Huskies football|{{white|UConn}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''1''' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#70E0E0"|{{sort|4|QF}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Hampton Pirates}};" | '''[[Hampton Pirates football|{{white|Hampton}}]]''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''5''' || '''5''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Central Arkansas Bears}};" | '''[[Central Arkansas Bears football|{{white|Central Arkansas}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''5''' || '''5''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Bethune–Cookman Wildcats}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Bethune–Cookman Wildcats|Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football|Bethune–Cookman}}''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''5''' || '''3''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Lafayette Leopards}};" | '''[[Lafayette Leopards football|{{white|Lafayette}}]]''' || [[Patriot League|Patriot]] || '''5''' || '''3''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Stony Brook Seawolves}};" | '''[[Stony Brook Seawolves football|{{white|Stony Brook}}]]''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''4''' || '''3''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|UT Martin Skyhawks}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|UT Martin Skyhawks|UT Martin Skyhawks football|UT Martin}}''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''3''' || '''3''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Southeast Missouri State Redhawks}};" | '''{{nowrap|[[Southeast Missouri State Redhawks football|{{white|Southeast Missouri State}}]]}}''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|San Diego Toreros}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|San Diego Toreros|San Diego Toreros football|San Diego}}''' || [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer]] || '''5''' || '''2''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Monmouth Hawks}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Monmouth Hawks|Monmouth Hawks football|Monmouth}}''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''3''' || '''2''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Portland State Vikings}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Portland State Vikings|Portland State Vikings football|Portland State}}''' || [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || '''2''' || '''2''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Elon Phoenix}};" | '''[[Elon Phoenix football|{{white|Elon}}]]''' || [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|Coastal]] || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Sacred Heart Pioneers}};" | '''[[Sacred Heart Pioneers football|{{white|Sacred Heart}}]]''' || [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]] || '''4''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Southern Utah Thunderbirds}};" | '''[[Southern Utah Thunderbirds football|{{color|black|Southern Utah}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Davidson Wildcats}};" | '''[[Davidson Wildcats football|{{white|Davidson}}]]''' || [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer]] || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Duquesne Dukes}};" | '''[[Duquesne Dukes football|{{white|Duquesne}}]]''' || [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]] || '''3''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs}};" | '''[[Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football|{{white|Gardner–Webb}}]]''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''2''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils}};" | '''[[Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football|{{white|Mississippi Valley State}}]]''' || [[Southwestern Athletic Conference|SWAC]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Akron Zips}};" | ''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Akron Zips|Akron Zips football|Akron}}'' || ''FBS'' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|12}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Howard Bison}};" | '''[[Howard Bison football|{{white|Howard}}]]''' || [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Northeastern Huskies}};" | ''[[Northeastern Huskies football|{{white|Northeastern}}]]'' || ''no team'' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Delaware State Hornets}};" | '''[[Delaware State Hornets football|{{color|black|Delaware State}}]]''' || [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Wagner Seahawks}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Wagner Seahawks|Wagner Seahawks football|Wagner}}''' || [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Liberty Flames}};" | ''[[Liberty Flames football|{{white|Liberty}}]]'' || ''FBS'' || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|VMI Keydets}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|VMI Keydets|VMI Keydets football|VMI}}''' || [[Southern Conference|Southern]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|<small>{{sort|3|16}}</small> || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Abilene Christian Wildcats}}" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Abilene Christian Wildcats|Abilene Christian Wildcats football|Abilene Christian}}''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Tarleton State Texans}}" | '''[[Tarleton State Texans football|{{white|Tarleton State}}]]''' || [[United Athletic Conference|UAC]] || '''1''' || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#9AE5E5"|{{small|{{sort|3|16}}}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Central Connecticut Blue Devils}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Central Connecticut Blue Devils|Central Connecticut Blue Devils football|Central Connecticut}}''' || [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]] || '''3''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Saint Francis Red Flash}};" | '''[[Saint Francis Red Flash football|{{white|Saint Francis (PA)}}]]''' || [[Northeast Conference|Northeast]] || '''2''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Drake Bulldogs}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Drake Bulldogs|Drake Bulldogs football|Drake}}''' || [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer]] || '''2''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Robert Morris Colonials}};" | '''[[Robert Morris Colonials football|{{white|Robert Morris}}]]''' || {{nowrap|[[Northeast Conference|Northeast]]}} || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Norfolk State Spartans}};" | '''[[Norfolk State Spartans football|{{white|Norfolk State}}]]'''|| [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles}};" | '''{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles|Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles football|Tennessee Tech}}''' || {{nowrap|[[OVC–Big South Football Association|OVC–Big South]]}} || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Butler Bulldogs}};" | '''[[Butler Bulldogs football|{{white|Butler}}]]''' || [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Morgan State Bears}};" | '''[[Morgan State Bears football|{{white|Morgan State}}]]''' || [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Dayton Flyers}};" | '''[[Dayton Flyers football|{{white|Dayton}}]]''' || [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|Lamar Cardinals}};" | '''[[Lamar Cardinals football|{{white|Lamar}}]]''' || [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || || || || || || 
|-
|style="{{NCAA color cell|North Carolina Central Eagles}};" | '''[[North Carolina Central Eagles football|{{white|North Carolina Central}}]]''' || [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] || '''1''' || - || - || - || - || -|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || style="background:#DDDDDD"|{{sort|2|•}} || 
|}
{{sticky table end}}

==MVPs==
[[File:Bo Levi Mitchell.JPG|thumb|right|upright|[[Bo Levi Mitchell]] was MVP of the final for the 2010 season.]]
Since 2009, a Most Outstanding Player has been named for each final.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/ncf/id/25690447 |title=Outstanding players of FCS championship game |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |website=[[ESPN]] |date=January 5, 2019 |access-date=January 6, 2019}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Season
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Player
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Team
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Position
|-
| 2009 || [[Matt Szczur]] || Villanova || WR
|-
| 2010 || [[Bo Levi Mitchell]] || Eastern Washington || QB
|-
| 2011 || Travis Beck || North Dakota State || LB
|-
| 2012 || [[Brock Jensen]] || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2013 || Brock Jensen || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2014 || [[Carson Wentz]] || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2015 || Carson Wentz || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2016 || [[Khalid Abdullah (running back)|Khalid Abdullah]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61895060/jmu-wins-fcs-title-beats-youngstown-st/ |title=JMU wins FCS title, beats Youngstown St. |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[The Rock Island Argus]] |location=[[East Moline, Illinois]] |page=16 |date=January 8, 2017 |access-date=October 26, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> || James Madison || RB
|-
| 2017 || [[Easton Stick]] || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2018 || [[Darrius Shepherd]] || North Dakota State || WR
|-
| 2019 || [[Trey Lance]] || North Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2020 || Jequez Ezzard || Sam Houston || WR
|-
| 2021 || [[Hunter Luepke]] || North Dakota State || FB
|-
| 2022 || [[Mark Gronowski]]<ref>{{cite tweet |user=FCS_STATS |number=1612212942099075072 |title=Most Outstanding Player of #FCSChampionship South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski: 280 total yards, 4 total TDs |date=January 8, 2023 |accessdate=January 8, 2023}}</ref> || South Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2023 || Mark Gronowski<ref>{{cite tweet |user=DomIzzoWDAY |number=1744120045930729522 |title=#NDSU AD Matt Larsen presents Mark Gronowski with his FCS Most Outstanding Performance trophy. |date=January 7, 2024 |accessdate=January 7, 2024}}</ref>  || South Dakota State || QB
|-
| 2024 || [[Cam Miller]]<ref>{{cite web |title=. @cammiller_5  IS THE MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE 2025 #FCSChampionship GAME! |url=https://x.com/NCAA_FCS/status/1876470754252108267 |website=X |publisher=NCAA FCS |access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>|| North Dakota State || QB
|}
Note: starting with the 2010 season, the final game is played in the next calendar year.

==Most appearances==
The following table summarizes appearances in the final, by team, since the 1978 season, the first year of Division I-AA (the predecessor of FCS).

Updated through the January 2025 championship game (47 finals, 94 total appearances). Schools are listed by their current athletic brand names, which do not always match those used in a given season.<!--McNeese didn't drop "State" from its athletic branding until well after its final appearances. Sam Houston's title was in the first season that it stopped using "State".-->

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2 ! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Team
! colspan=4 ! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Record
! colspan=2 ! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| {{abbr|App.|Appearances by season}}
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Games
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| W
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| L
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Win %
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Won
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Lost
|-
| [[North Dakota State Bison football|North Dakota State]]
| {{center|11}} || {{WinLossPct|10|1}}
| 2011*, 2012*, 2013*, 2014*, 2015*,<br>2017*, 2018*, 2019*, 2021*, 2024*
| 2022*
|-
| [[Georgia Southern Eagles football|Georgia Southern]]^
| {{center|8}} || {{WinLossPct|6|2}}
| 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000 
| 1988, 1998
|-
| [[Montana Grizzlies football|Montana]]
| {{center|8}} || {{WinLossPct|2|6}} 
| 1995, 2001
| 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2023*
|-
| [[Youngstown State Penguins football|Youngstown State]]
| {{center|7}} || {{WinLossPct|4|3}}
| 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997
| 1992, 1999, 2016*
|-
| [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|Marshall]]^
| {{center|6}} || {{WinLossPct|2|4}}
| 1992, 1996 
| 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995
|-
| [[James Madison Dukes football|James Madison]]^
| {{center|4}} || {{WinLossPct|2|2}}
| 2004, 2016*
| 2017*, 2019*
|-
| [[Eastern Kentucky Colonels football|Eastern Kentucky]]
| {{center|4}} || {{WinLossPct|2|2}}
| 1979, 1982 
| 1980, 1981
|-
| [[Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football|Delaware]]^
| {{center|4}} || {{WinLossPct|1|3}}
| 2003 
| 1982, 2007, 2010*
|-
| [[Appalachian State Mountaineers football|Appalachian State]]^ 
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|3|0}}
| 2005, 2006, 2007
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[South Dakota State Jackrabbits football|South Dakota State]]
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|2|1}}
| 2022*, 2023*
| 2020*
|-
| [[Montana State Bobcats football|Montana State]]
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|1|2}}
| 1984
| 2021*, 2024*
|-
| [[Furman Paladins football|Furman]]
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|1|2}}
| 1988
| 1985, 2001
|-
| [[Sam Houston Bearkats football|Sam Houston]]^
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|1|2}}
| 2020*
| 2011*, 2012*
|-
| [[UMass Minutemen football|Massachusetts]]^
| {{center|3}} || {{WinLossPct|1|2}}
| 1998 
| 1978, 2006
|-
| [[Boise State Broncos football|Boise State]]^
| {{center|2}} || {{WinLossPct|1|1}}
| 1980 
| 1994
|-
| [[Eastern Washington Eagles football|Eastern Washington]]
| {{center|2}} || {{WinLossPct|1|1}}
| 2010*
| 2018*
|-
| [[McNeese Cowboys football|McNeese]]
| {{center|2}} || {{WinLossPct|0|2}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1997, 2002
|-
| [[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 1978 
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Idaho State Bengals football|Idaho State]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 1981 
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Louisiana–Monroe]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 1987
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Richmond Spiders football|Richmond]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 2008
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Southern Illinois Salukis football|Southern Illinois]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 1983
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Villanova Wildcats football|Villanova]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 2009
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football|Western Kentucky]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|1|0}}
| 2002
| <!-- none -->
|-
| [[Arkansas State Indians football|Arkansas State]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1986
|-
| [[Colgate Raiders football|Colgate]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 2003
|-
| [[Illinois State Redbirds football|Illinois State]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 2014*
|-
| [[Jacksonville State Gamecocks football|Jacksonville State]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 2015*
|-
| [[Lehigh Engineers football|Lehigh]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1979
|-
| [[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football|Louisiana Tech]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1984
|-
| [[Nevada Wolf Pack football|Nevada]]^
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1990
|-
| [[Northern Iowa Panthers football|Northern Iowa]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 2005
|-
| [[Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football|Stephen F. Austin]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1989
|-
| [[Towson Tigers football|Towson]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 2013*
|-
| [[Western Carolina Catamounts football|Western Carolina]]
| {{center|1}} || {{WinLossPct|0|1}}
| <!-- none -->
| 1983
|}
:'''*''' Denotes finals played in the following calendar year.
:'''^''' Team is now a member of the [[Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS).

==Appearances by conference==
The following table summarizes appearances in the final, by conference, since the 1978 season, the first year of Division I-AA (the predecessor of FCS).

Updated through the January 2025 championship game (47 finals, 94 total appearances).

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | Conference
! colspan=4 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | Record
! colspan=2 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | {{abbr|App|Appearances by season}}
|-
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | Games
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | W
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | L
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | Win %
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" | Won
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}" |Lost
|-
| [[Missouri Valley Football Conference|MVFC]] || 20 || {{WinLossPct|14|6}} || 1997, 2002, 2011*, 2012*, 2013*, 2014*, 2015*, 2017*, 2018*, 2019*, 2021*, 2022*, 2023*, 2024* || 1999, 2005, 2014*, 2016*, 2020*, 2022*
|-
| [[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]] || 17 || {{WinLossPct|6|11}} || 1980, 1981, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2010* || 1990, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2018*, 2021*, 2023*, 2024*
|-
| [[Southern Conference|SoCon]] || 16 || {{WinLossPct|8|8}} || 1988, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007 || 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2001
|-
| [[NCAA Division I FCS independent schools|Independent]] || 11 || {{WinLossPct|7|4}} || 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 || 1979, 1982, 1988, 1992
|-
| [[Southland Conference|Southland]] || 9 || {{WinLossPct|2|7}} || 1987, 2020* || 1984, 1986, 1989, 1997, 2002, 2011*, 2012*
|-
| [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|CAA Football]] || 8 || {{WinLossPct|3|5}} || 2008, 2009, 2016* || 2007, 2010*, 2013*, 2017*, 2019*
|-
| [[Ohio Valley Conference|OVC]] || 5 || {{WinLossPct|2|3}} || 1979, 1982 || 1980, 1981, 2015*
|-
| bgcolor=lightgrey|''[[Atlantic 10 Conference|A-10]]'' || 4 || {{WinLossPct|3|1}} || 1998, 2003, 2004 || 2006
|-
| bgcolor=lightgrey|''[[Missouri Valley Conference|MVC]]'' || 1 || {{WinLossPct|1|0}} || 1983 || &nbsp;
|-
| bgcolor=lightgrey|''[[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference|SIAC]]'' || 1 || {{WinLossPct|1|0}} || 1978 || &nbsp;
|-
| [[Patriot League]] || 1 || {{WinLossPct|0|1}} || {{nbsp}} || 2003
|-
| bgcolor=lightgrey|''[[Yankee Conference|Yankee]]'' || 1 || {{WinLossPct|0|1}} || &nbsp; || 1978
|}

* Games marked with an asterisk (*) were played in the following calendar year.
* Records reflect conference affiliations at the time each game was played.
* Conferences in ''italics'' are defunct or not currently active in FCS.
* The [[Missouri Valley Conference]] (MVC) and [[Missouri Valley Football Conference]] (MVFC) are historically related but independently operating entities. MVFC was known as the Gateway Football Conference until June 2008.
* The [[Yankee Conference]], [[Atlantic 10 Conference]] (A-10), and [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|CAA Football]], although separately chartered, are effectively the same entity in football. The Yankee Conference, formerly an all-sports conference but a football-only league since 1976, was effectively merged into the A-10 after the 1996 season. In turn, the A-10 shut down its football league after the 2006 season, with the multi-sports Colonial Athletic Association (since renamed the [[Coastal Athletic Association]]) taking over administration of that league as the separate entity of CAA Football.  
* Teams from the same conference have met in the championship game following the 2014 and 2022 seasons. Both matchups involved MVFC teams.

==Game records==
This table lists records for the Championship Game.
<!--
-- THESE ARE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ONLY (not the entire playoffs)
-->
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Record
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| {{abbr|Qty.|Quantity}}
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Team
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Opponent
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Edition
|-
|Most points scored (one team)
|59 || Georgia Southern || Youngstown State || [[1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1999]]
|-
|Most points scored (losing team)
|43 ||Georgia Southern ||UMass || rowspan=2|[[1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1998]]
|-
|Most points scored (both teams)
|98 ||UMass (55) ||Georgia Southern (43)
|-
|Fewest points allowed
|0 ||Delaware ||Colgate || rowspan=2|[[2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|2003]]
|-
|Largest margin of victory
|40 ||Delaware (40) ||Colgate (0)
|-
|Attendance
|32,106 ||colspan=2|Montana vs. Marshall || [[1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|1995]]
|}

==Media coverage==
The game has been televised on an [[ESPN]] affiliated network since 1995.

{|class = "wikitable"
|-
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Season
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Network
|-
| 1978–1981 || [[ESPN College Football on ABC|ABC]]
|-
| 1982 || [[College Football on CBS Sports|CBS Sports]]
|-
| 1983 || [[ESPN College Football on ABC|ABC]]
|-
| 1984 || [[Satellite Program Network]]
|-
| 1985–1989 || [[ESPN College Football|ESPN]]
|-
| 1990–1994 || [[College Football on CBS Sports|CBS]]
|-
| 1995–2001 || [[ESPN College Football|ESPN]]
|-
| 2002–2018 || [[ESPN College Football|ESPN2]]
|-
| 2019–2020|| [[ESPN College Football on ABC|ABC]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.com/championships/football/fcs/broadcast-info |title=Broadcast Info |website=NCAA.com |date=2019 |access-date=November 17, 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 2021 || [[ESPN College Football|ESPN2]]
|-
| 2022–2023 || [[ESPN College Football on ABC|ABC]]
|-
| 2024–present || [[ESPN College Football|ESPN]]
|}
Note: starting with the 2010 season, the final game is played in the next calendar year.

{| class="wikitable"
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Date
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Network
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Play-by-play announcers
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Color commentators
! width= px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Sideline reporter 
|-
|January 6, 2025
|[[ESPN College Football|ESPN]]
|[[Dave Flemming]]
|[[Brock Osweiler]]
|Stormy Buonatony
|-
|January 7, 2024
|rowspan=2|[[ESPN College Football on ABC|ABC]]
|rowspan=2|Roy Philpott
|Roddy Jones
|Taylor McGregor
|-
|January 8, 2023
|rowspan=2|[[Jay Walker (legislator)|Jay Walker]]
|Paul Carcaterra
|-
|January 8, 2022
|[[ESPN College Football|ESPN2]]
|[[Dave Flemming]]
|Stormy Buonatony
|-
|May 16, 2021
|rowspan=2|ABC
|[[Dave Pasch]]
|[[Andre Ware]]
|[[Kris Budden]]
|-
|January 11, 2020
|[[Mark Jones (sportscaster)|Mark Jones]]
|[[Dusty Dvoracek]]
|[[Olivia Dekker]]
|-
|January 5, 2019
|rowspan=17|ESPN2
|Taylor Zarzour
|rowspan=2|[[Matt Stinchcomb]]
|Kris Budden
|-
|January 6, 2018
|[[Dave Neal]]
|rowspan=3|[[Quint Kessenich]]
|-
|January 7, 2017
|rowspan=4|[[Anish Shroff]]
|rowspan=2|[[Ahmad D. Brooks]]
|-
|January 9, 2016
|-
|January 10, 2015
|rowspan=2|[[Kelly Stouffer]]
|rowspan=3|[[Cara Capuano]]
|-
|January 4, 2014
|-
|January 5, 2013
|rowspan=3|Dave Neal
|Jay Walker
|-
|January 7, 2012
|[[David Diaz-Infante]]
|[[Allison Williams (reporter)|Allison Williams]]
|-
|January 7, 2011
|Andre Ware
|Jon Berger
|-
|December 18, 2009
|[[Eric Collins]]
|rowspan=2|[[Brock Huard]]
|Cara Campuano
|-
|December 19, 2008
|[[Bob Wischusen]]
|
|-
|December 14, 2007
|[[Sean McDonough]]
|[[Chris Spielman]]
|[[Rob Stone (sportscaster)|Rob Stone]]
|-
|December 15, 2006
|rowspan=3|Dave Pasch
|rowspan=3|[[Rod Gilmore]] and [[Trevor Matich]]
|Dave Ryan
|-
|December 16, 2005
|[[Stacey Dales-Schuman]]
|-
|December 17, 2004
|Rob Stone
|-
|December 19, 2003
|Sean McDonough
|[[Mike Golic]] and Rod Gilmore
|Rob Stone
|-
|December 20, 2002
|rowspan=2|[[Ron Franklin]]
|rowspan=2|[[Mike Gottfried]]
|[[Adrian Karsten]]
|-
|December 21, 2001
|rowspan=7|[[ESPN College Football|ESPN]]
|
|-
|December 16, 2000
|rowspan=2|[[Rich Waltz]]
|rowspan=2|Rod Gilmore
|[[Dave Ryan (sportscaster)|Dave Ryan]]
|-
|December 18, 1999
|[[Don McPherson]]
|-
|December 19, 1998
|rowspan=2|[[Dave Barnett]]
|rowspan=2|[[Bill Curry]]
|Dave Ryan
|-
|December 20, 1997
|
|-
|December 21, 1996
|[[Brad Nessler]]
|[[Gary Danielson]]
|
|-
|December 16, 1995
|[[Joel Meyers]]
|[[Todd Christensen]]
|Adrian Karsten
|-
|December 17, 1994
|rowspan=5|[[College Football on CBS Sports|CBS]]
|rowspan=2|Sean McDonough
|[[Steve Davis (quarterback)|Steve Davis]]
|[[David Logan (American football)|Dave Logan]]
|-
|December 18, 1993
|[[Dan Jiggetts]]
|[[Jim Gray (sportscaster)|Jim Gray]]
|-
|December 19, 1992
|[[Jim Nantz]]
|[[John Robinson (American football coach)|John Robinson]]
|
|-
|December 21, 1991
|Brad Nessler
|Dan Jiggetts
|
|-
|December 15, 1990
|Jim Nantz
|[[Tim Brant]]
|[[John Dockery]]
|-
|December 16, 1989
|rowspan=5|ESPN
|[[Barry Tompkins]]
|rowspan=3|[[Stan White (linebacker)|Stan White]]
|
|-
|December 17, 1988
|[[Tim Brando]]
|
|-
|December 19, 1987
|Denny Schreiner
|
|-
|December 19, 1986
|Tim Brando
|Kevin Kiley
|
|-
|December 21, 1985
|[[Mike Patrick]]
|[[Sam Adkins (American football)|Sam Adkins]]
|
|-
|December 15, 1984
|[[Satellite Program Network]]
|[[Bill Flemming]]
|Steve Davis
|
|-
|December 17, 1983
|ABC
|[[Keith Jackson]]
|[[Frank Broyles]]
|
|-
|December 18, 1982
|CBS
|[[Lindsey Nelson]]
|Steve Davis
|
|-
|December 19, 1981
|Rowspan=4|ABC
|rowspan=4|Bill Flemming
|rowspan=4|Frank Broyles
|
|-
|December 20, 1980
|
|-
|December 15, 1979
|
|-
|December 16, 1978
|
|-
|}

== See also ==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances by team]]
* [[College Football Playoff|College Football Playoff (FBS)]]
* [[NCAA Division II Football Championship]]
* [[NCAA Division III Football Championship]]
* [[NAIA Football Championship]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{NCAA Division I Football Championship Game navbox}}
{{College football}}
{{College football national championship systems navbox}}
{{National Collegiate Athletic Association}}
{{American football in the United States}}

[[Category:NCAA Division I Football Championship| ]]
[[Category:Lists of sports championships| ]]
[[Category:Annual college sporting events in the United States]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2006]]