2025-26 FCS Championship: A Comprehensive Guide to the 48th Title Game
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The 2025-26 FCS Championship Game, the 48th edition of the title contest, is set to take place on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This highly anticipated matchup will crown the champion of the Football Championship Subdivision, showcasing the best talent outside of the FBS.
Location and History
For the first time in its history, the FCS Championship Game will be hosted in Nashville, Tennessee, at the FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University. This marks the 14th time the championship has been held in the state of Tennessee, but the first since 2009. The game will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks, and fans can also stream the action online by clicking [here](link to stream – placeholder).
The Road to the Championship
The field of 24 teams will battle through a bracketed playoff system to reach the championship game. Currently, Montana State and Illinois State have secured their berths, having defeated Montana (48-23) and Villanova (30-14) respectively in the semifinal rounds. The remaining participants will be determined as the playoffs progress.
The selection process for the 24-team playoff field begins on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, with a selection show revealing the bracket. Eleven conferences, or conference partnerships, will receive automatic bids, while the FCS Championship Committee will award 13 at-large bids. The committee will also seed the top 16 teams, with the top eight receiving a first-round bye.
The 2025-26 FCS playoffs utilize a 24-team bracket, with the top 16 teams seeded. The first round features regionalized matchups between seeds 9-16 and unseeded teams, designed to minimize travel. Efforts will also be made to avoid first-round pairings between teams from the same conference. Higher seeds with viable bids will have the opportunity to host first-round games. An interactive bracket can be found [here](link to bracket – placeholder).
Championship Legacy
The FCS Championship has a rich history dating back to 1978. Historically, the championship game has been dominated by a select few programs. North Dakota State has emerged as a modern dynasty, claiming titles in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and most recently in 2024 with a 35-32 victory over Montana State. South Dakota State has also enjoyed recent success, winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023 (45-21 over North Dakota State and 23-3 over Montana, respectively). Other notable champions include Appalachian State (2005, 2006, 2007), Georgia Southern (1989, 1999, 2000), and Youngstown State (1993, 1994, 1997).
Here’s a look at recent FCS Championship results:
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | North Dakota State | Tim Polasek | 35-32 | Montana State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2023 | South Dakota State | Jimmy Rogers | 23-3 | Montana | Frisco, Texas |
| 2022 | South Dakota State | John Stiegelmeier | 45-21 | North Dakota State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2021 | North Dakota State | Matt Entz | 38-10 | Montana State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2020 | Sam Houston | K.C. Keeler | 23-21 | South Dakota State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2019 | North Dakota State | Matt Entz | 28-20 | James Madison | Frisco, Texas |
| 2018 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | 38-24 | Eastern Washington | Frisco, Texas |
| 2017 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | 17-13 | James Madison | Frisco, Texas |
| 2016 | James Madison | Mike Houston | 28-14 | Youngstown State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2015 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | 37-10 | Jacksonville State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2014 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | 29-27 | Illinois State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2013 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | 35-7 | Towson | Frisco, Texas |
| 2012 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | 39-13 | Sam Houston State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2011 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | 17-6 | Sam Houston State | Frisco, Texas |
| 2010 | Eastern Washington | Beau Baldwin | 20-19 | Delaware | Frisco, Texas |
| 2009 | Villanova | Andy Talley | 23-21 | Montana | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2008 | Richmond | Mike London | 24-7 | Montana | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2007 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | 49-21 | Delaware | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2006 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | 28-17 | Massachusetts | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2005 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | 21-16 | UNI | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2004 | James Madison | Mickey Matthews | 31-21 | Montana | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2003 | Delaware | K.C. Keeler | 40-0 | Colgate | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2002 | Western Kentucky | Jack Harbaugh | 34-14 | McNeese State | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2001 | Montana | Joe Glenn | 13-6 | Furman | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2000 | Georgia Southern | Paul Johnson | 27-25 | Montana | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 1999 | Georgia Southern | Paul Johnson | 59-24 | Youngstown State | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 1998 | Massachusetts | Mark Whipple | 55-43 | Georgia Southern | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 1997 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | 10-9 | McNeese State | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 1996 | Marshall | Bob Pruett | 49-29 | Montana | Huntington, W.Va. |
| 1995 | Montana | Don Read | 22-20 | Marshall | Huntington, W.Va. |
| 1994 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | 28-14 | Boise State | Huntington, W.Va. |
| 1993 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | 17-5 | Marshall | Huntington, W.Va. |
| 1992 | Marshall | Jim Donnan | 31-28 | Youngstown State | Huntington, W.Va. |
| 1991 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | 25-17 | Marshall | Statesboro, Ga. |
| 1990 | Georgia Southern | Tim Stowers | 36-13 | Nevada | Statesboro, Ga. |
| 1989 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | 37-34 | Stephen F. Austin * | Statesboro, Ga. |
| 1988 | Furman | Jimmy Satterfield | 17-12 | Georgia Southern | Pocatello, Idaho |
| 1987 | Louisiana-Monroe | Pat Collins | 43-42 | Marshall | Pocatello, Idaho |
| 1986 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | 48-21 | Arkansas State | Tacoma, Wash. |
| 1985 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | 44-42 | Furman | Tacoma, Wash. |
| 1984 | Montana State | Dave Arnold | 19-6 | Louisiana Tech | Charleston, S.C. |
| 1983 | Southern Illinois | Rey Dempsey | 43-7 | Western Carolina | Charleston, S.C. |
| 1982 | Eastern Kentucky | Roy Kidd | 17-14 | Delaware | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1981 | Idaho State | Dave Kragthorpe | 34-23 | Eastern Kentucky | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1980 | Boise State | Jim Criner | 31-29 | Eastern Kentucky | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1979 | Eastern Kentucky | Roy Kidd | 30-7 | Lehigh | Orlando, Fla. |
| 1978 | Florida A&M | Rudy Hubbard | 35-28 | Massachusetts | Wichita Falls, Texas |
- — Stephen F. Austin’s participation in 1989 championship vacated.
Staying Updated
Fans can find the latest FCS football standings [here](link to standings – placeholder), which will be updated throughout the season. As the 2025-26 season unfolds, the path to the championship will become clearer, promising another exciting chapter in the history of FCS football.
