The 2025 FCS Season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 23, 2025, and expected to end on Monday, January 5, 2026, with 128 teams across 13 conferences.
2025 FCS Over FBS Victories ()
Playoff Bracket, Notes, and National Champion
The FCS Playoff format will remain the same for the 2025 season with a 24-team bracket and 16-seeded teams. The top 8 teams will receive a first-round bye while seeds 9 through 16 will host a first-round matchup. Campus sites will be used from the first round through the semifinal round. The Ivy League will compete in the FCS Playoffs for the first time after reversing its policy against football postseason competition. FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee will host the FCS Championship for the first time. The date of the National Championship game is expected to be Monday, January 5, 2026.
Conference Changes
The Big South-OVC Football Association switched its name to the “OVC-Big South Football Association” after the conclusion of the 2024 season. A new logo appeared when the OVC-Big South announced its 2025 conference schedule that featured the OVC title more prominently along with the words “in association with the Big South”.
Team Changes
There are scheduled to be four total changes involving membership for the FCS in 2025: two teams will depart, one will join, and another will switch conferences. Delaware (CAA) and Missouri State (MVFC) will leave the FCS to join the FBS and Conference USA in 2025. Both teams started the two-year reclassification process in 2024 and were ineligible for the FCS playoffs.
The FCS newcomer for 2025 is the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The Vaqueros will join the Southland Conference and will be eligible for the FCS playoffs in its first season. Meanwhile, the Richmond Spiders are moving from the CAA to the Patriot League in 2025 putting the CAA at 14 teams and the Patriot League at 8.
The NCAA amended its reclassification policy that could shorten the transition period by one year for any schools that are moving from NCAA Division II or Division III into Division I and the FCS. The policy applies to teams currently reclassifying into D-I as well as any future programs. For 2025, East Texas A&M (Southland), Lindenwood (OVC-Big South), St. Thomas (PFL), and Stonehill (Northeast) could become eligible for the FCS Playoffs this season if they meet the criteria specified by the NCAA.
| Team | Old Conference | New Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | CAA (FCS) | C-USA (FBS) |
| Missouri State | MVFC (FCS) | C-USA (FBS) |
| Richmond | CAA (FCS) | Patriot League (FCS) |
| UTRGV | New Program | Southland (FCS) |
2024 Season ———————————————————————————————————————————————————- 2026 Season