NCAA DIVISION I FCS ®
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NCAA INFO: ncaa.com/fcs • STATS: ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs
FCS HEADLINES CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018) #2 North Dakota State vs. #1 James Madison, 11 a.m. CT (ESPN2) u For the first time since 2011 (and the first time since the playoff field expanded to 24 teams), the top two seeds will face one another in the title game. In 2011, #2 North Dakota State beat #1 Sam Houston State, 17-6. The 2009 title game also featured 1-2 (#2 Villanova beat #1 Montana, 23-21). u More than two full NFL rosters could be filled with current FCS players in the National Football League (130). There are 36 inductees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who represent current FCS institutions, including recent inductee Kurt Warner (2017, Northern Iowa). u FCS schools have 9 wins this season vs. FBS programs. The FCS had 10 wins against FBS teams last year, one more than 2015, and tied for the fourth-most in a single season in NCAA history. The FCS set a record in 2013 with 16 wins against FBS schools. u Longest Consecutive Tournament Appearances in the Championship, including 2017: New Hampshire – 14; North Dakota State – 8; Sam Houston State – 7; South Dakota State -- 6; Jacksonville St. – 5; James Madison – 4 u North Dakota State’s appearance in this year’s title game gives the MVFC a championship game participant in seven-straight years, the longest streak in FCS history u In the past seven+ playoffs (2010-17), five leagues (Big Sky, CAA Football, MVFC, Southern and Southland) have combined to win 145 of 171 total games. The MVFC has 51 of those wins, and CAA Football is second in that span with 37 wins. The two leagues have combined to win 51 percent of all playoff games this decade. u Only two leagues (Southern with 108 wins and CAA Football with 106) have reached 100 alltime playoff wins as a league. The MVFC is third with 99 all-time wins in the post-season.
2017 Playoffs CAA Football Missouri Valley Big South Pioneer Big Sky Southern Southland Northeast Ohio Valley Patriot
Teams W 4 5 2 1 3 3 3 1 1 1
L
Pct.
6 3 .667 7 4 .636 2 2 .500 1 1 .500 2 3 .400 2 3 .400 2 3 .400 0 1 .000 0 1 .000 0 1 .000
includes intra-conference games Winningest FCS Teams This Decade 1. North Dakota State 2. Harvard 3. Sam Houston State 4. Jacksonville State 5. Eastern Washington 6. San Diego 7. James Madison current FCS schools only
105-13 64-16 86-27 76-24 78-27 68-24 73-28
.890 .800 .761 .760 .743 .739 .723
The 2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship is the 40th title game for the FCS. It marks the 12th all-time title game appearance for an MVFC member. Below is a listing of total appearances by each league in the title game (as well as titles and runner-up finishes). Only the SoCon, with eight titles, has more championships than the MVFC’s seven. Conference Big Sky CAA Football Independents Valley Football Ohio Valley Patriot Southern Southland *includes this season
Total 1st 2nd 13 6 7 13* 6 6 11 9 2 12* 7 4 5 2 3 2 0 2 16 8 8 8 1 7
FIRST-ROUND (Saturday, Nov. 25) Stony Brook 59, Lehigh 29 Weber State 21, Western Illinois 19 UNI 46, Monmouth 7 New Hampshire 14, C. Connecticut State 0 Kennesaw State 28, Samford 17 South Dakota 38, Nicholls 31 Furman 28, Elon 27 San Diego 41, Northern Arizona 10 SECOND-ROUND (Saturday, Dec. 2) #1 James Madison 26, Stony Brook 7 Weber State 30, #8 Southern Utah 13 #5 South Dakota State 37, UNI 22 New Hampshire 21, #4 Central Arkansas 15 Kennesaw State 17, #3 Jacksonville State 7 #6 Sam Houston State 54, South Dakota 42 #7 Wofford 28, Furman 10 #2 North Dakota State 38, San Diego 3 QUARTERFINALS (Fri./Sat., Dec. 8/9) #1 James Madison 31, Weber State 28 #2 North Dakota State 42, #7 Wofford 10 #5 South Dakota State 56, N. Hampshire 14 #6 Sam Houston State 34, Kennesaw State 27 SEMIFINAL GAMES (Fri./Sat., Dec. 15/16) #2 NDSU 55, #6 Sam Houston State 13 #1 James Madison 51, #5 SDSU 16
Most Wins Without Loss/Tie, FCS 1989 - Georgia Southern (15-0) 2013 - North Dakota State (15-0) 1996 - Marshall (14-0) 2017 - James Madison (14-0)* 2017 - North Carolina A&T (12-0)* *includes this season JMU has tied its program record for most wins in a season, as it has now won 14 games in back-to-back years.
Back-to-Back?
James Madison, which owns one of the only eight victories over North Dakota State since the beginning of the 2011 season, has the rare opportunity to win back-to-back games over NDSU. That hasn’t happened since 2010 when Northern Iowa, Illinois State and Missouri State each beat the Bison in back-to-back seasons.