NCAA Division I Football Championship
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| NCAA Division I Football Championship | |
|---|---|
| Name | NCAA Division I Football Championship |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Number of teams | 24 |
| Most recent champion | South Dakota State |
| Most titles | North Dakota State (9) |
| Current season | 2023 |
NCAA Division I Football Championship. The NCAA Division I Football Championship is the annual postseason tournament to determine the national champion for Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams. Sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the tournament culminates in a title game held at a predetermined neutral site. It provides a playoff format distinct from the College Football Playoff used in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
History
The championship was established in 1978, creating a playoff system for what was then known as Division I-AA. This followed the NCAA's major divisional split in 1973, which separated major college football into Division I and Division II. The inaugural title game was held in Wichita Falls, Texas, and was won by the Florida A&M Rattlers under coach Rudy Hubbard. For many years, the championship game was played in various cities like Chattanooga and Huntsville before finding a long-term home in Chattanooga's Finley Stadium. In 2010, the subdivision was officially renamed the Football Championship Subdivision. The championship game relocated to Frisco, Texas in 2011, where it is held at Toyota Stadium.
Format
The tournament features a 24-team field, selected by the NCAA Division I Football Committee. The field includes 10 automatic qualifiers, awarded to the champions of eligible conferences such as the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Big Sky Conference. The remaining 14 spots are filled with at-large selections. The tournament is a single-elimination bracket, with the top eight seeds receiving first-round byes. All games prior to the final are played at campus sites, typically hosted by the higher-seeded team. The championship final is a standalone event at a predetermined neutral venue.
Participating teams and conferences
Eligibility is limited to teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Key conferences that receive automatic bids include the Colonial Athletic Association, the Southern Conference, and the Southland Conference. Other prominent leagues are the Ohio Valley Conference, the Patriot League, and the Ivy League, though the latter chooses not to participate in the postseason tournament. Historically dominant programs include the North Dakota State Bison, Georgia Southern Eagles, and Appalachian State Mountaineers. Teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference also regularly qualify and have won titles, such as the Grambling State Tigers.
Championship results
The North Dakota State Bison hold the record for most titles, with nine championships won between 2011 and 2022 under coaches Craig Bohl and Chris Klieman. Georgia Southern has won six titles, while Appalachian State and Youngstown State have each won three. Notable championship games include the 2005 contest where Appalachian State defeated Northern Iowa and the 2007 game featuring the Mountaineers again versus the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. The most recent champion is the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
Trophy and awards
The winning team is awarded the NCAA Division I Football Championship Trophy. The most outstanding player in the championship game receives the Most Valuable Player award, which has been won by stars like Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State and Trey Lance of North Dakota State. Broader postseason honors for players include the Walter Payton Award, given to the offensive player of the year, the Buck Buchanan Award, for the defensive player of the year, and the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year. These awards are presented by Stats Perform and are celebrated at a banquet in Frisco, Texas.
Media coverage
Television rights are held by ESPN, which broadcasts the entire tournament across its networks, including ESPN2 and ESPNU. The championship game is televised nationally on ESPN. Selected early-round games are also streamed on ESPN+. Radio coverage is provided nationally by Westwood One. Local broadcasts are handled by school-affiliated radio networks. The event receives extensive coverage from major sports media outlets like CBS Sports and Athlon Sports.