2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season

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For the FCS season contested during fall 2020/spring 2021, see 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season.
2021 NCAA Division I FCS season
NCAA logo.svg
Regular season
Number of teams128
DurationAugust – November
Playoff
DurationNovember – December
Championship dateJanuary 8, 2022
Championship siteToyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
NCAA Division I FCS football seasons
«2020
 

The 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, is the ongoing season organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.

After the prior season was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, resulting in some conferences canceling their seasons and significant rescheduling by other conferences, the 2021 season returned to its traditional fall scheduling. The season is planned to culminate with a single-elimination tournament, with a championship game scheduled for January 8, 2022, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

Conference changes and new programs[]

Membership changes for 2021[]

School Former conference New conference
Abilene Christian Wildcats Southland Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
Bethune–Cookman Wildcats Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southwestern Athletic Conference
Central Arkansas Bears Southland Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
Eastern Kentucky Colonels Ohio Valley Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
Florida A&M Rattlers Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southwestern Athletic Conference
Jacksonville State Gamecocks Ohio Valley Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
Lamar Cardinals Southland Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
North Carolina A&T Aggies Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Big South Conference
Presbyterian Blue Hose FCS independent Pioneer Football League
St. Thomas Tommies MIAC (Division III) Pioneer Football League
Sam Houston State Bearkats Southland Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Southland Conference WAC–ASUN Challenge

On January 14, 2021, the Western Athletic Conference, which had last played football in the 2012 season as an FBS league, announced that it would reinstate football in the fall 2021 season as an FCS league. This coincides with the arrival of four new members from the Southland Conference, all located in Texas and fielding FCS football programs—Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State, and Stephen F. Austin. Original plans were for the four Southland members, as well as Big Sky Conference member Southern Utah, to join in 2022, at which time the football league would restart. However, the entry of the Texas schools and the restart of football were moved forward to July 2021 when the Southland chose to expel its departing members.[1] These schools will join Dixie State and Tarleton State, which joined the all-sports WAC in July 2020, in the revived WAC football league. Southern Utah's entry remains on the original July 2022 schedule.[2] On the same day, UTRGV, currently a full but non-football WAC member, announced that it planned to launch an FCS football program no later than 2024. While it did not mention a conference affiliation, its existing WAC membership makes it all but certain that the school will join WAC football.[3]

On January 29, 2021, the ASUN Conference announced that it too would begin sponsoring FCS football in 2022, with its first five members being full members Kennesaw State and North Alabama (who had been football-only members of the Big South Conference), Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State from the Ohio Valley Conference, and Central Arkansas from the Southland Conference. On February 23, the ASUN announced that it had entered into a football partnership with the WAC, with the WAC's four incoming Texas members joined by the incoming ASUN schools in a round-robin league officially branded as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge" or "WAC–ASUN Challenge". Dixie State and Tarleton were to be included in alliance members' schedules, but not in alliance standings due to their ongoing Division I transitions, technically making them FCS independents for at least the 2021 season. While the ASUN–WAC Challenge was organized with seven members, meeting the NCAA-imposed minimum of six playoff-eligible schools for an automatic FCS tournament bid, it did not meet the NCAA's "continuity" criterion for eligibility, based on the length of time the member schools have been in the same league. ASUN and WAC jointly proposed an amendment to NCAA bylaws to make the partnership eligible for an automatic bid.[4][5] Their proposal was successful, resulting in an automatic qualifier to the postseason tournament from the seven-team Challenge, colloquially referred to as "AQ7".[6]

Future membership changes[]

On September 17, the ASUN announced that Austin Peay would move from the OVC to the ASUN effective July 1, 2022. Peay will become the ASUN's sixth scholarship FCS football program, joining the three 2021 arrivals and current Big South football associates Kennesaw State and North Alabama. This in turn enables the ASUN to launch its football league in 2022 with an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, as North Alabama will complete its transition from Division II to Division I in July 2022 and become playoff-eligible.[7] Texas A&M–Commerce will also be moving to the Southland Conference from the Lone Star Conference starting in July 2022.[8]

On October 22, The Action Network reported that James Madison was on the verge of joining the FBS Sun Belt Conference alongside three members of another FBS league, Conference USA.[9] On November 6, James Madison made its move to the Sun Belt official, effective no later than July 2023.[10] The Dukes had been scheduled to play as FBS indepedents in the 2022 season.[11]

On November 5, Conference USA, which had nine of its schools depart to other separate conferences, handed out invitations to two of its four newcomer universities, FCS programs Jacksonville State and Sam Houston. They were both accepted and their C-USA membership takes effect also no later than July 2023.[12]

One week later on November 12, the Western Athletic Conference announced that Incarnate Word would join from the Southland after the 2021–22 school year.[13] The Southland also nearly lost McNeese to the WAC, but the Cowboys ultimately remained in the Southland.[14]

Rule changes[]

The following rule changes, recommended by the NCAA Football Rules Committee for the 2021 season on March 12 of that year, were approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on April 22.[15][16]

  • In overtime, teams scoring a touchdown will be required to attempt a two-point conversion starting with the second overtime period (previously the third overtime period) and, if still tied, teams will be required to attempt alternating two point conversions starting with the third overtime (previously the fifth overtime period).
  • Permanently extending the team area from between the 25-yard lines to between the 20-yard lines. A rule implemented for the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic had extended the area to between the 15-yard lines, but it had been scheduled to revert to the 25 for 2021.
  • Creating a process for a review panel that can be used by teams and/or conferences for instances of teams feigning injuries to slow down teams' momentum or stop the game clock.
  • Explicitly prohibiting video board and lighting system operators from creating "any distraction that obstructs play", with violations being deemed unsportsmanlike conduct.
  • If replay overturns a call on the field, the game clock will only be adjusted inside of the last 2:00 of the first half and the last 5:00 of the second half.

One recommended change that would have limited blocks below the waist to inside the tackle box was not approved.

Another rule change was made during the season:

  • After the FBS's Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett's fake slide in the 2021 ACC Championship Game against Wake Forest, the NCAA Football Rules Committee changed the interpretation of the "QB Slide Rule" to require officials to interpret a fake slide as "giving himself up" and blow the play dead.

"Points of Emphasis" for the 2021 season include:

  • Penalize any taunting action toward an opponent.
  • Automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalties toward a coach who leaves the team area or goes onto the field of play to argue officials' decisions or calls.
  • Being more alert to players significantly in violation of uniform rules (specifically the pants, jerseys, and T-shirts that extend below the torso) and to send violators out of the game to correct the issue.

Other headlines[]

  • September 4 – In Kevin Kelley's debut as head coach of Presbyterian, Ren Hefley threw for 10 touchdowns in the Blue Hose's 84–43 win over NAIA member St. Andrews, breaking the previous FCS record of 9 first set in 1984 by Willie Totten of Mississippi Valley State and equaled in 2007 by Drew Hubel of Portland State. Blue Hose backup quarterback Tyler Huff added 2 TD passes to set a new Division I team record (for both FCS and FBS) of 12, surpassing the previous record of 11 thrown by David Klingler of Houston against Eastern Washington in 1990.[17]
  • November 12 – The Utah Legislature passed a bill to change the name of Dixie State University to Utah Tech University, effective in the 2022–23 school year. The nickname of Trailblazers will not be affected.[18]

Kickoff games[]

"Week Zero"[]

The regular season began with three games on Saturday, August 28:

  • Eastern Illinois 21 at Indiana State 26
  • Alcorn State 14 vs. North Carolina Central 23, at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta
  • Southern Utah 14 at San Jose State 45

FCS team wins over FBS teams[]

  • September 2, 2021:
    • UC Davis 19, Tulsa 17
    • Eastern Washington 35, UNLV 33
  • September 3, 2021:
  • September 4, 2021:
    • Holy Cross 38, UConn 28
    • Montana 13, No. 20 Washington 7
    • East Tennessee State 23, Vanderbilt 3
  • September 11, 2021:
    • Duquesne 28, Ohio 26
    • Jacksonville State 20, Florida State 17
  • September 18, 2021:
    • Incarnate Word 42, Texas State 34
    • Northern Arizona 21, Arizona 19
  • November 6, 2021:
    • Rhode Island 35, UMass 22
  • November 13, 2021
    • Maine 35, UMass 10

Non-DI team wins over FCS teams[]

  • September 3, 2021:
    • Southern Connecticut 28, Central Connecticut 21
  • September 4, 2021:
    • West Florida 42, McNeese State 36
    • Indiana Wesleyan 28, Valparaiso 10

Upsets[]

This section lists instances of unranked teams defeating ranked teams during the season.

Regular season[]

During the regular season, 33 unranked teams have defeated a ranked team.

  • September 4, 2021:
  • September 11, 2021:
    • Merrimack 35, No. 24 Holy Cross 21
  • September 25, 2021
    • Holy Cross 45, No. 20 Monmouth 15
    • Eastern Kentucky 35, No. 19 Austin Peay 27
    • UT Martin 34, No. 9 Jacksonville State 31
  • October 2, 2021
    • Elon 20, No. 22 Richmond 7
    • The Citadel 35, No. 18 VMI 24
  • October 9, 2021
  • October 16, 2021
    • Dartmouth 38, No. 23 New Hampshire 21
    • Chattanooga 21, No. 10 East Tennessee State 16
    • Sacramento State 28, No. 5 Montana 27
    • Stony Brook 34, No. 14 Delaware 17
    • Towson 28, No. 12 Rhode Island 7
  • October 22, 2021
    • Columbia 19, No. 25 Dartmouth 0
  • October 23, 2021
    • Weber State 35, No. 2 Eastern Washington 34
    • Illinois State 20, No. 15 South Dakota 14
    • McNeese State 28, No. 16 Incarnate Word 20
  • October 30, 2021
    • William & Mary 31, No. 4 Villanova 18
    • Maine 45, No. 24 Rhode Island 24
  • November 5, 2021
    • Dartmouth 31, No. 20т Princeton 7
  • November 6, 2021
    • Portland State 30, No. 24 Weber State 18
    • Delaware 24, No. 20т William & Mary 3
    • Illinois State 17, No. 13 Northern Iowa 10 OT
    • Stephen F. Austin 31, No. 25 Eastern Kentucky 17
  • November 13, 2021
    • Alcorn State 31, No. 24 Prairie View A&M 29
    • Furman 37, No. 21 VMI 31
    • Mercer 10, No. 22т Chattanooga 6
  • November 20, 2021
    • Southeast Missouri State 31, No. 13 UT Martin 14
    • Nicholls 45, No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana 42
    • Youngstown State 35, No. 17 Southern Illinois 18
    • Elon 43, No. 25 Rhode Island 28

Bowl games[]

Date Game Site Television Participants Affiliations Results References
Dec. 18 Celebration Bowl Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
12:00 pm 		ABC South Carolina State Bulldogs (6–5)
Jackson State Tigers (11–1) 		MEAC
SWAC 		South Carolina State 31
Jackson State 10 		[19][20]

Regular season top 10 matchups[]

Rankings reflect the STATS Poll.

  • Week 3
    • No. 3 James Madison defeated No. 9 Weber State, 37–24 (Stewart Stadium, Ogden, Utah)
  • Week 5
  • Week 6
    • No. 8 Southern Illinois defeated No. 2 South Dakota State, 42–41 OT (Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, South Dakota)
  • Week 10
    • No. 4 Montana State defeated No. 5 Eastern Washington, 23–20 (Roos Field, Cheney, Washington)
    • No. 9 South Dakota State defeated No. 2 North Dakota State, 27–19 (Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, South Dakota)
  • Week 11
    • No. 7 Eastern Washington defeated No. 6 UC Davis, 38–20 (UC Davis Health Stadium, Davis, California)
  • Week 12

Rankings[]

Main article: 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings

The top 25 from the STATs and USA Today Coaches Polls.

Pre-season polls[]

STATS
Ranking Team
1 Sam Houston State (39)
2 James Madison (8)
3 South Dakota State (4)
4 North Dakota State
5 Delaware
6 Weber State
7 Southern Illinois
8 North Dakota
9 Montana
10 Jacksonville State
11 Eastern Washington
12 Montana State
13 Monmouth
14 Central Arkansas
15 Southeastern Louisiana
16 Villanova
17 VMI
18 Chattanooga
19 Kennesaw State
20 Austin Peay
21 Northern Iowa
22 Nicholls
23 UC Davis
24 Missouri State
25 North Carolina A&T
USA Today Coaches
Ranking Team
1 Sam Houston State (18)
2 James Madison (9)
3 North Dakota State
4 South Dakota State (1)
5 Delaware
6 Weber State
7 North Dakota
8 Jacksonville State
9 Montana
10 Southern Illinois
11 Montana State
12 Monmouth
13 Central Arkansas
14 Eastern Washington
15 Villanova
16 Northern Iowa
17 Southeastern Louisiana
18 Chattanooga
19 VMI
20 Kennesaw State
21 UC Davis
22 Richmond
23 Nicholls
24 North Carolina A&T
25 Austin Peay

Final rankings[]

Rank STATS Coaches' Poll
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Conference standings[]

2021 Big Sky Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 8 Sacramento State $^   8 – 0     9 – 3  
No. 7 Montana State ^   7 – 1     11 – 2  
No. 4 Eastern Washington ^   6 – 2     10 – 3  
No. 5 Montana ^   6 – 2     10 – 3  
No. 14 UC Davis ^   5 – 3     8 – 4  
Weber State   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Northern Arizona   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Portland State   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Idaho   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Northern Colorado   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Cal Poly   1 – 7     2 – 9  
Idaho State   1 – 7     1 – 10  
Southern Utah   0 – 8     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
As of December 28, 2021; Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Big South Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Kennesaw State $^   7 – 0     11 – 2  
Monmouth   6 – 1     7 – 4  
North Carolina A&T   3 – 4     5 – 6  
North Alabama   3 – 4     3 – 8  
Charleston Southern   3 – 4     4 – 6  
Hampton   3 – 4     5 – 6  
Robert Morris   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Campbell   2 – 5     3 – 8  
Gardner–Webb   2 – 5     4 – 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Colonial Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 James Madison +^   7 – 1     12 – 2  
No. 6 Villanova +^   7 – 1     10 – 3  
Elon   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Rhode Island   4 – 4     7 – 4  
Maine   4 – 4     6 – 5  
Richmond   4 – 4     6 – 5  
William & Mary   4 – 4     6 – 5  
Stony Brook   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Delaware   3 – 5     5 – 6  
Towson   3 – 5     4 – 7  
New Hampshire   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Albany   1 – 7     2 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Ivy League football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 19 Dartmouth +   6 – 1     9 – 1  
No. 23 Princeton +   6 – 1     9 – 1  
Harvard   5 – 2     8 – 2  
Yale   4 – 3     5 – 5  
Columbia   4 – 3     7 – 3  
Penn   1 – 6     3 – 7  
Brown   1 – 6     2 – 8  
Cornell   1 – 6     2 – 8  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
South Carolina State $   5 – 0     7 – 5  
North Carolina Central   4 – 1     6 – 5  
Norfolk State   2 – 3     6 – 5  
Delaware State   2 – 3     5 – 6  
Howard   1 – 4     3 – 8  
Morgan State   1 – 4     2 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 3 North Dakota State $^   7 – 1     13 – 1  
No. 12 Missouri State ^   6 – 2     8 – 4  
No. 21 Southern Illinois ^   5 – 3     8 – 5  
No. 17 South Dakota ^   5 – 3     7 – 5  
No. 11 South Dakota State ^   5 – 3     11 – 4  
Northern Iowa ^   4 – 4     6 – 6  
Indiana State   3 – 5     5 – 6  
North Dakota   3 – 5     5 – 6  
Western Illinois   2 – 6     2 – 9  
Illinois State   2 – 6     4 – 7  
Youngstown State   2 – 6     3 – 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
As of December 28, 2021; Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Northeast Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Sacred Heart $^   6 – 1     8 – 4  
Duquesne   5 – 2     7 – 3  
Bryant   5 – 2     7 – 4  
Saint Francis (PA)   4 – 3     5 – 6  
Central Connecticut   4 – 3     4 – 7  
Merrimack *   2 – 5     5 – 6  
LIU   2 – 5     2 – 8  
Wagner   0 – 7     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • Note: Merrimack ineligible for NEC title and FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 16 UT Martin $^   5 – 1     10 – 3  
Austin Peay   4 – 2     6 – 5  
Southeast Missouri State   4 – 2     4 – 7  
Murray State   3 – 3     6 – 5  
Tennessee State   3 – 3     5 – 6  
Tennessee Tech   1 – 5     3 – 8  
Eastern Illinois   1 – 5     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Patriot League football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 24 Holy Cross $^   6 – 0     10 – 3  
Colgate   5 – 1     5 – 6  
Fordham   4 – 2     6 – 5  
Lehigh   3 – 3     3 – 8  
Lafayette   2 – 4     3 – 8  
Georgetown   1 – 5     2 – 8  
Bucknell   0 – 6     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Pioneer Football League standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Davidson +^   7 – 1     8 – 3  
San Diego +   7 – 1     7 – 4  
St. Thomas (MN)*   6 – 2     7 – 3  
Morehead State   6 – 2     7 – 4  
Dayton   5 – 3     6 – 4  
Marist   5 – 3     5 – 5  
Valparaiso   4 – 4     4 – 7  
Stetson   2 – 6     4 – 7  
Butler   1 – 7     3 – 8  
Drake   1 – 7     2 – 9  
Presbyterian   0 – 8     2 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for FCS playoffs due to transition from Division III
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Southern Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 9 East Tennessee State $^   7 – 1     11 – 2  
No. 25 Mercer   6 – 2     7 – 3  
Chattanooga   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Western Carolina   4 – 4     4 – 7  
Furman   4 – 4     6 – 5  
VMI   4 – 4     6 – 5  
Samford   3 – 5     4 – 7  
The Citadel   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Wofford   0 – 8     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Southland Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 13 Incarnate Word $^   7 – 1     10 – 3  
No. 18 Southeastern Louisiana ^   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Nicholls   5 – 3     6 – 5  
McNeese State *   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Northwestern State   3 – 5     3 – 8  
Houston Baptist   0 – 8     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for FCS postseason play due to NCAA sanctions
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 15 Jackson State x$   8 – 0     11 – 2  
No. 22 Florida A&M ^   7 – 1     9 – 3  
Alabama A&M   5 – 3     7 – 3  
Mississippi Valley State   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Alabama State   3 – 5     5 – 6  
Bethune–Cookman   2 – 6     2 – 9  
West Division
Prairie View A&M x   6 – 2     7 – 5  
Alcorn State   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Grambling State   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Southern   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Texas Southern   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Arkansas–Pine Bluff   1 – 7     2 – 9  
Championship: Jackson State 27, Prairie View A&M 10
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 WAC–ASUN Challenge football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Sam Houston State $^   6 – 0     11 – 1  
No. 20 Stephen F. Austin ^   4 – 2     8 – 4  
Eastern Kentucky   4 – 2     7 – 4  
Central Arkansas   3 – 3     5 – 6  
Jacksonville State   3 – 3     5 – 6  
Abilene Christian   1 – 5     5 – 6  
Lamar   0 – 6     1 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll
2021 Western Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Sam Houston State $^   5 – 0     11 – 1  
No. 20 Stephen F. Austin ^   4 – 1     8 – 4  
Abilene Christian   2 – 2     5 – 6  
Tarleton State*   2 – 3     6 – 5  
Dixie State*   0 – 3     1 – 10  
Lamar   0 – 4     1 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for FCS playoffs due to transition from Division II
Rankings from STATS Poll

Conference summaries[]

SWAC Championship Game[]

Main article: 2021 SWAC Championship Game (December)
Date Location Venue West Div. Champion Result East Div. Champion
December 4, 2021 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, Mississippi Prairie View A&M 10–27 Jackson State

Postseason[]

After the prior season's playoffs were reduced to a 16-team bracket, FCS returned to a 24-team bracket for this season: 11 of the teams were decided via automatic bids issued to conference champions (listed below) and 13 teams were determined via at-large bids; the top eight teams were seeded.[21]

Playoff qualifiers[]

Automatic berths for conference champions[]

Conference Team Appearance Last bid Result of last appearance
Big Sky Conference Sacramento State 2nd 2019 Second Round (L – Austin Peay)
Big South Conference Kennesaw State 4th 2019 Second Round (L – Weber State)
Colonial Athletic Association Villanova 14th 2019 First Round (L – Southeastern Louisiana)
Missouri Valley Football Conference North Dakota State 12th 2020 Quarterfinals (L – Sam Houston State)
Northeast Conference Sacred Heart 4th 2020 First Round (L – Delaware)
Ohio Valley Conference UT Martin 2nd 2006 Second Round (L – Southern Illinois)
Patriot League Holy Cross 4th 2020 First Round (L – South Dakota State)
Pioneer Football League Davidson 2nd 2020 First Round (L – Jacksonville State)
Southern Conference East Tennessee State 3rd 2018 First Round (L – Jacksonville State)
Southland Conference Incarnate Word 2nd 2018 First Round (L – Montana State)
Western Athletic Conference Sam Houston State 13th 2020 National Champions (W – South Dakota State)

At large qualifiers[]

Conference Team Appearance Last bid Result of last appearance
Big Sky Conference Eastern Washington 15th 2020 First Round (L – North Dakota State)
Montana 25th 2019 Quarterfinals (L – Weber State)
Montana State 11th 2019 Semifinals (L – North Dakota State)
UC Davis 2nd 2018 Quarterfinals (L – Eastern Washington)
Colonial Athletic Association James Madison 18th 2020 Semifinals (L – Sam Houston State)
Missouri Valley Football Conference Missouri State 3rd 2020 First Round (L – North Dakota)
Northern Iowa 23rd 2019 Quarterfinals (L – James Madison)
South Dakota 2nd 2017 Second Round (L – Sam Houston State)
South Dakota State 11th 2020 Championship Game (L – Sam Houston State)
Southern Illinois 10th 2020 Quarterfinals (L – South Dakota State)
Southland Conference Southeastern Louisiana 4th 2019 Second Round (L – Montana)
Southwestern Athletic Conference Florida A&M 8th 2001 Second Round (L – Southeastern Louisiana)
Western Athletic Conference Stephen F. Austin 8th 2014 First Round (L – Northern Iowa)

Abstentions[]

  • Ivy League – Dartmouth
  • Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
  • Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State

NCAA Division I playoff bracket[]

First Round
November 27
Campus sites
 		Second Round
December 3/4
Campus sites
 		Quarterfinals
December 10/11
Campus sites
 		Semifinals
December 17/18
Campus sites
 		National Championship
January 8
12:00 pm EST
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
1 Sam Houston State 49
Stephen F. Austin 28   Incarnate Word 42
Incarnate Word 35 1 Sam Houston State 19
8 Montana State 42
8 Montana State 26
UT Martin 32   UT Martin 7
Missouri State 31 8 Montana State 31
South Dakota State 17
5 Villanova 21
Sacred Heart 10   Holy Cross 16
Holy Cross 13 5 Villanova 21
South Dakota State 35
4 Sacramento State 19
UC Davis 24   South Dakota State 24
South Dakota State 56 8 Montana State
2 North Dakota State
3 James Madison 59
Florida A&M 14   Southeastern Louisiana 20
Southeastern Louisiana 38 3 James Madison 28
6 Montana 6
6 Montana 57
Northern Iowa 9   Eastern Washington 41
Eastern Washington 19 3 James Madison 14
2 North Dakota State 20
7 East Tennessee State 32
Davidson 21   Kennesaw State 31
Kennesaw State 48 7 East Tennessee State 3
2 North Dakota State 27
2 North Dakota State 38
Southern Illinois 22   Southern Illinois 7
South Dakota 10

Source:[22]

Coaching changes[]

Preseason and in-season[]

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2021. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2021, see 2020 NCAA Division I FCS end-of-season coaching changes.

Team Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement
Stetson Roger Hughes May 7 Resigned[23]
Colgate Dan Hunt May 17 Resigned[24] Stan Dakosty
LIU Bryan Collins June 29 Resigned[25] Jonathan Gill (interim)
Alabama State Donald Hill-Eley November 1 Fired[26] Travis Pearson (interim)
Jacksonville State John Grass November 6 Resigned[27] (interim)
Grambling State Broderick Fobbs November 15 Fired[28] (interim)

End of season[]

Team Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement
Western Illinois Jared Elliott November 10 Parting ways at end of season[29] Myers Hendrickson
Southern Utah Demario Warren November 15 Mutually parted ways[30] DeLane Fitzgerald
Idaho Paul Petrino November 19 Will not return in 2022[31]
Abilene Christian Adam Dorrel November 21 Fired[32] Keith Patterson
Idaho State Rob Phenicie November 21 Fired[33] Charlie Ragle
Lafayette John Garrett November 22 Fired[34] John Troxell
Alabama State Travis Pearson (interim) November 26 Permanent replacement[35] Eddie Robinson
Maine Nick Charlton November 28 Became OC at UConn[36] Jordan Stevens
Delaware Danny Rocco November 29 Fired[37] Ryan Carty[38]
Jacksonville State (interim) November 29 Permanent replacement[39] Rich Rodriguez
Butler Jeff Voris November 30 Resigned[40]
New Hampshire Sean McDonnell December 1 Retired[41] Ricky Santos
Presbyterian Kevin Kelley December 4 Resigned[42]
Incarnate Word Eric Morris December 5 Became OC at Washington State[43] G. J. Kinne
McNeese State Frank Wilson December 7 Became associate head coach at LSU[44] Gary Goff
Southern (interim) December 7 Permanent replacement[45] Eric Dooley
Prairie View A&M Eric Dooley December 7 Hired by Southern[45]
Grambling State (interim) December 10 Permanent replacement[46] Hue Jackson
East Tennessee State Randy Sanders December 13 Retired

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Blum, Sam (January 14, 2021). "As WAC announces addition of 5 schools, Frisco-based Southland Conference left in no man's land". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "WAC Announces Expansion, Plans to Reinstate Football" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Jeyarajah, Shehan (January 14, 2021). "UTRGV commits to add FCS football by 2024". Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "From the Commissioner's Desk: @ASUN_Football Update" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "FCS college football 2021: AQ7 preview". KRQE. Stats Perform. August 20, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  7. ^ "ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member" (Press release). ASUN Conference. September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  8. ^ "Texas A&M University-Commerce Accepts Invitation to Southland Conference" (Press release). A&M Commerce Athletics. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  9. ^ McMurphy, Brett (October 22, 2021). "Sources: Southern Miss Joins Sun Belt; Marshall, Old Dominion, JMU Will Join in Coming Days". The Action Network. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "James Madison Joins Sun Belt Conference". Sun Belt Conference. November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  11. ^ Randle, Caitlin; Jacob Kisamore (November 5, 2021). "James Madison University receives final approval to join Sun Belt Conference". Elon News Network. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Conference USA to add Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State beginning in 2023". ESPN. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "University of the Incarnate Word Accepts Invitation to Join the WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Gazzolo, Jim (November 9, 2021). "McNeese sticks with Southland in move that will bring millions in for SW La. tourism". American Press. Lake Charles, LA. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "2021 Football Rules Committee recommends tweak to overtime rules" (Press release). NCAA. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "Panel approves changes to overtime rules in football". NCAA. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Presbyterian Blue Hose QB Ren Hefley sets FCS TD pass record in season-opener". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  18. ^ Imlay, Ashley (November 10, 2021). "Utah Legislature passes Dixie State name change". KSL-TV. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "South Carolina State will take on Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl". Twitter. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  20. ^ Thompson, Khari (December 18, 2021). "Jackson State football crushed by South Carolina State in Celebration Bowl: Our top takeaways". Mississippi Clarion Ledger. Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via Yahoo! News.
  21. ^ Herder, Sam (August 9, 2021). "Predicting The 2021 FCS Playoff Bracket". herosports.com. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  22. ^ "2021 FCS Football Official Bracket". NCAA.org. November 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  23. ^ Harper, Mark (May 7, 2021). "Roger Hughes, Stetson's football coach, has a new job: president at his alma mater". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "Hunt Stepping Down, Dakosty Named Interim". Colgate University Athletics. May 17, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "Collins Announces Departure from LIU Football Program" (Press release). LIU Sharks. June 29, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  26. ^ "Alabama State fires head football coach Donald Hill-Eley after fourth consecutive loss to rival Alabama A&M". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  27. ^ Stephenson, Creg (November 6, 2021). "John Grass steps down as head football coach at Jacksonville State". AL.com. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  28. ^ "Grambling State fires Broderick Fobbs after seven seasons". hbcusports.com. November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  29. ^ Hefferman, Todd (November 10, 2021). "Western Illinois moving on from football coach Jared Elliott". The Southern Illinoisan. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  30. ^ McDonald, Ryan (November 15, 2021). "This Utah college football team is now looking for a new head coach". Deseret News. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  31. ^ Wiebe, Stephan (November 18, 2021). "Petrino out as Idaho football coach". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Barnett, Zach (November 21, 2021). "Abilene Christian announces coaching change". footballscoop.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  33. ^ Moon, Eric (November 21, 2021). "Rob Phenicie fired as Idaho State Football Head Coach after five seasons". KIFI-TV. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  34. ^ "Lafayette Athletics Announces Head Football Coaching Change". goleopards.com. November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  35. ^ "Alabama State names alum, NFL veteran as next head football coach". WSFA. November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  36. ^ Barnett, Zach (November 28, 2021). "Jim Mora piecing UConn staff together". footballscoop.com. Football Scoop. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  37. ^ McAneny, DJ (November 29, 2021). "Rocco out as University of Delaware football coach". wdel.com. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  38. ^ Tresolini, Kevin (December 10, 2021). "Ex-Blue Hens QB Carty named University of Delaware football coach". Delaware News-Journal.
  39. ^ Rittenberg, Adam (November 29, 2021). "Jacksonville State hires Rich Rodriguez as head football coach ahead of 2023 FBS move". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  40. ^ Riggone, Bella (November 30, 2021). "Jeff Voris resigns as Butler football head coach". thebutlercollegian.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  41. ^ "Coach Mac Retires". unhwildcats.com. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  42. ^ "Presbyterian's no-punt coach Kelley resigns after 1 season". apnews.com. December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  43. ^ "Washington State football team hiring Eric Morris as offensive coordinator, Clay McGuire as offensive line coach". The Spokesman-Review. December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  44. ^ "Frank Wilson's LSU contract terms: A three-year deal as associate head football coach". The Advocate. December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  45. ^ a b "Eric Dooley officially introduced as the new football coach at Southern University". KPLC. NBC News. December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  46. ^ "Grambling State Tabs Hue Jackson as Head Football Coach". GSU Tigers. December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
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