Before South Dakota State seeks a national title three-peat in the 2024 FCS season, our bracketology provides a crystal ball look into all the teams that may be primed to travel the Road to Frisco. The field will be announced on Nov. 24.
Any bracketology predicting the 2024 FCS playoffs looks great for most of the week.
Until game day, that is, when a recording sounds out of nowhere, “This bracket will self-destruct in five, four, three …”
Deep breaths, everyone, there’s still two weeks to go before the 24-team FCS playoffs are announced on Nov. 24, so there’s time for your favorite team to improve and solidify its resume, or rescue it.
But if Selection Sumday was today, here’s a look how the FCS playoff pairings may get started Thanksgiving Week. (Watch as Matt Larsen, selection committee chair of the 2024 FCS playoffs, joined “FCS Delivered.”)
FCS Playoffs: Projected Bids by Conference
* – Projected automatic qualifier; other teams are projected as at-large selections
Big Sky (5): Idaho (7-3), Montana (7-3), *Montana State (10-0), Northern Arizona (6-4), UC Davis (9-1)
Big South-OVC (2): *Southeast Missouri (8-2), UT Martin (7-3)
CAA (4): Rhode Island (8-2),*Richmond (8-2), Stony Brook (8-2), Villanova (8-2)
Missouri Valley (4): Illinois State (7-3), *North Dakota State (9-1), South Dakota (7-2), South Dakota State (8-2)
Northeast (1): *Duquesne (7-2)
Patriot (1): *Lehigh (6-3)
Pioneer (1): *Drake (7-1)
Southern (3): Chattanooga (6-4), ETSU (6-4), *Mercer (9-1)
Southland (1): *UIW (8-2)
United Athletic (2): *Abilene Christian (7-3), Tarleton State (8-2)
First Four Out: New Hampshire (6-4), William & Mary (6-4), Eastern Kentucky (6-4), Central Arkansas (6-4)
FCS Playoffs: Key Dates to Know
Playoff Selection Show: Nov. 24 (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
First Round: Nov. 30
Second Round: Dec. 7
Quarterfinals: Dec. 13-14
Semifinals: Dec. 21
Championship Game: Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Follow all of our FCS football coverage, including on X, Facebook and Instagram.
