Long before North Dakota State and South Dakota State began dominating in FCS college football, there were Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Youngstown State and Montana. Here’s a breakdown of teams with the most wins and the best winning percentage by decade.
Their back-to-back national championships suggest why South Dakota State Jackrabbits are off to the best start in FCS college football during the 2020s decade, and it’s easy to suspect North Dakota State’s dynasty had the best record during the 2010s.
However, since the FCS formed with 43 schools in the 1978 season – basically one-third of the Division I subdivision’s size today – there is a differing mix of programs that have the most wins and highest winning percentage by decade.
Montana, which has been a part of all 46 FCS seasons, has the overall lead with 397 wins (five in the 2011 season were later vacated due to NCAA sanctions)
Here’s a breakdown of the FCS school leaders in wins and winning percentage by decade (sources include Stats Perform and the NCAA Record Book):
1978-79 Seasons
Most Wins
19 – Eastern Kentucky, Florida A&M, Nevada
18 – Jackson State, Lehigh
17 – Boise State, Grambling State
16 – South Carolina State
15 – Massachusetts, Northern Arizona
Highest Winning Percentage
.826 – Eastern Kentucky (19-4)
.795 – Grambling State (17-4-1)
.792 – Florida A&M (19-5), Nevada (19-5)
.783 – Jackson State (18-5)
1980-89 Seasons
Most Wins
88 – Eastern Kentucky
83 – Furman
71 – Jackson State, Nevada
70 – Eastern Illinois, Georgia Southern (not including two non-varsity seasons)
69 – Idaho
68 – Delaware, Grambling State
67 – Holy Cross
Highest Winning Percentage
.833 – Georgia Southern (70-14) (not including two non-varsity seasons)
.781 – Eastern Kentucky (88-24-2)
.773 – Furman (83-23-4)
.728 – Jackson State (71-25-5)
.688 – Grambling State (68-30-3)
1990-99 Seasons
Most Wins
103 – Youngstown State
93 – Montana
92 – Dayton, Georgia Southern
89 – Northern Iowa
88 – Delaware
87 – Troy
85 – Eastern Kentucky
84 – McNeese
81 – Hofstra
Highest Winning Percentage
.844 – Dayton (92-17)
.770 – Youngstown State (103-30-2)
.744 – Montana (93-32)
.732 – Hofstra (81-29-2)
.729 – Troy (87-32-1)
2000-09 Seasons
Most Wins
119 – Montana
101 – Appalachian State
89 – Northern Iowa
87 – Dayton
86 – Grambling State
83 – Furman
82 – Colgate, McNeese State
81 – Georgia Southern
78 – Delaware, Southern Illinois, Villanova
Highest Winning Percentage
.838 – Montana (119-23)
.791 – Dayton (87-23)
.768 – Harvard (76-23)
.754 – Appalachian State (101-33)
.729 – Grambling State (86-32)
2010-19 Seasons
Most Wins
137 – North Dakota State
99 – Sam Houston State
97 – Eastern Washington
96 – James Madison
91 – Jacksonville State
86 – San Diego
83 – South Dakota State
80 – Bethune-Cookman, Central Arkansas, New Hampshire, Wofford
Highest Winning Percentage
.913 – North Dakota State (137-13)
.784 – Old Dominion (29-8)
.762 – Kennesaw State (48-15)
.741 – San Diego (86-30)
.740 – Harvard (74-26)
2020-24 Seasons
Most Wins
60 – South Dakota State
57 – North Dakota State
47 – Montana State
45 – Jackson State
44 – UIW
42 – Montana
39 – Mercer
38 – Delaware, Holy Cross, Villanova
Highest Winning Percentage
.864 – James Madison (19-3)
.857 – South Dakota State (60-10)
.839 – Montana State (47-9)
.839 – Sam Houston (26-5)
.814 – North Dakota State (57-13)
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