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Montana State edged Illinois State 35-34 in an overtime thriller to clinch the 2025 FCS championship. The Bobcats earned their second-ever national title and the program’s first since 1984 with the win in Nashville, Tenn.
The 2025-26 FCS playoffs consisted of a 24-team bracket with play starting on Saturday, Nov. 29 and concluding on Monday, Jan. 5. The top 16 teams seeded and the top eight seeds received automatic byes to the second round, while the rest of the 24-team field (the remaining 16 teams) played in the first round.
Here’s everything you need to know from the Division I Football Championship postseason.
FCS championship bracket
Click or tap here to view the bracket
FCS championship schedule
All times Eastern
FCS championship rounds, dates
Selection show: 12 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 23 on ESPNU
First round: Saturday, Nov. 29
Second round: Saturday, Dec. 6
Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 12 through Saturday, Dec. 13
Friday, December 12
Saturday, December 13
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 20
National Championship: Monday, Jan. 5
FCS selections
The bracket selections for the 2025-26 FCS Championship was on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. The bracket was be revealed via a selection show on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET and a selections release.
Eleven conferences (or conference partnerships/alliances) earn automatic bids to the playoffs. The FCS Championship Committee selects the remaining 13 at-large bids.
AUTOMATIC BIDS: Click or tap here to see all 11 of the clinched auto-bids
FCS championship history
North Dakota Dakota State is the reigning national champion, winning its 10 title in 2024 with a 35-32 win over Montana State. Here’s every FCS champion and runner-up from the past decade:
Year
Champion
Coach
Score
Runner-Up
Site
2025
Montana State
Brent Vigen
35-34
Illinois State
Nashville, Tenn.
2024
North Dakota State
Tim Polasek
35-32
Montana State
Frisco, Texas
2023
South Dakota State
Jimmy Rogers
23-3
Montana
Frisco, Texas
2022
South Dakota State
John Stiegelmeier
45-21
North Dakota State
Frisco, Texas
2021
North Dakota State
Matt Entz
38-10
Montana State
Frisco, Texas
2020
Sam Houston
K.C. Keeler
23-21
South Dakota State
Frisco, Texas
2019
North Dakota State
Matt Entz
28-20
James Madison
Frisco, Texas
2018
North Dakota State
Chris Klieman
38-24
Eastern Washington
Frisco, Texas
2017
North Dakota State
Chris Klieman
17-13
James Madison
Frisco, Texas
2016
James Madison
Mike Houston
28-14
Youngstown State
Frisco, Texas
2015
North Dakota State
Chris Klieman
37-10
Jacksonville State
Frisco, Texas
Click here for a full list of every champion since 1978.
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
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