List of NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearances by team

The list of current Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools that have participated in the playoffs leading to the NCAA Division I Football Championship stands at 92. Known as Division I-AA from 1978 through 2005, it was renamed FCS prior to the 2006 season.

Field

The playoffs began with four teams in 1978, then expanded to eight in 1981, twelve in 1982, and sixteen in 1986. The bracket went to five rounds with a field of twenty teams in 2010, and to 24 teams in 2013.

• Since the 2010 season, the championship game has been played in January, three weeks after the semifinals.
• An exception was the 2020 season, delayed until spring 2021 due to COVID-19; it had a reduced field of sixteen teams in the bracket, with the championship game in mid-May, eight days after the semifinals.

Current FCS members

• This list reflects FCS membership in the 2026 football season. Teams in bold participated in the 2025 fall postseason.

No appearances

Thirty-six Division I FCS teams have never made the FCS playoffs. Conference alignments are current for the upcoming 2026 season.

Former FCS members

Thirty-three former FCS schools have participated in the playoffs. Of these, 29 have moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), one reclassified to Division III, and the other three no longer sponsor football.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
• List of NCAA Division I FBS football bowl records
• List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team
• List of NCAA Division III Football Championship appearances by team
• List of NAIA national football championship series appearances by team

Notes

Program changes

• Program has since joined Division I FBS.
• Program has since joined Division III.
• Program remains in Division I, but no longer sponsors football.

References

General

Specific

External links

• Past winners