Each week until the NCAA announces the 24 teams for the Division I FCS Championship, we’ll ask (and try to answer) the same question: If the season ended today, which teams would be in the mix for the FCS Playoffs?

While there will be some educated guesses, and teams quickly finding themselves out of contention for conference championships or at-large selections to the playoffs, there really aren’t any wrong answers. That’s the best part. And, if we can generate some discussion, that means we’ve done our jobs.

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With help from the latest rankings, current records, conference standings and our understanding of the playoff structure and rules, we’re going to try to paint the picture now and lay out the bracket after six intense weeks on the gridiron.

Again, 24 teams will compete in the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS Championship – 11 automatic berths (conference champions) and 13 at-large selections made by the FCS Championship Committee.

Last week, we took a deep dive into how the FCS Playoffs work, how the teams are selected, which conferences choose not to participate and how the landscape has changed now that the Ivy League teams are eligible for the first time in 80 years. 

We took a look at each conference and the favorites to win, as well as the teams jockeying for at-large selection. We wrapped things up by ranking the 24 teams and setting up the potential first- and second-round matchups. 

That said, there’s no need to rehash all of the details every time. To read the introductory edition of this ongoing series, click here: NCAA FCS Bracket Predictions: If The 2025 Playoffs Started This Week (Oct. 8).

The REAL bracket selections for the 2025 Division I FCS Championship will be on Sunday, Nov. 23. The bracket will be revealed via a selection show.

Until then, here’s another early look as things continue to unfold:

Big Sky Conference

Automatic Bid: UC Davis

At Large Bids: Montana State, Montana

Three programs in the Big Sky Conference – Montana (6-0 overall), Montana State (5-2 overall) and UC Davis (5-1 overall) – have started to separate themselves from the rest of the teams in the Big Sky standings, and they’ve also maintained a clear presence in the national spotlight.

The three are ranked fourth, fifth and sixth in the latest American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches Poll, so barring any disasters in the second half of the 2025 season, they’re all in a great position for a return to the FCS Playoffs, regardless of who wins the conference title and takes the automatic bid.

All three have opened conference play at 3-0, with the next three teams in the 12-team conference all 1-1. 

Where it gets complicated, and maybe even a little unfair, is that defending Big Sky champion Montana State has to close the season against UC Davis (Nov. 15) and on the road at Montana (Nov. 22). Montana and UC Davis are not scheduled to play each other in 2025.

Northern Arizona has maintained a spot in the top 25 (No. 21), despite being 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Sacramento State (3-3, 1-1) and Idaho (2-4, 0-2) also received votes in the latest poll, but the likelihood of one of those teams rallying to take the Big Sky crown is slim-to-none.

That doesn’t mean more at-large berths can’t come the Big Sky’s way, as the BSC led all FCS leagues last year with five teams making the playoff bracket, but time is running out to do something convincing. 

Since last week, Idaho dropped like a hot potato, falling from No. 13 to out of the AFCA top 25 following a 49-33 loss to Northern Colorado. It was the third consecutive loss for the plummeting Vandals. 

Northern Arizona also saw its stock dip from No. 16 to No. 21 thanks to a 45-24 loss to UC Davis last weekend. 

Sacramento State was successful against Weber State, evening its conference record with a 55-27 victory on the road. 

In looking at the end of the season with fresh eyes, it feels like a tall task for Montana State to take down UC Davis and Montana in back-to-back weeks at the end of a long campaign. 

This opinion might change as the season goes on, of course, but as of Week 7, let’s say UC Davis ends up beating Montana State, and then Montana tops MSU in the finale. UCD turns out to be the real deal this year and wins out in Big Sky play to swoop in and take the championship outright.

All three still make the playoffs, though, but Northern Arizona falls out of consideration.

Big South/Ohio Valley Conference

Automatic Bid: Tennessee Tech

At Large Bids: None

Not much has changed in the Big South-OVC since last week, though favorite Tennessee Tech did drop a spot in the national rankings from No. 7 to No. 8, despite a 27-13 conference win over Charleston Southern.

Tech is 6-0 overall and tops the Big South-OVC standings at 3-0, with vote-getting Gardner-Webb and Lindenwood close behind at 2-0. 

This week, Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood will face off in Missouri, so someone is going to register a loss. Lindenwood had last week off, but a big question looms – are the Lions going to be rested and ready, or are they going to be rusty and fall short against the Golden Eagles?

It still tracks for scorned Tennessee Tech, left out of the playoffs last year by the selection committee, to use that as motivation to get the job done in 2025, and without doubt, by winning the title and automatic bid.

And, as noted last week, it would be a mic-drop moment for the Golden Eagles, who are flying the Big South-OVC coop and heading south to the Southern Conference for the 2026-2027 academic year. 

This week’s bold prediction for the Big South-OVC is that as Tennessee Tech handles Lindenwood on Saturday, UT Martin steps up to get the best of Gardner-Webb and create some breathing room for Tech.

Coastal Athletic Association

Automatic Bid: Monmouth

At Large Bids: Rhode Island, Villanova

Two teams in the Coastal Athletic Association still are undefeated in conference play, even if it’s just 3-0 and 2-0 (Rhode Island and Monmouth, respectively). 

That’s not a dig at either of those teams, it’s just pointing out that it’s still so early in the conference slate.

After that, are six one-loss teams, five of which will be in action this week. 

It really seems inevitable that there will be multiple teams tied atop the standings when the regular season concludes, and while they’ll all get to share the conference championship, tiebreakers will have to determine the team that takes the automatic bid to the playoffs.

An important item of note is that the early front-runners, URI and Monmouth, don’t play each other this year.

There’s no doubt the CAA will send more than one team to the playoffs, but it probably won’t be as many as last season’s four.

In the latest AFCA poll, Monmouth was ranked No. 10, Villanova was No. 12, Rhode Island was No. 15 and Elon received votes.

On paper, Elon probably has the toughest matchup this week, and beating William & Mary on Saturday seems almost imperative to keeping the Phoenix’s playoff hopes alive.

Oh, and the rest of Monmouth’s opponents all are in the bottom half of the CAA standings, so if the Hawks can maintain their momentum, it’ll be up to everyone else to keep up.

How is Monmouth (5-1 overall) getting it done? Read more: How Many Yards Has Monmouth’s QB Passed For This Season?

Ivy League 

Automatic Bid: Harvard

At Large Bids: None

All eight Ivy League teams played last week, but only four were involved in league games. 

Harvard picked up a win against Cornell to improve to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Dartmouth topped Yale to improve to 1-1 within the league. 

Harvard still is the favorite to win the Ivy League title, though Brown has been impressive in recent nonconference wins over Rhode Island and Bryant. 

Unfortunately, the Bears’ loss to Harvard on Sept. 27 will make it much more difficult to sneak in and take the Ivy League’s first playoff berth in 80 years, if it should come down to a tiebreaker.

This week, it’ll be Brown and Princeton in an Ivy League showdown, along with Penn vs. Columbia, so there could be some more clarity come Sunday. Right now, Princeton and Penn are right behind Harvard at 1-0.

In the latest AFCA poll, Harvard improved from No. 25 to No. 20. Brown, Dartmouth and Penn all received votes, but the Ivy League simply isn’t strong enough for that to be enough to make the playoffs.

Did you miss the reason the Ivy League has opted out of the FCS Playoffs since 1945? Read more: Are Ivy League Teams Eligible For The FCS Playoffs? Here’s What To Know

Missouri Valley Football Conference

Automatic Bid: North Dakota State

At Large Bids: South Dakota State, Illinois State, North Dakota, Southern Illinois

The 10-team Missouri Valley Football Conference is a juggernaut in the FCS, and in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, the MVFC landed seven teams in the conversation – North Dakota State (No. 1), South Dakota State (No. 2), Illinois State (No. 9) North Dakota (No. 11), Southern Illinois (No. 12), Youngstown State (No. 25) and South Dakota (received votes).

That’s absolutely wild, and it wouldn’t be unlikely to see a minimum of five MVFC teams in the postseason, and as many as all seven, if South Dakota, especially, can make some noise during a schedule that still includes Illinois State, North Dakota and South Dakota State to end the season.

Standings-wise in the MVFC right now, NDSU is 3-0, SDSU is 2-0, North Dakota is 2-0 and South Dakota is 2-1.

If NDSU and SDSU both win this weekend, they should still be the top two teams in the rankings when they meet in Brookings, South Dakota, on Oct. 25.

After that game, this article will sound a lot different. 

For now, it’s North Dakota State’s title and automatic bid to lose.

Northeast Conference

Automatic Bid: Central Connecticut State

At Large Bids: None

Nothing has changed at the top of the standings in the Northeast Conference. 

Central Connecticut State, Duquesne and Mercyhurst all entered last weekend 1-0 in conference play, and all three emerged 2-0, beating Robert Morris, Saint Francis and Wagner, respectively. 

Things will get more interesting this weekend, however, as Duquesne and Mercyhurst will face off Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern, while CCSU travels to Wagner, which is 1-5 overall and 0-1 in NEC action. 

From the jump, it was expected to be Central Connecticut State and Duquesne fighting for the title again, but Mercyhurst has a chance to make a big statement.

But maybe it’s all predetermined, if you’re willing to believe.

Last season, CCSU defeated Duquesne in the final game of the regular season to claim the NEC’s automatic spot in the playoff bracket.

This year, it’s CCSU and Mercyhurst scheduled to meet in the final week of the regular season. 

Once again this week, there weren’t any NEC teams in the AFCA top 25 or receiving votes. That only supports the notion that the Northeast Conference likely will have just one representative in the playoffs.

Patriot League

Automatic Bid: Lehigh

At Large Bids: Lafayette

Last season, Lafayette was 6-6 overall and disappeared into the bottom half of the Patriot League standings at 2-4.

The Leopards are surging at the right time in 2025, however, and not only are they 3-0 and sitting at the top of the league standings, they’ve also leaped into the voters’ minds and received votes in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

Lafayette is coming off a 62-24 rout of conference foe Bucknell but now will head to Oregon State for one last nonconference game. 

The way things are trending, it is becoming more likely that when Lafayette and Lehigh meet on Nov. 22, it will be to determine the Patriot League title and automatic bid. That’s IF Lafayette can get past Colgate and an underachieving Richmond team that really should be doing better after being so successful in a tough CAA.

If it all falls into place, and the Lafayette-Lehigh matchup ends up being a title tilt, the losing team probably would have done enough to earn an at-large bid.

Lehigh entered the season as the favorite in the Patriot League, but the Mountain Hawks still haven’t really been tested in league play.

Yes, they’re 2-0 with wins over struggling Richmond and Bucknell. Yes, they’re 7-0 overall and coming off three consecutive impressive wins over Ivy League teams, but those probably are games they should be winning relatively easily. 

Lehigh still is ranked No. 7 in the latest AFCA poll, having not really done anything to deserve moving down. In fact, last week’s win against Columbia helped the Mountain Hawks move up one spot.

The wins and ranking are impressive and significant, and should be enough to get Lehigh into the playoffs, even without a conference championship.

After a bye week, the next three weeks will be much of the same for the Mountain Hawks, who will face the last three teams in the league standings, in order – Fordham, Georgetown and Holy Cross.

Lehigh should be able to get through those games unscathed and then get past Colgate, which is 2-4 overall so far, but 1-1 and third in the league standings.  

Pioneer Football League

Automatic Bid: Presbyterian

At Large Bids: Dayton

Presbyterian may have improved to 6-0 overall and moved up in the AFCA poll from No. 23 to No. 19, but being the only ranked team in the Pioneer Football League doesn’t guarantee the Blue Hose a spot in the playoffs.

The only sure way in is to win the league championship, and a handful of contenders have emerged looking to take the automatic spot. However, one of them is not San Diego, the PFL’s preseason favorite.

Instead, Dayton is leading the pack at 3-0, followed by Presbyterian (2-0), Drake (2-0), Butler (2-1) and Stetson (2-1).

The Pioneer Football League is large, boasting 11 teams, but it may not be mighty enough to get the attention of the selection committee for an at-large bid to the playoffs. 

Presbyterian actually was picked to finish seventh in the PFL this year and could prove the voters very wrong over the next two weeks by handling Stetson and Dayton. 

Dayton lost its season opener to Eastern Illinois and has since rattled off five consecutive wins. 

It’s nothing but conference play the rest of the way for Dayton and Presbyterian, but their early meeting could be the most significant matchup of the season and a springboard to the title. 

Drake and Butler do have the wins to keep them in the conversation, but they haven’t come against the stronger teams in the league.

Presbyterian still gets the vote for the automatic bid, but that may be different in a couple weeks.

Southern Conference

Automatic Bid: Mercer

At Large Bids: None

Mercer already played four Southern Conference games and set the bar high with four wins, before taking a break for a nonconference game – and another win – to improve to 5-1 overall and climb three spots to No. 16 in the new AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

But while the Bears were away getting the best of Princeton, Western Carolina romped Furman 52-7 to improve to 3-0 in conference play and catch the attention of the voters, 19 of whom called WCU’s number.

Mercer’s still in control, but Western Carolina, 4-3 overall after starting the year with three losses, is charging hard. The two are scheduled to meet on Nov. 8, and that has the potential to be an explosive matchup. It also will be WCU’s homecoming game.

For a minute, it looked like there would be only one SoCon team in the playoffs, but if Western Carolina maintains its momentum, it very well could be two. Or three, if Furman can rebound from last week’s beating.

Southland Conference

Automatic Bid: Southeastern Louisiana

At Large Bids: Stephen F. Austin, Lamar

Things were quiet in the Southland Conference last week, as only four of the 10 teams were in action, though both games were in-conference matchups.

Lamar defeated East Texas A&M to improve to 5-1 overall and join Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin at the top of the SLC standings at 2-0.

The other game was a Houston Christian University win over Northwestern State. HCU now is 1-1 in the Southland Conference, and Northwestern State is 0-2.

After being slighted when it came time for postseason selection last year, the early part of 2025 looked like it might be happening again, but the SLC teams seem to be playing with something to prove now.

Last week, Lamar broke into the AFCA top 25 at No. 24, and the Cardinals have jumped to No. 18 in the latest edition.

This time, it was Southeastern Louisiana jumping from the vote column into the rankings at No. 22, without even playing a game. 

Stephen F. Austin received votes again this week, along with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. 

While it looked like Southeastern Louisiana and SFA were going be the teams who wanted the SLC title the most this year, Lamar is putting up quite the fight. 

Instead of Lamar being one of the first four teams out of the playoffs, the Cardinals have made a case to be one of the last four in.

United Athletic Conference

Automatic Bid: Tarleton State

At Large Bids: Abilene Christian

With four teams now in the AFCA top 25 and two more getting votes, no one would be surprised if almost half of the teams from the nine-program United Athletic Conference made the FCS Playoffs.

The big question is, which team will get there automatically, and which teams will be sweating through their jerseys during the selection show in November?

Right now, Tarleton State is ranked No. 3 nationally and is 3-0 at the top of the UAC standings, tied with defending conference champion Abilene Christian, which is 17th in the latest AFCA rankings. The two will play each other this season, but not until Nov. 1.

Behind them in the standings are Central Arkansas (2-1), West Georgia (2-2) and Austin Peay (2-2). 

Already being a two-loss team so early in conference play will make challenging for the title very tough, but West Georgia and Austin Peay are ranked 23rd and 24th, respectively.

That means they’re getting attention, and the voters likely have realized how tough the UAC is this season. 

West Georgia and Austin Peay still have Tarleton State ahead on the schedule, and how they perform against the Texans could be the difference between an at-large berth and watching the playoffs on TV. Any additional losses, and they probably should start looking ahead to 2026. 

At 3-4 and 3-3, respectively, Central Arkansas and Eastern Kentucky also received votes in the latest poll, but they’ve probably hit their ceilings for this year.

Last Four In

Lamar, Stephen F. Austin, Lafayette, Dayton

First Four Out  

Northern Arizona, West Georgia, Austin Peay, Youngstown State

First-Round Matchups 

• Stephen F. Austin at No. 16 Abilene Christian
• Presbyterian at No. 9 Illinois State
• Lamar at No. 12 Southern Illinois
• Lafayette at No. 13 Villanova
• Harvard at No. 14 Rhode Island
• Dayton at No. 11 North Dakota
• Central Connecticut State at No. 10 Monmouth
• Southeastern Louisiana at No. 15 Mercer

Second-Round Matchups

• Stephen F. Austin/Abilene Christian at No. 1 North Dakota State
• Presbyterian/Illinois State at No. 8 Tennessee Tech
• Lamar/Southern Illinois at No. 5 Montana State
• Lafayette/Villanova at No. 4 Montana
• Harvard/Rhode Island at No. 3 Tarleton State
• Dayton/North Dakota at No. 6 UC Davis
• Central Connecticut State/Monmouth at No. 7 Lehigh
• Southeastern Louisiana/Mercer at South Dakota State

About The 2025 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs 

The 2025 FCS Playoffs will feature a 24-team bracket. The top 16 teams will be seeded, and the top eight seeds will receive first-round byes. 

The rest of the field (the remaining 16 teams) will play in the first round, with the No. 9 through No. 16 expected to host, if possible. Their opponents are selected by regional proximity, if possible, to ensure the shortest trip possible for the teams. 

However, the first round will try to avoid any matchups featuring conference teams that have played each other.

Watch More FCS Football On FloCollege

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Latest Division I FCS Rankings 

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll For Oct. 11, 2025

1. North Dakota St. (6-0) - Previous Rank: 1
2. South Dakota St. (6-0) - Previous Rank: 2
3. Tarleton St. (7-0) - Previous Rank: 3
4. Montana (6-0) - Previous Rank: 4
5. Montana St. (5-2) - Previous Rank: 5
6. UC Davis (5-1) - Previous Rank: 6
7. Lehigh (7-0) - Previous Rank: 8
8. Tennessee Tech (6-0) - Previous Rank: 7
9. Illinois State (4-2) - Previous Rank: 10
10. Monmouth (5-1) - Previous Rank: 11
11. North Dakota (4-2) - Previous Rank: 12
12. Southern Illinois (4-2) - Previous Rank: 9
13. Jackson State (5-1) - Previous Rank: 14
14. Villanova (4-2) - Previous Rank: 17
15. Rhode Island (5-2) - Previous Rank: 18
16. Mercer (5-1) - Previous Rank: 19
17. Abilene Christian (4-3) - Previous Rank: 21
18. Lamar (5-1) - Previous Rank: 24
19. Presbyterian (6-0) - Previous Rank: 23
20. Harvard (4-0) - Previous Rank: 25
21. Northern Arizona (4-3) - Previous Rank: 16
22. SE Louisiana (4-2) - Previous Rank: NR
23. West Georgia (5-2) - Previous Rank: 21
24. Austin Peay (4-3) - Previous Rank: 16
25. Youngstown State (3-3) - Previous Rank: 20

Dropped Out: Idaho

Others Receiving Votes: Gardner-Webb 37, Stephen F. Austin 34, South Dakota 34, Lafayette 28, Western Carolina 19, North Carolina Central 14, UT Rio Grande Valley 10, Idaho 10, Sacramento State 10, Brown 8, Pennsylvania 7, Dartmouth 7, Alabama State 5, Central Arkansas 4, Elon 3, Furman 3, Eastern Kentucky 1, East Tennessee State 1.

When Do The 2025 FCS College Football Playoffs Start?

The FCS Playoffs begin Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, featuring 24 teams. 

The 2025 Division I FCS College Football Championship game will be played on Jan. 5, 2026, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

97-Yark Kick Return Gives Villanova Lead Over Elon 

A 97-yard Ja’briel Mace kick return gives Villanova the lead over Elon on Oct. 11, 2025.

Villanova went on to win the CAA contest 29-21.

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