UPDATED - NCAA Announces Revised FCS Playoff For Spring Football

February 8, 2021 by Staff

The NCAA will announce the selections for a revised 16-team playoff field on Sunday, April 18. This year’s field will include 11 automatic qualifiers and five at-large bids. The first round is scheduled for the weekend April 24 with the FCS National Championship game to be played on either May 14, 15 or 16 in Frisco, Texas.

These are the 11 conferences with automatic qualifiers to their champion:
Big Sky
Big South
Colonial Athletic Association
MEAC
Missouri Valley Football
Northeast
Ohio Valley
Patriot League
Pioneer Football League
Southern
Southland

No specific criteria has been established for the 5 at-large bids, other than the completion of a minimum 4-game schedule. Quality wins and quality of the conference over-all will also factor-in.

96 FCS teams have opted in to the spring season. 27 teams, including the entire Ivy League, have opted out.