North Dakota State Earns No. 1 Seed in FCS Playoffs, 6 MVFC Teams Enter

UPDATE: The defending national champion North Dakota State Bison have officially secured the No. 1 seed in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs. This announcement marks a historic moment as a record-tying six teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) will compete in this year’s playoffs.

The Bison, boasting an undefeated 12-0 record, will head into the playoffs with a remarkable 16 consecutive appearances. Their dominance continues after a decisive victory over St. Thomas-Minnesota, where they triumphed 62-7 just yesterday, extending their winning streak to 16 games.

The playoffs will commence this Saturday, with the first round featuring unseeded teams matched against those seeded from 9 to 16, primarily based on geographical proximity. The championship game is set for January 5, 2025, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Joining North Dakota State at the top of the playoff seedings are notable competitors. Montana State (10-2), last year’s runner-up, is the No. 2 seed following a thrilling 31-28 victory over rival Montana to clinch the Big Sky Conference title. Montana has earned the No. 3 seed with an impressive 11-1 record, while Tarleton State (11-1) follows as the No. 4 seed.

Other key contenders include Lehigh (12-0), the Patriot League champion, who is seeded fifth, and Mercer (9-2), the Southern Conference champion, at No. 6. Stephen F. Austin (10-2) from the Southland Conference is No. 7, while UC Davis (8-3) rounds out the top eight as the No. 8 seed. The top eight seeds will receive a first-round bye, setting them up for home games in the second round.

In a groundbreaking move, the Ivy League enters the playoffs for the first time. Yale, after defeating Harvard 45-28 for the Ivy title, has claimed an automatic bid, while Harvard also joins the playoffs as an at-large selection.

First-round matchups are as follows:
– Illinois State (8-4) at Southeastern Louisiana (9-3)
– Central Connecticut State (8-4) at Rhode Island (10-2)
– Harvard (9-1) at Villanova (9-2)
– North Dakota (7-5) at Tennessee Tech (11-1)
– New Hampshire (8-4) at South Dakota State (8-4)
– Drake (8-3) at South Dakota (8-4)
– Lamar (8-4) at Abilene Christian (8-4)
– Yale (8-2) at Youngstown State (8-4)

With the playoffs approaching, excitement builds for fans and teams alike. The stakes are high, and the competition promises to be fierce as these top programs vie for the coveted FCS title. Stay tuned for updates as the playoffs unfold!