The 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
The regular season and postseason were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Several FCS conferences moved their scheduled games from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021, and in August 2020, the NCAA announced that the FCS postseason would also be delayed.
While the NCAA at one point announced a cancellation of the FCS playoff, in late September 2020 a revised playoff schedule was announced, with the FCS Championship Game played on May 16, 2021. Sam Houston State defeated South Dakota State for the title, 23–21.
Of the 127 programs in FCS for this season, 101 played at least one game in either the fall of 2020 or the spring of 2021. The remaining 26 schools opted not to participate. The Ivy League was the only FCS conference with no members competing in football in 2020–21.
Conference changes and new programs School 2019 conference 2020–21 conference Dixie State RMAC (D-II) FCS Independent North Dakota FCS Independent MVFC Tarleton State LSC (D-II) FCS Independent Presbyterian Big South Jacksonville Pioneer Dropped program Robert Morris NEC Big South
Notable headlines May 19 – The NCAA declared four FCS football programs ineligible for postseason play in 2020 due to failure to meet the required Academic Progress Rate (APR) benchmarks: Howard, McNeese State, Prairie View A&M, and Stephen F. Austin. July 8 – The Ivy League announced that it would play no sports until January 1, 2021, at the earliest, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. July 13 – The Patriot League announced the cancellation of its fall sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. July 16 – The MEAC announced that it would not play sports in the fall. July 17 – The Colonial Athletic Association announced that it would not play fall sports, but that teams still wishing to play football could compete as independents for the 2020 season. Due to the cancellation of the MEAC season, ESPN Events announced that the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Celebration Bowl had both been canceled. July 19 – The SWAC announced that it had canceled fall sports but became the first conference to commit to playing football in the spring, with the announcement of a seven-game conference schedule preceded by an eight-week training schedule to start in January 2021. July 27 – The Pioneer Football League announced that it would play a conference-only schedule in 2020. July 29 – The Northeast Conference announced the postponement of all fall sports. August 7 – The Pioneer Football League canceled its fall football season, with no announcement made with regard to playing in the spring. The Big Sky Conference became second FCS conference to commit to playing football in the spring of 2021. August 10 – The Missouri Valley Football Conference likewise announced that it would play its fall 2020 football season in spring of 2021. September 22 – After several more conferences decided to play at least a limited spring football schedule, the NCAA announced that the 2020 FCS playoffs would be held in the spring of 2021, with bracket reduced from 24 teams to 16, culminating in the FCS Championship Game to be played on May 16, 2021.
FCS team wins over FBS teams Italics denotes FBS teams.
Conference standings All teams played spring schedules, except where noted. The Ivy League did not play in either the fall or spring.
Playoff qualifiers Automatic berths for conference champions ConferenceTeamAppearanceLast bidResult of last appearanceBig Sky Conference Weber State 8th 2019 Semifinals (L – James Madison)Big South Conference Monmouth 3rd 2019 Second Round (L – James Madison)Colonial Athletic Association Delaware 17th 2018 First Round (L – James Madison)Missouri Valley Football Conference South Dakota State 10th 2019 Second Round (L – Northern Iowa)Northeast Conference Sacred Heart 3rd 2014 First Round (L – Fordham)Ohio Valley Conference Jacksonville State 10th 2018 Second Round (L – Maine)Patriot League Holy Cross 4th 2019 First Round (L – Monmouth)Pioneer Football League Davidson 1st – –Southern Conference VMI 1st – – Southland Conference Sam Houston State 12th 2017 Semifinals (L – North Dakota State)
At large qualifiers ConferenceTeamAppearanceLast bidResult of last appearanceBig Sky Conference Eastern Washington 14th 2018 First Round (L – North Dakota State)Colonial Athletic Association James Madison 17th 2019 Championship Game (L – North Dakota State) Missouri Valley Football Conference Missouri State 3rd 1990 First Round (L – Idaho) North Dakota 3rd 2019 First Round (L – Nicholls) North Dakota State 11th 2019 National champions (W – James Madison) Southern Illinois 9th 2009 Quarterfinals (L – William & Mary)
Abstentions Ivy League – None Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – None Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M
Postseason
In late September 2020, the NCAA announced that the FCS postseason would take place in April and May 2021. Also announced was a reduction of participating teams from 24 to 16, with 10 automatic qualifiers. The first round of the playoffs was scheduled for April 24, with the Championship Game in mid-May, later set for May 16.
Bowl game Due to the MEAC cancelling all fall sports for the 2020 season, the MEAC/SWAC Celebration Bowl (the one FCS bowl game) was canceled.
NCAA Division I playoff bracket
* Host institution
Kickoff game Saturday, August 29 – FCS Kickoff (Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama): Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 17.
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season Table only includes coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2020. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2020, see 2019 NCAA Division I FCS end-of-season coaching changes.
SchoolOutgoing coachDateReasonReplacement Previous positionAustin PeayMark HudspethJuly 3ResignedMarquase Lovings (interim)Austin Peay defensive line coach (2019)Jackson StateJohn HendrickAugust 31FiredDeion Sanders Trinity Christian (TX) offensive coordinator (2017–2019)Austin PeayMarquase Lovings (interim)October 27Permanent replacementScotty WaldenSouthern Miss interim head coach (2020)Montana StateJeff ChoateJanuary 22Hired as Texas defensive coordinatorBrent VigenWyoming offensive coordinator, associate head coach & quarterbacks coach (2017–2020)
End of season SchoolOutgoing coachDateReasonReplacementPrevious positionNorfolk StateLatrell ScottMarch 3Hired as East Carolina tight ends coachDawson OdumsSouthern head coach (2013–2020)Western CarolinaMark SpeirApril 9FiredKerwin BellSouth Florida offensive coordinator (2019)Tennessee StateRod ReedApril 11RetiredEddie GeorgeN/ASouthernDawson OdumsApril 20Hired by Norfolk StateJason Rollins (interim)Southern special teams coordinator and safeties coach (2020)PresbyterianTommy SpanglerApril 21FiredKevin KelleyPulaski Academy (AR) head coach (2003–2020)
See also 2020 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season 2020–21 NCAA Division III football season 2020 NAIA football season
References