2025 FCS Playoffs

[ST_Lawson]

The season is over and the playoffs are set. Here's a bit of what's going on with the playoffs. As usual, it's a 24-team playoff. The top 16 are seeded, top 8 get first-round byes, 9-16 get to host in the first round.
The OVC has Tennessee Tech as their representative. At #13, they will host North Dakota, and the winner will play at #4 Tarleton State.
In the MVFC, there is North Dakota, who I just mentioned, but also playing:
Illinois State at #16 Southeastern Louisiana, winner plays at #1 North Dakota State
Yale plays at #15 Youngstown State, winner plays at #2 Montana State
Drake plays at #11 South Dakota, winner plays at #6 Mercer
New Hampshire plays at #14 South Dakota State, winner plays at #3 Montana

Also of note, this is the first year that the Ivy League is participating in the playoffs. Yale was the conference champion, and Harvard (9-1) received an at-large bid and will play at #12 Villanova with the winner playing at #5 Lehigh: https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... s-playoffs

Full bracket is available here: https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/fcs/2025

All of the playoff games are on Saturday, with all starting at 11 AM or 12 PM and all on ESPN+. Here's the full schedule of FCS games this next weekend: https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... _/group/81
 

[ST_Lawson]

In the FCS playoffs last weekend, all but one of the MVFC teams won and the lone OVC team was knocked out.
Illinois State beat SE Louisiana, 21-3
North Dakota beat Tennessee Tech, 31-6
South Dakota State beat New Hampshire, 41-3
South Dakota beat Drake, 38-17
And probably the wildest game of the day...Yale, who was down 35-7 at halftime and at one point had a 0.2% chance of victory, stormed back in the second half, putting up 29 unanswered points in the late 3rd quarter and 4th quarter to win 43-42.

In the second round:
11 AM - #12 Villanova at #5 Lehigh, ESPN+
11 AM - #11 South Dakota at #6 Mercer, ESPN+
12 PM - Illinois State at #1 North Dakota, ESPN+
12 PM - #10 Abilene Christian at #7 Stephen F. Austin, ESPN+
12 PM - North Dakota at #4 Tarleton State, ESPN+
1 PM - Yale at #2 Montana State, ESPN+
1 PM - #14 South Dakota State at #3 Montana, ESPN+
9 PM - #9 Rhode Island at #8 UC Davis, ESPN2
 

[leatherneckcountry]

Congrats to ISU on the upset 

[meganeck]

Man who would have thought North Dakota St and South Dakota St are both out of the playoffs. Big upset by Illinois St.

[ST_Lawson]

As was mentioned, Illinois State knocked off #1 North Dakota State, 29-28.
Other MVFC teams had a rough time, as #4 Tarleton State beat North Dakota, 31-13, and #3 Montana beat #14 South Dakota State, 50-29.
That means that the only MVFC teams left are Illinois State, and #11 South Dakota, who crushed #6 Mercer 47-0.
It also means that for the first time since 2016, there will not be a XDSU team in the championship game (and only the second time since 2011).

Games in the Quarterfinals next weekend are:
Friday, 12/12 at 8 PM - #7 Stephen F. Austin at #2 Montana State, ESPN
Saturday, 12/13 at 11 AM - #12 Villanova at #4 Tarleton State, ESPN
12/13 at 2:30 PM - #11 South Dakota at #3 Montana, ABC
12/13 at 4 PM - Illinois State at #8 UC Davis, ESPN+

Illinois State is the only non-seeded (17th-24th spots) team left in the playoffs.

[wiu712]

#2 Montana State beat #7 Stephen F Austin 44-28.  Attendance at Montana State = 19,807
 

[rocki]

Montana vs Montana State final???? That's what I'm guessing.

[leatherneckcountry]

Montana vs Montana State final???? That's what I'm guessing.

 

There on the same side of the bracket 

[rocki]

Oops.

[wiu712]

#12 Villanova beat #4 Tarleton State 26-21.  Attendance at Tarleton State = 19,126

#3 Montana beat #11 South Dakota 52-22.  Attendance at Montana = 22,725

Illinois State beat #8 UC-Davis 42-31.  Attendance at UC-Davis = 9,216