NCAA FCS Football: A Comprehensive Overview
The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) represents a vibrant tier of college football in the United States. Formerly known as Division I-AA from 1978 to 2005, FCS is home to 129 programs as of the 2025 season, each vying for a coveted spot in the 24-team NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff. This article delves into the FCS landscape, examining team rankings, upcoming game features, and the broader context of the division.
FCS Playoff Committee Rankings
The FCS playoff committee plays a crucial role in shaping the postseason landscape. During the College Football Live show on ESPN2, the FCS playoff committee released its first Top 10 ranking on Wednesday. These rankings, based on the current resumes of each team, offer a snapshot of the teams in contention for a playoff berth. It's important to note that these rankings did not project any future results, focusing solely on past performance. The next edition of the rankings will be released on November 5. It will be the final look at the committee's rankings until the official FCS Selection Show on ESPNU on Nov. 23.
The committee's evaluation process considers various factors when assessing teams. One such factor is "Top 40 Wins". While not officially confirmed as a metric used by the committee, it provides valuable context beyond simply looking at ranked wins. This approach acknowledges the significance of defeating strong teams that may not be in the top 25, offering a more nuanced perspective on a team's quality of wins. For example, a win over a team ranked No. 26 or No. 30 can be just as, if not more, impressive than a win over a team barely inside the Top 25.
College Football 26: Foundational Gameplay and Immersive Experience
College Football 26 is set to launch worldwide on July 10, 2025, promising a deeply immersive and authentic college football experience. The game boasts a wide array of features designed to capture the essence of the sport, from foundational gameplay improvements to enhanced stadium atmospheres.
Foundational Football gameplay starts with improved coverage to give you confidence in shutting down your opponent and improved blocking to reward players left-stick skills between the tackles. Feel the changes to our upgraded Physics Based Tackling System with new tackle types and enhancements to the hit stick. The game emphasizes open, fast-paced gameplay anchored by foundational football features like stunts and twists, custom zones, and improved blocking and coverage logic. Dynamic Substitutions facilitate easier fatigue management, complemented by upgrades to the Wear and Tear system. The advanced Wear & Tear system delivers more realism and is now fully customizable to fit your play style.
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College Football 26 features over 2,800 new plays and unique schemes, reflecting the diversity of college football playbooks. Thousands of players and over 300 real-world coaches with true-to-life schemes contribute to the game's authenticity. Players can suit up for Dan Lanning, compete against Kirby Smart, and recruit as or against James Franklin, experiencing the unique coaching styles that define college football.
The game aims to replicate the electrifying atmosphere of college football stadiums. Experience enhanced Stadium Pulse effects, including a more intense camera shake, new heads-up display visuals, and clock distortion that simulates the high pressure of playing as a visitor in hostile territory. Rivalry games, the College Football Playoff, and other high-stakes matchups are now even more affected by Stadium Pulse. New PA tracks, including Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”, 160 new school-specific chants, new mascots, and band music further enhance the immersive experience. Feel the energy of new situations and stadium-specific music, fight songs, and dynamic commentary. Experience a new presentation that reflects the importance of each game in the context of your season. Saddle up in Stillwater, hoist The Golden Egg, and raise the sword as the King of Turnovers at Coastal Carolina. Feel the stadium shake as you discover more of your school’s unique pageantry, traditions and sounds.
Game Modes and Features
College Football 26 offers a variety of game modes designed to cater to different play styles. Take your career starting from being an aspiring high school recruit to winning the Heisman Award, or coach your team to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Dynasty Mode
How you create your Dynasty will now be more important than ever if you want to cement your legacy as one of the best coaches. Assemble an elite staff, upgrade your coaching abilities and then lay it all out on the field. Personnel management has never been more important, with new location-based visits having the potential to give your program an advantage in recruiting. Dynasty mode allows players to build a coaching legacy, managing personnel, recruiting, and upgrading coaching abilities.
Road to Glory
It’s time for you to begin your ultimate student-athlete journey as part of the Recruiting Class of 2025. Choose from 10 new archetypes and rise from high school recruit to Heisman glory, with every decision shaping how your career will look. Rise in class rankings and secure scholarships before other recruits. Along with a new tier of abilities available to reach for your athlete, earn Coach Trust, build team chemistry, and navigate the competitive recruiting process. Road to Glory lets players experience the journey of a student-athlete, from high school recruit to Heisman winner. Your journey to become a superstar in Madden NFL 26 is yours to define, because as soon as you’re ready, your Road To Glory student-athlete can begin their journey to Madden NFL 26 Superstar mode.
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Team Builder
Don't worry CFB 25 fans, you'll be able to import your custom teams from last year seamlessly, ensuring your favorite created teams can be brought over. With new features in Team Builder, you can refine your team’s details and explore enhanced roster editing options, allowing for greater control over your identity and legacy. *Team Builder content can be used in offline Play Now and private Dynasty modes. Internet connection & EA account required. Applicable platform account may be required. Team Builder allows players to create and customize their own teams, ensuring a personalized experience.
Online Dynasty
College Football 26 Online Dynasty now supports Cross-Play across Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. You will now be able to run a 32 person Online Dynasty with friends regardless of platform. Within the Members tab, you’ll be able to see each user's system. To use cross-play, you’ll need an internet connection, the latest game updates, a valid EA Account, and a platform account on your chosen platform. Cross-play is enabled by default in Online Dynasties but can be turned off at any time by the Commissioner in League Settings. Online Dynasty mode now supports cross-play, allowing players to compete with friends across different platforms.
Other Features
The game also includes dynamic commentary from a team of experienced commentators, including Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer, David Pollack, Desmond Howard, and Rece Davis. Battling back after a tough loss? Back-to-back 400-yard performances? Trophy Room is back! Now is your chance to show off to your friends… and rivals, how successful you really are. A revamped Trophy Room allows players to showcase their achievements.
Conference Affiliations and Transitions
Conference affiliations are current for the 2025 season. Several programs are transitioning from NCAA Division II to FCS, or have announced definitive plans to do so. Under current NCAA rules, they must have an invitation from a Division I conference to begin the transition. During the normally four-year transition period, they are ineligible for the FCS playoffs. Since January 2025, the NCAA has expedited the reclassification period for schools, by one year, with schools already reclassifying to Division I being given the option to use either the new, shorter reclassification period or the original, longer period they initially agreed to.
For example, New Haven sponsors football, but will not immediately play a full Northeast Conference schedule. West Georgia started a transition from Division II to Division I in 2024 as a new member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN). Chicago State has also announced plans to start an FCS program. Chicago State Introduces Bobby Rome II as Head Football Coach.
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Historical Context
It's worth noting that some current Division I programs have a history in the FCS or its predecessor, Division I-AA. 8 of the 10 schools in the MAC at the time were reclassified from Division I-A to Division I-AA prior to the 1982 season. Cincinnati was initially reclassified from Division I-A to Division I-AA prior to the 1982 season.
