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Before South Dakota State seeks a national title three-peat in the 2024 season, our FCS playoff bracket predictions provide a crystal ball look into all the teams that may be primed to travel the Road to Frisco. The field will be announced on Nov. 24.
It sures seems like Frisco, Texas, will be welcoming in two teams from the Dakotas or Montana come the first Monday night in January.
For the fourth straight FCS national championship game, that is.
Montana State’s victory over UC Davis Saturday night probably guaranteed a two-team combination of the Bobcats, North Dakota State, South Dakota State or South Dakota will have home-field advantage through the semifinal round of the 2024 FCS playoff bracket, and perhaps the other two teams will fill out the third and fourth seeds.
Same old, same old at Toyota Stadium?
Probably.
There’s one week of games remaining before Selection Sunday. If it occurred after Week 12 scenarios instead of the full regular-season finale, here’s a look at how the FCS playoff bracket may get started during Thanksgiving Week.
FCS Playoff Bracket: Projected Bids by Conference
*-Actual or projected automatic qualifier; other teams are projected as at-large selections
Big Sky (5): Idaho (8-3), Montana (8-3), *Montana State (11-0), Northern Arizona (7-4), UC Davis (9-2)
Big South-OVC (2): *Southeast Missouri (9-2), UT Martin (7-4)
CAA (5): Rhode Island (9-2), *Richmond (9-2), Stony Brook (8-3), Villanova (8-3), New Hampshire (7-4)
Missouri Valley (4): Illinois State (8-3), *North Dakota State (10-1), South Dakota (8-2), South Dakota State (9-2)
Northeast (1): *Duquesne (8-2)
Patriot (1): *Lehigh (7-3)
Pioneer (1): *Drake (7-2)
Southern (1): *Mercer (9-2)
Southland (1): *UIW (9-2)
United Athletic (3): *Abilene Christian (8-3), Eastern Kentucky (7-4), Tarleton State (8-3)
First Four Out: William & Mary (7-4), Tennessee State (8-3), Western Carolina (6-5), Chattanooga (6-5)
Ineligible for 2024 FCS Playoffs: Delaware (9-1) and Missouri State (8-3)
2024 Key Dates to Know
FCS Playoff Bracket Selection Show: Nov. 24 (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
First Round: Nov. 30
Second Round: Dec. 7
Quarterfinals: Dec. 13-14
Semifinals: Dec. 21
Championship Game: Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
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