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College football: 6 reasons why you should watch the 2023 FCS Playoffs

By John Scimeca

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 29: Mikey Daniel #26 of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits celebrates a touchdown against the Minnesota Gophers during the third quarter of the game on August 29, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Gophers defeated the Jackrabbits 28-21. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 29: Mikey Daniel #26 of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits celebrates a touchdown against the Minnesota Gophers during the third quarter of the game on August 29, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Gophers defeated the Jackrabbits 28-21. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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BOISE, ID – SEPTEMBER 16: Running back Gaven Ziebarth #28 takes a hand off from quarterback Tommy Schuster #2 of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the second half against the Boise State Broncos at Albertsons Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Boise, Idaho. Boise State won the game 42-18. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID – SEPTEMBER 16: Running back Gaven Ziebarth #28 takes a hand off from quarterback Tommy Schuster #2 of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the second half against the Boise State Broncos at Albertsons Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Boise, Idaho. Boise State won the game 42-18. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /

1. College football playoffs do indeed exist!

Believe it or not, virtually every level of American football above junior high plays some sort of postseason after a regular season.

Long dominated by the bowl system and risk-averse university presidents, Division I (now FBS) college football managed to avoid a true playoff until a couple of decades ago, when the Bowl Alliance and Bowl Championship Series (BCS) systems went into place to determine a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup to determine the national champion.

A four-team College Football Playoff began play in 2014 and has been a spectacular success in terms of drumming up interest for which teams will be among the final four at season’s end. Next year, for the first time at the FBS level, 12 teams will get the chance to play in the postseason with a shot at the national title.

The FCS is no stranger to expanding a playoff. Since the 1978 split between Division I-AA and I-A, the Division I-AA playoffs have grown from four to eight, to 12, to 16, to 20, and finally 24 teams (the current number) by a decade ago.

The current format works well for the FCS, as 16 teams play in the first round and the top eight teams receive a first-round bye and further home-field advantage as a reward for a successful regular season. As a key concept, the playoffs incentivize regular-season wins and rankings, making the games in September and October still vitally important to set up a playoff run in December and January.

Next. Best-case scenario for all CFP contenders. dark

The true strength of the FCS playoffs (unlike at the FBS level) is that every team begins the season knowing that they will have a chance to play for a title. The system also puts the nation’s 24 best teams in a bracket and lets them decide on the field who is the best.

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