Football

SEMO, TSU and UTM Selected for FCS Playoffs

• Interactive Bracket | FCS Playoff Bracket (PDF)

Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State and UT Martin have been selected to participate in the 2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship. 

In the brief two-year history of the Big South-OVC Football Association, it is the most teams selected for the bracket.  Only one other time in OVC history has three teams made the field (2013). That season all three teams won at least one playoff game.

Southeast Missouri (9-3, 6-2) earned the Associations automatic bid after winning a tiebreaker with the three other co-champions, each of who finished at 6-2. The Redhawks are appearing in its fifth FCS Playoffs (2010, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023) and its third as an AQ. SEMO is 1-4 all-time in the Playoffs.  They will host No. 12 national seed Illinois State (who is not able to host due to a facility conflict). The game is at 11am CT on Saturday.

UT Martin (8-4, 6-2) is in the Playoffs for the third time overall and first time since 2021 (2006 was the other). The Skyhawks were one of six FCS teams to top a FBS foe during the season when they knocked off Kennesaw State. The Skyhawks are 1-2 all-time in the event, having topped Missouri State in its last appearance. UTM will play at No. 16 national seed New Hampshire next Saturday. Game time is set for 12pm CT.

Tennessee State (9-3, 6-2) is making its fifth overall appearance (1986, 1998, 1999, 2013, 2024) after gaining a share of the league title (its first since 1999). TSU is 2-4 all-time in the FCS Playoffs. The Tigers will play at No. 14 national seed next Saturday at 9:15pm CT on ESPN2.

OVC member schools have 13 playoff victories since 2013, which the last coming in 2021.

In 2010 the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff field expanded to 20 teams, up from 16 previously, and in 2013 the field increased to 24 for the first time. The expansion in 2010 to 20 teams was the first since the field grew from 12 to 16 teams in 1997. The 24-team field is comprised of 10 automatic bids and 14 at-large berths.

There are eight first round matchups (16 total teams), while eight (8) teams receive a bye into the second round.

For the 16th time in 2024, the championship game will be played in Frisco, Texas at Toyota Stadium, a 20,500-seat multi-purpose stadium. The Southland Conference will serve as the host of the championship, which will be held on Monday, January 6 and air on ABC.