2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season
2017 NCAA Division I FCS season | |
---|---|
Regular season | |
Number of teams | 124 |
Duration | August 26 – November 18 |
Payton Award | Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sam Houston State |
Buchanan Award | Darius Jackson, DE, Jacksonville State |
Playoff | |
Duration | November 25 – December 16 |
Championship date | January 6, 2018 |
Championship site | Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas |
Champion | North Dakota State |
NCAA Division I FCS football seasons | |
«2016 2018» |
The 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The FCS Championship Game was played on January 6, 2018, in Frisco, Texas. The North Dakota State Bison beat the James Madison Dukes, 17–13, to capture their sixth title in seven years.
Notable changes
[edit]On April 14, the NCAA Division I Council approved a suite of rule changes affecting the recruiting process. The changes most significant to FCS football were to take effect with the 2017–18 school year. A national early signing period for high school players was to be introduced for FBS and FCS, at a time in December to be announced later, and FCS programs would no longer have any restriction on the number of new players that may be signed to letters of intent or financial aid agreements. Previously, FCS teams were limited to signing 30 new players per year.[1][2]
FCS team wins over FBS teams
[edit](FCS rankings from the STATS poll)
August 31: Tennessee State 17, Georgia State 10
September 2: Howard 43, UNLV 40
September 2: No. 1 James Madison 34, East Carolina 14
September 2: Liberty 48, Baylor 45
September 9: No. 12 New Hampshire 22, Georgia Southern 12
September 9: South Dakota 35, Bowling Green 27
September 16: Idaho State 30, Nevada 28
September 16: No. 25 North Carolina A&T 35, Charlotte 31
September 23: No. 19 Western Illinois 52, Coastal Carolina 10
Conference changes and new programs
[edit]For the first time since 2012 (and just the second time ever), there were no independent programs in FCS during the 2017 season.
School | 2016 conference | 2017 conference |
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Coastal Carolina | FCS Independent | Sun Belt (FBS) |
Conference standings
[edit]
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Conference summaries
[edit]Championship games
[edit]Conference | Champion | Runner-up | Score | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Coach of the Year |
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SWAC | Grambling State 11–1 (8–0) | Alcorn State 7–5 (5–2) | 40–32 | Devante Kincade (Grambling State) | De’Arius Christmas (Grambling State) | Broderick Fobbs (Grambling State) |
Other conference winners
[edit]Note: Records are regular-season only, and do not include playoff games.
Conference | Champion | Record | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Coach of the Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Sky | Southern Utah Weber State | 9–2 (7–1) 9–2 (7–1) | Keelan Doss (UC Davis) | Taron Johnson (Weber State) | Demario Warren (Southern Utah) |
Big South | Kennesaw State | 10–1 (5–0) | Chandler Burks (Kennesaw State) | Anthony Ellis (Charleston Southern) | Brian Bohannon (Kennesaw State) |
CAA | James Madison | 11–0 (8–0) | Kyle Lauletta (Richmond) | Andrew Ankrah (James Madison) | Curt Cignetti (Elon) |
Ivy | Yale | 9–1 (6–1) | Chad Kanoff (Princeton) | Matthew Oplinger (Yale) | Al Bagnoli (Columbia) |
MEAC | North Carolina A&T | 11–0 (8–0) | Lamar Raynard (North Carolina A&T) | Shaquille Leonard (South Carolina State) | Rod Broadway (North Carolina A&T) |
MVFC | North Dakota State | 10–1 (7–1) | Chris Streveler (South Dakota) | Brett Taylor (Western Illinois) | Chris Klieman (North Dakota State) |
NEC | Central Connecticut | 8–3 (6–0) | Tommy Stuart (Duquesne) | Tom Costigan (Bryant) | Peter Rossomando (Central Connecticut) |
OVC | Jacksonville State | 10–1 (8–0) | Roc Thomas (Jacksonville State) | Darius Jackson (Jacksonville State) | Will Healy (Austin Peay) |
Patriot | Colgate Lehigh | 7–4 (5–1) 5–6 (5–1) | Dom Bragalone (Lehigh) | Abdullah Anderson (Bucknell) | Dan Hunt (Colgate) |
Pioneer | San Diego | 9–2 (8–0) | Anthony Lawrence (San Diego) | Jonathan Petersen (San Diego) | Dave Cecchini (Valparaiso) |
Southern | Wofford | 9–2 (7–1) | Devlin Hodges (Samford) | Ahmad Gooden (Samford) | Clay Hendrix (Furman) |
Southland | Central Arkansas | 10–1 (9–0) | Hayden Hildebrand (Central Arkansas) | George Odum (Central Arkansas) | Steve Campbell (Central Arkansas) |
Playoff qualifiers
[edit]Automatic berths for conference champions
[edit]Conference | Team | Appearance | Last bid | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Big Sky Conference | Southern Utah | 3rd | 2015 | First Round (L – Sam Houston State) |
Big South Conference | Kennesaw State | 1st | – | |
Colonial Athletic Association | James Madison | 14th | 2016 | National Champions (W – Youngstown State) |
Missouri Valley Football Conference | North Dakota State | 8th | 2016 | Semifinals (L – James Madison) |
Northeast Conference | Central Connecticut | 1st | – | |
Ohio Valley Conference | Jacksonville State | 8th | 2016 | Second Round (L – Youngstown State) |
Patriot League | Lehigh | 11th | 2016 | First Round (L – New Hampshire) |
Pioneer Football League | San Diego | 3rd | 2016 | Second Round (L – North Dakota State) |
Southern Conference | Wofford | 8th | 2016 | Quarterfinals (L – Youngstown State) |
Southland Conference | Central Arkansas | 4th | 2016 | Second Round (L – Eastern Washington) |
At large qualifiers
[edit]Conference | Team | Appearance | Last bid | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Big Sky Conference | Northern Arizona | 6th | 2013 | First Round (L – South Dakota State) |
Weber State | 6th | 2016 | First Round (L – Chattanooga) | |
Big South Conference | Monmouth | 1st | – | |
Colonial Athletic Association | Elon | 2nd | 2009 | First Round (L – Richmond) |
New Hampshire | 16th | 2016 | Second Round (L – James Madison) | |
Stony Brook | 3rd | 2012 | Second Round (L – Montana State) | |
Missouri Valley Football Conference | Northern Iowa | 19th | 2015 | Quarterfinals (L – North Dakota State) |
South Dakota | 1st | – | ||
South Dakota State | 7th | 2016 | Quarterfinals (L – North Dakota State) | |
Western Illinois | 11th | 2015 | Second Round (L – Illinois State) | |
Southern Conference | Furman | 17th | 2013 | Second Round (L – North Dakota State) |
Samford | 5th | 2016 | First Round (L – Youngstown State) | |
Southland Conference | Nicholls State | 4th | 2005 | First Round (L – Furman) |
Sam Houston State | 11th | 2016 | Quarterfinals (L – James Madison) |
Abstentions
[edit]- Ivy League – Yale
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
- Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
Postseason
[edit]Bowl game
[edit]Game | Date/TV | Location | Home team | Away team | Score | Offensive MVP | Defensive MVP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Celebration Bowl | December 16 ABC | Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia | North Carolina A&T | Grambling State | 21–14 | Marquell Cartwright (RB, North Carolina A&T) | Franklin McCain III (DB, North Carolina A&T) |
NCAA Division I playoff bracket
[edit]First round November 25 Campus sites ESPN3 | Second round December 2 Campus sites ESPN3 | Quarterfinals December 8 and 9 Campus sites ESPN2, ESPN3 | Semifinals December 15 and 16 Campus sites ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 | National Championship January 6 12:00 pm Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas ESPN2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | James Madison* | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Stony Brook* | 59 | Stony Brook | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Lehigh | 29 | 1 | James Madison* | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weber State | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Southern Utah* | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Weber State* | 21 | Weber State | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 19 | 1 | James Madison* | 51 | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | South Dakota State | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Central Arkansas* | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
New Hampshire* | 14 | New Hampshire | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Central Connecticut | 0 | New Hampshire | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | South Dakota State* | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | South Dakota State* | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Iowa* | 46 | Northern Iowa | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Monmouth | 7 | 1 | James Madison | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | North Dakota State | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | North Dakota State* | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Arizona* | 10 | San Diego | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
San Diego | 41 | 2 | North Dakota State* | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Wofford | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Wofford* | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Elon* | 27 | Furman | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Furman | 28 | 2 | North Dakota State* | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Sam Houston State | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Jacksonville State* | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Kennesaw State* | 28 | Kennesaw State | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Samford | 17 | Kennesaw State | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Sam Houston State* | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Sam Houston State* | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicholls State* | 31 | South Dakota | 42 | |||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 38 |
* Home team
Winner
All times in Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00)
Kickoff games
[edit]- Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff (aka Montgomery Kickoff Classic)
- Jacksonville State defeated Chattanooga 27–13 at the Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama) on August 26.[3]
- Other Week Zero games:
- FBS opponent BYU defeated Portland State 20–6 at home on August 26.[4]
- Colgate traveled to Cal Poly August 26, coming away as 20–14 winners.[5]
- Florida A&M hosted Texas Southern on August 26, winning 29–7.[6]
Awards and honors
[edit]Walter Payton Award
[edit]- The Walter Payton Award is given to the year's most outstanding offensive player. Finalists:
- Jeremiah Briscoe (QB), Sam Houston State
- Keelan Doss (WR), UC Davis
- Chris Streveler (QB), South Dakota
Buck Buchanan Award
[edit]- The Buck Buchanan Award is given to the year's most outstanding defensive player. Finalists:
- Andrew Ankrah (DE), James Madison
- Darius Jackson (DE), Jacksonville State
- Brett Taylor (LB), Western Illinois
Jerry Rice Award
[edit]- The Jerry Rice Award is given to the year's most outstanding freshman.
- Winner: Bryson Armstrong (LB), Kennesaw State
Coaches
[edit]- AFCA Coach of the Year: Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State
- Eddie Robinson Award: Will Healy, Austin Peay
New stadiums
[edit]- East Tennessee State defeated Division II Limestone 31–10 in the opener for William B. Greene Jr. Stadium on September 2. The team had played its first two seasons since reinstating football at local high school venue Kermit Tipton Stadium.[7]
- Abilene Christian opened Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium on September 16 with a 24–3 win over Houston Baptist, following 57 seasons at Shotwell Stadium.[8]
Coaching changes
[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2017) |
In-season
[edit]This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2017. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2017, see 2016 NCAA Division I FCS end-of-season coaching changes.
School | Outgoing coach | Date | Reason | Replacement |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama State | Brian Jenkins | October 6 | Fired | Donald Hill-Eley [a] |
Holy Cross | Tom Gilmore | October 15 | Fired | Brian Rock (interim) |
- ^ Interim for remainder of season; interim tag removed on December 7, 2017.
End of season
[edit]See also
[edit]- 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings
- 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season
- 2017 NCAA Division II football season
- 2017 NCAA Division III football season
- 2017 NAIA football season
References
[edit]- ^ Kercheval, Ben (April 14, 2017). "NCAA DI Council approves early signing period for football, prohibits oversigning". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ Stephenson, Creg (April 14, 2017). "NCAA adopts 10th assistant, restricts off-field staff hires, satellite camps in sweeping vote". The Birmingham News. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "Thomas had 190 yards, Jacksonville St tops Chattanooga 27–13". ESPN. Associated Press. August 26, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ "Mangum, Canada lead BYU to 20–6 win over Portland State". ESPN. Associated Press. August 26, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "Colgate fends off Cal Poly 20–14 behind Holland". ESPN. Associated Press. August 26, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ "Stanley accounts for 2 TDs, FAMU beats Texas Southern 29–7". ESPN. Associated Press. August 26, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ O'Neill, Kane (September 2, 2017). "ETSU tops Limestone 31–10 in season opener at new stadium". Johnson City, TN: WJHL-TV. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ^ "Abilene Christian inaugurates new stadium with 24–3 win". ESPN. Associated Press. September 16, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ^ "Spady not returning to Alabama A&M as head football coach". Alabama A&M Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ Nuanez, Colter (November 20, 2017). "Bob Stitt out as head coach of Griz football". Skyline Sports.
- ^ "A&T's Broadway retires; Washington promoted". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
- ^ "Head football coach Marcus Satterfield relieved of duties, national search to begin immediately". Tennessee Tech Athletics. November 19, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2017.