A lot has happened since the 2019 FCS season ended.
The overall landscape of the FCS and its conferences have changed dramatically. The subdivision grew from 13 leagues to 15 with the addition of the WAC and the ASUN Conference.
Even before the news of these two new conferences forming and taking teams from other leagues, there were notable new affiliations set to take place in 2021.
Here’s a team-by-team and conference-by-conference look at the changes since the 2019 season ended.
Teams
Jacksonville
Left: Pioneer
Why? Discontinued football
When? Announced on Dec. 3, 2019
North Carolina A&T
Leaving: MEAC
Joining: Big South
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Robert Morris
Leaving: NEC
Joining: Big South
1st Season: 2021 Spring
Florida A&M
Leaving: MEAC
Joining: SWAC
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Bethune-Cookman
Leaving: MEAC
Joining: SWAC
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Presbyterian
Leaving: Big South
Joining: Pioneer
1st Season: 2021 Spring
St. Thomas
Leaving: D3
Joining: Pioneer
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Tarleton State
Leaving: D2
Joining: WAC
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Dixie State
Leaving: D2
Joining: WAC
1st Season: 2021 Fall
Stephen F. Austin
Leaving: Southland
Joining: WAC
1st Season: Fall 2021
Sam Houston
Leaving: Southland
Joining: WAC
1st Season: Fall 2021
Abilene Christian
Leaving: Southland
Joining: WAC
1st Season: Fall 2021
Lamar
Leaving: Southland
Joining: WAC
1st Season: Fall 2021
Southern Utah
Leaving: Big Sky
Joining: WAC
1st Season: Fall 2022
Kennesaw State
Leaving: Big South
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2022
North Alabama
Leaving: Big South
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2022
Jacksonville State
Leaving: OVC
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2021
Eastern Kentucky
Leaving: OVC
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2021
Central Arkansas
Leaving: Southland
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2021
North Dakota
Leaving: Big Sky/Independent
Joining: MVFC
1st Season: Spring 2021
Austin Peay
Leaving: OVC
Joining: ASUN
1st Season: Fall 2022
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Leaving: D2
Joining: Southland
1st Season: Fall 2022
The WAC and ASUN have a one-year partnership for the 2021 fall season. Called the AQ7, the three teams joining the ASUN Conference (Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky, and Central Arkansas) along with four teams joining the WAC (Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Abilene Christian, and Lamar) will play a single round-robin schedule with each team having three home and three road contests. The team with the highest winning percentage will earn an AQ in the fall 2021 FCS playoffs. WAC members Dixie State and Tarleton will participate in the joint schedule but will not be eligible for the group’s AQ as they will be in their second year of NCAA reclassification to Division I. Kennesaw State and North Alabama will remain in the Big South for the fall 2021 season before joining the ASUN in 2022.
UND’s last season as a Big Sky member was 2017. It was an FCS independent in 2018 and 2019 and joined the MVFC for the 2020 fall season before it was postponed to the spring.
Conferences
ASUN
Gaining: KSU, UNA, JSU, EKU, UCA, Austin Peay
Losing: 0
Big Sky
Gaining: 0
Losing: SUU
Big South
Gaining: NC A&T, RMU
Losing: Presbyterian, KSU, UNA
MEAC
Gaining: 0
Losing: NC A&T, FAMU, Bethune-Cookman
MVFC
Gaining: UND
Losing: 0
NEC
Gaining: 0
Losing: RMU
OVC
Gaining: 0
Losing: JSU, EKU, Austin Peay
Pioneer
Gaining: Presbyterian, St. Thomas
Losing: Jacksonville
Southland
Gaining: Texas A&M University-Commerce
Losing: SFA, SHSU, ACU, Lamar, UCA
SWAC
Gaining: FAMU, Bethune-Cookman
Losing: 0
WAC
Gaining: Tarleton State, Dixie State, SFA, SHSU, ACU, Lamar, SUU
Losing: 0
