The FCS Daily Dose is a blog-style article series featuring an assortment of news, rumblings, quick hitters, and commentary on various topics.
A new Daily Dose will be published multiple times a week.
Saint Francis Moving From D1 to D3
The FCS is losing a member after this upcoming season. And it may not be the last.
Saint Francis University, a member of the NEC, announced yesterday that it will reclassify from Division I to Division III after the 2025-26 academic year. The Red Flash will move to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
“This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees,” Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman said. “The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community’s expectations.”
For football, the NEC will drop to seven members in 2026 after SFU departs: CCSU, Duquesne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Stonehill, and Wagner.
In a statement, the NEC said, “The Northeast Conference (NEC) has been informed of Saint Francis University’s plans to transition from NCAA Division I to Division III, beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. As a founding member, Saint Francis has played an important role in shaping the NEC’s history, competing at a high level, excelling academically and making a meaningful impact in the community. While we will miss them after the 2025-26 season, we respect their decision and understand the challenges institutions face in today’s evolving collegiate athletics and higher education landscape.”
It’s no secret that the cost of running a D1 athletic department continues to rise. And the cost to be competitive is stretching many mid-major and low-major schools thin. As college athletics ushers in a new era of direct NIL and revenue-sharing, pending the House settlement, several lower-resourced schools are pondering whether D1 athletics is still for them.
Dropping from D1 all the way to D3 means offering no more athletic scholarships.
How many more D1 schools will reclassify down would be just a guess, and it may not be a ton. But it seems likely that SFU won’t be the only school to do so.
Saint Francis just made the men’s basketball NCAA Tournament. And its football program has ranged from OK to solid in recent years. The Red Flash beat FBS Kent State 23-17 last season. And they reached the FCS playoffs in 2022, finishing 9-3 overall.
Former quarterback Cole Doyle, who was a two-time All-NEC performer and the 2022 NEC Offensive Player of the Year, expressed his disappointment in the decision.
“The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years,” President and the Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell said. “The geography of our conference is huge. Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between. That’s a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games. This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport.”
“I want to be clear—we are very proud of our Division I history and success, and our student-athletes,” Van Tassell added. “We know this transition may be stressful. We will do everything possible to support our student-athletes, their families, our coaches, and our staff and do right by you.”
Renovations To Vanderbilt’s Stadium, New Home Of The FCS Championship
After 15 years in Frisco, Texas, the FCS national championship game is heading to Nashville for at least the next two seasons. It will be held at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt. Capacity will be around 40,000. The NCAA lists Frisco’s Toyota Stadium with a capacity of 17,677 for the FCS championship game.
With standing room only, the last four title games have drawn crowds of 18,005, 19,512, 18,023, and 18,942.
The FCS title game was moved due to Toyota Stadium undergoing a $182M renovation. Vanderbilt’s stadium is also undergoing renovations, expected to be completed this year.
RELATED: Nashville Excited To Embrace FCS Championship Game
Below is a video looking at the ongoing construction and some renderings of the renovations.
Past Daily Doses
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