The DI Board of Directors approved plans for fall championships being held in the spring, including the FCS playoffs.
The FCS bracket will be reduced from 24 to 16 teams with the selection happening on Sunday, April 18. The first round would be held the weekend of April 24, the quarterfinals on the weekend of May 1, the semifinals the weekend of May 8 and the national championship game’s exact date is to-be-determined, but will be either May 14, 15 or 16.
The typical format for the bracket is 10 auto-bids from 10 conferences and 14 at-large bids. This spring, there will be 11 auto-bids and five at-large bids. The extra auto-bid this spring will go to the MEAC champion, who usually participates in the Celebration Bowl, or the HBCU National Championship.
Fall games will be included in playoff resumes.
Teams can play up to eight regular-season spring games in a 13-week period with the last regular-season game occurring no later than April 17. Conference championship games can be added, and the potential for bowl games in the spring also remains.
