The FCS national championship game for the 2025 season is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Nashville hosts the game for the first time after 15 years in Frisco, Texas.
No. 2 seed Montana State faces unseeded Illinois State. MSU has reached three national title games since 2021. This is Illinois State’s first appearance since the 2014 season.
FCS Championship TV Time
The Jan. 5 FCS championship game between Montana State and Illinois State is at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
FCS National Championship Viewership
2024 Championship:
NDSU vs. Montana State (ESPN, Monday) — 2.41 million
2023 Championship:
SDSU vs. Montana (ABC, Sunday) — 1.04 million
2022 Championship:
NDSU vs. SDSU (ABC, Sunday) — 1.07 million
2021 Championship:
NDSU vs. Montana State (ESPN2) — 1.32 million
2021 Spring Championship:
SDSU vs. SHSU (ABC) — 905K
2019 Championship:
NDSU vs. JMU (ABC) — 2.68 million
2018 Championship:
NDSU vs. EWU (ESPN2) — 1.00 million
2017 Championship:
NDSU vs. JMU (ESPN2) — 1.52 million
2016 Championship:
JMU vs. YSU (ESPN2) — 1.56 million
2015 Championship:
NDSU vs. Jacksonville State (ESPN2) — 1.35 million
2014 Championship:
NDSU vs. Illinois State (ESPN2) — 1.44 million
2013 Championship:
NDSU vs. Towson (ESPN2) — 1.2 million
2012 Championship:
NDSU vs. SHSU (ESPN2) — 1.1 million
Past FCS Champions
| Year | Champ | Opponent | Score |
| 2024 | NDSU | Montana St. | 35-32 |
| 2023 | SDSU | Montana | 23-3 |
| 2022 | SDSU | NDSU | 45-21 |
| 2021 | NDSU | Montana St | 38-10 |
| 2020-21 | SHSU | SDSU | 23-21 |
| 2019 | NDSU | JMU | 28-20 |
| 2018 | NDSU | EWU | 38-24 |
| 2017 | NDSU | JMU | 17-13 |
| 2016 | JMU | YSU | 28-14 |
| 2015 | NDSU | JSU | 37-10 |
| 2014 | NDSU | Illinois St | 29-27 |
| 2013 | NDSU | Towson | 35-7 |
| 2012 | NDSU | SHSU | 39-13 |
| 2011 | NDSU | SHSU | 17-6 |
| 2010 | EWU | Delaware | 20-19 |
