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OptaAnalystFCS
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FCS Football coverage with Stats Perform and The Analyst: Top 25 media poll; Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Eddie & Doris Robinson awards; and much more across the Division I subdivision.

https://theanalyst.com/na/competition/fcs/articles
With Valentine's Day falling on a Saturday this year, Craig Haley dives into the love that FCS fans have for Saturdays in the fall.

theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
Way Past Valentine's Day: Five Reasons to Love FCS Football | Opta Analyst
FCS football is quite the love affair for its schools, fans and alumni. Here are reasons why it's big time and community wrapped together.
theanalyst.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Restoring a matchup that hasn't occurred since 2010, Boise State will host Idaho at Albertsons Stadium on Sept. 6, 2031.

Boise State has a 22-17-1 all-time series lead against the Vandals, including a current 12-game winning streak.
February 12, 2026 at 10:03 PM
The most consecutive appearances in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll following Montana State's win over Illinois State in the 2025 championship game.
February 12, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Schools with the most NFL Draft picks during their FCS era.
theanalyst.com/articles/hbc...
FCS Schools With Most NFL Draft Picks | Opta Analyst
In the era of FCS college football, the HBCUs lead the way in NFL Draft selections. They have the top four school totals.
theanalyst.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:08 PM
NEC member Mercyhurst has elevated Thomas Sydeski to head football coach.

He spent the last two seasons as the Lakers’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
FCS Football Head Coaching Changes: Who's New for the 2026 Season? | Opta Analyst
An evolving list of FCS football head coaching changes from the 2025 season. The changes occur for various reasons.
theanalyst.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:15 PM
UC Davis football coach Tim Plough, who's led the Big Sky Conference program to back-to-back FCS quarterfinal-round appearances, has received a contract extension that runs through Jan. 31, 2031.
February 11, 2026 at 8:12 PM
A smaller group than usual, but here are the former FCS players who are invited to the 2026 NFL Combine.
theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
FCS Football: Southland Conference Trio Seeks to Impress at 2026 NFL Combine | Opta Analyst
A Southland Conference trio of standouts are among the former FCS football players who are invited to the 2026 NFL Combine.
theanalyst.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Six FCS programs have won at least its last 10 conference games. Tennessee Tech will move to the SoCon this summer.
February 11, 2026 at 1:26 PM
With NDSU’s departure, we look at who now leads the FCS list of active consecutive winning seasons.
theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
FCS Programs That Enter 2026 With the Most Consecutive Winning Seasons | Opta Analyst
Even in a down year, some teams tend to finish above .500. Here are the longest active streaks of FCS teams with consecutive winning seasons.
theanalyst.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:17 PM
With so much of the FCS talk off the field recently, how about some on-the-field highlight games announced for Week 0.

Abilene Christian at Lamar is a playoff rematch. (Bryleigh J. Myers photo)
February 10, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Five days ago, Bobby Hauck stepped down as Montana's head coach following two stints and 15 seasons. He's been named defensive coordinator at Illinois.
fightingillini.com/news/2026/2/...
Bobby Hauck Named Illinois Defensive Coordinator - University of Illinois Athletics
Hauck's fast and physical defenses have been a staple of his teams at Montana.
fightingillini.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:06 PM
The 23 FCS head coaching changes match the numbers of last year's offseason cycle.
theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
FCS Football Head Coaching Changes: Who's New for the 2026 Season? | Opta Analyst
An evolving list of FCS football head coaching changes from the 2025 season. The changes occur for various reasons.
theanalyst.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:00 PM
NDSU had a record FCS win total in the 2010s and one more win than SDSU in this decade.
theanalyst.com/articles/bis...
FCS Football Teams With Most Wins in Each Decade | Opta Analyst
A breakdown of the programs with the most wins and highest winning percentage in each decade of FCS college football history.
theanalyst.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:18 PM
NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen in the university's official announcement of an FCS-to-FBS move in 2026:

"Our football program has earned this opportunity through the sustained success and leadership of our student-athletes and coaches past and present."
February 9, 2026 at 4:12 PM
With NDSU on the FBS level, the 2026 season will begin with 29 of the 48 national championships having been won by programs that later moved up from the FCS.
February 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
With NDSU's move up to FBS, eight of the 13 FCS conferences are affected by college football realignment in the 2026 season.
theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
What Are the FCS Conference Realignment Changes in 2026? | Opta Analyst
Like all the coaching and player movement in college football, FCS conference realignment changes will continue in 2026.
theanalyst.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:29 PM
With NDSU accepting an invitation to join Mountain West Conference football, we look at how the Bison playoff success has defined its FCS history.

theanalyst.com/articles/nor...
How the North Dakota State Bison Stack Up in FCS Playoff History | Opta Analyst
A breakdown of how North Dakota State football's record-setting success compares to other top programs in FCS playoff history.
theanalyst.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:14 PM
The longest streaks of FCS playoff appearances with FBS-bound North Dakota State's run ending this year.
February 9, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Congratulations to the former FCS standouts.
February 9, 2026 at 3:23 AM
According to Opta Analyst's TRACR (Team Rating Adjusted for Conference and Roster), North Dakota State would have been favored over every Mountain West Conference team on a neutral field last season.

MWC football is expected to have 10 programs in 2026, including NDSU.
February 8, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Since its move to Division I in 2004, North Dakota State has the most wins among all programs. The Bison spent the 2003-13 seasons under coach Craig Bohl, who captured FCS national championships in his final three campaigns in Fargo.
February 8, 2026 at 9:54 PM
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, North Dakota State has agreed to join the Mountain West Conference football for the 2026 season at the price tag of $12 million plus the $5 million owed to the NCAA for a move to the FBS.

An announcement is expected on Monday.
February 8, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Two incredible decades of NDSU football.
theanalyst.com/articles/nds...
February 7, 2026 at 9:25 PM
There’s been a steady flow of FCS programs moving up to the FBS. North Dakota State could be next, and Craig Haley writes it's not good news for a subdivision the Bison have come to rule over.

theanalyst.com/articles/nds...
How an NDSU Football Move to the Mountain West Conference Would Impact the FCS | Opta Analyst
NDSU football is the preeminent FCS program, but it’s not good news for the FCS if the Bison move up to the FBS level.
theanalyst.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:29 PM