2025 FCS Playoff Bracket: Complete Selections, Schedule, and Seeds Revealed

With the College Football Playoff and NFL playoffs just around the corner, football fans are buzzing about late November action. The FCS postseason is about to get underway, and you can feel the anticipation building.

On Saturday, November 29, the FCS playoffs kick off with eight first-round games. Another eight matchups follow the next weekend, so there’s no shortage of drama.

Last year’s champs, North Dakota State, are back as the No. 1 seed and the favorites to win it all. With 24 spots in the bracket, the competition looks wild and wide open.

Here’s a look at the 2025 FCS playoff bracket, team seedings, schedules, and how you can catch every game. Don’t blink or you’ll miss something big.

2025 FCS Playoff Bracket Overview

The 2025 FCS playoff bracket is official, with 24 teams set to battle for the championship. The top eight seeds get first-round byes, while the other 16 teams jump right into the action.

This setup makes every matchup feel urgent. There’s no room for error, and that’s what makes this tournament so unpredictable.

First-Round Matchups

First round games look like this:

• Illinois State vs. No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana
• Yale vs. No. 15 Youngstown State
• New Hampshire vs. No. 14 South Dakota State
• North Dakota vs. No. 13 Tennessee Tech
• Harvard vs. No. 12 Villanova
• Drake vs. No. 11 South Dakota
• Lamar University vs. No. 10 Abilene Christian
• Central Connecticut State vs. No. 9 Rhode Island

Every game will be streamed live on ESPN+, so you can tune in from anywhere. The first round is always a bit wild—don’t be surprised if there are upsets.

Second-Round Matchups

Winners from the first round move on to face the top eight seeds, who’ve been waiting with byes. Here’s how those second-round matchups shake out:

• Illinois State/No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana vs. No. 1 North Dakota State
• Yale/No. 15 Youngstown State vs. No. 2 Montana State
• New Hampshire/No. 14 South Dakota State vs. No. 3 Montana
• North Dakota/No. 13 Tennessee Tech vs. No. 4 Tarleton State
• Harvard/No. 12 Villanova vs. No. 5 Lehigh
• Drake/No. 11 South Dakota vs. No. 6 Mercer
• Lamar University/No. 10 Abilene Christian vs. No. 7 Stephen F. Austin
• Central Connecticut State/No. 9 Rhode Island vs. No. 8 UC Davis

These games will also be on ESPN+. If you’re a fan, you really don’t have an excuse to miss out.

How to Watch the FCS Playoff Games

FCS playoff games are spread across the ESPN networks. The first two rounds stream on ESPN+, while the quarterfinals show up on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+.

Semifinals air on ABC and ESPN2, and the championship game is on ESPN. You can stream everything through the ESPN app if you’ve got the Unlimited plan—it covers all ESPN channels, sports on ABC, and ESPN+ content.

Streaming Options

If you’re more into streaming than cable, you’ve got options. Games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 are also live on Fubo, which throws in a free trial for new users.

It’s a solid way to keep up if you don’t want a traditional TV setup. Flexibility is nice, isn’t it?

Game Schedule and TV Listings

Here’s the rundown for the first and second rounds, with broadcast times and channels:

First Round

• No. 15 Youngstown State vs. Yale: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 9 Rhode Island vs. Central Connecticut State: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 12 Villanova vs. Harvard: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana vs. Illinois State: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 10 Abilene Christian vs. Lamar: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 13 Tennessee Tech vs. North Dakota: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 11 South Dakota vs. Drake: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 14 South Dakota State vs. New Hampshire: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Second Round

• No. 6 Mercer vs. No. 11 South Dakota/Drake: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 5 Lehigh vs. No. 12 Villanova/Harvard: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 1 North Dakota State vs. No. 16 SE Louisiana/Illinois State: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 7 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 10 Abilene Christian/Lamar: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 4 Tarleton State vs. No. 13 Tennessee Tech/North Dakota: 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 2 Montana State vs. No. 15 Youngstown State/Yale: 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 3 Montana vs. No. 14 South Dakota State/New Hampshire: 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+
• No. 8 UC Davis vs. No. 9 Rhode Island/Central Conn. State: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Key Teams to Watch

Some teams are rolling into the playoffs with a ton of hype. North Dakota State, last year’s champs, are sitting at the top as the No. 1 seed.

Montana State, Montana, and Tarleton State are right behind, each with a real shot at making a deep run. There’s a sense that anything could happen this year.

North Dakota State

North Dakota State feels like the team everyone’s chasing. Their season’s been strong, and they’re hungry to defend their title.

Montana State and Montana

Montana State and Montana have both looked sharp, grabbing the No. 2 and 3 seeds. A showdown between them? That would be must-see TV.

Tarleton State

Tarleton State, holding the No. 4 seed, has put together a solid season. They’ll be aiming to make the most of their spot and shake things up.

Conclusion

The 2025 FCS playoffs are shaping up to be a wild ride. Top teams will be fighting tooth and nail for the championship.

If you want to catch every play, ESPN networks and their streaming platforms have you covered. Seriously, missing out would be a shame.

Want to keep tabs on the bracket or see live updates? Check out the FCS playoff bracket live updates on Sporting News.