When January rolls around, the College Football Playoff isn’t the only game in town. The FCS Football Championship is also worthy of the time and attention of every college football fan. Compared to the College Football Playoff and most bowl games, it’s a little easier for fans to get their hands on cheap FCS Football Championship tickets. More importantly, the talent level on the field isn’t much of a step down from most bowl games. The elite teams at the FCS level can go nose-to-nose with most FBS programs. They also have large and dedicated fanbases, which is why last-minute FCS Football Championship tickets are in such high demand year after year.

A Real Playoff

Unlike the four-team playoff at the FBS level, the FCS Football Championship is the culmination of a 24-team playoff. The FCS level has ten automatic bids for conference champions and 14 at-large bids, making up a 24-team tournament that allows the championship to be decided on the field by teams from all across the country. By the time we get to the final two teams playing one another in the FCS Football Championship, there is no question that these are the two best teams at the FCS level.

The Team to Beat

For the entirety of the 2010s, the North Dakota State Bison were the team to beat at the FCS level. Under the leadership of three different head coaches, the Bison won the FCS national championship in all but one year between 2011 and 2019. There is no doubt that North Dakota State has become a dynasty at the FCS level. Plenty of great teams have taken their shot and given the Bison a run for their money in the FCS Football Championship, leading to plenty of compelling games. However, North Dakota State took ownership of the FCS level in the 2010s and isn’t going to give it up without a fight.