BILLINGS — As the NCAA's Division I football championship game prepares to return to Tennessee for the first time in 16 years, work continues to be done behind the scenes.
A multifaceted press conference was held Thursday via Zoom in an effort for playoff administrators to answer questions about the championship game and the move from Frisco, Texas, to its home for the next two seasons — FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
From 1997 to 2009 the championship was played in the Volunteer State at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga. Frisco had hosted the game since 2010, but gave it up for this year and next due to a $182 million renovation at Toyota Stadium.
Now, it's Nashville's turn.
"We're extremely appreciative of the opportunity to host this event," said Scott Ramsey, president of the Nashville Sports Council. "We really understand the importance this has to FCS football.
"A chance to host a national championship — which will be our first and only one since we hosted the 2014 Women's Final Four — is something I know our city and our community is very, very excited about."
Many of the topics covered Thursday were logistical. But other compelling themes were discussed, such as the Football Championship Subdivision's search for more postseason parity and the volatility of conference realignment across Division I.
Among those answering questions was Chattanooga athletic director Mark Wharton, the NCAA Division I Football Committee chair.
Wharton said people are invested in creating wider parity for a championship game that has been won by just two teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 14 of the past 16 years.
"From my perspective, there's a lot of conversations in the AD world ... really trying to encourage other conferences to play the Big Sky and the Missouri Valley to make sure they're out of conference and that we see where we are with that parity and what work needs to be done," Wharton said.
"I think it's very, very important to the leagues to make sure they reach out of being regional and play the top teams in other leagues to see where they stack up. And it's certainly helpful for us when those games are being played."
Beth DeBauche, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, the host league for the championship game in Nashville, said that the FCS moving to a permanent 12-game schedule beginning in 2026 should help teams line up tougher non-conference opposition across the subdivision.
Nevertheless, the lack of parity cannot be ignored. North Dakota State, the crown jewel of the MVFC (and the FCS), has won an incredible 10 national championships since 2011. That includes last year's 35-32 victory over Montana State of the Big Sky.
South Dakota State, another Valley power, went back-to-back in 2022 and 2023, topping league rival NDSU 45-21 for its first title and dispatching Montana of the Big Sky 23-3 the following season.
The last non-Missouri Valley team to win the championship was Sam Houston in the shortened spring COVID season of 2021. Before that it was James Madison in 2016. Both Sam Houston and James Madison have since transitioned up to the FBS — following the likes of other top former FCS programs to depart in the past 12 or so years, like Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, UMass, Liberty, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, and Delaware this season.
Ty Halpin, NCAA director of championships, was also on the call. He maintained that the FCS remains a solid option for the schools that choose to compete at this level.
"I can take my NCAA hat off a little bit because we don't have any legislation or rules about how conferences are connected or if people move, etc., but FCS as a whole I think really is in a strong position for those that believe that they fit well in FCS," Halpin said.
"Institutions have to make their own calls, and (if) they have different vision, different approach to things, that's certainly fine. I feel like the future of FCS is strong, and my role is to make sure the championship and the (sub)division gets what they need to able to support and maybe expand and push forward at FCS.
"Coming together and playing a really high-level brand of football I think makes a lot of sense for folks that have been thriving and succeeding in it. I'm not on campus, so I can't tell you what all those things look like, but I've had a long career at the NCAA, and I believe FCS is underrated."
Tickets for the championship game will be available to the public beginning Sept. 6. Fans interested in gaining early access through the official presale can sign up here.
Other topics covered during the press conference included ...
- The addition of the Ivy League as an automatic playoff qualifier to the 24-team tournament, bringing the number of AQ leagues to 11. The move breaks a decades-long tradition of the Ivy League abstaining from postseason play for football.
- The championship game remaining in its Monday evening slot. It will be held this year on Jan. 5, 2026, but a kickoff time is yet to be finalized.
- Both semifinal games likely being contested on Saturday, Dec. 20. In years past at least one semifinal game had been held on a Friday. This is yet to be 100% finalized, however.
- The NCAA opening up bids to host the championship game beginning in the 2027 season. Halpin said the NCAA has no commitment to any city (i.e. Frisco) other than Nashville for 2025 and 2026.
- The NCAA releasing a list of top-10 playoff rankings twice during the regular season, an expansion of what began last year in an effort to draw attention to the FCS and its playoff format.
- Growing the attendance for the FCS championship, which is moving to 40,000-seat FirstBank Stadium in Nashville — an increase of 22,000 from Toyota Stadium in Frisco. "I think that's a big goal of everybody on this call," Ramsey said. "Hopefully it gives us the opportunity to grow more fans, more community outreach, and to really engage the fans and be able to create a great environment for the players."
