At the FBS level, we're working through the growing pains of a full-blown national championship tournament for the first time. It hasn't been pretty.
In FCS, though, they've been holding tournaments since 1978.
With the final weekend of regular season games upon us and Selection Sunday approaching on, well, Sunday, here's our quick-ish look at where things stand in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Playoff Format
-- 24 bids, awarded by a selection committee
-- 10 auto-bids* awarded to conference champions, and 14 at-large bids
-- Unlike FBS, the top seeds are not reserved for conference champions
* The Ivy League, MEAC and SWAC do not send their respective champions to the FCS playoffs
That said, the FCS has borrowed some themes from the FBS as well. A few power conferences figure to gobble up the majority of the at-large bids, and the potential for messy conference champion tiebreakers exist in multiple conferences.
All that established, let's dive in.
Big Sky
Montana State has won the conference and is headed for likely the No. 2 national seed, though No. 9 Montana will have something to say about that in the Brawl of the Wild on Saturday. The Bobcats have already beaten two top-10 teams, most recently a 30-28 conference clincher at No. 4 UC Davis last week. Northern Arizona started the year 3-4, but has played its way on to the bubble and, as of now, into the tournament thanks to an ongoing 4-game winning streak, albeit all against sub-.500 teams.
Champ: Montana State
At-large: UC Davis, Montana, Idaho
On the Bubble: Northern Arizona
Big South-OVC
Southeast Missouri State leads the conference heading into the final weekend, but the Redhawks are not champions just yet. At 6-1, SEMO owns head-to-head victories over 5-2 UT-Martin and 5-2 Tennessee Tech, but 5-2 Tennessee State gets a shot at the Redhawks on Saturday. SEMO wins the league with a victory on Saturday, while Eddie George's Tennessee State team needs to beat SEMO and have UTM and TTU both lose. Tennessee Tech can win the conference with a win over Eastern Illinois, a TSU win over SEMO, and a UT-Martin loss to Lindenwood. SEMO wins every other 3- and 4-way tie scenario; UT-Martin cannot win the conference. That's okay, though, the Skyhawks are in the field with a win Saturday.
Champ: TBD, but probably Southeast Missouri
At-large: Southeast Missouri, UT-Martin
On the Bubble: Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech
CAA
Richmond has clinched the conference title regardless of this weekend's result with William & Mary, but the Spiders are currently on the bubble for a national seed and a first-round bye, so a win over the Tribe is recommended. Delaware, 9-1 on the season, is not eligible as the Blue Hens transition to FBS, but the CAA should still get plenty of teams in the field regardless. William & Mary can screw things up both for the conference and other leagues if the Tribe score an upset over Richmond on Saturday.
Champ: Richmond
At-large: Rhode Island, Stony Brook, Villanova, New Hampshire
On the Bubble: William & Mary
Ivy League
The Ivy League champion does not compete in the FCS playoffs, though that could change soon-ish. In the meantime, though, Harvard has clinched at least a share of its 19th Ivy League title and can secure its first outright championship since 2014 with a win over Yale on Saturday. (Yale has won two straight and five of seven.) If Harvard loses, Dartmouth and/or Columbia can win shares of the championship. Dartmouth owns the Ivy League record with 21 crowns, while Columbia has one, earned way back in 1961.
MEAC
South Carolina State won the MEAC championship with a 24-21 victory over North Carolina Central back on Halloween, and has clinched a berth in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 14 in Atlanta opposite the SWAC champion. It will be SC State's second appearance in the 9-year-old game.
Missouri Valley
North Dakota State has clinched the MVFC, its 11th conference title since 2011, and sits in pole to win its 10th national championship in 13 seasons. The Bison will be the No. 1 seed on Sunday provided they beat South Dakota; the Coyotes can earn a top-4 seed with a victory in the DakotaDome, though. South Dakota State and South Dakota are locks for byes, and Illinois State is in position to host next weekend. 8-3 Missouri State is ineligible as it transitions to FBS.
Champ: North Dakota State
At-large: South Dakota State, South Dakota, Illinois State
On the Bubble: None
NEC
Duquesne and Central Connecticut will battle for the NEC crown on Saturday afternoon at CCSU's Arute Field. The NEC might consider putting its thumb on the scale in favor of Duquesne; the Dukes are ranked in the top 20 and 8-0 vs. the FCS, but due to a strength of schedule in the 100s, would likely fall out of the field with a loss.
Champ: Duquesne/Central Connecticut winner
At-large: None
On the Bubble: None
Patriot League
Lehigh's 10-7 win over Holy Cross a couple weeks ago puts the Mountain Hawks in position to win the conference heading into the 160th edition of college football's oldest rivalry, this Saturday against Lafayette. If Lehigh loses, Holy Cross wins the league with a defeat of Georgetown. If Lehigh and Holy Cross lose and Bucknell wins, the Patriot League would crown its first tri-champions and the FCS AQ would come down to a vote of fellow conference ADs. Seriously.
From the conference:
Due to the three tied teams having identical records against each other, identical records down the League standings (without breaking lower ties per League policy), and no common non-League opponents, the Athletics Directors from the four institutions not included in the tie would be asked to make the final decision on the League’s AQ based on factors including, but not limited to, strength of schedule, overall record, computer rankings and performance during the second half of the season.
Champ: Lehigh/Holy Cross/Bucknell
At-large: None
On the Bubble: None
Pioneer Football League
We've got another potential 3- or 4-team logjam here. Drake wins the conference outright with a victory at Stetson; the Hatters are 0-6 in PFL play. If Drake and Butler lose, Morehead State wins the conference with a triumph over San Diego. San Diego and Butler are also 5-2 in conference play alongside Morehead State.
Champ: Probably Drake
At-large: None
On the Bubble: None
SoCon
Mercer has clinched the SoCon championship; the goal now for the Bears is to beat Mercer and secure home games in the second round and the quarterfinals. Western Carolina and Chattanooga, both 6-5 overall, are on the bubbliest of bubbles.
Champ: Mercer
At-large: None
On the Bubble: Western Carolina, Chattanooga
Southland
Incarnate Word, a program that did not play Division I football until 2013, has clinched its fourth Southland title and its third in four seasons. The Cardinals are now looking to lock up a top-8 national seed, which means a first-round bye and a second-round home game. Southeastern Louisiana has only lost to FBS teams and FCS top-20 teams, but lacks a signature win.
Champ: Incarnate Word
At-large: None
On the Bubble: Southeastern Louisiana
SWAC
Jackson State has won the SWAC East and Southern the SWAC West. The Jaguars and Tigers will meet at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Dec. 7 for the conference championship, with the winner meeting South Carolina State the following Saturday in the Celebration Bowl.
United Athletic Conference
Abilene Christian has locked up the UAC title. Tarleton has locked up an at-large bid and is hoping for a home game in Round 1, while Eastern Kentucky and Southern Utah are firmly on the bubble.
Champ: Abilene Christian
At-large: Tarleton
On the Bubble: Eastern Kentucky, Southern Utah
I count 13 safe at-large bids and nine teams on the bubble for three spots. Best of luck to everyone this weekend.