The NCAA approved the one-game extension to the regular season on Wednesday, June 25 during its summer meetings. The change will go into effect starting with the 2026 college football season. The recommendation was made by the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee in May at a meeting in Indianapolis.
‘At the recommendation of the Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee, the council adopted expedited legislation to change the first contest date for FCS football, starting in the 2026 season,’ the NCAA release reads. ‘Moving forward, FCS programs will be able to compete in 12 regular-season games every year, with the regular season starting 13 weeks before the FCS championship selections date. The move provides programs greater scheduling flexibility and eliminates the first contest date exceptions.’
Under previous legislation, FCS teams were permitted to play 12 games in years in which there were 14 Saturdays from the first permissible playing date through the last playing date in November. All other years, teams could play 11 games.
The new recommendation and rule will also standardize the start of the FCS football season: 13 weeks before the championship bracket is released, which occurs on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The FCS scheduling format is now more closely aligned with the Bowl Subdivision, which has played 12 games per season since 2006.
The 12-game schedule will open up more opportunities for teams to play buy-in games with bigger schools, including FBS opponents — games that can impact programs’ athletic budgets. However, the extra game also means teams will have to play another game in their respective bids to make the playoffs and challenge for a national championship.