History Of The FCS National Championship Game

Zachary McKinnell | Dec 26, 2024

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 1 Montana State will face No. 2 North Dakota State in the 2024 FCS National Championship game on Jan. 6 in Frisco, TX. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The first FCS National Championship Game was held in Wichita Falls, TX, in 1978, where Florida A&M defeated UMass 35-28 in front of 13,604 spectators. Despite not completing a pass, the Rattlers rushed for over 450 yards and held the Minutemen to only 241 total yards. Mike Solomon led the Rattlers with 207 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

North Dakota State leads the FCS with nine national titles, while Georgia Southern ranks No. 2 all-time with six. Youngstown State (4) and Appalachian State (3) are the only other programs to win more than two national championships.

North Dakota State (2011-15; 2017-19) and Appalachian State (2005-07) are the only programs to win three or more consecutive national titles. The Bison won nine championships in 11 seasons from 2011-21, including five consecutive national titles from 2011-15.

Below is the complete history of the FCS national title game.

Year	Champion	Score	Runner-Up	Location	Attendance
2023	South Dakota State	23-3	Montana	Frisco, TX	19,512
2022	South Dakota State	45-21	North Dakota State	Frisco, TX	18,023
2021	North Dakota State	38-10	Montana State	Frisco, TX	18,942
2020	Sam Houston	23-21	South Dakota State	Frisco, TX	7,840
2019	North Dakota State	28-20	James Madison	Frisco, TX	17,866
2018	North Dakota State	38-24	Eastern Washington	Frisco, TX	17,802
2017	North Dakota State	17-13	James Madison	Frisco, TX	19,090
2016	James Madison	28-14	Youngstown State	Frisco, TX	14,423
2015	North Dakota State	37-10	Jacksonville State	Frisco, TX	21,836
2014	North Dakota State	29-27	Illinois State	Frisco, TX	20,918
2013	North Dakota State	35-7	Towson	Frisco, TX	19,802
2012	North Dakota State	39-13	Sam Houston	Frisco, TX	21,411
2011	North Dakota State	17-6	Sam Houston	Frisco, TX	20,586
2010	Eastern Washington	20-19	Delaware	Frisco, TX	13,027
2009	Villanova	23-21	Montana	Chattanooga, TN	14,328
2008	Richmond	24-7	Montana	Chattanooga, TN	17,823
2007	Appalachian State	49-21	Delaware	Chattanooga, TN	23,010
2006	Appalachian State	28-17	UMass	Chattanooga, TN	22,808
2005	Appalachian State	21-16	UNI	Chattanooga, TN	19,219
2004	James Madison	31-21	Montana	Chattanooga, TN	15,599
2003	Delaware	40-0	Colgate	Chattanooga, TN	14,281
2002	Western Kentucky	34-14	McNeese	Chattanooga, TN	12,360
2001	Montana	13-6	Furman	Chattanooga, TN	12,698
2000	Georgia Southern	27-25	Montana	Chattanooga, TN	17,156
1999	Georgia Southern	59-24	Youngstown State	Chattanooga, TN	20,052
1998	UMass	55-43	Georgia Southern	Chattanooga, TN	17,501
1997	Youngstown State	10-9	McNeese	Chattanooga, TN	14,771
1996	Marshall	49-29	Montana	Huntington, WV	30,052
1995	Montana	22-20	Marshall	Huntington, WV	32,052
1994	Youngstown State	28-14	Boise State	Huntington, WV	27,674
1993	Youngstown State	17-5	Marshall	Huntington, WV	29,218
1992	Marshall	31-28	Youngstown State	Huntington, WV	31,304
1991	Youngstown State	25-17	Marshall	Statesboro, GA	12,667
1990	Georgia Southern	36-13	Nevada	Statesboro, GA	23,204
1989	Georgia Southern	37-34	Stephen F. Austin	Statesboro, GA	25,725
1988	Furman	17-12	Georgia Southern	Pocatello, ID	11,500
1987	Louisiana-Monroe	43-42	Marshall	Pocatello, ID	11,513
1986	Georgia Southern	48-21	Arkansas State	Tacoma, WA	4,419
1985	Georgia Southern	44-42	Furman	Tacoma, WA	5,306
1984	Montana State	19-6	Louisiana Tech	Charleston, SC	9,125
1983	Southern Illinois	43-7	Western Carolina	Charleston, SC	15,950
1982	Eastern Kentucky	17-14	Delaware	Wichita Falls, TX	11,257
1981	Idaho State	34-23	Eastern Kentucky	Wichita Falls, TX	11,002
1980	Boise State	31-29	Eastern Kentucky	Sacramento, CA	8,157
1979	Eastern Kentucky	30-7	Lehigh	Orlando, FL	5,200
1978	Florida A&M	35-28	UMass	Wichita Falls, TX	13,604

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