Big Sky

Get to know the 24 FCS playoff teams

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:50 p.m. ET

(STATS) - When the dust settles from who is out of the FCS playoffs - oh, maybe by about next season - then there will be reasons why all 24 teams in the field had the right resumes.

The number of at-large candidates was as big as it's been in many years, if ever, so the race to Sunday's announcement of the field was hotly contested.

In the end, the following 10 automatic qualifiers with conference titles and 14 at-large selections comprised a field that will kick off Saturday at campus sites and conclude with the national championship game on Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas:

CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS (NO. 4 SEED)

Coach: Steve Campbell (fourth season)

Record: 10-1, 9-0 Southland Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: Southeastern Louisiana (38-6), Sam Houston State (41-30), McNeese (47-14)

Hurtful Loss: at Kansas State (55-19)

First Playoff Game: Central Connecticut State or New Hampshire, Dec. 2

What to Know: The Bears have won 10 straight games since a season-opening loss to Kansas State. Their last three opponents have combined for only 103 rushing yards and 24 points.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE BLUE DEVILS

Coach: Pete Rossomando (fourth season)

Record: 8-3, 6-0 Northeast Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: Penn (42-21), Saint Francis (28-10), Duquesne (28-27)

Hurtful Loss: Fordham (38-31)

First Playoff Game: at New Hampshire, Nov. 25

What to Know: An eight-game winning streak has led to the Blue Devils' first-ever playoff bid. Running back Cameron Nash has scored 14 touchdowns.

ELON PHOENIX

Coach: Curt Cignetti (first season)

Record: 8-3, 6-2 CAA Football

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Furman (34-31), at Richmond (36-33), at Villanova (19-14)

Hurtful Loss: at New Hampshire (16-6)

First Playoff Game: Furman, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Phoenix lost their final two games of the regular season, but they've still posted a six-win turnaround to secure their first playoff bid since 2009 and second overall.

FURMAN PALADINS

Coach: Clay Hendrix (first season)

Record: 7-4, 6-2 Southern Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Colgate (45-14), Mercer (28-21), at Western Carolina (28-6)

Hurtful Loss: at Samford (26-20)

First Playoff Game: at Elon, Nov. 25

What to Know: In Hendrix's return to his alma mater, the Paladins are back in the playoffs for the first time in four years. Running backs Antonio Wilcox and Kealand Dirks form a pair of battering rams.

JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS (NO. 3 SEED)

Coach: John Grass (fourth season)

Record: 10-1, 8-0 Ohio Valley Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: Liberty (31-10), at Austin Peay (34-14), at Eastern Illinois (30-14)

Hurtful Loss: at Georgia Tech (37-10)

First Playoff Game: Samford or Kennesaw State, Dec. 2

What to Know: The national runner-up two years ago, the Gamecocks rely one on of the best defenses in the FCS. They've rotated good and bad playoff runs over the last four years, and the pattern suggests a strong run this year.

JAMES MADSION DUKES (NO. 1 SEED)

Coach: Mike Houston (second season)

Record: 11-0, 8-0 CAA Football

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: at East Carolina (34-14), at Delaware (28-10), at Elon (31-3)

Hurtful Loss: None

First Playoff Game: Lehigh or Stony Brook, Dec. 2

What to Know: The Dukes are the team to beat in the playoffs, having won a Division I-best 23 straight games. Championship-winning quarterback Bryan Schor directs the offense, while the Dukes have allowed only 9.0 points per game to lead the FCS.

KENNESAW STATE OWLS

Coach: Brian Bohannon (third season)

Record: 10-1, 5-0 Big South Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: at Montana State (16-14), Charleston Southern (38-0), Monmouth (52-21)

Hurtful Loss: at Samford (28-23)

First Playoff Game: Samford, Nov. 25

What to Know: On a 10-game winning streak, the Owls lead the FCS in rushing yards per game (339) as well as turnover margin (plus-23). Their program is only in its third season (24-9 overall).

LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS

Coach: Andy Coen (12th season)

Record: 5-6, 5-1 Patriot League

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: at Colgate (41-38), at Bucknell (42-21), Lafayette (38-31)

Hurtful Loss: at Wagner (37-20)

First Playoff Game: at Stony Brook, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Mountain Hawks, who started their season with five straight losses, are the second team to qualify for the playoffs with a losing record (Lafayette also was 5-6 in 2013). But FCS scoring leader Dom Bragalone (21 touchdowns) helps fuel a high-powered offense.

MONMOUTH HAWKS

Coach: Kevin Callahan (25th season)

Record: 9-2, 4-1 Big South Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Holy Cross (38-26), Liberty (56-39), at Charleston Southern (23-20)

Hurtful Loss: at Albany (28-14)

First Playoff Game: at Northern Iowa, Nov. 25

What to Know: With a five-win improvement from last season, the Hawks have made the playoffs for the first time. Callahan is the only head coach in program history.

NEW HAMPSHIRE WILDCATS

Coach: Sean McDonnell (19th season)

Record: 7-4, 5-3 CAA Football

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: Maine (24-23), at Georgia Southern (22-12), Elon (16-6)

Hurtful Loss: at Holy Cross (51-26)

First Playoff Game: Central Connecticut State, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Wildcats are making their 14th straight appearance - six more than the next-longest active streak (North Dakota State). McDonnell is a two-time winner of the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award as the national coach of the year.

NICHOLLS COLONELS

Coach: Tim Rebowe (third season)

Record: 8-3, 7-2 Southland Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: McNeese (37-35), Abilene Christian (29-20), at Stephen F. Austin (34-13)

Hurtful Loss: at Southeastern Louisiana (21-17)

First Playoff Game: South Dakota, Nov. 25

What to Know: No team in the field has a worse turnover margin than the Colonels at minus-10, but kicker Lorran Fonseca is first in the FCS with 18 field goals.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON (NO. 2 SEED)

Coach: Chris Klieman (fourth season)

Record: 10-1, 7-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: at Eastern Washington (40-13), Western Illinois (24-12), South Dakota (49-14)

Hurtful Loss: at South Dakota State (33-21)

First Playoff Game: San Diego or Northern Arizona, Dec. 2

What to Know: The Bison have the most Top 25 wins (six) in the field. They won five straight national titles (2011-15) before the run was ended by James Madison in last year's semifinals.

NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS

Coach: Jerome Souers (20th season)

Record: 7-4, 6-2 Big Sky Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: Illinois State (37-16), Sacramento State (37-17), Montana State (37-36)

Hurtful Loss: at Montana (17-15)

First Playoff Game: San Diego, Nov. 25

What to Know: Souers is the winningest coach in Big Sky history for overall wins (119) and conference wins (82), although NAU announced in early September that he won't be brought back next season. Sophomore quarterback Case Cookus has thrown for 71 touchdowns in 26 career games.

NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS

Coach: Mark Farley (17th season)

Record: 7-4, 6-2 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at South Dakota State (38-18), Youngstown State (19-14), South Dakota (34-29)

Hurtful Loss: Western Illinois (38-29)

First Playoff Game: Monmouth, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Panthers built a playoff resume in the second half of the season with three victories over Top 10 opponents. Farley has a 52-9 record in November.

SAMFORD BULLDOGS

Coach: Chris Hatcher (third season)

Record: 8-3, 6-2 Southern Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: Kennesaw State (28-23), at Wofford (24-21), at Mercer (20-3)

Hurtful Loss: Chattanooga (23-21)

First Playoff Game: at Kennesaw State, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Bulldogs handed Big South champ Kennesaw State its only loss and Southern Conference champ Wofford its only FCS loss. Junior quarterback Devlin Hodges has accounted for 10,596 yards of total offense in less than three seasons.

SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS (NO. 6 SEED)

Coach: K.C. Keeler (fourth season)

Record: 10-1, 8-1 Southland Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: Richmond (48-34), Nicholls (66-17), at Southeastern Louisiana (33-23)

Hurtful Loss: at Central Arkansas (41-30)

First Playoff Game: South Dakota or Nicholls, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Bearkats have suffered some stinging losses in recent playoffs, but they're back with an experienced team whose offense ranks first in the FCS in offensive yards (544.6) and points per game (45.9).

SAN DIEGO TOREROS

Coach: Dale Lindsey (fifth season)

Record: 9-2, 8-0 Pioneer Football League

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: at Dayton (23-7), at Jacksonville (63-10), Drake (45-15)

Hurtful Loss: at Princeton (27-17)

First Playoff Game: at Northern Arizona, Nov. 25

What to Know: Last year's San Diego squad notched the first win by a PFL team in the playoffs (35-21 over Cal Poly). Quarterback Anthony Lawrence has thrown for 30 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES

Coach: Bob Nielson (second season)

Record: 7-4, 4-4 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Bowling Green (35-27), at Western Illinois (38-33), Youngstown State (31-28)

Hurtful Loss: at Illinois State (37-21)

First Playoff Game: at Nicholls, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Coyotes earned their first FCS playoff bid despite losing their final three games and four of their final five. With an early season win at Bowling Green, they're one of four teams in the field to have beaten an FBS opponent this season.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE JACKRABBITS (NO. 5 SEED)

Coach: John Stiegelmeier (21st season)

Record: 9-2, 6-2 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Western Illinois (52-24), North Dakota State (33-21), South Dakota (31-28)

Hurtful Loss: at Youngstown State (19-7)

First Playoff Game: Monmouth or Northern Iowa, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Jackrabbits, the only team to beat North Dakota State this season, have been eliminated in three of the last five playoffs by the Bison. Their offense features two NFL prospects in tight end Dallas Goedert and wide receiver Jake Wieneke.

SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS (NO. 8 SEED)

Coach: Demario Warren (third season)

Record: 9-2, 7-1 Big Sky Conference

Bid: Automatic

Three Key Wins: Northern Iowa (24-21), at Weber State (32-16), Eastern Washington (46-28)

Hurtful Loss: at Sacramento State (54-27)

First Playoff Game: Western Illinois or Weber State, Dec. 2

What to Know: The nine wins represent the most in the T-birds' FCS history. They are 5-0 at home and on a seven-game winning streak.

STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES

Coach: Chuck Priore (13th season)

Record: 9-2, 7-1 CAA Football

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: New Hampshire (38-24), at Richmond (27-24), at Maine (20-19)

Hurtful Loss: Delaware (24-20)

First Playoff Game: Lehigh, Nov. 25

What to Know: By scoring on a Hail Mary to end their regular-season finale at Maine, the Seawolves grabbed second place in the competitive CAA. However, they didn't play playoff qualifiers James Madison and Elon as well as Villanova in the conference's unbalanced schedule.

WEBER STATE WILDCATS

Coach: Jay Hill (fourth season)

Record: 9-2, 7-1 Big Sky Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Montana State (25-17), Montana (41-27), at Eastern Washington (28-20)

Hurtful Loss: Southern Utah (32-16)

First Playoff Game: Western Illinois, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Wildcats rank first in the Big Sky in scoring defense (16.6 ppg), rushing defense (117.3 ypg), total defense (338.2 ypg), pass defense efficiency (108.9) and red zone defense (60.7).

WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS

Coach: Charlie Fisher (second season)

Record: 8-3, 5-3 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Bid: At-large

Three Key Wins: at Northern Arizona (38-20), at Coastal Carolina (52-10), at Illinois State (31-14)

Hurtful Loss: South Dakota State (52-24)

First Playoff Game: at Weber State, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Leathernecks have the most road wins (six) as any team in the playoff field. Senior linebacker Brett Taylor leads the FCS in tackles per game (13.6), with a high of 28.

WOFFORD TERRIERS (NO. 7 SEED)

Coach: Mike Ayers (30th season)

Record: 9-2, 7-1 Southern Conference

Bid: Southern automatic bid

Three Key Wins: Furman (24-23), Western Carolina (35-28), at The Citadel (20-16)

Hurtful Loss: Samford (24-21)

First Playoff Game: Furman or Elon, Nov. 25

What to Know: The Terriers have plenty of veteran players from last year's national quarterfinalist. Their flexbone offense ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards per game (250.6).