NCAA votes away archaic FCS rule, setting up massive opportunities for future schools

[MisterGopher]

https://www.thebiglead.com/ncaa-vot...llege-football-rule-setting-up-opportunities/

If there’s one thing universities with established athletic programs aspire to do, it’s eventually become Division I institutions. College football, in particular, remains the crown jewel of Division I athletics. Now, the NCAA has recognized that this goal is increasingly attainable for many rising programs and has changed a major rule affecting FCS schools seeking to move up to the FBS level.

Reports indicate that the NCAA has voted to eliminate a longstanding rule that prevented transitioning FCS programs from gaining immediate bowl eligibility. Previously, schools moving to the FBS had to wait two years before becoming eligible for postseason bowl games.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

Good move

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

Previously, schools moving to the FBS had to wait two years before becoming eligible for postseason bowl games.

Delaware played in a bowl in 2025 (its first FBS season) because there were not enough 6-win teams to fill the bowls. They won it too.

I'm glad they changed the rule.

 

[Ewert86PC]

Hooray! More chances to make bowl games based on our team GPA!

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Ive never understood the rule (or the delay on postseason eligibility in other sports when moving up to D1). If a school that moves up is good earn to earn a postseason berth, what is the benefit of letting them play? Why was the rule there in the first place?

 

[highwayman]

Ive never understood the rule (or the delay on postseason eligibility in other sports when moving up to D1). If a school that moves up is good earn to earn a postseason berth, what is the benefit of letting them play? Why was the rule there in the first place?

Nebraska didn't want someone stealing the last bowl slot from them.

 

[bisonation]

just say it ITS THE NDSU RULE!

NDSU did this.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Hooray! More chances to make bowl games based on our team GPA!

That rule is actually gone now.

 

[Some guy]

Ive never understood the rule (or the delay on postseason eligibility in other sports when moving up to D1). If a school that moves up is good earn to earn a postseason berth, what is the benefit of letting them play? Why was the rule there in the first place?

The reason for the rule is so you don’t move up for one really good class and then move down

Makes you show long term commitment to the level.

I kind of get it. The rule actually makes sense more in the current era than the last one

 

[GopherGrit]

I don't think that's the reason at all. I don't think any school has done that, or they would've added another rule saying if you move up you cannot move back down for __ years. They absolutely would have reacted with a rule like that, if a school actually had attempted that. Most of the NCAA rules are reactions to some school doing something.

 

[WAGopher]

The reason for the rule is so you don’t move up for one really good class and then move down

Makes you show long term commitment to the level.

I kind of get it. The rule actually makes sense more in the current era than the last one

To guard against a school jumping up and down divisions, the NCAA could require a 5 year stay in a new division, and still allow the school to be eligible in the first year for post season games.

 

[Some guy]

To guard against a school jumping up and down divisions, the NCAA could require a 5 year stay in a new division, and still allow the school to be eligible in the first year for post season games.

that would create a problem of people simply not funding their program to be competitive. Which isn’t good for anyone

 

[GopherGrit]

Over half the teams in FBS, at least, don't fund their programs at a level to be anywhere near competitive enough to compete to even make it into the CFP, let alone win it.

The division seems fine. In fact, teams still want to move up into it

 

[disco]

I don't think that's the reason at all. I don't think any school has done that, or they would've added another rule saying if you move up you cannot move back down for __ years. They absolutely would have reacted with a rule like that, if a school actually had attempted that. Most of the NCAA rules are reactions to some school doing something.

No, that was exactly the reason for the rule.

 

[Ope3]

The reason for the rule is so you don’t move up for one really good class and then move down

Makes you show long term commitment to the level.

I kind of get it. The rule actually makes sense more in the current era than the last one

I agree with you, though there was an aspect of the rule I thought was really bizarre and unfair.

It applied to Individuals as well as teams, thus fully qualified athletes in sports like Cross Country-Track & Field, Golf & Wrestling were shut out of any NCAA Championships.

 

[Ope3]

I don't think that's the reason at all. I don't think any school has done that, or they would've added another rule saying if you move up you cannot move back down for __ years. They absolutely would have reacted with a rule like that, if a school actually had attempted that. Most of the NCAA rules are reactions to some school doing something.

Wrong.

No, that was exactly the reason for the rule.

Correct.

I had a Head Coach at a specific local institution that recently moved to D1 tell me that was indeed the reason.

 

[Unregistered User]

I don't think that's the reason at all.

Marshall, following the 1996 season

But don’t let precedent, history or simply trying to research anything get in your way

 

[Ewert86PC]

That rule is actually gone now.

"The NCAA is just trying to screw out of opportunities."

 

[GopherGrit]

No, that was exactly the reason for the rule.

Incorrect.

Some guy hypothesized about a team that was I-AA/FCS, decided to move up to I-A/FBS (because they thought they'd be good for a couple years), and then quickly move right back down to I-AA/FCS.

That's what his words said. That's what I was responding to.


I'm not aware of that occurring before. Marshall 1996/97 is in no way, shape, or form an instance of that. Not even close.


Marshall 1996/97 was simply taking advantage of NCAA transfer rules at the time, which only allowed I-A transfers to be immediately eligible if they transferred down in division level. So some talented players, like Randy Moss (in 1995), transferred to Marshall, were immediately eligible, and won the I-AA national championship, then moved up the next year and won enough games to be bowl eligible.

They've never moved back down to I-AA since.

If some posters -- perhaps citing imaginary "coaches" -- want to claim that that was the primary reason why the NCAA instituted the two-year probation for FCS to FBS transitioning schools ... then why did the rule not go on the books until 2003?

Maybe that was a factor in it, but it certainly was not a kneejerk reaction by the NCAA.


In any case, now there is no such thing of having to go down to FCS to be eligible right away, so the point is completely moot. It was a good move and the correct move to get rid of the two-year probation.