2024 FCS playoff bracket predictions entering the final month of the season

One month remains of FCS football and it’s time for another set of bracket predictions. After previously predicting the playoff field to start October, here’s how the entire 24-team playoff bracket could look now, from automatic bids to at-larges.

Before diving into the bracket, I’ll explain my process for selecting the predicted field. In this bracket projection, the selected teams are NOT an indication of the FCS playoff selection committee picks, but rather these picks are my opinion, taking into consideration games played data while projecting future play through the regular season.

The predicted bracket follows the format of the FCS playoffs with 24 teams. There are 10 automatic bids this year and 14 at-large bids. Eight of these teams will be seeded and receive a first-round bye. Another eight teams will be seeded 9-16 for the first time this fall.

I seeded all 16 teams after deciding which teams would make the field. I didn’t go down to the mile for regionalization of the remaining first-round teams, but instead guesstimated it to the best of my ability.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into my 2024 FCS playoff bracket predictions.

FCS automatic bids

The Ivy, MEAC and SWAC conference champions don’t get automatic bids to the FCS playoffs as their champions don’t participate in the postseason tournament. That said, my predictions for the remaining conference title winners are as follows:

• Big Sky – Montana State (12-0)
• Big South-OVC – Southeast Missouri State (11-1)
• CAA – Richmond (10-2)
• MVFC – North Dakota State (11-1)
• NEC – Duquesne (9-2)
• Patriot – Holy Cross (7-5)
• Pioneer – Drake (9-1)
• SoCon – Mercer (10-2)
• Southland – UIW (10-2)
• UAC – Central Arkansas (10-2)

Big Sky

Montana State is the only undefeated FCS team that is eligible for the playoffs (sorry Dartmouth). While the Bobcats still play Sacramento…