2024 FCS playoffs automatic bid tracker and scenarios

The 2024 FCS playoffs are approaching and 10 automatic bids are up for grabs.

Ten teams automatically qualify for this year’s playoffs via conference affiliation. An additional 14 teams earn at-large bids selected by the FCS Playoff Committee. The complete 24-team bracket will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 24. The FCS playoffs conclude with the national championship in Frisco, Texas on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

We will fill in the winner of each conference’s automatic bid below as they are decided:

STANDINGS: See the latest FCS standings from every conference 

Conference winners who abstain from the FCS playoffs are as follows:

• Ivy:
• MEAC:
• SWAC
  • SWAC East: TBD
  • SWAC West: TBD

Win and in scenarios entering Week 12

ASUN-WAC (UAC)

• Abilene Christian can clinch the UAC auto-bid with a Week 12 win over Tarleton State. 

Big Sky

• The winner of the Montana State at UC Davis game in Week 12 will win the Big Sky’s auto bid.

MEAC

• South Carolina State can clinch the MEAC title with a Week 12 win over Morgan State.

Pioneer

• Drake can clinch the Pioneer Football League auto bid with a Week 12 win over Morehead State.

Southland

• UIW can clinch the Southland auto bid with a Week 12 win over Stephen F. Austin.

SWAC East

• Jackson State can clinch the SWAC East division with a win over Alabama State in Week 12.

More Week 12 clinching scenarios

Big South-OVC

• Southeast Missouri State can clinch the Big South-OVC bid with a Week 12 win over Western Illinois
  • AND 
    • UT Martin loses to Tennessee Tech

CAA

• Richmond can clinch the CAA auto bid if it beats Hampton in Week 12
  • AND
    • Rhode Island loses to UAlbany
    • Stony Brook loses to New Hampshire
    • Villanova loses to Monmouth

Ivy

• Harvard can clinch the Ivy League title with a win over Penn
  • AND
    • Dartmouth loses to Cornell

MVFC

• North Dakota State can clinch the MVFC auto-bid with a win over Missouri State
  • AND
    • South Dakota loses to North Dakota
• Missouri State can clinch the MVFC title* with a win over North Dakota State
  • AND
    • South Dakota State loses to Southern Illinois
    • South Dakota loses to North Dakota

*Missouri State isn’t eligible for the MVFC’s auto bid. 

NEC

• Duquesne can clinch the NEC auto bid with a win over Wagner
  • AND
    • Central Connecticut State loses to Robert Morris

Patriot

• Bucknell can clinch the Patriot League auto bid with a Week 12 win over Holy Cross.
  • AND
    • Lehigh loses to Colgate
    • Georgetown loses to Fordham

SWAC West

• Southern can clinch the SWAC West division in Week 12 with a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
  • AND
    • Alcorn State loses to Prairie View A&M

Past clinched scenarios