Kentucky Wildcats Football: FCS Schools Being Squeezed Out

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

In Destin this week for the SEC meetings, Alabama coach Nick Saban commented that he would prefer not to play teams from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and instead, schedule only teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). NCAA Division I football teams are divided into either the FBS or FCS. Those in the FCS are generally considered a lower-class Division I opponent than those in FBS. As such, there is the perception that these are “gimme” games where the outcome is pretty much well-determined in advance; the FBS team gets a much-needed win in its quest to get to 6 wins and become bowl eligible and the FCS team gets a fat paycheck.

Saban’s comments follow Florida head football coach Will Muschamp who recently said the Gators would stop playing FCS teams. At a conference level, the Big Ten is beginning to phase them out. The argument against FBS teams scheduling FCS opponents is not without merit. And Adam Himmelsbach from the Louisville Courier-Journal does a good job of making that argument. Too often, these games become nothing more glorified exhibitions. Florida State, en route to a perfect season last year, beat Bethune-Cookman 54-6 in the third game of the year. Their opponent in the BCS National Championship game defeated Western Carolina 62-3 six games into the season. One could easily ask for what purpose did these games serve either Florida State or Auburn? Why are the “Big Boys” playing such weak opponents? Don’t fans and alumni deserve better?

But consider for a moment the possible impacts on FCS teams when they can no longer schedule FBS opponents. There is, of course, the financial impact. The paydays these teams receive is not insignificant, especially when one remembers that a great number of HBCUs play at the FCS-level. These are schools where the money that comes from playing FBS teams doesn’t just fund the football program, but programs throughout the athletic department, as noted in this piece by Mark Schlabach in February. Savannah State in 2014 will earn $855,000 playing road games against FBS teams. When they are no longer able to find an FBS team willing to schedule them, how does the school replace this lost revenue? Where will the funding come from? As Schlabach points out, 13 of 21 MEAC and SWAC schools had athletic budgets of less than $10 million in the 2012-2013 school year. The University of Georgia dedicates $16 million a year just to its football program.

In addition to the financial impact, there is the lost opportunity to compete against a high-quality opponent, even if the odds for many FCS schools are stacked against them. Consider Appalachian State in 2007. That year, Appalachian State defeated Delaware 49-21 to win their third consecutive FCS Championship, finishing the season 13-2. ASU started the season 1-0 after upsetting Michigan, in the Big House, in one of the most amazing finishes to a college football game I’ve ever seen. It is, obviously, impossible to know for sure, but what effect did that win over the Wolverines have on the Mountaineers’ season? Yes, Appalachian State were good (evidenced by their back-to-back FCS championships coming into the season) but were they back-to-back-to-back good? Or did beating Michigan in Ann Arbor help propel them in a way that scheduling an FCS team in place of Michigan would not have?

It is, I think, important to understand from where this sudden change of heart regarding scheduling FCS opponents is coming. Coaches and athletic directors might say they care about their fans and alumni, and recognize that fans and alumni want to see their school engaged in a competitive matchup rather than beating up on some lowly team there for a paycheck. And it is possible there is some truth to that statement, insomuch as it concerns declining attendance at college football games. But let’s not kid ourselves. The real reason Nick Saban and Will Muschamp and the Big 10 don’t want to schedule FCS opponents is the concern they have on how those games will impact their Strength of Schedule as FBS transitions to playoff system. Under the new system, SOS will play a vital role in the selection of the 4 teams.

The college football landscape is changing. No one denies that. Since the BCS was introduced, that landscape has been rapidly evolving, Conference affiliations and old rivalries were the first to be affected. And now, the opportunity for FCS programs to compete against the best programs in the country are feeling the affects. Will fans benefit? Possibly. But is it going to come at the expense of FCS programs? Absolutely. Is that better for football overall? Not sure.