2025 FCS playoffs automatic bid tracker and scenarios

The 2025 FCS playoffs are approaching, and 11 automatic bids are up for grabs.

Ten teams automatically qualify for this year's playoffs via conference affiliation. An additional 13 teams earn at-large bids selected by the FCS Playoff Committee. The complete 24-team bracket will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 23. The FCS playoffs conclude with the national championship in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 5, 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:

• MEAC
  • Champion TBD
• SWAC
  • SWAC East: Champion TBD
  • SWAC West: Champion TBD

How every team clinched an automatic bid

Missouri Valley Football Conference

North Dakota State clinched the MVFC auto-bid in Week 11 by beating North Dakota, 15-10.

SoCon

Mercer clinched the SoCon auto-bid in Week 11 by beating Western Caroline, 49-47

Stay tuned as we'll recap how every automatic bid was clinched as they happen.

Clinching scenarios

Here are the scenarios for every team that can clinch a conference title in Week 12.

CAA

Rhode Island can clinch the CAA auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Rhode Island beats Maine
  • AND Villanova loses to Stony Brook
  • AND Monmouth loses to North Carolina A&T

Ivy League

Harvard can clinch the Ivy League auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Harvard beats Penn
  • AND Yale loses to Princeton

NEC

Central Connecticut State can clinch the NEC auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Central Connecticut State beats Duquesne

OVC-Big South

Tennessee Tech can clinch the OVC-Big South auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• UT Martin loses to Charleston Southern

Southland

Stephen F. Austin can clinch the Southland auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Stephen F. Austin beats Lamar
  • AND Southeastern Louisiana loses to UIW

ASUN-WAC (UAC)

Abilene Christian can clinch the ASUN-WAC auto-bid in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Abilene Christian beats Eastern Kentucky
  • AND Tarleton State loses to North Alabama
  • AND Southern Utah loses to Central Arkansas

SWAC East

Jackson State can clinch the SWAC East title in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Jackson State beats Bethune-Cookman
  • AND Alabama State loses to Mississippi Valley State

SWAC West

Prairie View A&M can clinch the SWAC West title in Week 12 if the following happens:

• Prairie View A&M beats Arkansas-Pine Bluff

The following conferences will have to wait until Week 13 — the final regular season week — for an automatic bid to be decided:

• Big Sky
• MEAC
• Patriot
• Pioneer