2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season

2011 NCAA Division I FCS season
Duration	September – November
Playoff
Duration	November 26, 2011 – January 7, 2012
Championship site	Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, TX
Champion	North Dakota State
Payton Award	Bo Levi Mitchell, Eastern Washington
Buchanan Award	Matt Evans, New Hampshire
Division I FCS football season
«2010 2012»

The 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level, began on September 1, 2011 and concluded with the National Championship Game of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on January 7, 2012 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State University won their first FCS championship, defeating Sam Houston State by a final score of 17–6.

New FCS program

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), which played its first football season in school history, was technically a new FCS program. However, UTSA announced before the 2011 season that it was transitioning to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Roadrunners played one season as an FCS independent, and under NCAA rules for transitioning programs were ineligible for the FCS playoffs. They will then join the Western Athletic Conference in 2012, but will be ineligible for FBS bowl games. UTSA will become a full FBS member upon completion of the transition in 2013. The Roadrunners, coached by former Miami head coach Larry Coker, play at the Alamodome in downtown San Antonio.

Teams transitioning to FBS

In addition to UTSA, three other schools began transitions to the FBS. They are subject to the same restrictions as UTSA regarding postseason eligibility until 2013.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), currently a member of the non-football Atlantic 10 Conference and a football-only member of the Colonial Athletic Association, will move for football only to the Mid-American Conference effective in 2012.^[1]
The University of South Alabama, after two years as an unclassified NCAA program, played its first complete NCAA season. The Jaguars, already full members of the Sun Belt Conference, will eventually join that conference for football as well.
Texas State University–San Marcos (Texas State), a Southland Conference member, will join the WAC along with UTSA in 2012. As a result, they were classified as an FCS Independent in 2011 despite playing a full seven-game Southland Conference schedule.

FCS team wins over FBS teams

September 3:
- Richmond 23, Duke 21
- Sacramento State 29, Oregon State 28 ^OT
September 17:
- Indiana State 44, Western Kentucky 16
September 24:
- Sam Houston State 48, New Mexico 45 ^OT
- North Dakota State 37, Minnesota 24
- Southern Utah 41, UNLV 16

Conference standings

2011 Big Sky football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#7 Montana State +^		7	–	1		10	–	3
#5 Montana		5	–	1		6	–	3
Portland State		5	–	3		7	–	4
Eastern Washington		5	–	3		6	–	5
Weber State		5	–	3		5	–	6
Northern Arizona		3	–	5		4	–	7
Sacramento State		3	–	5		4	–	7
Idaho State		1	–	7		2	–	9
Northern Colorado		0	–	8		0	–	11

+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Montana vacated five wins and playoff participation; Idaho State ineligible for FCS playoffs due to APR violations Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Big South football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#18 Stony Brook $^		6	–	0		9	–	4
#25 Liberty		5	–	1		7	–	4
Coastal Carolina		3	–	3		7	–	4
Presbyterian		3	–	3		4	–	7
Gardner–Webb		2	–	4		4	–	7
VMI		2	–	4		2	–	9
Charleston Southern		0	–	6		0	–	11

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant As of January 12, 2012; Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 CAA football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#9 Towson $^		7	–	1		9	–	3
#10 Old Dominion ^		6	–	2		10	–	3
#8 Maine ^		6	–	2		9	–	4
#11 New Hampshire ^		6	–	2		8	–	4
#17 Delaware		5	–	3		7	–	4
#15 James Madison ^		5	–	3		8	–	5
William & Mary		3	–	5		5	–	6
Rhode Island		2	–	6		3	–	8
Villanova		1	–	7		2	–	9
Richmond		0	–	8		3	–	8
Massachusetts		0	–	0		5	–	6

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant UMass' conference record is listed as 0-0 because they were in the process of transitioning to FBS As of January 9, 2012; Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Great West football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#23 North Dakota +		3	–	1		8	–	3
Cal Poly +		3	–	1		6	–	5
South Dakota		2	–	2		6	–	5
Southern Utah		1	–	3		6	–	5
UC Davis		1	–	3		4	–	7

+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Ivy League football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#16 Harvard $		7	–	0		9	–	1
Brown		4	–	3		7	–	3
Dartmouth		4	–	3		5	–	5
Penn		4	–	3		5	–	5
Yale		4	–	3		5	–	5
Cornell		3	–	4		5	–	5
Columbia		1	–	6		1	–	9
Princeton		1	–	6		1	–	9

$ – Conference champion The Ivy League does not participate in the FCS Playoffs Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 MEAC football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#19 Norfolk State $^		7	–	1		9	–	3
Bethune-Cookman		6	–	2		8	–	3
South Carolina State		6	–	2		7	–	4
Florida A&M		5	–	3		7	–	4
Hampton		5	–	3		7	–	4
Howard		4	–	4		5	–	6
Morgan State		4	–	4		5	–	6
North Carolina A&T		4	–	4		5	–	6
Delaware State		1	–	7		3	–	8
North Carolina Central		1	–	7		2	–	9
Savannah State		1	–	7		1	–	10

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 MVFC football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#4 North Dakota State +^		7	–	1		14	–	1
#2 Northern Iowa +^		7	–	1		10	–	3
#18 Illinois State		5	–	3		7	–	4
Indiana State		4	–	4		6	–	5
South Dakota State		4	–	4		5	–	6
Youngstown State		4	–	4		6	–	5
Southern Illinois		2	–	6		4	–	7
Missouri State		2	–	6		2	–	9
Western Illinois		1	–	7		2	–	9

+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 NEC football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
Duquesne +		7	–	1		9	–	2
Albany +^		7	–	1		8	–	4
Bryant		5	–	3		7	–	4
Monmouth		4	–	4		5	–	6
Wagner		4	–	4		4	–	7
Sacred Heart		3	–	5		5	–	6
Central Connecticut		3	–	5		4	–	7
Robert Morris		2	–	6		2	–	9
Saint Francis (PA)		1	–	7		2	–	9

+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 OVC football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#21 Tennessee Tech +^		6	–	2		7	–	4
Eastern Kentucky +^		6	–	2		7	–	5
Jacksonville State +		6	–	2		7	–	4
Murray State		5	–	3		7	–	4
Tennessee State		4	–	4		5	–	6
UT Martin		4	–	4		5	–	6
Austin Peay		2	–	6		3	–	8
Southeast Missouri State		2	–	6		3	–	8
Eastern Illinois		1	–	7		2	–	9

+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Patriot League football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#6 Lehigh $^		6	–	0		11	–	2
Georgetown		4	–	2		8	–	3
Holy Cross		4	–	2		6	–	5
Bucknell		3	–	3		6	–	5
Colgate		2	–	4		5	–	6
Lafayette		2	–	4		4	–	7
Fordham		0	–	6		1	–	10

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Fordham was ineligible for conference title because they offer football scholorships while other Patriot League members do not Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Pioneer Football League standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
San Diego +		7	–	1		9	–	2
Drake +		7	–	1		9	–	2
Jacksonville		6	–	2		7	–	4
Campbell		5	–	3		6	–	5
Dayton		4	–	4		6	–	5
Marist		3	–	5		4	–	7
Butler		3	–	5		5	–	6
Davidson		2	–	6		4	–	7
Morehead State		2	–	6		3	–	8
Valparaiso		1	–	7		1	–	10

+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Southern Conference football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#3 Georgia Southern $^		7	–	1		11	–	3
#12 Wofford ^		6	–	2		8	–	4
#9 Appalachian State ^		6	–	2		8	–	4
Furman		5	–	3		6	–	5
Samford		4	–	4		6	–	5
Chattanooga		3	–	5		5	–	6
Elon		3	–	5		5	–	6
The Citadel		2	–	6		4	–	7
Western Carolina		0	–	8		1	–	10

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 Southland Conference football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#1 Sam Houston State $^		7	–	0		14	–	1
#15 Central Arkansas ^		6	–	1		9	–	4
Stephen F. Austin		5	–	2		6	–	5
McNeese State		4	–	3		6	–	5
Northwestern State		3	–	4		5	–	6
Lamar		2	–	5		4	–	7
Southeastern Louisiana		1	–	6		3	–	8
Nicholls State		0	–	7		1	–	10

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 SWAC football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
East
Alabama A&M xy		7	–	2		8	–	4
Alabama State x		7	–	2		8	–	3
#21 Jackson State x		7	–	2		9	–	2
Alcorn State		1	–	8		2	–	8
Mississippi Valley State		1	–	8		1	–	10
West
Grambling State xy$		6	–	3		8	–	4
Arkansas–Pine Bluff		5	–	4		6	–	5
Prairie View A&M		5	–	4		5	–	6
Southern		4	–	5		4	–	7
Texas Southern		2	–	7		4	–	7
Championship: December 10, 2011
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Jackson State and Southern are ineligible to participate in the SWAC Championship Game due to low APR scores. Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

2011 NCAA Division I FCS independents football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
South Alabama			–			6	–	4
Texas State			–			6	–	6
UTSA			–			4	–	6
Georgia State			–			3	–	8

Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll

Playoff qualifiers

Automatic berths for conference champions

At large qualifiers

Big Sky Conference – Montana State
Colonial Athletic Association – James Madison, Maine, New Hampshire, Old Dominion
Missouri Valley Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern Conference – Appalachian State, Wofford
Southland Conference – Central Arkansas

No teams from the conferences that do not have automatic bids—currently the Great West Conference and Pioneer Football League—received bids.

Abstains

Ivy League – Harvard
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State

Postseason

NCAA FCS Playoff bracket

First Round November 26 Campus Sites			Second Round December 3 Campus Sites			Quarterfinals December 9 and December 10 Campus Sites			Semifinals December 16 and December 17 Campus Sites			National Championship Game January 7 Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas

				Stony Brook	27
	Albany	28	1	Sam Houston State*	34
	Stony Brook*	31				1	Sam Houston State*	49
							Montana State	13
				New Hampshire	25
				Montana State*	26
									1	Sam Houston State*	31
									4	Montana	28
				Central Arkansas	14
	Central Arkansas	34	4	Montana*	41
	Tennessee Tech*	14				4	Montana*	48
						5	Northern Iowa	10
				Wofford	21
			5	Northern Iowa*	28
												1	Sam Houston State	6
												2	North Dakota State	17
				James Madison	14
	James Madison	20	2	North Dakota State*	26
	Eastern Kentucky*	17				2	North Dakota State*	24
							Lehigh	0
				Lehigh	40
				Towson*	38
									2	North Dakota State*	35
									3	Georgia Southern	7
				Old Dominion	48
	Norfolk State	18	3	Georgia Southern*	55
	Old Dominion*	35				3	Georgia Southern*	35
							Maine	23
				Maine	34
				Appalachian State*	12

* Host institution

SWAC Championship Game

Main article: SWAC Championship Game

Date	Location	Venue	West Div. Champion	East Div. Champion	Result
December 10	Birmingham, Alabama	Legion Field	Grambling State	Alabama A&M	GSU 16 – AAMU 15^[2]

References

↑ "UMass Announces Elevation to FBS Football and Invitation from MAC" (Press release). UMass Athletics. April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
↑ Benson, Reggie (December 10, 2011). "Bulldogs come up short again against Tigers". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved December 10, 2011.

NCAA football seasons

Pre-regulation	1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905

IAAUS/NCAA	1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955

NCAA University Division/ Division I	1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977

NCAA Division I-A/FBS	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS	1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

NCAA Division II	1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

NCAA Division III	1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

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