Go to overtime and a college football team will try to grind out a win.
Sometimes a team will ground one out as well.
The Citadel Bulldogs, who utilize the run-based triple option offense, have becomes the kings of OT in the Football Championship Subdivision since 1996, when the tie-breaking extra session was instituted for all Division I regular-season games. They have played in the most games (20) and notched the most wins (11), most recently edging Wofford 45-44 in an all-triple option OT thriller last Nov. 13.
Also of note are the Richmond Spiders, who are 10-3 for the highest winning percentage (.769) among FCS programs with more than five OT victories.
No opponent should be anxious to push Eastern Illinois, Northwestern State or Southern Utah to overtime. They are tied for the FCS’ longest active OT winning streak at five.
Most Overtime Wins – FCS Teams Since 1996
11 – The Citadel
10 – Princeton, Richmond, Tennessee Tech
9 – Charleston Southern, Hampton, Indiana State, Jackson State, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T, Southeast Missouri, Villanova, William & Mary
8 – Bethune-Cookman, Bucknell, Delaware, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Florida A&M, Illinois State, Jacksonville State, Montana, Rhode Island, Samford
7 – Alabama A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Connecticut State, Colgate, Gardner-Webb, Penn, South Carolina State, Southern Illinois, Stephen F. Austin, Wofford, Yale, Youngstown State
Most Overtime Games – FCS Teams Since 1996
20 – The Citadel (11-9, .550)
19 – Princeton (10-9, .526); Morgan State (9-10, .474); Chattanooga (6-13, .316)
18 – Tennessee Tech (10-8, .556); Samford (8-10, .444)
17 – Indiana State (9-8, .529); Delaware (8-9, .471)
16 – Hampton (9-7, .563); Jackson State (9-7, .563); Jacksonville State (8-8, .500); Murray State (6-10, .375)
Highest Winning Percentage in Overtime Games – FCS Teams Since 1996
1.000 – La Salle (2-0, no longer has a program), North Dakota (2-0), St. John’s (2-0, no longer has a program), UC Davis (2-0), Fairfield (1-0, no longer has a program), Florida Atlantic (1-0, now an FBS program), Idaho (1-0), South Florida (1-0, now an FBS program), Stetson (1-0), Troy (1-0, now an FBS program)
.833 – Iona (5-1, no longer has a program), Jacksonville (5-1, no longer has a program), Montana State (5-1), Southern Utah (5-1), Western Kentucky (5-1, now an FBS program)
.800 – Lamar (4-1)
.769 – Richmond (10-3)
.750 – Charleston Southern (9-3), Southeast Missouri (9-3), McNeese (6-2), North Dakota State (3-1), Southeastern Louisiana (3-1)
Longest FCS Active Winning Streaks in Overtime Games
5 – Eastern Illinois (since Oct. 17, 2015), Northwestern State (since Nov. 1, 2008), Southern Utah (since Nov. 13, 2004)
4 – Georgia Southern (Oct. 25, 2008-Oct. 27, 2012, now an FBS program), Lamar (since Sept. 7, 2019), Montana State (since Oct. 17, 2009), South Carolina State (since Nov. 10, 2007), Southern Illinois (since Oct. 12, 2013), VMI (since Sept. 14, 2019)
Research by Stats Perform editor Jesse Abrahams.