Fittingly, the 2023 FCS championship game is a matchup of the No. 1 (South Dakota State) and 2 (Montana) ranked teams, but it’s not a scenario that has been common in the Division I subdivision.
Their Jan. 7 showdown at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, marks just the eighth meeting of the top-ranked teams. Montana lost twice as No. 1 in championship games during the 1990s, while South Dakota State won as No. 2 in the regular season of its 2022 national championship season.
Additionally, the Jackrabbits-Grizzlies matchup will be the eighth between the No. 1 and 2 playoff seeds, with five of the games coinciding with the No. 1- and 2-ranked teams.
FCS college football dates to 1978, when Division I split into two tiers.
FCS No. 1 vs. No. 2 Matchups
Dec. 19, 1981: No. 2 Idaho State 34, No. 1 Eastern Kentucky 23 (FCS Championship)
Oct. 24, 1992: No. 1 Northern Iowa 27, No. 2 Idaho 26 (Regular Season)
Dec. 21, 1996: No. 2 Marshall 49, No. 1 Montana 29 (FCS Championship)
Dec. 18, 2009: No. 2 Villanova 23, No. 1 Montana 21 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 9, 2016 (2015 Season): No. 2 North Dakota State 37, No. 1 Jacksonville State 10 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 11, 2020 (2019 Season): No. 1 North Dakota State 28, No. 2 James Madison 20 (FCS Championship)
Oct. 15, 2022: No. 2 South Dakota State 23, No. 1 North Dakota State 21 (Regular Season)
Jan. 7, 2024 (2023 Season): No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 2 Montana (FCS Championship)
FCS No. 1 vs. No. 2 Playoff Seeds
Dec. 19, 1981: No. 2 Idaho State 34, No. 1 Eastern Kentucky 23 (FCS Championship)
Dec. 21, 1996: No. 2 Marshall 49, No. 1 Montana 29 (FCS Championship)
Dec. 18, 2009: No. 2 Villanova 23, No. 1 Montana 21 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 7, 2012 (2011 Season): No. 2 North Dakota State 17, No. 1 Sam Houston State 6 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 6, 2018 (2017 Season): No. 2 North Dakota State 17, No. 1 James Madison 13 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 11, 2020 (2019 Season): No. 1 North Dakota State 28, No. 2 James Madison 20 (FCS Championship)
May 16, 2021 (2020 Season): No. 2 Sam Houston 23, No. 1 South Dakota State 21 (FCS Championship)
Jan. 7, 2024 (2023 Season): No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 2 Montana (FCS Championship)