Their back-to-back national championships indicate South Dakota State Jackrabbits are off to the best start in FCS college football during the 2020s decade, and it’s easy to suspect North Dakota State’s dynasty had the best record during the 2010s.
However, since the FCS formed with 43 schools in the 1978 season – basically one-third of the Division I subdivision’s size today – there is a differing mix of programs that have the most wins and highest winning percentage by decade.
Montana, which has been a part of all 46 FCS seasons, has the overall lead with 388 wins (five in the 2011 season were later vacated due to NCAA sanctions)
Here’s a breakdown of the FCS school leaders in wins and winning percentage by decade (sources include Stats Perform and the NCAA Record Book):
1978-79 Seasons
Most Wins
19 – Eastern Kentucky, Florida A&M, Nevada
18 – Jackson State, Lehigh
17 – Boise State, Grambling State
16 – South Carolina State
15 – Massachusetts, Northern Arizona
Highest Winning Percentage
.826 – Eastern Kentucky (19-4)
.795 – Grambling State (17-4-1)
.792 – Florida A&M (19-5), Nevada (19-5)
.783 – Jackson State (18-5)
1980-89 Seasons
Most Wins
88 – Eastern Kentucky
83 – Furman
71 – Jackson State, Nevada
70 – Eastern Illinois, Georgia Southern (not including two non-varsity seasons)
69 – Idaho
68 – Delaware, Grambling State
67 – Holy Cross
Highest Winning Percentage
.833 – Georgia Southern (70-14) (not including two non-varsity seasons)
.781 – Eastern Kentucky (88-24-2)
.773 – Furman (83-23-4)
.728 – Jackson State (71-25-5)
.688 – Grambling State (68-30-3)
1990-99 Seasons
Most Wins
103 – Youngstown State
93 – Montana
92 – Dayton, Georgia Southern
89 – Northern Iowa
88 – Delaware
87 – Troy
85 – Eastern Kentucky
84 – McNeese
81 – Hofstra
Highest Winning Percentage
.844 – Dayton (92-17)
.770 – Youngstown State (103-30-2)
.744 – Montana (93-32)
.732 – Hofstra (81-29-2)
.729 – Troy (87-32-1)
2000-09 Seasons
Most Wins
119 – Montana
101 – Appalachian State
89 – Northern Iowa
87 – Dayton
86 – Grambling State
83 – Furman
82 – Colgate, McNeese State
81 – Georgia Southern
78 – Delaware, Southern Illinois, Villanova
Highest Winning Percentage
.838 – Montana (119-23)
.791 – Dayton (87-23)
.768 – Harvard (76-23)
.754 – Appalachian State (101-33)
.729 – Grambling State (86-32)
2010-19 Seasons
Most Wins
137 – North Dakota State
99 – Sam Houston State
97 – Eastern Washington
96 – James Madison
91 – Jacksonville State
86 – San Diego
83 – South Dakota State
80 – Bethune-Cookman, Central Arkansas, New Hampshire, Wofford
Highest Winning Percentage
.913 – North Dakota State (137-13)
.784 – Old Dominion (29-8)
.762 – Kennesaw State (48-15)
.741 – San Diego (86-30)
.740 – Harvard (74-26)
2020-23 Seasons
Most Wins
48 – South Dakota State
44 – North Dakota State
33 – Jackson State, Montana, UIW
32 – Holy Cross, Montana State
30 – Florida A&M
29 – Delaware, Furman, Sacramento State
Highest Winning Percentage
.873 – South Dakota State (48-7)
.864 – James Madison (19-3)
.839 – Sam Houston (26-5)
.833 – Florida A&M (30-6)
.800 – North Dakota State (44-11)
