Anticipation for the 2024 college football season is soaring, and there are many key dates to know within the Football Championship Subdivision.
The 13-league FCS will be up one team to 129 this season, led by defending national champion South Dakota State.
Following are many key dates to know before, during and after the 2024 FCS season (subject to change).
2024 FCS Football Season Key Dates
FCS Conference Media Days/Preseason Release Dates
July 16 – Southwestern Athletic Conference
July 17 – Big South-OVC Football Association
July 20-22 – Big Sky Conference (preseason poll and team on July 21)
July 21-22 – Southland Conference (preseason poll and team on July 22)
July 22 – Missouri Valley Football Conference (virtual preseason coaches calls on July 23-24)
July 22-23 – Southern Conference (preseason poll and team on July 23)
July 23 – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
July 23 – United Athletic Conference
July 24 – Northeast Conference
July 24-25 – CAA Football (preseason poll on July 24; virtual preseason coaches calls on July 24-25)
July 24 – Patriot League (virtual preseason coaches call on July 25)
July 30-31 – Pioneer Football League (preseason poll on July 30 and preseason team on July 31)
Aug. 12 – Ivy League (preseason poll on Aug. 5)
Stats Perform Preseason Honors
July 29 – FCS Preseason All-America Team
July 30 – Walter Payton Award Watch List
July 31 – Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Aug. 1 – Urban Edge Network HBCU+ National Player of the Year Watch List
Aug. 5 – FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
The Analyst FCS Conference Previews
Aug. 7 – Big Sky Conference
Aug. 8 – Southland Conference
Aug. 9 – Southwestern Athletic Conference
Aug. 12 – Big South-OVC Football Association
Aug. 13 – Southern Conference
Aug. 14 – Missouri Valley Football Conference
Aug. 15 – United Athletic Conference
Aug. 16 – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Aug. 19 – Northeast Conference
Aug. 20 – Patriot League
Aug. 21 – CAA Football
Aug. 22 – Pioneer Football League
Aug. 23 – Ivy League
FCS In-Season Dates
Aug. 24 – Week 0 games kick off 2024 college football season (week-by-week guide)
Aug. 29 – Traditional opening night of college football
Sept. 2 – Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (weekly polls begin)
Oct. 23 – Jerry Rice Award Watch List announced
Oct. 30 – FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award finalists announced
Nov. 23 – Final full Saturday of FCS regular season
Nov. 24 – 24-team FCS playoff field announced
Nov. 25 – Jerry Rice Award and Eddie Robinson Award finalists announced
Nov. 26 – Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan Award finalists announced
Nov. 30 – FCS playoffs (first round)
Dec. 3 – Top 3 voter-getters invited to announcement of Walter Payton Award
Dec. 3 – Top 3 voter-getters invited to announcement of Buck Buchanan Award
Dec. 4 – Jerry Rice Award recipient announced
Dec. 5 – Eddie Robinson Award recipient announced
Dec. 6-7 – FCS playoffs (second round)
Dec. 7 – SWAC Championship Game
Dec. 9 – Urban Edge Network HBCU+ National Player of the Year recipient announced
Dec. 10 – FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award recipient announced
Dec. 13-14 – FCS playoffs (quarterfinals)
Dec. 14 – Celebration Bowl in Atlanta (MEAC and SWAC champions)
Dec. 18 – Stats Perform FCS All-America Team announced
Dec. 20-21 – FCS playoffs (semifinals)
Jan. 4 – Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet – Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan Award recipients announced
Jan. 6 – FCS Championship Game (year-by-year results) in Frisco, Texas
Jan. 7 – Final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll
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