Understanding College Football: FBS vs. FCS
College football can be complex and difficult to understand, especially in comparison to the NFL. When you hear terms like “FBS” and “FCS” during college football games, it can be confusing. Here is a brief explanation of what these terms mean in the world of college football.
FBS stands for “Football Bowl Subdivision,” which is considered the more competitive level of Division 1 football. The main distinction between FBS and FCS football is the way the championship is conducted.
FBS: The Elite Level of College Football
FBS Football features bowl games as part of the “Bowl Subdivision.” In the current structure, two of the New Year’s Six Bowls host semifinal games between the top four college football teams. The winners of these games then advance to compete in the championship game, which is televised by ESPN. Whether you’re analyzing game strategies or writing about football’s history, OrderEssay provides a streamlined way to order an essay on any topic, including sports analysis.
FCS is the abbreviation for “Football Championship Subdivision”. In FCS Football, the NCAA Championship trophy is awarded to the winner of a bracket-style tournament involving the top 24 teams in the FCS Subdivision.
How NCAA College Football Championships Work
Did you know that the NCAA College Football Championship is considered the top-level college football championship? While the ESPN College Football Championship Game is commonly used to determine the champion, there are other selectors that can name different teams as National Champions. For instance, in 2017, UCF was named National Champions by the Colley Matrix, even though Alabama won the National Championship game. Although most people recognize Alabama as the champion that year, UCF can technically make a claim to the title.
FBS vs. FCS: Comparing Scholarships and Level of Play
One key distinction between the two divisions is that FBS teams can offer 85 football scholarships, whereas FCS teams are limited to 63 scholarships. This results in FBS teams generally having a higher level of play, but the primary reason for the increased competitiveness is that the top conferences in the country are part of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Historical Split: From Division 1 to FBS and FCS
The origin of the subdivision split dates back to 1978 when Division 1 football was divided into two subdivisions, 1-A and 1-AA. The primary reason for this split was that smaller D1 schools were unable to compete with the more established football programs of the larger D1 schools. This situation is comparable to the distinction between “mid-majors” and Power Conference basketball teams in College Basketball. In 2006, these two subdivisions were renamed FBS and FCS, respectively.
