Report: Big Ten may revise FCS football scheduling restrictions

By Brian Wilmer -

The Big Ten may consider relaxing its recently-enacted policy against scheduling FCS opponents, The Forum reported Wednesday.

A Jeff Kolpack-penned piece (also referenced by CollegeFootballTalk.com) cites North Dakota State athletic director Matt Larsen, saying that Big Ten schools will be allowed to include an FCS opponent in years where a league school has four home contests. Larsen suggests in the piece that the changes will likely not be in place until 2020, at earliest.

The Big Ten ruling went into place two seasons ago, with the Bison’s contest against Iowa last year grandfathered, having been scheduled years prior. The league mentioned the need for stronger schedules to qualify teams for the College Football Playoff as an impetus for the change.

This story will be updated as events warrant. Big Ten Media Days will take place in Chicago next Monday and Tuesday.

Comments (13)

At least require any FCS team to have averaged over .500 in the five most recent years, and at least one FCS playoff spot over the past five….

Scheduling a school such as North Dakota State, James Madison, Sam Houston State, Richmond, etc. should improve the SOS over a school like Buffalo, UMass, Texas State, etc.

might not happen…….see N. Dakota State, et al……B10 teams want a guaranteed 40 point win…

I understand where the BIG was coming from in not scheduling FCS schools for the future but I have absolutely no problems with P5 conferences scheduling FCS schools. Some FCS schools are harder to play against & figure out on the football field. At least people can not say “least the BIG does not play FCS”, YES THEY DO & always will, all conferences will.

Maybe tweak the rule so that only teams that don’t play Rutgers can schedule an FCS team.

There is not an FCS conference that Rutgers could win title in. It is an embarrasment that quality P5 schools like Washington and UCLA ever scheduled them.

Dave, for someone who visits a website dedicated to college football scheduling you do not seem to grasp the concept that most schedules are made 3-5 years, if not longer, in advance. No one can predict what a program will be like on 4 or 5 seasons down the road. Oregon. Michigan State, Notre Dame, and using your example, UCLA, all had either 4-8 or 3-9 records last season. On 2013 they were respectfully, 11-2, 13-1, 12-1 and 10-3. Just four seasons ago.

P5 schools should choose opponents, FBS or FCS that fit these parameters. If you’re a P5 school, your OOC should be as difficult as your lowest rated conference opponent, or better. Note that the B1G and MoValley have tons of overlap, so it’s mutually beneficial in recruiting, and attendance to bring in the MoValley schools. With the strength of UNI, NDSU, SDSU, USD, UND, Youngstown St, and IL St,, U of MN, NE, IA, IL, and MI should be rotating these like Land Grants and U of States through. It’s worth noting that UNI, NDSU, SDSU are already affiliate Big 12 schools.

I think a happy compromise would be one FCS every four years, with priority given to in-state opponents like Northern Iowa for the Hawkeyes or Youngstown State for the Buckeyes.

“No one can predict what a program will be like on 4 or 5 seasons down the road.”

I can predict with confidence that Rutgers will suck in five years.

Very insightful, well-thought out and thought-provoking statement based on nothing but ignorance and a glaring lack of awareness about the sport in general.

Let your drivel flow, RUS,