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The NCAA just made a move that could shake up college football as soon as this fall.
The Division I Cabinet approved legislation Wednesday to eliminate the two-year transition penalty for programs moving from the FCS to the FBS level, according to sources who spoke with CBS Sports. Effective immediately, first-year FBS programs are now eligible for postseason play, provided they finish 6-6 and can fulfill a bowl commitment for their new conference.
The timing couldn’t be better for North Dakota State and Sacramento State, both of which officially make the jump to the FBS in July. If the Division I Cabinet formally adopts the proposal when it meets in June, both programs could play their way into a bowl game in Year 1. That includes conference championship games and, yes, the College Football Playoff.
That last part isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.
NDSU has won 10 FCS national championships in the last 15 years, one of the most dominant stretches in modern college football history. Bison administrators believe they’re built to compete at the FBS level right away, and they’ve put real money behind that belief. The school quietly locked in $25 million in donor commitments while administrators worked behind the scenes last winter to finalize the Mountain West deal, which was announced in February.
“The CFP would be great if we had an opportunity, but really for us, it was more about being able to qualify for the Mountain West Championship if we’re fortunate enough to be in that position. It’s an opportunity to qualify for the postseason. If we’re able to earn it on the field, let us have that opportunity.”
That’s NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen, who’s spent months pushing for exactly this kind of rule change. He vowed to campaign against the NCAA’s old postseason restriction not long after the Mountain West move became official, and Wednesday’s vote is a direct result of that effort.
“It’s huge. It’s good for NDSU, but it’s good for any transitioning programs, especially given the changing landscape of college athletics.”
The Bison are set to pay roughly $17.5 million in entry fees to make the move, including $5 million to the NCAA and $12.5 million to the Mountain West.
Sacramento State’s situation looks a little different. The Hornets are heading to the MAC and will pay $23 million over five years, split between $5 million to the NCAA and $18 million to the MAC. Sacramento State went 7-5 last season under first-year coach Brennan Marion, who left in January to become Colorado’s offensive coordinator. The school replaced him with Alonzo Carter, previously the running backs coach at San Jose State.
Under the old rules, neither program could have competed for a bowl berth or a conference title in their first two seasons at the FBS level, no matter how well they played. That restriction is now gone.
