Teams That Have Never Made The Playoffs

[DFW HOYA]

I-AA/FCS schools in playoff-eligible conferences that have never qualified for the playoffs, with first year in the subdivision in parentheses.

Bucknell (1978)
Georgetown (1993)
Drake (1993)
Marist (1993)
Valparaiso (1993)
Morehead State (1996)
Gardner-Webb (2002)
Northern Colorado (2003)
North Carolina Central (2007)
Campbell (2008)
Bryant (2008)
Presbyterian (2011)
Stetson (2013)
Mercer (2013)
Abilene Christian (2013)
Houston Baptist (2014)
North Alabama (2018)
LIU (2019)
Dixie State (Utah Tech), not eligible until 2024
Merrimack, not eligible until 2024
Tarleton State not eligible until 2024
St. Thomas MN, not eligible until 2026

[Laker]

Houston Baptist?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_FCS_playoff_appearances_by _team

[taper]

Just a matter of time for Mercer, ACU, North Alabama, Tarleton and St. Thomas. Not optimistic for the others in the near term.

[neverobeyed]

Just a matter of time for Mercer, ACU, North Alabama, Tarleton and St. Thomas. Not optimistic for the others in the near term.

But Drake has been to the Raisin, Salad and Pecan Bowls!

[crusader11]

Bucknell would have made it one or two years in the 90s, but the PL didn't participate in the playoffs then, unfortunately.

[Go Green]

Bucknell would have made it one or two years in the 90s, but the PL didn't participate in the playoffs then, unfortunately.

I was thinking the same thing. They've had some decent teams...

[CHIP72]

I-AA/FCS schools in playoff-eligible conferences that have never qualified for the playoffs, with first year in the subdivision in parentheses.

Bucknell (1978)
Georgetown (1993)
Drake (1993)
Marist (1993)
Valparaiso (1993)
Morehead State (1996)
Gardner-Webb (2002)
Northern Colorado (2003)
North Carolina Central (2007)
Campbell (2008)
Bryant (2008)
Presbyterian (2011)
Stetson (2013)
Mercer (2013)
Abilene Christian (2013)
North Alabama (2018)
LIU (2019)
Dixie State (Utah Tech), not eligible until 2024
Merrimack, not eligible until 2024
Tarleton State not eligible until 2024
St. Thomas MN, not eligible until 2026

Those teams shouldn't give up hope. In D3 this season, there was a team (Anna Maria - yes, that's the school's name) that started its program in 2009 and in the 11 seasons from 2009 to 2019 never won more than two games in a season. This season they won 8 games and their conference title, and made their first-ever D3 playoff appearance.

[Bill]

Chip,

That might also be the worst conference in all of D3! They also got smoked 62-10 in the first round....point made, howeverxdrunkyx

[DFW HOYA]

Houston Baptist?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_FCS_playoff_appearances_by _team









Added--thanks.

[Baron Sardonicus]

I see a couple of PFL champions on the list. However, the committee at the time was denying the league a bid. Defacto eligibility for the PFL didn't start until 2013.

[Laker]

UMAC's Martin Luther in New Ulm made it for the first time a few years ago. I think they had been winless two years before they made it. Greenville who is also in the UMAC made it for the first time this year.

D2 Bemidji in the NSIC made it for the first time and upset Augustana in the first round. I like to see teams make it that haven't made it before. I don't think anyone was new in FCS this year.

[CHIP72]

Chip,

That might also be the worst conference in all of D3! They also got smoked 62-10 in the first round....point made, howeverxdrunkyx

Yeah, some of those New York and New England-based D3 conferences aren't exactly strong (no offense to those of you in New York or New England). Still, even within its own conference Anna Maria had previously been a doormat and they were able to turn things around and actually win their conference this season, probably shocking everyone.