Bethel, other FCS exclusions helped fast-track NAIA playoff expansion
Bethel, other FCS exclusions helped fast-track NAIA playoff expansion
The field moves from 16 to 20 starting this fall.
This past spring, the NAIA approved the expansion of its Football Championship Series (FCS) field from 16 teams to 20, starting with the 2023 season.
Bethel Athletic Director Tony Hoops confirmed to The Collegian on Friday that “situations like Bethel’s the past two years prompted the NAIA to consider the expanded field.” The Threshers finished with just one conference loss and were named a co-champion, but were excluded from postseason action.
Under the newly adopted format, they would have received a bid in both campaigns. Another team left out of the 2022 playoff slate that likely jumpstarted the immediate expansion discussion was Texas Wesleyan.
The Rams were named co-champions of the Sooner Athletic Conference with Ottawa (Ariz.) and Arizona Christian but stayed home in favor of the latter, despite defeating the Firestorm by 27 points and losing to the former by just five.
This in combination with Bethel’s situation and those of years prior exposed a flaw in the FCS selection process that left the NAIA with too much to ignore and, logically, pushed the expansion topic to the forefront.
The motive, as Hoops outlined, was multifaceted:
The percentage of teams qualifying for the playoffs in football was lower than in other sports.
The NAIA’s desire to include the best teams in the tournament every year.
The NAIA’s desire for all conference champions to qualify regardless of ranking in the weekly coaches poll.
Ensuring that expanded conferences that earn an additional bid (such as the KCAC) wouldn’t limit the number of at-large bids. Expansion maintains the integrity of these bids.
“I’m definitely excited about the expanded field,” A.B. Stokes, head football coach at Bethel, said. “Especially in a conference like the KCAC, which is going to two divisions, we might have a chance to get three teams into the playoffs.”
The new format will include up to 13 automatic qualifiers with seven at-large bids and conference champions will receive a bid regardless of record or ranking. To be considered for an at-large bid the team must be ranked inside the top 25 of the final coaches poll.
Seeds 1-12 will receive a bye while seeds 13-20 play a first-round contest.
“Every game still matters and we see it as an opportunity to play in really competitive games with more teams in the fold,” Stokes said. The bracket will retain its normal scheduling, kicking off on Nov. 18 with the championship bout set for Dec. 18.