The Ivy League breaks an 80-year tradition to chase football glory

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the Ivy League champion remained sidelined from the postseason. In 2025, that changed. As the FCS landscape undergoes a massive structural overhaul, one of college football's most storied conferences finally decided that the pursuit of a national title was worth the departure from long-standing tradition.

The 202/25 NCAA Division I FCS season marked a significant pivot in postseason accessibility. On December 12, 2024, the Ivy League announced that its champion would begin competing in the FCS playoffs. This decision ended a period of postseason exclusion that had lasted since the 1945 signing of the Ivy Group Agreement, a document that eventually expanded to cover all collegiate sports by 1954. This shift follows a period where the conference's governing rules had been in place for nearly eight decades.

Beyond the Ivy League's shift, the 2025 season served as a transitional period for the entire subdivision. The schedule featured an unusual 12-game regular season, a temporary measure before the NCAA Division I Council approved a permanent expansion from 11 to 12 games for the 2026 season. This era also saw significant movement in conference identities, including the Northeast Conference officially adopting the abbreviation 'NEC' in October 2025. The 2025 schedule was unique because it allowed for 12 regular-season games, a departure from the standard 11-game format. This particular year acted as the final season before the 12-game structure became the permanent standard for all FCS programs.

The landscape of membership was also in flux. While some programs like St. Thomas achieved full Division I status, others prepared for departures. The Missouri Valley Football Conference formalized its long-standing ties with the Missouri Valley Conference and the Summit League, appointing Jeff Jackson as the new commissioner following the retirement of founding commissioner Patty Viverito. Meanwhile, the football alliance known as the UAC prepared to transition into an all-sports conference by 2026. The administrative landscape also saw New Haven accept an invitation to join the Northeast Conference starting in July 2025. Additionally, the Missouri Valley Football Conference established a formal relationship with the Summit League, with Josh Fenton stepping into the role of executive advisor.

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