Opta Projects 24-Team FCS Bracket With Tennessee Landing 4 Bids
Updated
Updated · The Analyst · Aug 25
Opta Projects 24-Team FCS Bracket With Tennessee Landing 4 Bids
2 articles · Updated · The Analyst · Aug 25
Summary
Tennessee places 4 teams in Opta Analyst’s preseason 24-team FCS playoff projection—Austin Peay, ETSU, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin—the most of any state.
Montana State, the defending champion, is projected as the No. 1 seed, with South Dakota State at No. 2, UC Davis No. 3 and Montana No. 4 anchoring the bracket.
Missouri Valley leads all conferences with 5 projected bids, followed by the Big Sky with 4 and the United Athletic with 3; 11 spots are automatic qualifiers and 13 are at-large selections.
The projected first round includes an all-Tennessee matchup of UT Martin at Tennessee Tech and ETSU at Austin Peay, with the playoff field to be finalized on Nov. 22.
The road ends Jan. 11 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, where the 2026 FCS national championship game is scheduled.