The record
National champions and major awards for FCS, computed live from this product's own historical reference library.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Montana State | Illinois State | 35-34 (OT) |
| 2024 | North Dakota State | Montana State | 35-32 (OT) |
| 2023 | South Dakota State | Montana | 23-3 |
| 2022 | South Dakota State | North Dakota State | 45-21 |
| 2021 | North Dakota State | Montana State | 38-10 |
| 2020 | Sam Houston State | South Dakota State | 23-21 (2020 championship played in May 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic disruption) |
| 2019 | North Dakota State | James Madison | 28-20 |
| 2018 | North Dakota State | Eastern Washington | 38-24 |
| 2017 | North Dakota State | James Madison | 17-13 |
| 2016 | James Madison | Youngstown State | 28-14 |
| 2015 | North Dakota State | Jacksonville State | 37-10 |
| 2014 | North Dakota State | Illinois State | 29-27 |
| 2013 | North Dakota State | Towson | 35-7 |
| 2012 | North Dakota State | Sam Houston State | 39-13 |
| 2011 | North Dakota State | Sam Houston State | 17-6 |
| 2010 | Eastern Washington | Delaware | 20-19 |
| 2009 | Villanova | Montana | 23-21 |
| 2008 | Richmond | Montana | 24-7 |
| 2007 | Appalachian State | Delaware | 49-21 |
| 2006 | Appalachian State | Massachusetts | 28-17 (first season under the FCS name) |
| 2005 | Appalachian State | Northern Iowa | 21-16 |
| 2004 | James Madison | Montana | 31-21 |
| 2003 | Delaware | Colgate | 40-0 |
| 2002 | Western Kentucky | McNeese State | 34-14 |
| 2001 | Montana | Furman | 13-6 |
| 2000 | Georgia Southern | Montana | 27-25 |
| 1999 | Georgia Southern | Youngstown State | 59-24 |
| 1998 | Massachusetts | Georgia Southern | 55-43 |
| 1997 | Youngstown State | McNeese State | 10-9 |
| 1996 | Marshall | Montana | 49-29 |
| 1995 | Montana | Marshall | 22-20 |
| 1994 | Youngstown State | Boise State | 28-14 |
| 1993 | Youngstown State | Marshall | 17-5 |
| 1992 | Marshall | Youngstown State | 31-28 |
| 1991 | Youngstown State | Marshall | 25-17 |
| 1990 | Georgia Southern | Nevada | 36-13 |
| 1989 | Georgia Southern | Stephen F. Austin | 37-34 |
| 1988 | Furman | Georgia Southern | 17-12 |
| 1987 | Northeast Louisiana | Marshall | 43-42 |
| 1986 | Georgia Southern | Arkansas State | 48-21 |
| 1985 | Georgia Southern | Furman | 44-42 |
| 1984 | Montana State | Louisiana Tech | 19-6 |
| 1983 | Southern Illinois | Western Carolina | 43-7 |
| 1982 | Eastern Kentucky | Delaware | 17-14 |
| 1981 | Idaho State | Eastern Kentucky | 34-23 |
| 1980 | Boise State | Eastern Kentucky | 31-29 |
| 1979 | Eastern Kentucky | Lehigh | 30-7 |
| 1978 | Florida A&M | Massachusetts | 35-28 |
Known as Division I-AA through 2005; renamed Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2006. Determined by an NCAA-run playoff every year (unlike FBS).
| Year | Award | Player | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Beau Brungard | Youngstown St. |
| 2025 | Buck Buchanan Award | Andrew Zock | Mercer |
| 2025 | Jerry Rice Award | Braden Atkinson | Mercer |
| 2025 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Trent Fraley | North Dakota St. |
| 2024 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Tommy Mellott | Montana St. |
| 2024 | Buck Buchanan Award | David Walker | Central Ark. |
| 2024 | Jerry Rice Award | CharMar Brown | North Dakota St. |
| 2024 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Reid Williams | Chattanooga |
| 2023 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Mark Gronowski | South Dakota St. |
| 2023 | Buck Buchanan Award | Terrell Allen | Tennessee St. |
| 2023 | Jerry Rice Award | Eli Gillman | Montana |
| 2023 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Gus Miller | South Dakota St. |
| 2022 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Lindsey Scott Jr. | UIW |
| 2022 | Buck Buchanan Award | Zeke Vandenburgh | Illinois St. |
| 2022 | Jerry Rice Award | Gevani McCoy | Idaho |
| 2022 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Zack Gieg | Southeast Mo. St. |
| 2021 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Eric Barriere | Eastern Wash. |
| 2021 | Buck Buchanan Award | Isaiah Land | Flordia A&M |
| 2021 | Jerry Rice Award | Shedeur Sanders | Jackson St. |
| 2021 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | AJ Farris | Monmouth |
| 2020 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Cole Kelley | Southeastern La. |
| 2020 | Buck Buchanan Award | Jordan Lewis | Southern U. |
| 2020 | Jerry Rice Award | Cameron Ward | UIW |
| 2020 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | AJ Farris | Monmouth |
| 2019 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Trey Lance | North Dakota St. |
| 2019 | Buck Buchanan Award | Dante Olson | Montana |
| 2019 | Jerry Rice Award | Trey Lance | North Dakota St. |
| 2019 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Zach Larsen | Southern Utah |
| 2018 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Devlin Hodges | Samford |
| 2018 | Buck Buchanan Award | Zach Hall | Southeast Mo. St. |
| 2018 | Jerry Rice Award | Josh Davis | Weber St. |
| 2018 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Tanner Volson | North Dakota St. |
| 2017 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jeremiah Briscoe | Sam Houston |
| 2017 | Buck Buchanan Award | Darius Jackson | Jacksonville St. |
| 2017 | Jerry Rice Award | Bryson Armstrong | Kennesaw St. |
| 2017 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Jacob Ohnesorge | South Dakota St. |
| 2016 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jeremiah Briscoe | Sam Houston |
| 2016 | Buck Buchanan Award | Karter Schult | UNI |
| 2016 | Jerry Rice Award | A.J. Hines | Duquesne |
| 2016 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Mark Spelman | Illinois St. |
| 2015 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Cooper Kupp | Eastern Wash. |
| 2015 | Buck Buchanan Award | Deon King | Norfolk St. |
| 2015 | Jerry Rice Award | Case Cookus | Northern Ariz. |
| 2015 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Bruce Johnson | Maine |
| 2014 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | John Robertson | Villanova |
| 2014 | Buck Buchanan Award | Kyle Emanuel | North Dakota St. |
| 2014 | Jerry Rice Award | Chase Edmonds | Fordham |
| 2014 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Cornelius Edison | Portland St. |
| 2013 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jimmy Garoppolo | Eastern Ill. |
| 2013 | Buck Buchanan Award | Brad Daly | Montana St. |
| 2013 | Jerry Rice Award | Cooper Kupp | Eastern Wash. |
| 2013 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Jared Singleton | Wofford |
| 2012 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Taylor Heinicke | Old Dominion |
| 2012 | Buck Buchanan Award | Caleb Schreibeis | Montana St. |
| 2012 | Jerry Rice Award | John Robertson | Villanova |
| 2012 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Joe Lund | North Dakota St. |
| 2011 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Bo Levi Mitchell | Eastern Wash. |
| 2011 | Buck Buchanan Award | Matt Evans | New Hampshire |
| 2011 | Jerry Rice Award | Terrance West | Towson |
| 2011 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Bryan Boemer | Southern Ill. |
| 2011 | Ernie Davis Award | Chris Lum | Lehigh |
| 2010 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jeremy Moses | Stephen F. Austin |
| 2010 | Buck Buchanan Award | J.C. Sherritt | Eastern Wash. |
| 2010 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Sean Middleton | Southeast Mo. St. |
| 2010 | Ernie Davis Award | Frank Warren | Grambling |
| 2009 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Armanti Edwards | App State |
| 2009 | Buck Buchanan Award | Arthur Moats | James Madison |
| 2009 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Austin Steichen | UNI |
| 2009 | Ernie Davis Award | Christian Anthony | Grambling |
| 2008 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Armanti Edwards | App State |
| 2008 | Buck Buchanan Award | Greg Peach | Eastern Wash. |
| 2008 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Scott Lemn | James Madison |
| 2008 | Ernie Davis Award | Javarris Williams | Tennessee St. |
| 2007 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jayson Foster | Ga. Southern |
| 2007 | Buck Buchanan Award | Kroy Biermann | Montana |
| 2007 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Brennen Carvalho | Portland St. |
| 2007 | Ernie Davis Award | Antwaun Molden | Eastern Ky. |
| 2006 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Ricky Santos | New Hampshire |
| 2006 | Buck Buchanan Award | Kyle Shotwell | Cal Poly |
| 2006 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Jackie Skipper | Ark.-Pine Bluff |
| 2006 | Ernie Davis Award | Ricky Santos | New Hampshire |
| 2005 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Erik Meyer | Eastern Wash. |
| 2005 | Buck Buchanan Award | Chris Gocong | Cal Poly |
| 2005 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Jeff Bolton | Montana St. |
| 2005 | Ernie Davis Award | Bruce Eugene | Grambling |
| 2004 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Lang Campbell | William & Mary |
| 2004 | Buck Buchanan Award | Jordan Beck | Cal Poly |
| 2004 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Rob Hunt | North Dakota St. |
| 2004 | Ernie Davis Award | Jamaal Branch | Colgate |
| 2003 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jamaal Branch | Colgate |
| 2003 | Buck Buchanan Award | Jared Allen | Idaho St. |
| 2003 | Dave Rimington Award (Fcs) | Eugene Amano | Southeast Mo. St. |
| 2003 | Ernie Davis Award | Steve Baggs | Bethune-Cookman |
| 2002 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Tony Romo | Eastern Ill. |
| 2002 | Buck Buchanan Award | Rashean Mathis | Bethune-Cookman |
| 2002 | Ernie Davis Award | Kayode Mayowa | Sacred Heart |
| 2001 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Brian Westbrook | Villanova |
| 2001 | Buck Buchanan Award | Derrick Lloyd | James Madison |
| 2001 | Ernie Davis Award | Mark Leyenaar | Robert Morris |
| 2000 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Louis Ivory | Furman |
| 2000 | Buck Buchanan Award | Edgerton Hartwell | Western Ill. |
| 2000 | Ernie Davis Award | Charles Roberts | Sacramento St. |
| 1999 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Adrian Peterson | Ga. Southern |
| 1999 | Buck Buchanan Award | Al Lucas | Troy |
| 1999 | Ernie Davis Award | Matt Bushart | Southern U. |
| 1998 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jerry Azumah | New Hampshire |
| 1998 | Buck Buchanan Award | James Milton | Western Ill. |
| 1998 | Ernie Davis Award | Chris Boden | Villanova |
| 1997 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Brian Finneran | Villanova |
| 1997 | Buck Buchanan Award | Chris McNeil | N.C. A&T |
| 1997 | Ernie Davis Award | DeMingo Graham | Hofstra |
| 1996 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Archie Amerson | Northern Ariz. |
| 1996 | Buck Buchanan Award | Dexter Coakley | App State |
| 1996 | Ernie Davis Award | Jason DeCuir | Howard |
| 1995 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Dave Dickenson | Montana |
| 1995 | Buck Buchanan Award | Dexter Coakley | App State |
| 1995 | Ernie Davis Award | Earl Holmes | Florida A&M |
| 1994 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Steve McNair | Alcorn |
| 1994 | Ernie Davis Award | Steve McNair | Alcorn |
| 1993 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Doug Nussmeier | Idaho |
| 1993 | Ernie Davis Award | Jay Walker | Howard |
| 1992 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Michael Payton | Marshall |
| 1992 | Ernie Davis Award | Gilad Landau | Grambling |
| 1991 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Jamie Martin | Weber St. |
| 1990 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Walter Dean | Grambling |
| 1989 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | John Friesz | Idaho |
| 1988 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Dave Meggett | Towson |
| 1987 | Walter Payton Player Of The Year Award | Kenny Gamble | Colgate |
These below-FBS All-America selections (mostly pre-2000s) were never dagger-marked with a division in the source. They are shown here, UNATTRIBUTED, rather than assumed to be FCS -- do not read this table as an FCS All-America list.
