FCS (Division 1-AA) Football : Champions : Schools : Streaks : Series records : Most frequent matchups Year Champion Runner-Up Result Semi-Finalist ++ Semi-Finalist Teams 2023 South Dakota State Montana 23-3 Albany North Dakota State 24 2022 South Dakota State North Dakota State 45-21 Montana State Incarnate Word 24 2021 North Dakota State Montana State 38-10 James Madison South Dakota State 24 2020* Sam Houston State South Dakota State 23-21 James Madison Delaware 16 2019 North Dakota State James Madison 28-20 Montana State Weber State 24 2018 North Dakota State Eastern Washington 38-24 South Dakota State Maine 24 2017 North Dakota State James Madison 17-13 Sam Houston State South Dakota State 24 2016 James Madison Youngstown State 28-14 North Dakota State Eastern Washington 24 2015 North Dakota State Jacksonville State 37-10 Richmond Sam Houston State 24 2014 North Dakota State Illinois State 29-27 Sam Houston State New Hampshire 24 2013 North Dakota State Towson 35-7 New Hampshire Eastern Washington 24 2012 North Dakota State Sam Houston State 39-13 Georgia Southern Eastern Washington 20 2011 North Dakota State Sam Houston State 17-6 Georgia Southern Montana 20 2010 Eastern Washington Delaware 20-19 Villanova Georgia Southern 20 2009 Villanova Montana 23-21 William & Mary Appalachian State 16 2008 Richmond Montana 24-7 Northern Iowa James Madison 16 2007 Appalachian State Delaware 49-21 Richmond Southern Illinois 16 2006 Appalachian State Massachusetts 28-17 Youngstown State Montana 16 2005 Appalachian State Northern Iowa 21-16 Furman Texas State 16 2004 James Madison Montana 31-21 William & Mary Sam Houston State 16 2003 Delaware Colgate 40-0 Wofford Florida Atlantic 16 2002 Western Kentucky McNeese State 34-14 Georgia Southern Villanova 16 2001 Montana Furman 13-6 Northern Iowa Georgia Southern 16 2000 Georgia Southern Montana 27-25 Delaware Appalachian State 16 1999 Georgia Southern Youngstown State 59-24 Illinois State Florida A&M 16 1998 Massachusetts Georgia Southern 55-43 Northwestern State Western Illinois 16 1997 Youngstown State McNeese State 10-9 Eastern Washington Delaware 16 1996 Marshall Montana 49-29 Northern Iowa Troy 16 1995 Montana Marshall 22-20 Stephen F. Austin McNeese State 16 1994 Youngstown State Boise State 28-14 Montana Marshall 16 1993 Youngstown State Marshall 17-5 Idaho Troy 16 1992 Marshall Youngstown State 31-28 Delaware Northern Iowa 16 1991 Youngstown State Marshall 25-17 Samford Eastern Kentucky 16 1990 Georgia Southern Nevada 36-13 Central Florida Boise State 16 1989 Georgia Southern Stephen F. Austin 37-34 Montana Furman 16 1988 Furman Georgia Southern 17-12 Idaho Eastern Kentucky 16 1987 Louisiana-Monroe Marshall 43-42 Northern Iowa Appalachian State 16 1986 Georgia Southern Arkansas State 48-21 Nevada Eastern Kentucky 16 1985 Georgia Southern Furman 44-42 Northern Iowa Nevada 12 1984 Montana State Louisiana Tech 19-6 Rhode Island Middle Tennessee St 12 1983 Southern Illinois Western Carolina 43-7 Nevada Furman 12 1982 Eastern Kentucky Delaware 17-14 Tennessee State Louisiana Tech 12 1981 Idaho State Eastern Kentucky 34-23 South Carolina St Boise State 8 1980 Boise State Eastern Kentucky 31-29 Grambling Lehigh 4 1979 Eastern Kentucky Lehigh 30-7 Nevada Murray State 4 1978 Florida A&M Massachusetts 35-28 Jackson State Nevada 4 * Fall 2020 championship held in spring 2021 due to Covid-19 global pandemic ++ Semi-finalist that lost to champion is shown in this column
