After Western Kentucky’s schedule addition earlier today, every Football Bowl Subdivision team has completed their 2013 non-conference schedule. For most FBS teams, their slate includes a game against a school from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Of the 125 FBS teams, 106 (85%) will play at least one game against an FCS opponent in 2013. Two teams will play two games against FCS schools and one will play three games. Overall, there will be 110 FBS vs. FCS games (including Abilene Christian, see below).

FBS teams usually schedule FCS programs to fill out their home schedule and, in many cases, to aid in becoming bowl eligible. But in order to count towards a bowl, FCS schools must have “supplied financial aid for football averaging out to at least 90 percent of the 63 scholarships allowed over ‘a rolling two-year period’ that can include the current season.”

Wagner, a member of the NEC, faces Syracuse in 2013 but may not count towards bowl eligibility for the Orange because the Seahawks only offer 40 football scholarships. However, Syracuse deputy athletics director Herman Frazier was told by Wagner that they count.

There will also be a rare game against a Division II team when New Mexico State plays host to Abilene Christian. The ACU Wildcats will be in the first season of a transition to the FCS but will count as a D-II team for scheduling purposes.

Here are some FBS vs. FCS numbers for the 2013 football season:

Teams that Don’t Play FCS Schools in 2013 (19)



FAU, Hawaii, Miami (OH), Michigan, New Mexico, North Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Rice, Southern Miss, Stanford, Texas, Tulsa, UCF, UCLA, USC, UTEP, UTSA

BCS Teams that Don’t Play FCS Schools in 2013 (9)



Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Stanford, Texas, UCF, UCLA, USC

Teams that Play Two FCS Schools in 2013 (2)

Clemson (South Carolina State, The Citadel), Georgia Tech (Alabama A&M, Elon)

Note: Clemson and Georgia Tech likely would not have scheduled two FCS teams, but the ACC switched from a 9-game to an 8-game schedule. That forced them to find extra opponents late in the process.

Teams that Play Three FCS Schools in 2013 (1)

Georgia State (Chattanooga, Jacksonville State, Samford)

Games vs. FCS Schools by Conference

ACC – 16

16 Big 12 – 8

8 Big East – 9

9 Big Ten – 10

10 C-USA – 7

7 Independents – 4

4 MAC – 12

12 MWC – 10

10 Pac-12 – 9

9 SEC – 14

14 Sun Belt – 10

FBS vs. FCS Teams that finished in Top 100 of 2012 Sagarin Ratings