The FCS championship playoffs enter their quarterfinal round this weekend, leaving only a few games left to determine the champion for the 2023 season.
One of those games already took place Friday, when No. 2 Montana beat No. 7 Furman in an overtime thriller. Montana will take on the winner of No. 3 South Dakota vs. North Dakota State in the FCS semifinals.
North Dakota State advanced in a thrilling overtime win over Montana State after the Bison blocked a game-tying extra point that would have forced overtime. South Dakota, meanwhile, advanced after it beat Sacramento State by 10 points thanks to three second quarter touchdowns.
The other two matchups include 2022 defending champion and No. 1-ranked South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Villanova and No. 4 Idaho vs. No. 5 UAlbany. The winners of those games will face each other in the semifinals.
South Dakota State cruised to the quarterfinals in a 41-0 drubbing of Mercer, while Villanova poured on the points in a 45-28 win over Youngstown State. Idaho eked out a 20-17 win over Southern Illinois with an overtime field goal, while UAlbany crushed Richmond, 41-13.
Here’s everything you need to know about the quarterfinal games, including scores and TV information.
FCS playoff bracket 2023
Quarterfinals
No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Villanova
No. 2 Montana 35, No. 7 Furman 28
No. 3 South Dakota vs. North Dakota State
No. 4 Idaho vs. No. 5 UAlbany
Semifinals
No. 2 Montana vs. No. 3 South Dakota or North Dakota State
No. 1 South Dakota State or. No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 4 Idaho or. No. 5 UAlbany
FCS football scores
Friday, Dec. 9
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Montana 35, No. 7 Furman 28 | 9 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV |
Saturday, Dec. 10
| Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Villanova | Noon | ESPN/ESPN+, fuboTV |
| No. 3 South Dakota vs. North Dakota State | 2:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV |
| No. 4 Idaho vs. No. 4 UAlbany | 10 p.m. | ESPN+, fuboTV |
How to watch FCS playoff games
- TV channel: ESPN family of networks
- Live stream: ESPN app | fuboTV
One of the three FCS quarterfinal games will air on ESPN, one will air on ESPN+, and one will air on ABC.
No. 1 South Dakota State vs. No. 8 Villanova will air on ESPN and ESPN+, while No. 4 Idaho vs. No. 4 UAlbany will air on ESPN+. No. 3 South Dakota vs. North Dakota State will air on ABC.
All three games will be able to be streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.