2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
| 2020 NCAA Division I FCS season | |
|---|---|
| Regular season | |
| Number of teams | 127 (101) |
| Duration | Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 |
| Payton Award | Cole Kelley, QB, Southeastern Louisiana |
| Buchanan Award | Jordan Lewis, DL, Southern |
| Playoff | |
| Duration | April 24, 2021 – May 8, 2021 |
| Championship date | May 16, 2021 |
| Championship site | Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas |
| Champion | Sam Houston State |
| NCAA Division I FCS football seasons | |
«2019 2021» | |
The regular season and postseason were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Several FCS conferences moved their scheduled games from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021, and in August 2020, the NCAA announced that the FCS postseason would also be delayed.
While the NCAA at one point announced a cancellation of the FCS playoff, in late September 2020 a revised playoff schedule was announced, with the FCS Championship Game played on May 16, 2021. Sam Houston State defeated South Dakota State for the title, 23-21.
Of the 127 programs in FCS for this season, 101 played at least one game in either the fall of 2020 or the spring of 2021. The remaining 26 schools opted not to participate. The Ivy League was the only FCS conference with no members competing in football in 2020–21.