In a dramatic shift, the Ivy League's football teams are now going to be able to compete for FCS national championships.
Starting in the 2025 season, the Ivy League teams will be able to play in the FCS postseason.
The genesis for the change for the Ivy League to play in FCS playoffs came via a proposal from Ivy League student-athletes. And the proposal from the league's student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) was approved Tuesday by a vote of the Ivy League council of presidents.
"The Ivy League prides itself on a storied tradition of impact, influence and competitive success throughout the history of college football. We now look ahead to a new chapter of success and to further enhancing the student-athlete experience with our participation in the NCAA FCS playoffs," said Ivy League executive director Robin Harris in a statement. "I want to commend the students on our SAAC for their thoughtful and thorough proposal as well as their commitment to the league's legislative process.".
Football had loomed as the only sport that Ivy League teams could not compete for NCAA national championships in. The league had long ended its season at the end of the regular season. The Ivy League has confirmed with the NCAA that the league's winner will get an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs starting in 2025.
The 2024 season culminated with Columbia, Dartmouth and Harvard earning a share of the Ivy League title. Over the next several months, the league will develop tiebreakers to determine how its automatic qualifier will be awarded when there are co-champions in the future.