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The Ohio Valley and Southland conferences will propose legislation for a permanent 12th football game in the NCAA Division I Football Championship subdivision. The proposal, that would permissively lift the current restriction of 11 regular season games in most seasons, is scheduled for submission into the 2016-17 NCAA Division I legislative cycle.

Currently, FCS programs are only permitted a 12th game in years when there are 13 weekends between Labor Day Weekend and the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, something that will naturally occur just four times over the next 15 seasons.

In a joint statement, OVC commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland commissioner Tom Burnett said: “The 12th game proposal gives FCS programs additional opportunities for non-conference contests, including games against FBS competition, and a better chance to secure six home games in a yearly schedule. Additionally, this proposal allows more flexibility in non-conference scheduling for leagues that have recently expanded and have more conference games. This proposal would also provide more potential nonconference FCS games for the Division I NCAA Football Committee to better determine berths and seeding for the FCS playoffs.”

Mvemjsunpx wrote:This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

clenz wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

Don't most schools start mid August?

It would allow games the week before Labor day - just as all 12 game seasons have now. It doesn't affect playoff schedule, doesn't take a bye week away, nothing. It adds a week earlier in the season.

dbackjon wrote:All in favor of this - needs to happen

Mvemjsunpx wrote:This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

Wildcat Ryan wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

That should be easy enough to do, just play the semi final games on Christmas Weekend, or the first weekend of January

clenz wrote:

Wildcat Ryan wrote:
That should be easy enough to do, just play the semi final games on Christmas Weekend, or the first weekend of January

Don't need too..
Week added to the beginning of the season

I guess we could add a week at the end and move playoffs back but I don't see that happening

clenz wrote:No.

You'd simply play the games the extra week between Labor day and Thanksgiving.

It's not nearly what you're making out to be.

This years schedule would be
8/27
9/3
9/10
9/17
9/24
10/1
10/8
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
11/19

The current scheduled 12 game systems start the way they are scheduled.

It's not hard to figure out and it's not forcing anyone to fit anything into a shorter time.

SuperHornet wrote:Isn't a 12th game automatic if you schedule a game at Hawai'i?

The Cats wrote:The only down side I see to a 12 game schedule each year is it will encourage many schools to go to a non-DI team for that 6th home game. I still think 12 games should be the standard, if a school only wants 11 games, let 'em only schedule 11 games.