The FCS Daily Dose is a blog-style article series featuring an assortment of news, rumblings, quick hitters, and commentary on various topics.
A new Daily Dose will be published multiple times a week.
CFP, NFL Taking Over FCS Semifinal TV Windows
The FCS semifinals and Celebration Bowl will see much more TV competition starting this year.
First-round games for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff begin the same Dec. 20-21 weekend as the FCS semifinals and the Celebration Bowl, and the NFL is now going to play two afternoon games that Saturday.
One CFP first-round game will be Friday night, Dec. 20. The other three first-round matchups will be Saturday, going up against the two NFL games.
It is a big talking point about these two behemoths going head-to-head. But, in our little FCS world, where exactly do the semifinals fit in?
Most years, the FCS semifinals play one game that Friday and one game Saturday with a national TV spotlight. The Celebration Bowl is also usually played this Saturday with a deal to air on ABC. This year, with a Friday night CFP game and five combined CFP/NFL games happening all day Saturday, the FCS semis are going to get buried in channel selection and viewership.
Don’t be surprised to see two Friday night semifinal games. And that may come with one getting ESPN2 treatment and the other getting ESPNU or ESPN+ treatment.
The FCS and ESPN had to get creative for the national championship game, moving it to Monday night to avoid NFL games that Saturday and Sunday. The semifinals will be even tougher in finding TV windows with good exposure.
FCS Semifinal Viewership
2023 Semifinals:
UAlbany at SDSU (Friday, ESPN2) — 476K
NDSU at Montana (Saturday, ESPN2) — 790K
2022 Semifinals:
UIW at NDSU (Friday, ESPN2) — 1.05 million
Montana State at SDSU (Saturday, ESPN2) — 598K
2021 Fall Semifinals:
JMU at NDSU (Friday, ESPN2) — 1.15 million
SDSU at Montana State (Saturday, ESPN2) — 795K
2021 Spring Semifinals:
JMU at SHSU (Saturday, ABC) — 706K
Delaware at SDSU (Saturday, ESPN) — 520K
2019 Semifinals:
Montana State at NDSU (Saturday, ESPN2) — 518K
Weber State at JMU (Saturday, ESPNU) — Unknown
2018 Semifinals:
SDSU at NDSU (Friday, ESPN2) — 846K
Maine at EWU (Saturday, ESPN2) — 448K
Celebration Bowl Viewership
2023
FAMU vs. Howard (ABC) — 1.51 million
2022:
NC Central vs. Jackson State (ABC) — 2.42 million
2021:
SC State vs. Jackson State (ABC) — 2.59 million
2019:
Alcorn State vs. NC A&T (ABC) — 1.8 million
2018:
NC A&T vs. Alcorn State (ABC) — 2.3 million
2017:
North Carolina A&T vs. Grambling State (ABC) — 2.36 million
2016:
North Carolina Central vs. Grambling State (ABC) — 2.71 million
2015:
North Carolina A&T vs. Alcorn State (ABC) — 2.56 million
Past Daily Doses
Terrell Allen Commits To Tulane, D2 All-American RB Dwayne McGee Commits To Mercer … READ MORE
Thoughts On Missouri State’s FBS Move And A Potential G5 Playoff … READ MORE
Bronson Yoder’s Return A Big Boost For W&M + Cole Wisniewski, Gus Miller Named Top 150 NFL Draft Prospects … READ MORE
