James Madison, Villanova Earn Top Five Seeds In 2021 NCAA FCS Playoffs
Rob Washburn
2021 NCAA FCS CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
RICHMOND, Va. (November 21, 2021) – For the first time since 2010, two CAA Football teams have earned top five seeds as the field for the 2021 NCAA FCS playoffs was announced on Sunday afternoon.
James Madison received the #3 overall seed and
Villanova was tabbed as the #5 overall seed in the 24-team field, meaning the CAA co-champions both get first-round byes. The Dukes (10-1, 7-1 CAA) will host the winner of Florida A&M/Southeastern Louisiana in second-round action on December 4 at 2 p.m., while the Wildcats (9-2, 7-1 CAA) will entertain the winner of Sacred Heart/Holy Cross in the second round on Friday, December 3 at 7 p.m.
JMU is making its eighth consecutive FCS playoff appearance and 18
th overall. The Dukes have reached at least the semifinals in four of the past five seasons and advanced to the FCS championship game three times (2016, 2017, 2019) in that stretch. JMU captured FCS national championships in 2004 and 2016.
Villanova returns to the FCS playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons The Wildcats were the FCS national champions in 2009 and reached the semifinals in 2010. It’s Villanova’s 14
th overall appearance in the playoffs.
The last time CAA Football had a pair of teams receive top five seeds was 2010, when William & Mary was the #2 overall seed and Delaware was the #3 seed, and it’s the first time since 2015 that the conference has had two squads awarded national seeds. CAA Football’s streak of having multiple teams in the FCS playoff field was extended to 31 seasons.