2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season

The 2012 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. The season began on August 30, 2012, and concluded with the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game on January 5, 2013, at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State beat Sam Houston State for the second year in a row, 39-13, to repeat as champions.

2012 NCAA Division I FCS season
Regular season
Number of teams122
DurationAugust – November
Payton AwardTaylor Heinicke, Old Dominion[1]
Buchanan AwardCaleb Schreibeis, Montana State[1]
Playoff
DurationNovember 24 – December 15
Championship dateJanuary 5, 2013
Championship siteFC Dallas Stadium, Frisco, TX
ChampionNorth Dakota State
NCAA Division I FCS football seasons

FCS team wins over FBS teams edit

August 30: Eastern Washington 20, Idaho 3
August 30: McNeese State 27, Middle Tennessee 21
September 1: Tennessee–Martin 20, Memphis 17
September 1: Youngstown State 31, Pittsburgh 17
September 8: Illinois State 31, Eastern Michigan 14
September 8: North Dakota State 22, Colorado State 7
September 8: Northern Arizona 17, UNLV 14
September 8: Sacramento State 30, Colorado 28
September 15: Cal Poly 24, Wyoming 22
September 29: Stony Brook 23, Army 3

Conference changes and new programs edit

The Great West Conference dropped football after the 2011 season.

No teams played as independents in 2012, for the first time in the history of Division I-AA/FCS.

School 2011 Conference 2012 Conference
Cal Poly Great West Big Sky
Georgia State FCS Independent CAA
Massachusetts CAA (FCS) MAC (FBS)
North Dakota Great West Big Sky
South Alabama FCS Independent Sun Belt (FBS)
South Dakota Great West MVFC
Southern Utah Great West Big Sky
Texas State FCS Independent WAC (FBS)
UC Davis Great West Big Sky
UTSA FCS Independent WAC (FBS)

Conference standings edit

2012 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Eastern Washington +^   7 1     11 3  
No. 5 Montana State +^   7 1     11 2  
No. 12 Cal Poly +^   7 1     9 3  
No. 20 Northern Arizona   6 2     8 3  
Sacramento State   4 4     6 5  
Northern Colorado   4 4     5 6  
Southern Utah   4 4     5 6  
North Dakota   3 5     5 6  
Montana   3 5     5 6  
UC Davis   3 5     4 7  
Portland State   2 6     3 8  
Weber State   2 6     2 9  
Idaho State   0 8     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Big South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Stony Brook +^   5 1     10 3  
Coastal Carolina +^   5 1     8 4  
Liberty +   5 1     6 5  
Charleston Southern   3 3     5 6  
Gardner–Webb   2 4     3 8  
VMI   1 5     2 9  
Presbyterian   0 6     2 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Colonial Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 6 Old Dominion ^   7 1     11 2  
No. 18 Richmond +   6 2     8 3  
No. 13 New Hampshire +^   6 2     8 4  
No. 15 Villanova +^   6 2     8 4  
No. 17 Towson +   6 2     7 4  
No. 19 James Madison   5 3     7 4  
Maine   4 4     5 6  
Delaware   2 6     5 6  
William & Mary   1 7     2 9  
Rhode Island   0 8     0 11  
Georgia State   0 0     1 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • Georgia State's conference record was 0–0, and it did not occupy a spot in the overall standings. Old Dominion was ineligible for the conference championship because of its announced departure for Conference USA in 2013.
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Ivy League football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Penn $   6 1     6 4  
Harvard   5 2     8 2  
Brown   4 3     7 3  
Dartmouth   4 3     6 4  
Princeton   4 3     5 5  
Cornell   2 5     4 6  
Columbia   2 5     3 7  
Yale   1 6     2 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 22 Bethune–Cookman $^   8 0     9 3  
Howard   6 2     7 4  
North Carolina A&T   5 3     7 4  
North Carolina Central   5 3     6 5  
Delaware State   5 3     6 5  
South Carolina State   4 4     5 6  
Florida A&M   4 4     4 7  
Hampton   3 5     3 7  
Norfolk State   2 6     4 7  
Morgan State   2 6     3 8  
Savannah State   0 8     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 North Dakota State $^   7 1     14 1  
No. 14 South Dakota State ^   6 2     9 4  
No. 8 Illinois State ^   5 3     9 4  
Indiana State   5 3     7 4  
Southern Illinois   5 3     6 5  
Youngstown State   4 4     7 4  
Northern Iowa   4 4     5 6  
Missouri State   3 5     3 8  
Western Illinois   1 7     3 8  
South Dakota   0 8     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Northeast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 21 Wagner +^   7 1     9 4  
Albany +   7 1     9 2  
Monmouth   4 3     5 5  
Saint Francis (PA)   4 4     5 6  
Bryant   4 4     4 7  
Robert Morris   3 5     4 7  
Duquesne   3 5     5 6  
Central Connecticut   2 5     2 8  
Sacred Heart   1 7     2 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Illinois $^   6 1     7 5  
No. 22 Eastern Kentucky   6 2     8 3  
UT Martin   6 2     8 3  
Jacksonville State   5 3     6 5  
Tennessee State   4 3     8 3  
Murray State   4 4     5 6  
Southeast Missouri State   2 6     3 8  
Tennessee Tech   1 7     3 8  
Austin Peay   1 7     2 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Patriot League football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 24 Colgate $^   6 0     8 4  
No. 13 Lehigh   5 1     10 1  
Georgetown   2 4     5 6  
Lafayette   2 4     5 6  
Holy Cross   2 4     2 9  
Bucknell   1 5     3 8  
Fordham   0 0     6 5  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • Fordham was ineligible for conference title because they offered football scholarships while other Patriot League members did not.
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Pioneer Football League standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Butler +   7 1     8 3  
Drake +   7 1     8 3  
San Diego +   7 1     8 3  
Jacksonville   5 3     7 4  
Dayton   5 3     6 5  
Marist   3 5     4 7  
Morehead State   3 5     4 7  
Davidson   2 6     2 9  
Valparaiso   1 7     1 10  
Campbell   0 8     1 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
2012 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 6 Georgia Southern +^   6 2     10 4  
No. 9 Wofford +^   6 2     9 4  
No. 7 Appalachian State +^   6 2     8 4  
The Citadel   5 3     7 4  
Samford   5 3     7 4  
Chattanooga   5 3     6 5  
Furman   2 6     3 8  
Elon   1 7     3 8  
Western Carolina   0 8     1 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network Poll
2012 Southland Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Central Arkansas +^   6 1     9 3  
No. 2 Sam Houston State +^   6 1     11 4  
Southeastern Louisiana   5 2     5 6  
McNeese State   4 3     7 4  
Stephen F. Austin   4 3     5 6  
Northwestern State   2 5     4 7  
Lamar   1 6     4 8  
Nicholls State   0 7     1 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2012 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Jackson State xy   7 2     7 5  
Alabama State   7 2     7 4  
Alabama A&M   6 3     7 4  
Mississippi Valley State   5 4     5 6  
Alcorn State   4 5     4 7  
West Division
Arkansas–Pine Bluff xy$   8 1     10 2  
Prairie View A&M   3 6     3 8  
Southern   3 6     4 7  
Texas Southern *   2 7     2 9  
Grambling State   0 9     1 10  
Championship: Arkansas–Pine Bluff 24, Jackson State 21 OT
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – ineligible for postseason

Conference summaries edit

Championship games edit

Conference Champion Runner-up Score Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year
SWAC Arkansas–Pine Bluff Jackson State 24–21[2] Rico Richardson (WR, Jackson State)[3] Brandon Thurmond (DT, Arkansas–Pine Bluff)[3]

Other conference winners edit

Note: Records are regular-season only, and do not include playoff games.

Conference Champion Record Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year
Big Sky Eastern Washington
Montana State
Cal Poly
9–2 (7–1)
10–1 (7–1)
9–2 (7–1)
DeNarius McGhee (Montana State) Jody Owens (Montana State) Beau Baldwin (Eastern Washington)
Tim Walsh (Cal Poly)
Big South Coastal Carolina
Liberty
Stony Brook
8–3 (5–1)
6–5 (5–1)
9–2 (5–1)
Miguel Maysonet (Stony Brook) Quinn Backus (Coastal Carolina) Joe Moglia (Coastal Carolina)
CAA New Hampshire
Richmond
Villanova
Towson[a 1]
8–3 (6–2)
8–3 (6–2)
8–3 (6–2)
7–4 (6–2)
Taylor Heinicke (Old Dominion) Stephon Robertson (James Madison) Andy Talley (Villanova)
Ivy Penn 6–4 (6–1)
MEAC Bethune-Cookman 9–2 (8–0)
MVFC North Dakota State 10–1 (7–1) Matt Brown (Illinois State) Marcus Williams (North Dakota State) Craig Bohl (North Dakota State)
NEC Wagner
Albany
9–2 (7–1)
OVC Eastern Illinois 7–4 (6–1)
Patriot Colgate 8–3 (6–0)
Pioneer Butler
Drake
8–3 (7–1)
Southern Georgia Southern
Appalachian State
Wofford
8–3 (6–2) Eric Breitenstein (Wofford) Jeremy Kimbrough (Appalachian State)
Davis Tull (Chattanooga)
Southland Central Arkansas
Sam Houston State
9–2 (6–1)
8–3 (6–1)
Wynrick Smothers (Central Arkansas) Darnell Taylor (Sam Houston State) Clint Conque (Central Arkansas)
  1. ^ Old Dominion had the best conference record at 7–1, but was not eligible for the title because it announced its 2013 departure for Conference USA in May 2012. Under CAA bylaws, a school that announces its departure immediately becomes ineligible for conference championships.

Playoff qualifiers edit

Automatic berths for conference champions edit

At large qualifiers edit

Abstains edit

Postseason edit

NCAA Division I playoff bracket edit

First Round
November 24
Campus sites
Second Round
December 1
Campus sites
Quarterfinals
December 7 and December 8
Campus sites
Semifinals
December 14 and December 15
Campus sites
National Championship Game

January 5
FC Dallas Stadium,
Frisco, Texas
ESPN2
Dial Global Sports[4]

South Dakota State 3
Eastern Illinois 10 1 North Dakota State* 28
South Dakota State* 58 1 North Dakota State* 14
Wofford 7
New Hampshire 7
Wofford* 23
1 North Dakota State* 23
5 Georgia Southern 20
Coastal Carolina 35
Coastal Carolina 24 4 Old Dominion* 63
Bethune-Cookman* 14 4 Old Dominion* 35
5 Georgia Southern 49
Central Arkansas 16
5 Georgia Southern* 24
1 North Dakota State* 39
Sam Houston State 13
Wagner 19
Colgate 20 2 Eastern Washington* 29
Wagner* 31 2 Eastern Washington* 51
Illinois State 35
Illinois State 38
Appalachian State* 37
2 Eastern Washington* 42
Sam Houston State 45
Stony Brook 10
Villanova 10 3 Montana State* 16
Stony Brook* 20 3 Montana State* 16
Sam Houston State 34
Cal Poly 16
Sam Houston State* 18

Home team    † Overtime

Coaching changes edit

Preseason and in-season edit

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2012. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2012, see 2011 NCAA Division I FCS end-of-season coaching changes.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement
Southern Stump Mitchell September 17 Fired[5] Dawson Odums (interim)
Davidson Tripp Merritt November 5 Fired[6] Brett Hayford (interim)
Florida A&M Joe Taylor November 7 Retired[7] Earl Holmes (interim)

End of season edit

School Outgoing coach Date announced Reason Replacement
Georgia State Bill Curry August 15 Retired[8] Trent Miles[9]
Campbell Dale Steele November 5 Fired[10] Mike Minter[11]
Northwestern State Bradley Dale Peveto November 19 Fired[12] Jay Thomas[13]
Western Illinois Mark Hendrickson November 19 Fired[14] Bob Nielson[15]
Morehead State Matt Ballard November 20 Fired[16] Rob Tenyer[17]
Indiana State Trent Miles November 30 Hired by Georgia State[9] Mike Sanford[18]
Jacksonville State Jack Crowe November 30 Fired[19] Bill Clark[20]
UC Davis Bob Biggs December 1 Retired[21] Ron Gould[22]
Appalachian State Jerry Moore December 2 Retired[23] Scott Satterfield[24]
Cornell Kent Austin December 17 Hired by Hamilton Tiger-Cats[25] David Archer[26]
San Diego Ron Caragher December 17 Hired by San Jose State[27] Dale Lindsey
Davidson Brett Hayford December 21 Permanent replacement Paul Nichols[28]
Charleston Southern Jay Mills January 3 Retired[29] Jamey Chadwell[30]
Delaware K. C. Keeler January 7 Fired[31] Dave Brock[32]
Gardner–Webb Ron Dickerson, Jr. January 17 Resigned[33] Carroll McCray[34]
Savannah State Steve Davenport April 17 Fired[35] Earnest Wilson III[36]
  • In addition to the above changes, Southern named its interim head coach Dawson Odums as permanent head coach on December 14.[37]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Taylor Heinicke wins Payton Award". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  2. ^ "UAPB Comes from Behind to Win SWAC Title!!!!!" (Press release). Southwestern Athletic Conference. December 8, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "SWAC Releases 2012 All-Conference Team" (Press release). Southwestern Athletic Conference. December 4, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  4. ^ "2013 FCS National Championship Bowl: North Dakota State Bisons vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats". Stat Broadcast. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  5. ^ "Mitchell reassigned, Odums named interim coach" (Press release). Southern University Athletic Media Relations. September 17, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  6. ^ "Davidson dismisses head coach Merritt" (Press release). Davidson College Athletic Media Relations. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  7. ^ "Joe Taylor Steps Down As FAMU Head Football Coach" (Press release). Florida A&M Sports Information. November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  8. ^ "Bill Curry to retire after season". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 15, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Georgia State hires Trent Miles". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 30, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  10. ^ "Campbell head coach Steele will not return in 2013" (Press release). Campbell University Athletic Media Relations. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  11. ^ "Mike Minter named head football coach at Campbell University" (Press release). Campbell University Athletic Media Relations. November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  12. ^ "Bradley Dale Peveto won't return". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  13. ^ "Former Southland champion coach Jay Thomas takes over NSU football" (Press release). Northwestern State University Sports Information. December 20, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  14. ^ "Western Illinois football coach won't return". The Register-Mail. Galesburg.com. November 20, 2012. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  15. ^ "Bob Nielson Named Leatherneck Head Football Coach" (Press release). Western Illinois Athletics. December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  16. ^ "Morehead State fires football coach Ballard". Lexington Herald-Leader. November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  17. ^ "Tenyer Introduced as Morehead State Head Football Coach" (Press release). Morehead State University Athletic Media Relations. December 13, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  18. ^ "Mike Sanford Tabbed As Indiana State Head Football Coach" (Press release). Indiana State University Athletics. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  19. ^ "Head football coach Jack Crowe out at Jacksonville State". AL.com. Jacksonville State Sports Information. December 1, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  20. ^ "JSU Announces Bill Clark as Head Football Coach" (Press release). Jacksonville State University Athletics. December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  21. ^ "Biggs To Retire From Coaching After 2012 Season" (Press release). UC Davis Sports Information. December 1, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  22. ^ "Ron Gould Named UC Davis Head Football Coach" (Press release). UC Davis Sports Information. December 17, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  23. ^ "Jerry Moore Tenure Comes to an End at Appalachian" (Press release). Appalachian Sports Information. December 2, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  24. ^ "Satterfield Named App State's 20th Football Coach" (Press release). Appalachian Sports Information. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  25. ^ Brady, Rachel (December 17, 2012). "Ticats hire Kent Austin to be head coach, head up football operations". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  26. ^ "David Archer '05 Named The 27th Football Coach At Cornell University" (Press release). Cornell University Sports Information. January 3, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  27. ^ "Caragher Named New San Jose State University Head Football Coach" (Press release). University of San Diego Official Athletic Site. December 17, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  28. ^ "Davidson Names Alum Paul Nichols Head Football Coach" (Press release). Davidson College Athletics. December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  29. ^ "Charleston Southern football coach Mills resigns". FOXSports.com. Associated Press. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  30. ^ Shelton, David (January 18, 2013). "Charleston Southern introduces Chadwell as new football coach". The Post and Courier. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  31. ^ Tresolini, Kevin (January 7, 2013). "UD fires football coach K.C. Keeler". The News Journal. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  32. ^ "Rutgers OC Dave Brock headed to Delaware" (Press release). ESPN. January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  33. ^ "Gardner–Webb coach resigns". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  34. ^ "North Greenville football coach McCray leaves for Gardner-Webb". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina: GoUpstate.com. January 28, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  35. ^ Heath, Donald (April 17, 2013). "SSU fires football coach Davenport". Savannah Morning News. Archived from the original on April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  36. ^ "Earnest Wilson III hired as new SSU football coach". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  37. ^ "Broussard tabs Odums as Southern's head coach" (Press release). Southern University Athletic Media Relations. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.