Ivy League considering FCS playoffs, Penn Athletics ‘aware’ of proposal

The Ivy League will reportedly consider a proposal that would allow its football teams to participate in the Football Championship Subdivision postseason, a first in the conference’s 79-year history.

In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn Athletics acknowledged the proposal, noting that it was put forward by the student body within the Ivy League administration.

“We are aware of the proposal for competition participation in the FCS Playoffs, which is being driven by students on the Ivy League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee,” Penn Athletics wrote. “We will continue to monitor the league’s governance process for any policy changes.”

The FCS Playoff consists of 24 teams all competing for a national championship in college football’s second-highest division. Many of these spots come from bids automatically handed out to conference champions, which the Ivy League could qualify for if not for the self-imposed ban.

To pass, the proposal must receive approval from all eight Ivy League athletic directors and the schools’ presidents. Ancient Eight teams have not been allowed to play in the postseason since 1945, when the presidents signed the Ivy Group Agreement that imposed a self-imposed ban on postseason play and other practices such as athletic scholarships.

That decision was rooted in the conference’s core commitment to academics, citing the additional burden that postseason competition would place on student-athletes, especially late in the semester during reading and final exam periods. But as other sports such as basketball and lacrosse have not only competed but also achieved success in their respective national tournaments, many have argued that football should be given the same opportunities.

“I even wrote papers about this for classes (at Penn),” Penn Football senior quarterback Aidan Sayin said of the policy in 2023. “We want to be able to play in those playoffs, and every year there is at least one team from the Ivy League ranked high enough to be in it. It would be a great opportunity to be able to do that.”

There is currently no timetable for the adoption of the proposal.