Extra Game, Big Help

By Jim Gazzolo

Help for college football’s second division might be on the way.

In a needed move, the FCS Oversight Committee has recommended that its schools attend the 12th game annually starting with the 2026 schedule. 

The one extra game could start as early as 2026 if the Division I Council approves the move at its yearly meetings in late June.

While one game doesn’t sound like much, it is a big win for college football’s second division, which plays in the shadows of its big brothers and in a much poorer part of town.

Then there is the fact that for the next 10 years, FCS schools will have to chip in money to pay for the House settlement on revenue sharing, which is coming very soon. For schools like McNeese, that will be around $200,000-$250,000 a season for that decade.

The Cowboys and the rest of the Football Championship Subdivision usually play an 11-game schedule unless the weekly calendar allows 12 games before Thanksgiving. That happens about every four or five seasons. It will happen this fall for the second straight season, which is rare. McNeese will play six home games and six more on the road this year, starting with Louisiana College at Cowboy Stadium on Aug. 30. 

FCS teams can now raise revenue by playing an extra home game or another money game against a Power 4 team. In 2027, for instance, McNeese will make $750,000 to play at LSU.

That will be the most money the school has ever received for a game. A second payday like that easily covers any revenue-sharing fee McNeese will be hit with.

The dozen games also guarantee that teams could play six home games if they prefer. Flexibility in scheduling is one key to any decision.

“This will give our schools some options that they need to help cover their bills,” said Southland Conference Commissioner Chris Grant, an oversight committee member.

“The important thing for us is to give our schools options so they can make the best decisions for themselves. This could be a big help in the coming years.”

Grant sees this as not only a win for the division but for his league as well. 

“I think this is a big deal for our members,” said Grant. “It gives us a lot of different directions we can go in for each school. We can play an extra home game or money game, or even start looking at a conference championship game. 

“The big thing is it will be good for us to build on our brand. We may see an extra regional game against another FCS school.”

This goes double for McNeese, which is trying to find its footing in the new world of college athletics. The Cowboys are caught between being ready to move up to the FBS level and looking like a program willing to wait until all the dust settles.

“In today’s landscape, this would give us more opportunities to find our financial footing,” said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. “Getting the sixth home game would be big every year for us. An extra money game would also do a lot. It just opens up avenues for us to explore for added revenue and other purposes.”

For the second straight season, the Cowboys will play 12 games. They finished 6-6 last year with seven road games. This season, they will have six games at home and six on the road.

Being able to count on the extra game in future years would go a long way in making McNeese and the rest of FCS better off with more options. It’s good for all of the college game. 

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which airs weekly on CBS-Lake Charles.