Two FCS conferences form 2021 alliance, seek playoff bid this fall

(Stats Perform) -- The two newest FCS conferences announced Tuesday, Feb. 23, they have combined on a scheduling alliance for the fall 2021 season, which could allow the ASUN and Western Athletic conferences to receive an automatic qualifying playoff bid for its champion.

Separately, neither conference would have the NCAA postseason minimum of six eligible teams to receive an automatic qualifier, but they do by combining incoming ASUN members Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State and incoming WAC members Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin.

The alliance, called the AQ7 and featuring traditionally strong programs, will compete under conference standings named the WAC-ASUN Challenge. ASUN commissioner Ted Gumbart said the alliance has applied to the NCAA for a playoff bid.

"This partnership provides teams in both leagues a path to an automatic bid and elevates the ASUN and WAC to a new level of competition," he said.

WAC members Dixie State and Tarleton also will compete against AQ7 opponents in the joint schedule, but they won't be eligible for the potential playoff AQ in what will be their second year of NCAA reclassification to Division I. Southern Utah, a Big Sky associate football member, will join the WAC's football rebirth in 2022.

Kennesaw State and North Alabama, two of the five charter members of ASUN football, will play a final season this fall as associate members of the Big South, which has a partnership with the ASUN. In 2022, the two conferences will create the ASUN-Big South Challenge series, head-to-head matchups between its members over the final weekend of the FCS regular season.

All of the FCS conferences that are losing members to the ASUN and WAC - the Big Sky, Big South, Ohio Valley and Southland - will continue to meet eligibility for a playoff AQ.

Sept. 25

Sam Houston at Central Arkansas

Abilene Christian at Lamar

Oct. 2

Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian

*Tarleton at Eastern Kentucky

Sam Houston at Stephen F. Austin

Oct. 9

Abilene Christian at Eastern Kentucky

Stephen F. Austin at Jacksonville State

Lamar at Sam Houston

Oct. 16

Lamar at Abilene Christian

Eastern Kentucky at Central Arkansas

*Tarleton at Dixie State

Oct. 23

Central Arkansas at Lamar

*Stephen F. Austin at Dixie State

Jacksonville State at Sam Houston

Oct. 30

Abilene Christian at Stephen F. Austin

Central Arkansas at Jacksonville State

Lamar at Eastern Kentucky

*Sam Houston at Tarleton

Nov. 6

Abilene Christian at Jacksonville State

Dixie State at Sam Houston

Eastern Kentucky at Stephen F. Austin

*Lamar at Tarleton

Nov. 13

*Tarleton at Abilene Christian

Stephen F. Austin at Central Arkansas

Eastern Kentucky at Sam Houston

Jacksonville State at Lamar

Nov. 20

Sam Houston at Abilene Christian

*Central Arkansas at Tarleton

Jacksonville State at Eastern Kentucky

Stephen F. Austin at Lamar

*-Games involving Dixie State and Tarleton will not count toward alliance win percentage