r/fcs • u/MediumStrange Cincinnati • Michigan • Jul 19 '26
News Xavier planning to bring back football program in Pioneer League, with on-campus stadium possible in future
https://xaviernewswire.com/2026/03/24/sitting-down-with-colleen-hanycz-on-the-future-of-xavier/As much as I hate Xavier, I think this would be a fun move, and even though they'd be too cowardly to let UC destroy them, it would be very fun to watch the Xavier Dayton rivalry in football.
This would also mean that Cincinnati would have a NCAA football team in every division, FBS: Cincy, FCS: Xavier, D2: Thomas Moore, D3: Mt St Joseph, and that would be good for the sport in the area I think.
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u/novaboy23 Jul 19 '26
Hey, once they get the program up and running, they could schedule Big East brothers Villanova and Georgetown.
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota Jul 19 '26
Cincinnati won't play them because they'd be non-scholarship, so it wouldn't even count towards bowl eligibility. If they had scholarships they'd probably play
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u/Windows_66 Iowa Hawkeyes • Drake Bulldogs Jul 19 '26
The football conference for basketball schools expands!
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u/DanaGordonLine1 Jul 20 '26
Did they see the Reddit thread yesterday and decide to do this?
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u/TDenverFan William & Mary Tribe • Patriot Jul 20 '26
This article is quoting an interview from March, the headline posted on reddit makes it seem like way more of a done deal than it actually is.
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u/Mtndrums Oregon Ducks • Montana Grizzlies Jul 19 '26
Yeah, I don't know if UC can afford the buy game. Remember, Pioneer League is basically D3 football forced to play in D1.
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u/tdpdcpa Lehigh Mountain Hawks • Patriot Jul 19 '26
And wins for bowl eligibility depends on scholarships of the opponent.
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u/ronmexico314 Southeast Missouri • Alabama Jul 20 '26
The rule has always been that the FCS team has to award 90% of the 63 scholarship max for an FBS team to count the win. Presumably, the (roughly) 57 scholarship minimum will remain in effect despite the House settlement allowing FCS teams to offer up to 105 scholarships.
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Jul 19 '26
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u/RandomFactUser France Les Bluets • USA Eagles Jul 19 '26
Is it?
The entire point of the Pioneer is that the programs were banned from playing in D3
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u/MasterRKitty West Virginia • Marshall Jul 19 '26
banned? link?
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u/RandomFactUser France Les Bluets • USA Eagles Jul 19 '26
The Dayton Rule
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u/MasterRKitty West Virginia • Marshall Jul 19 '26
https://hub.sivo.it.com/college-sports-terminology/what-is-the-dayton-rule/
At its core, the Dayton Rule is not an official NCAA regulation or a formally codified policy. Instead, it represents a popular notion among sports enthusiasts and analysts, reflecting an expectation for cohesive program structuring.
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u/RandomFactUser France Les Bluets • USA Eagles Jul 19 '26
The NCAA doesn’t let you classify Football and Basketball in different divisions
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u/Valuable_Kale_7805 West Georgia Wolves Jul 21 '26
Yes
The best pioneer teams are much better than D3
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u/siats4197 Virginia Tech Hokies Jul 19 '26
It's more the fact that they have Division 1 sports, but they don't want to pay athletic scholarships for football.
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u/iSYTOfficialX7 Virginia Tech • Alabama Jul 19 '26
This move will feed families. I’ll be excited when they make the official announcement!
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u/ShineALight3725 Jul 19 '26
I heard they are have enrollment problems so this seems like a play to attract more male students.