2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season

The 2020–21 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 regular season and postseason were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Several FCS conferences moved their scheduled games from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021, and in August 2020, the NCAA announced that the FCS postseason would also be delayed.

While the NCAA at one point announced a cancellation of the FCS playoff, in late September 2020 a revised playoff schedule was announced, with the FCS Championship Game played on May 16, 2021. Sam Houston State defeated South Dakota State for the title, 23-21.

Of the 127 programs in FCS for this season, 101 played at least one game in either the fall of 2020 or the spring of 2021. The remaining 26 schools opted not to participate. The Ivy League was the only FCS conference with no members competing in football in 2020–21.

Notable headlines

 * May 19 – The NCAA declared four FCS football programs ineligible for postseason play in 2020 due to failure to meet the required Academic Progress Rate (APR) benchmarks: Howard, McNeese State, Prairie View A&M, and Stephen F. Austin.
 * July 8 – The Ivy League announced that it would play no sports until January 1, 2021, at the earliest, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 * July 13 – The Patriot League announced the cancellation of its fall sports season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 * July 16 – The MEAC announced that it would not play sports in the fall.
 * July 17 – The Colonial Athletic Association announced that it would not play fall sports, but that teams still wishing to play football could compete as independents for the 2020 season. Due to the cancellation of the MEAC season, ESPN Events announced that the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Celebration Bowl had both been canceled.
 * July 19 – The SWAC announced that it had canceled fall sports but became the first conference to commit to playing football in the spring, with the announcement of a seven-game conference schedule preceded by an eight-week training schedule to start in January 2021.
 * July 27 – The Pioneer Football League announced that it would play a conference-only schedule in 2020.
 * July 29 – The Northeast Conference announced the postponement of all fall sports.
 * August 7 – The Pioneer Football League canceled its fall football season, with no announcement made with regard to playing in the spring. The Big Sky Conference became second FCS conference to commit to playing football in the spring of 2021.
 * August 10 – The Missouri Valley Football Conference likewise announced that it would play its fall 2020 football season in spring of 2021.
 * September 22 – After several more conferences decided to play at least a limited spring football schedule, the NCAA announced that the 2020 FCS playoffs would be held in the spring of 2021, with bracket reduced from 24 teams to 16, culminating in the FCS Championship Game to be played on May 16, 2021.

Rule changes
The following playing rule changes were approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel for 2020:
 * Players ejected for targeting will now be permitted to remain in the bench area. Previously, players ejected for targeting had to return to the locker room.
 * Restricting the number of players on a team wearing the same uniform number to two; such players still cannot be on the field at the same time and must play different positions.
 * Including the number "0" as a legal uniform number.
 * Extending the official's jurisdiction prior to kickoff from 60 to 90 minutes, requiring a coach from each team be on the field during warm-ups, and identifying each player by number.
 * Defensive teams are allowed to briefly have twelve players on the field to anticipate the offensive formation, however having twelve (or more) players on the field at the snap is a live-ball five-yard penalty for illegal substitution. Previously this foul was a dead-ball foul, called if the defense had twelve (or more) players on the field and the "snap is imminent".
 * Adopting as a guideline a maximum of 2 minutes for instant replay reviews. Exceptions will be allowed in "exceptionally complicated" or end-of-game situations.
 * On personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties committed by the defense during a play that results in a touchdown or after a touchdown but before the try, the offense has the option to enforce the penalty on the try, the ensuing kickoff, or on the succeeding spot (if in overtime).
 * If the game clock expires at the end of a half, replay determines that time was remaining, and the game situation calls for the clock to start on the referee's signal, the half ends unless the replay determines that the clock should have stopped with 3 or more seconds left.

FCS team wins over FBS teams
October 23, 2020: Jacksonville State 19, FIU 10 February 21, 2021: Tarleton State 43, New Mexico State 17

Conference standings
All teams played spring schedules, except where noted. The Ivy League did not play in either the fall or spring.

Abstentions

 * Ivy League – None
 * Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – None
 * Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M

Postseason
In late September 2020, the NCAA announced that the FCS postseason would take place in April and May 2021. Also announced was a reduction of participating teams from 24 to 16, with 10 automatic qualifiers. The first round of the playoffs was scheduled for April 24, with the Championship Game in mid-May, later set for May 16.

Bowl game
Due to the MEAC cancelling all fall sports for the 2020 season, the MEAC/SWAC Celebration Bowl (the one FCS bowl game) was canceled.

NCAA Division I playoff bracket
* Host institution

Kickoff game
Saturday, August 29 – FCS Kickoff (Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama): Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 17.

Preseason and in-season
Table only includes coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2020. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2020, see 2019 NCAA Division I FCS end-of-season coaching changes.