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83-560: The game serves as the final match of an annual postseason bracket tournament between top teams in FCS. Since 2013, 24 teams normally participate in the tournament, with some teams receiving automatic bids upon winning their conference championship, and other teams determined by a selection committee. The reigning national champions are the South Dakota State Jackrabbits , who have won back-to-back championship games for

166-409: A multi-purpose stadium primarily used by FC Dallas of Major League Soccer . The stadium was known as Pizza Hut Park until the day after the final of the 2011 season, and then as FC Dallas Stadium until September 2013. The original contract with Frisco began in the 2010 season and ran through the 2012 season. The contract has since been extended three times; first through the 2015 season, then through

249-505: A Calvinist alternative to Christmas, and typically involving a return to the family home, church services, a large meal and various diversions ranging from games and sports to formal balls. These celebrations were gradually disseminated throughout the US as New Englanders spread across the country, accelerating after the Civil War. Sarah Josepha Hale , a native of New Hampshire and steeped in

332-537: A Most Outstanding Player has been named for each final. Note: starting with the 2010 season, the final game is played in the next calendar year. The following table summarizes appearances in the final, by team, since the 1978 season, the first year of Division I-AA (the predecessor of FCS). Updated through the January 2024 championship game (46 finals, 92 total appearances). Schools are listed by their current athletic brand names, which do not always match those used in

415-507: A Sabbath meeting, the Pilgrim observances were special days set aside during the week for thanksgiving and praise in response to God's providence." It's important to note that Baker's "New England Thanksgiving" does not refer to an annual commemoration of the Pilgrim's 1621 harvest celebration. Indeed, that 1621 event does not appear to have contributed to the early development of the modern holiday at all, as Bradford's "Of Plimoth Plantation"

498-465: A blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such

581-402: A commonly-celebrated, patriotic holiday that would unite Americans in purpose and values. She viewed those values as rooted in domesticity and rural simplicity over urban sophistication. As a celebration of hearth and home, she also sought to cement a role for women within the identity of the young nation. Every November, Hale would focus her monthly magazine column on Thanksgiving, positioning

664-462: A day of thanksgiving, but rather as a harvest celebration. The Pilgrim feast was cooked by the four adult Pilgrim women who survived their first winter in the New World (Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster , and Susanna White ), along with young daughters and male and female servants. According to accounts by Wampanoag descendants, the harvest feast was originally set up for

747-569: A devastating epidemic between 1614 and 1620. After the harsh winter of 1620-1621 killed half of the Plymouth colonists, two Native intermediaries, Samoset and Tisquantum (more commonly known by the diminutive variant Squanto, and the last living member of the Patuxet) came in at the request of Massasoit , leader of the Wampanoag , to negotiate a peace treaty and establish trade relations with

830-476: A given season. The following table summarizes appearances in the final, by conference, since the 1978 season, the first year of Division I-AA (the predecessor of FCS). Updated through the January 2024 championship game (46 finals, 92 total appearances). This table lists records for the Championship Game. The game has been televised on an ESPN affiliated network since 1995. Note: starting with

913-460: A good harvest, the Pilgrims celebrated at Plymouth for three days in the autumn of 1621. The exact time is unknown, but James Baker, a former Plimoth Plantation vice president of research, stated in 1996, "The event occurred between Sept. 21 and Nov. 11, 1621, with the most likely time being around Michaelmas (Sept. 29), the traditional time." Seventeenth-century accounts do not identify this as

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996-585: A national custom, emphasizing the immigrants' strong religious faith and thankfulness for their survival in the New World. Thanksgiving has developed from a local event in Virginia to a more generally known holiday across the United States. The Plymouth colonists, today known as Pilgrims , had settled in a part of eastern Massachusetts formerly occupied by the Patuxet Indians who had died in

1079-410: A recreation of the imagined "First Thanksgiving" to reinforce the Pilgrim narrative and the importance of the story to an understanding of U.S. history. These pageants continue in some parts of the U.S. today. Unfortunately, what these materials usually elide, gloss over or ignore altogether is what has brought controversy to the holiday in recent years. The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving

1162-525: A special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which we brought to

1245-663: Is currently the United States were conducted as early as the 16th century by the Spaniards [2] and the French. These days of thanksgiving were celebrated through church services and feasting. Historian Michael Gannon claimed St. Augustine, Florida , was founded with a shared thanksgiving meal on September 8, 1565. The thanksgiving at St. Augustine was celebrated 56 years before the Puritan Pilgrim thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation (Massachusetts), but it did not become

1328-455: Is divided into divisions, usually by region. In the post-season tournament, only the teams with the best records qualify, except the division winner (and also #2 and #3 in the division in the NHL) having an automatic entry into the tournament. Some North American professional post-season tournaments are single-elimination format. If a bye is required, the top seeded teams usually get the bye. There

1411-474: Is organized according to a team's seeding ; higher-seeded teams are matched against lower-seeded teams. Teams that qualify for the post-season tournament only compete against teams in their own conference, until only one team from each conference remains. These two teams, called the conference champions, play each other to determine the best in the league. Other leagues, like the NHL, have two conferences, each of which

1494-688: Is usually no third place match to separate the third and fourth place teams. The concept is even more visible in college sports, most notably in reference to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament , in which millions of casual and serious fans "fill out brackets"—predict the winners of each game in the tournament—in both formal contests, sponsored by various corporations, and informal betting pools among friends or colleagues. The brackets are much larger than those in North American professional leagues—while no more than 16 teams qualify for

1577-1011: The American Football Conference and the National Football Conference in the NFL , the American League and the National League in Major League Baseball , and the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference in the NBA or NHL . When there are only two different conferences, there are two sides of the bracket. One conference is on one side, while the other is on the opposite side. Each side

1660-568: The Big South and Northeast Conference earning automatic bids for the first time. That bracket structure included seeding of the top five teams. Twelve teams received first-round byes; the remaining eight teams played first-round games, with the four winners advancing to face the top four seeds. The playoffs expanded to 24 teams beginning in 2013 , with the champion of the Pioneer Football League receiving an automatic bid for

1743-838: The Celebration Bowl (which was established in 2015) instead of the FCS tournament. MEAC gave up its automatic spot in the tournament prior to the 2015 season, while the SWAC's regular season extends through the Turkey Day Classic and Bayou Classic at the end of November and the SWAC Championship Game is played in December. Teams from the MEAC and SWAC may accept at-large bids, so long as they aren't committed to other postseason games that would conflict with

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1826-427: The 2010 season, the final game is played in the next calendar year. Bracket (tournament) A bracket or tournament bracket is a tree diagram that represents the series of games played during a knockout tournament . Different knockout tournament formats have different brackets; the simplest and most common is that of the single-elimination tournament . The name "bracket" is American English , derived from

1909-427: The 2018 season, there were 10 conferences with automatic bids and the selection committee made 14 at-large selections. An 11th automatic bid was added as of the 2021 season, reducing the number of at-large selections to 13. The tournament culminates with the national final, played between the two remaining teams from the playoff bracket. Unlike earlier round games in each year's playoff, which are played at campus sites,

1992-517: The 2019 season, and most recently through the 2024 season with an option for the 2025 season. There have been six instances where a team whose venue was predetermined to host the final game advanced to play for the championship on their own field. Georgia Southern won both title games they played at Paulson Stadium , while Marshall had a 2–2 record in four title games they played at Marshall University Stadium (now known as Joan C. Edwards Stadium ). Three FCS conferences usually do not participate in

2075-881: The 2022 and 2023 seasons. The FCS is the highest division in college football to hold a playoff tournament sanctioned by the NCAA to determine its champion, as the College Football Playoff currently used by the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) is not NCAA-sanctioned. In the inaugural season of Division I-AA, the 1978 postseason included just four teams; three regional champions (East, West, and South) plus an at-large selection. The field doubled to eight teams in 1981 , with champions of five conferences— Big Sky , Mid-Eastern , Ohio Valley , Southwestern , and Yankee —receiving automatic bids. The top four teams were seeded, and then matched against

2158-600: The American Revolutionary War, proclaimed a Thanksgiving in December ;1777 as a victory celebration honoring the defeat of the British at Saratoga . The Continental Congress , the legislative body that governed the United States from 1774 to 1789, issued several "national days of prayer, humiliation, and thanksgiving", a practice that was continued by presidents Washington and Adams under

2241-574: The Americanization of newcomers and the conscious formulation of a shared cultural heritage. Holiday observances in classrooms, including those for Washington's birthday, Memorial Day, and Flag Day "introduced youngsters to the central themes of American History and, in theory, strengthened their character and prepared them to become loyal citizens." Thanksgiving, with its non-denominational character, colonial harvest themes and images of Pilgrims and Indians breaking bread together peacefully, allowed

2324-580: The Berkeley Hundred charter in Virginia prompted President John F. Kennedy to acknowledge the claims of both Massachusetts and Virginia to America's earliest celebrations. He issued Proclamation 3560 on November 5, 1963, saying: "Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and in Massachusetts, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time of thanksgiving. On the appointed day, they gave reverent thanks for their safety, for

2407-783: The Constitution, and has manifested itself in the established American observances of Thanksgiving and the National Day of Prayer today. This proclamation was published in The Independent Gazetteer, or the Chronicle of Freedom , on November 5, 1782, the first being observed on November 28, 1782: By the United States in Congress assembled, PROCLAMATION. It being the indispensable duty of all nations, not only to offer up their supplications to Almighty God,

2490-564: The European colonization of North America. Ranging from general harvest festivals to more specific holidays related to thanking gods for the specific boons they provided to their worshipers or humanity in general such as the Tekh Festival thanking the goddess Hathor for the creation of alcohol. These were often celebrated with music, dancing, bonfires and the donning of accoutrements or costumes. Documented thanksgiving services in what

2573-524: The House and Senate jointly request of President Washington to proclaim a day of thanksgiving for "the many signal favors of Almighty God". Boudinot said he "could not think of letting the session pass over without offering an opportunity to all the citizens of the United States of joining, with one voice, in returning to Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many blessings he had poured down upon them." As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made

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2656-631: The Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth "in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion. George Washington , leader of the revolutionary forces in

2739-465: The People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness." Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to

2822-526: The Pilgrims alone (contrary to the common misconception that the Wampanoag were invited for their help in teaching the pilgrims their agricultural techniques). Part of the harvest celebration involved a demonstration of arms by the colonists, and the Wampanoag, having entered into a mutual protection agreement with the colonists and likely mistaking the celebratory gunfire for an attack by a common enemy, arrived fully armed. The Wampanoag were welcomed to join

2905-561: The Pilgrims had adopted: boiled cornmeal mixed with vegetables and meats. There were no potatoes (an indigenous South American food not yet introduced into the global food system) and no pies (because there was no butter, wheat flour, or sugar).". Two colonists gave personal accounts of the 1621 feast in Plymouth: William Bradford , in Of Plymouth Plantation wrote: They began now to gather in

2988-721: The Providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, Independence and Peace: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper

3071-470: The artful and unwearied attempts of the common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States and those of their allies; and the acknowledgment of their Independence by another European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting advantage to these States; Do hereby recommend it to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe and request the several states to interpose their authority, in appointing and commanding

3154-632: The celebration as a pious, patriotic holiday that lived on in the memory as a check against temptation, or as a comfort in times of trial. Hale and Godey’s led the way in creating a standardized celebration, which in turn created a standardized celebrant — a standardized and true American. Her vision aimed at a broad audience: The stories in Godey’s depicted Black servants, Roman Catholics, and Southerners celebrating Thanksgiving, and becoming more American (which for Hale meant becoming more like White Protestant Northerners) by doing so. Her efforts sought to expand

3237-422: The celebration, as their farming and hunting techniques had produced much of the bounty for the Pilgrims, and contributed their own foods to the meal. Most modern imaginings of the celebration promote the idea that every party involved ate solely turkey. "While the celebrants might well have feasted on wild turkey, the local diet also included fish, eels, shellfish, and a Wampanoag dish called nasaump , which

3320-763: The centerpiece of most celebrations being a Thanksgiving dinner . The dinner often consists of foods associated with New England harvest celebrations: turkey , potatoes (usually mashed and sweet ), squash , corn (maize), green beans , cranberries (typically as cranberry sauce ), and pumpkin pie , but has expanded over the years to include specialties from other regions of the United States, such as pecan pie (the American South) and wild rice stuffing (the Great Lakes region) as well as international and ethnic dishes. Other Thanksgiving customs include charitable organizations offering thanksgiving dinner for

3403-563: The colonists, as both men had some knowledge of English from previous interactions with Europeans, through both trade (Samoset) and a period of enslavement (Squanto). Massasoit had hoped to establish a mutual protection alliance between the Wampanoag, themselves greatly weakened by the same plague that extirpated the Patuxet, and the better-armed English in their long-running rivalry with the Narragansett , who had largely been spared from

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3486-422: The country to tell a story of its origins- people leaving far off lands, struggling under harsh conditions and ultimately being welcomed to America's bounty- that children, particularly immigrant children, could easily understand and share with their families. The holiday materials were often disseminated in the form of booklets containing poetry and songs and crafts. Thanksgiving pageants at schools often involved

3569-477: The course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all

3652-486: The day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God". This celebration has, since the mid 20th century, been commemorated there annually at present-day Berkeley Plantation , the ancestral home of the Harrison family of Virginia . This early commemoration created the groundwork for what would later become

3735-523: The eleventh day of October, in the year of our LORD, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and of our Sovereignty and Independence, the seventh. JOHN HANSON , President. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. On Thursday, September 24, 1789, the first House of Representatives voted to recommend the First Amendment of the newly drafted Constitution to the states for ratification. The next day, Congressman Elias Boudinot from New Jersey proposed that

3818-437: The epidemic; the Wampanoag reasoned that, given that the Pilgrims had brought women and children, they had not arrived to wage war against them. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for them until he too succumbed to disease a year later. The Wampanoag leader Massasoit also gave food to the colonists when supplies brought from England proved insufficient. Having brought in

3901-564: The first person to identify the 1621 feast as the "first Thanksgiving", but this was only because he viewed it as similar to the traditions of New England Thanksgivings that had developed independently from it over the previous two hundred years. Those traditions, and the modern holiday, were born out of the gradual homogenization and, to a degree, secularization, of multiple, separate but related days of thanksgiving throughout New England. These days were often celebrated from early November to early to mid-December, in some cases functioning almost as

3984-404: The first time. The number of seeded teams was increased to eight, with the 16 unseeded teams playing in first-round games. The unseeded teams continue to be paired according to geographic proximity and then placed in the bracket according to geographic proximity to the top eight seeds. Teams cannot travel more than 400 miles via ground, and teams from the same conference that played each other during

4067-418: The following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America: Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to

4150-567: The four remaining teams based on geographical proximity. The tournament was expanded to 12 teams in 1982 , with each of the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye and a home game in the quarterfinals. Champions of the Southern and Southland conferences also received automatic bids. The number of automatic bids has varied over time, due to changes in the number and size of conferences, with an automatic bid typically granted only to champions of conferences with at least six teams. Initially,

4233-554: The fourth Thursday of November. Outside the United States, it is sometimes called American Thanksgiving to distinguish it from the Canadian holiday of the same name and related celebrations in other regions . The modern national celebration dates to 1863 and has been linked to the Pilgrims 1621 harvest festival since the late 19th century. As the name implies, the theme of the holiday generally revolves around giving thanks with

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4316-788: The game returned to Wichita Falls for 1981 and 1982. The games played in Wichita Falls were known as the Pioneer Bowl , while the game played in Sacramento was known as the Camellia Bowl —both names were used for various NCAA playoff games played in those locations, and were not specific to the I-AA championship. In 1983 and 1984, the game was played in Charleston, South Carolina . In 1985 and 1986, Tacoma, Washington , hosted

4399-720: The game, which the NCAA branded as the "Diamond Bowl". The 1987 and 1988 games were played in Pocatello, Idaho ; and from 1989 through 1991, in Statesboro, Georgia . The 1992 through 1996 games were held in Huntington, West Virginia ; and from 1997 through 2009, the title game was played in Chattanooga, Tennessee . Since 2010, the title game has been played in Frisco, Texas , a suburb north of Dallas , at Toyota Stadium ,

4482-402: The giver of all good, for His gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner, to give Him praise for His goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of His Providence in their behalf; therefore, the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of Divine goodness to these States in the course of

4565-425: The great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government

4648-562: The health of their children, for the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together and for the faith which united them with their God." However, according to historian James Baker, debates over where any "first Thanksgiving" took place on modern American territory are a "tempest in a beanpot". According to Baker, "the American holiday's true origin was the New England Thanksgiving. Never coupled with

4731-426: The holiday from a regional celebration to a national one not only through advocacy in her magazine but also in direct appeals to several U.S. presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, who permanently established the holiday at the national level in 1863. While the Pilgrim's story did not itself create the modern Thanksgiving holiday, it did become inextricably linked with it in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This

4814-420: The important conflict, in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy and promising state of public affairs, and the events of the war in the course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the public Councils which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them and their allies, notwithstanding

4897-573: The innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success: It is therefore recommended to

4980-465: The legislative or executive Powers of these United States to set apart Thursday, the eighteenth Day of December next, for Solemn Thanksgiving and Praise: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join

5063-434: The number of seeded teams was reduced to four, with the seeded teams assured of home games in early tournament rounds, and other teams once again placed in the bracket to minimize travel. Home team designation in games between unseeded teams is determined based on several factors, including attendance history and revenue potential. In April 2008, the NCAA announced that the playoff field would expand to 20 teams in 2010 , with

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5146-559: The observation of THURSDAY the TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF NOVEMBER next as a day of SOLEMN THANKSGIVING to GOD for all His mercies; and they do further recommend to all ranks to testify their gratitude to God for His goodness by a cheerful obedience to His laws and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness. Done in Congress at Philadelphia ,

5229-486: The origin of a national annual tradition. Thanksgiving services were routine in what became the Commonwealth of Virginia as early as 1607; the first permanent settlement of Jamestown, Virginia , held a thanksgiving in 1610. On December 4, 1619, 38 English settlers celebrated a thanksgiving immediately upon landing at Berkeley Hundred , Charles City. The group's London Company charter specifically required "that

5312-653: The penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please God through the Merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under

5395-536: The plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you, partakers of our plenty. Jeremy Bang opines that, "Local boosters in Virginia , Florida , and Texas promote their own colonists, who (like many people getting off a boat) gave thanks for setting foot again on dry land." The codification and celebration of an annual day of thanksgiving according to

5478-468: The poor, attending religious services , and watching or participating in parades and American football matches. Thanksgiving is also typically regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season . The day following Thanksgiving, Black Friday , is often considered to be the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States. Days of thanksgiving, that is, days attributed to giving thanks to deities, have existed for thousands of years and long predate

5561-419: The postseason in any major North American league (this is the case in the NBA and NHL), 68 teams (out of over 350) advance to the NCAA men's tournament, with most bracket contests involving 64 of these teams. The diagrams for formats other than single-elimination are more complex than a simple tree. Thanksgiving (United States) Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on

5644-520: The quarterfinal stage ). Brackets are commonly found in major North American professional sports leagues and in U.S. college sports. Often, at the end of the regular season , the league holds a post-season tournament (most commonly called a playoff ) to determine which team is the best out of all of the teams in the league. This is done because often in American professional sports there are at least two different conferences , and teams mostly play other teams in their own conference. Examples of this are

5727-524: The regular season are not paired for first-round games. For the 2020 season, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States , the bracket was reduced to 16 teams. The bracket returned to 24 teams for the 2021 season. The field is traditionally set the Sunday before Thanksgiving and play begins that weekend. At-large selections and seeding within the bracket are determined by the FCS Playoff Selection Committee, which consists of one athletic director from each conference with an automatic bid. As of

5810-408: The resemblance of the links in the tree diagram to the bracket punctuation symbol ] or [ (called a "square bracket" in British English ). The closest British term is draw , although this implies an element of chance, whereas some brackets are determined entirely by seeding . In some tournaments, the full bracket is determined before the first match. In such cases, fans may enjoy trying to predict

5893-419: The service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in

5976-574: The small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they can be used (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl, there

6059-441: The subdivision, the Pioneer Football League , now receives a tournament bid, which was initiated with the 2013 postseason. For each season since the inaugural year of Division I-AA play, 1978, the following table lists the date of each title game and the champion. The score and runner-up are also noted, along with the host city, game attendance, and head coach of the championship team. Notes: Key Since 2009,

6142-584: The title game is played at a site predetermined by the NCAA, akin to how the NFL predetermines the site for each Super Bowl . Originally played in December, with the 2010 expansion to a 20-team field, the final moved to January, with two or three weeks between the semifinals and final. The inaugural title game was played in 1978 in Wichita Falls, Texas . The 1979 and 1980 games were held in Orlando, Florida , and Sacramento, California , respectively, and

6225-428: The tournament was played in December; since the expansion to twelve teams in 1982, earlier rounds have been held in late November. The playoffs expanded to a 16-team format in 1986 , requiring four postseason victories to win the title. Initially, only the top four teams were seeded, with other teams geographically placed in the bracket. From 1995 through 2000, all 16 teams were seeded, independent of geography. In 2001,

6308-407: The tournament. The most recent MEAC and SWAC teams to accept bids were the 2023 North Carolina Central Eagles and 2021 Florida A&M Rattlers , respectively. Historically, conferences in FCS that did not offer athletic scholarships were not granted automatic bids into the tournament and, although in theory were eligible for at-large bids, never received any. The last non-scholarship conference in

6391-537: The tournament: the Ivy League , Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The Ivy League has been at the FCS level since 1982 and prohibits its members from awarding athletic scholarships in any sport, plays a strict ten-game regular season and does not participate in any postseason football, citing academic concerns. The MEAC and SWAC, two conferences consisting of historically black colleges and universities , opt to play

6474-419: The traditions of a New England Thanksgiving, was the longtime editor of Godey's Ladies Book , the most widely circulated periodical in the antebellum U.S. Hale was the chief promoter of the modern idea of the holiday in the 19th century, from the foods served to the decorations to the role of women in putting it all together. Concerned by increasing factionalism in American society, Hale envisioned Thanksgiving as

6557-587: The winners of the initial round and of the consequent later matchups. This is called " bracketology ", particularly in relation to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament . This prediction is not possible in tournaments such as the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League knockout phase, in which the pairings for a later round might not be made until after the previous round has been played ( UEFA Champions League makes its ultimate bracket draw at

6640-575: Was a great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck a meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to the proportion. Which made many afterward write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports. Edward Winslow , in Mourt's Relation wrote: Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after

6723-755: Was given by the Continental Congress in 1777 from its temporary location in York, Pennsylvania , while the British occupied the national capital at Philadelphia. Delegate Samuel Adams created the first draft. Congress then adopted the final version: For as much as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it had pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us

6806-414: Was largely due to the introduction in U.S. schools of "an annual sequence of classroom holiday activities through which civic education and American patriotism were indoctrinated." The late 19th and early 20th century were a time of massive immigration to the U.S. The changing demographics prompted not only xenophobic responses in the form of restrictive immigration measures, but also a greater push towards

6889-462: Was not published until the 1850s and the booklet "Mourt's Relation" was typically summarized by other publications without the now-familiar thanksgiving story. In fact, by the eighteenth century, the original booklet appeared to be lost or forgotten although a copy was later rediscovered in Philadelphia in 1820, with the first full reprinting in 1841. In a footnote the editor, Alexander Young, was

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