For years, a strict set of rules has governed the way FCS football programs transition to FBS. They have decent intentions behind them—they’re meant, in theory, to prevent teams from making the leap too quickly and facing a debilitating financial crunch.
However, those rules have come under more scrutiny this year than any year before it. That's largely due to the feats of James Madison, which roared to an 11–1 record in just its second year as an FBS program.
NCAA rules prevent teams transitioning from FCS to FBS from participating in bowl games for the first two years.
