The 2024 FCS playoffs will have a Texas feel after three teams earned one of the top 16 seeds and will host at least one game when the bracket was revealed on Sunday afternoon. The UIW Cardinals earned their highest seed in program history at No. 6, Tarleton is the No. 13 seed, and Abilene Christian earned the No. 15 seed.

The committee credited the Cardinals with playing a challenging schedule one year after not receiving an at-large bid primarily due to their lower strength of schedule. However, UIW didn’t need an at-large bid this year after winning the program’s third Southland Conference title in four years. UIW posted the program’s first undefeated conference record and received a bye to the second round.

UIW will host the winner of No. 11 Villanova (9-3) and Eastern Kentucky (8-4) at 1 p.m. on December 7. This year is the fourth appearance in the FCS playoffs for the Cardinals, who advanced to the national semifinals during their last appearance in 2022.

The Texans earned an at-large bid to the playoffs in their first season of eligibility since transitioning to NCAA Division I in 2020. Tarleton finished the season with a 9-3 record, received the No. 13 seed, and will host Drake (8-2), who won the Pioneer League. The winner will travel to play No. 4 South Dakota at 2 p.m. on December 7.

The Wildcats were one of the last teams mentioned in the bracket but earned the No. 15 seed and a right to host after capturing the United Athletic Conference title, the program's first conference championship in its Division I history. ACU hosts Northern Arizona (8-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday. The winner will travel to meet FCS powerhouse and No. 2 seed North Dakota State at 2 p.m. on December 7.