| Year: | 2011 |
| Number Of Teams: | 126 |
| Regular Season: | September – November |
| Playoffs: | November 26 – December 17 |
| Nc Date: | January 7, 2012 |
| Championship: | Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, TX |
| Champions: | North Dakota State |
| Payton: | Bo Levi Mitchell, Eastern Washington |
| Buchanan: | Matt Evans, New Hampshire |
The 2011 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 season began on September 1, 2011, and concluded with the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game on January 7, 2012, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won their first FCS championship, defeating Sam Houston State by a final score of 17–6.
September 3: Richmond 23, Duke 21
September 3: Sacramento State 29, Oregon State 28OT
September 17: Indiana State 44, Western Kentucky 16
September 24: North Dakota State 37, Minnesota 24
September 24: Sam Houston State 48, New Mexico 45 OT
September 24: Southern Utah 41, UNLV 16
See main article: 2010–12 NCAA conference realignment.
| School | 2010 conference | 2011 conference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southland | |||
| CAA | |||
| MEAC | |||
| New program+ | FCS Independent | ||
| New program | |||
No teams from the conferences that do not have automatic bids—currently the Great West Conference and Pioneer Football League—received bids.
* Host institution
See main article: SWAC Championship Game.
| Date | Location | Venue | West Div. Champion | East Div. Champion | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 10 | Birmingham, Alabama | Legion Field | Grambling State | Alabama A&M | GSU 16 – AAMU 15[1] |