Coastal Carolina is relatively new to FBS football, having transitioned to the subdivision prior to the 2017 season. Their FBS membership is not yet four years old. Saturday, they host College Gameday with an undefeated record and fellow undefeated BYU coming to town.
It’s quite the come-up for the Chanticleers, and it puts them in rarefied air. Since Division I split into two subdivisions in 1978, something like 31 programs (my quick Wikipedia count) have made the leap from FCS (formerly I-AA) to FBS (formerly I-A). For most of those, the results haven’t been anything spectacular. Nevada, who transitioned in 1992, won the Big West title in their first I-A year, had the noteworthy 13-1 season with Colin Kaepernick almost two decades later, and yet have still not played in a New Year’s Six bowl or the equivalent. UCF, who transitioned in 1996, took 17 years to make their first Fiesta Bowl (George O’Leary was evidently the coach at that point), and 21 years to win their “national championship.” Boise State transitioned in 1996, winning the Fiesta Bowl ten years later, and South Florida transitioned in 2001, rising to 2nd in the AP Poll in their sixth FBS year, but these are exceptions, as are Marshall—who transitioned in 1997 and immediately won four straight MAC titles—and Appalachian State—who transitioned in 2014, nearly ten years after putting themselves on the map by beating Michigan, and have since won five straight bowls and shares of four Sun Belt titles.
It’s possible there are programs among those 31 whose success I’ve missed. It’s possible I don’t remember a flash of brilliance from, say, UConn or Troy. But on the whole, there’s only six programs who’ve achieved what I’d call FBS success since transitioning. And now, with Coastal Carolina joining the crew, that number becomes seven.
We’ll see what becomes of the Chants—whether they stick around national relevancy, whether they and Appalachian State (and Louisiana-Lafayette) can lift the Sun Belt into a higher spot among the Group of Five. We’ll see what becomes of Liberty, trying to become the eighth really successful transitioner. We’ll see if Buffalo—a 1999 FBS convert—can find a New Year’s Six bowl in the next few years. My count is admittedly arbitrary. Perhaps a fairer thing to do would be to cut it off after UCF and Boise State, a delineation that would still exclude Coastal. Regardless of how you shake it out, it’s remarkable how quickly the program’s risen to the height it’s achieved, and it’s another indicator for North Dakota State and James Madison that the transition can, in the right situation, work.
