D3 Footbll automatic bid

[excoach10]

I thought that the NCAA rule for automatic bid in FB championships required a conference to have a minimum of 6 football playing schools. The ECFC has only 4 teams, yet Alfred State received an automatic bid. Any idea why?

[Captain_Joe08]

Believe that the ECFC was in their last year  of having that Auto-Bid (and last year overall) due to being under the limit of teams in a conference. Plus after this year all the remaining teams are going into other leagues.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Here's my answer to this question yesterday on the FB board.

Conferences have 2 years once they fall below the minimum threshold of teams (currently 6) before they lose their Pool A bid. This was the ECFC's 2nd season with just 4 teams. If the conference were to stay together next season they would not have a pool A bid, but that doesn't matter since all four have found new homes for next year (Gallaudet to ODAC, Alfred St to E8, Anna Maria and Dean to MASCAC)
The ASC is currently in the same position. They will have a pool A bid next year but will lose it in 2026 if they don't get back to 6 teams.