James Madison, Jacksonville State, and Minnesota Secure Last Three Bowl Slots

Shortage of eligible teams opens door for FBS newcomers and five-win Minnesota.

Football Bowl Subdivision newcomers James Madison and Jacksonville State, along with five-win Minnesota, are bound for bowls due to a shortage of eligible teams.
Only 79 teams achieved the six wins necessary for bowl eligibility, leaving three of the 82 available spots open.
James Madison and Jacksonville State are still transitioning to full FBS status and would not have been eligible if there were enough six-win teams.
James Madison, after having two appeals of bowl eligibility rules rejected by the NCAA, had threatened legal action to be allowed to play in a bowl. The school backed off last week with the hope a bid would come if not enough teams reached the six-win threshold.
The inclusion of James Madison and Jacksonville State still left one opening for Minnesota, which had a 992 Academic Progress Rate score in 2021-22 for the best of the five-win teams.