2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season The 2010 NCAA Division I FCS ( Football Championship Subdivision ) football season , part of the college football season , began in September 2010 and concluded with the national championship game on January 7 , 2011 won by Eastern Washington . The Eagles defeated Delaware 20 – 19 to claim their first Division I national title in any team sport . For the first time since 1997 , the final game was played at a new location — Pizza Hut Park in the Dallas suburb of Frisco , Texas . Every title game since 1997 had been held at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga , Tennessee , but the NCAA opened the hosting rights for the 2010 – 2012 championship games for bids during the 2009 season , as the hosting contract between the NCAA and the Chattanooga organizers was set to expire . In addition to Frisco and Chattanooga , three other cities submitted bids : The field of bidders was eventually cut to Chattanooga and Frisco , with Frisco being announced as the winner on February 26 , 2010 . The January finish to the season was the result of an expanded playoff schedule . The championship tournament expanded from 16 teams to 20 , with the Big South and Northeast Conference earning automatic bids for the first time . Eight teams played first - round games , with the remaining participants receiving byes into the second round . The playoffs began at their normal time on Thanksgiving weekend , specifically on November 27 . According to early reports , the championship game would be played sometime between December 29 , 2010 and January 7 , 2011 , and January 7 was ultimately chosen . New FCS programs . Two FCS programs began play in the 2010 season , and a third officially launched its program but chose not to compete until 2011 : FCS team wins over FBS teams . Most FCS teams play at least one game against FBS opposition each season ; in many cases , the FCS team will receive a substantial sum of money to travel to the FBS school for the game . In the 2009 season , FCS teams played 91 games against FBS opposition , with the FCS team winning five of the games . For the 2010 college football season , a total of 88 FBS - FCS games were played , with the FCS team winning seven times . Playoff qualifiers . At large qualifiers . No teams from the conferences that do not have automatic bids — currently the Great West Conference and Pioneer Football League — received bids . In order for a team from a conference without an automatic bid to be eligible for the playoffs , it must have a minimum of seven Division I wins , with at least two against teams in automatic bid conferences . The team in question also must be ranked an average of 16 or better in the national rankings . Postseason . NCAA FCS Playoff bracket . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > " Host institution " Global Kilimanjaro Bowl . On September 1 , 2010 , Drake University announced it would participate in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl , the first American football game played on the continent of Africa . The game will feature the Drake Bulldogs versus Mexican All - Star team CONADEIP . Due to the seasonal difference in Africa , the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl was played on May 21 , 2011 . Final poll standings . Standings are from The Sports Network final poll . Standings are from the FCS Coaches final poll .