Postseason football

What are the new postseason eligibility standards?

The new postseason eligibility structure will take effect in the 2012-13 academic year, with a two-year implementation window before the benchmark moves from 900 to 930. For access to postseason competition in 2012-13 and 2013-14, teams must achieve a 900 multi-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible.

In 2014-15, teams that don’t achieve the 930 benchmark for their four-year APR or at least a 940 average for the most recent two years will be ineligible for postseason competition.

In 2015-16, the 930 benchmark for postseason competition participation – and additional penalties – will be implemented fully. The APR requirement for postseason participation would be waived only in extraordinary circumstances.

The structure will allow for some adjustments for teams that improve once they enter the second level of penalties. The Board of Directors provided special allowances for historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) and low-resource schools and supported the creation of an HBCU advisory group to study academic performance of student-athletes at those institutions.