CFBImperialism

The almanac · FCS · 2003–2026

FCS records of the war

Every season since 2003, replayed to the county. Each record links to the exact moment on the map.

Who holds the records?

The largest empire on the FCS imperialism map since 2003 was North Dakota State's 3,236,723 mi² (2,553 counties) in 2015. The biggest single conquest was James Madison taking 2,978,972 mi² from Youngstown State in a 28–14 win in 2016. The longest reign was Portland State's 22 straight weeks as the largest empire in 2020. The greatest raider was D-II Lindenwood, which held 261,697 mi² in 2011.

FBSFCSD-IID-IIICarousel

Empire

The largest empires ever

peak holdings at any moment · square miles are planar estimates

№TeamSquare milesCountiesMoment
1North Dakota StateFCS3,236,7232,5532015 · Bowls 1 ›
2North Dakota StateFCS3,201,6442,4332019 · Bowls 1 ›
3James MadisonFCS3,191,5832,5732016 · Bowls 1 ›
4North Dakota StateFCS3,190,7332,5512021 · Bowls 1 ›
5North Dakota StateFCS3,021,4412,0962018 · Bowls 1 ›
6Montana StateFCS2,987,6082,3342025 · Bowls 1 ›
7Youngstown StateFCS2,978,9722,2332016 · Bowls 1 ›
8North Dakota StateFCS2,817,4052,2602017 · Bowls 1 ›
9North Dakota StateFCS2,659,4092,4492014 · Bowls 1 ›
10James MadisonFCS2,622,0921,8472017 · Bowls 1 ›
11Eastern WashingtonFCS2,563,6951,4272016 · Week 15 ›
12North Dakota StateFCS2,539,1112,3392024 · Bowls 1 ›

Conquest

The biggest single conquests

most land taken in one game

№WinnerTook it fromScoreSquare milesCountiesMoment
1James MadisonFCSYoungstown StateFCS28–142,978,9722,2332016 · Bowls 1 ›
2North Dakota StateFCSJames MadisonFCS17–132,622,0921,8472017 · Bowls 1 ›
3Youngstown StateFCSEastern WashingtonFCS40–382,563,6951,4272016 · Bowls 1 ›
4North Dakota StateFCSIllinois StateFCS29–272,390,3581,9342014 · Bowls 1 ›
5North Dakota StateFCSEastern WashingtonFCS38–242,043,7181,0272018 · Bowls 1 ›
6James MadisonFCSWeber StateFCS31–281,999,0371,2782017 · Week 15 ›
7North Dakota StateFCSMontana StateFCS35–321,912,8941,7442024 · Bowls 1 ›
8North Dakota StateFCSMontana StateFCS42–141,754,0118532019 · Bowls 1 ›
9North Dakota StateFCSJacksonville StateFCS37–101,753,3641,2772015 · Bowls 1 ›
10MontanaFCSWeber StateFCS35–161,736,6918232019 · Week 12 ›
11Montana StateFCSMontanaFCS48–141,736,6918232019 · Week 13 ›
12Illinois StateFCSNorthern IowaFCS41–211,640,9651,5562014 · Week 15 ›

Upset

The wildest upsets

winner's pregame chance from CFBD Elo, land-moving games only

№WinnerOverChanceScoreSquare milesMoment

Reign

The longest reigns

consecutive weeks as the largest empire

№TeamWeeksSpan
1Portland StateFCS222020 · Week 1 – Week 9
2Portland StateFCS142012 · Week 1 – Week 14
3Portland StateFCS132003 · Week 2 – Week 14
4MontanaFCS122009 · Week 3 – Week 14
5McNeeseFCS122007 · Week 1 – Week 12
6South Dakota StateFCS102023 · Week 9 – Bowls 1
7North Dakota StateFCS102013 · Week 6 – Bowls 1
8MontanaFCS102006 · Week 5 – Week 14
9Tarleton StateFCS82025 · Week 1 – Week 8
10Weber StateFCS72018 · Week 7 – Week 13
11Southern UtahFCS72017 · Week 7 – Week 13
12Weber StateFCS72008 · Week 6 – Week 12

Raid

The great raiders

peak empires won by FCS, D-II and D-III programs

№TeamSquare milesCountiesMoment
1LindenwoodFCS261,6971642011 · Week 1 ›
2Abilene ChristianFCS233,2421692007 · Week 2 ›
3North DakotaFCS141,7292192006 · Week 2 ›
4Sioux FallsD-II83,970912024 · Week 1 ›
5Bemidji StateD-II83,970912024 · Week 4 ›
6Northern StateD-II83,970912024 · Week 6 ›
7Minnesota StateD-II83,970912024 · Week 10 ›
8Minnesota DuluthD-II83,970912024 · Week 12 ›
9Texas A&M-KingsvilleD-II61,993552016 · Week 1 ›
10AdrianD-III60,0771072025 · Week 2 ›
11HopeD-III60,0771072025 · Week 9 ›
12Wisconsin La CrosseD-III60,0771072025 · Bowls 14 ›

Campaign

Most conquests in a season

land-moving wins

№TeamWinsSeason
1North Dakota StateFCS112019 ›
2North Dakota StateFCS92021 ›
3North Dakota StateFCS92018 ›
4Montana StateFCS82025 ›
5North Dakota StateFCS82024 ›
6South Dakota StateFCS82023 ›
7South Dakota StateFCS82022 ›
8James MadisonFCS82019 ›
9Eastern WashingtonFCS82018 ›
10North Dakota StateFCS72025 ›
11LehighFCS72025 ›
12Montana StateFCS72024 ›

Finish

Largest at season's end

the final map, by square miles

№TeamSquare milesCountiesSeason
1North Dakota StateFCS3,236,7232,5532015 ›
2North Dakota StateFCS3,201,6442,4332019 ›
3James MadisonFCS3,191,5832,5732016 ›
4North Dakota StateFCS3,190,7332,5512021 ›
5North Dakota StateFCS3,021,4412,0962018 ›
6Montana StateFCS2,987,6082,3342025 ›
7North Dakota StateFCS2,817,4052,2602017 ›
8North Dakota StateFCS2,659,4092,4492014 ›
9North Dakota StateFCS2,539,1112,3392024 ›
10North Dakota StateFCS2,473,0861,6012013 ›
11South Dakota StateFCS2,302,2772,0602023 ›
12South Dakota StateFCS2,243,2361,8532022 ›

Season by season

Every campaign at a glance

end leader · peak empire · first FBS program to lose everything

SeasonFinished #1Square milesPeak empireEmpiresBattlesRaidsBiggest conquestFirst to fall
2026liveNorthern ArizonaFCS938,625
Northern ArizonaFCS2026 · 938,625 mi² · Week 6 ›
2417111
Northern ArizonaFCS2026 · 850,226 mi² · Week 6 ›
TowsonFCS2026 · Week 1 ›
2025Montana StateFCS2,987,608
Montana StateFCS2025 · 2,987,608 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
81875
Montana StateFCS2025 · 1,063,623 mi² · Week 16 ›
Portland StateFCS2025 · Week 1 ›
2024North Dakota StateFCS2,539,111
North Dakota StateFCS2024 · 2,539,111 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
102119
North Dakota StateFCS2024 · 1,912,894 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Norfolk StateFCS2024 · Week 1 ›
2023South Dakota StateFCS2,302,277
South Dakota StateFCS2023 · 2,302,277 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
1119210
IdahoFCS2023 · 893,874 mi² · Week 9 ›
South Carolina StateFCS2023 · Week 1 ›
2022South Dakota StateFCS2,243,236
South Dakota StateFCS2022 · 2,243,236 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
81800
South Dakota StateFCS2022 · 1,239,739 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Morehead StateFCS2022 · Week 1 ›
2021North Dakota StateFCS3,190,733
North Dakota StateFCS2021 · 3,190,733 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
920315
North Dakota StateFCS2021 · 1,417,383 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Eastern IllinoisFCS2021 · Week 1 ›
2020Sam HoustonFCS1,908,918
Sam HoustonFCS2020 · 1,908,918 mi² · Bowls 20 ›
161231
Sam HoustonFCS2020 · 1,387,938 mi² · Bowls 20 ›
The CitadelFCS2020 · Week 4 ›
2019North Dakota StateFCS3,201,644
North Dakota StateFCS2019 · 3,201,644 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
142005
North Dakota StateFCS2019 · 1,754,011 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
SamfordFCS2019 · Week 1 ›
2018North Dakota StateFCS3,021,441
North Dakota StateFCS2018 · 3,021,441 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
91990
North Dakota StateFCS2018 · 2,043,718 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
New HampshireFCS2018 · Week 1 ›
2017North Dakota StateFCS2,817,405
North Dakota StateFCS2017 · 2,817,405 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
121683
North Dakota StateFCS2017 · 2,622,092 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Texas SouthernFCS2017 · Week 1 ›
2016James MadisonFCS3,191,583
James MadisonFCS2016 · 3,191,583 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
91724
James MadisonFCS2016 · 2,978,972 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Houston ChristianFCS2016 · Week 1 ›
2015North Dakota StateFCS3,236,723
North Dakota StateFCS2015 · 3,236,723 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
61740
North Dakota StateFCS2015 · 1,753,364 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
ValparaisoFCS2015 · Week 1 ›
2014North Dakota StateFCS2,659,409
North Dakota StateFCS2014 · 2,659,409 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
121974
North Dakota StateFCS2014 · 2,390,358 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
Stony BrookFCS2014 · Week 1 ›
2013North Dakota StateFCS2,473,086
North Dakota StateFCS2013 · 2,473,086 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
191721
North Dakota StateFCS2013 · 807,866 mi² · Bowls 1 ›
HamptonFCS2013 · Week 1 ›
2012Portland StateFCS600,476
Portland StateFCS2012 · 600,476 mi² · Preseason ›
221600
North Dakota StateFCS2012 · 415,896 mi² · Week 12 ›
Holy CrossFCS2012 · Week 1 ›
2011MontanaFCS1,226,315
MontanaFCS2011 · 1,226,315 mi² · Week 14 ›
171711
MontanaFCS2011 · 1,069,888 mi² · Week 12 ›
Robert MorrisFCS2011 · Week 1 ›
2010North Dakota StateFCS1,417,339
North Dakota StateFCS2010 · 1,417,339 mi² · Week 14 ›
181692
North Dakota StateFCS2010 · 1,417,339 mi² · Week 14 ›
ValparaisoFCS2010 · Week 1 ›
2009MontanaFCS1,952,061
MontanaFCS2009 · 1,952,061 mi² · Week 12 ›
191771
MontanaFCS2009 · 600,476 mi² · Week 3 ›
Illinois StateFCS2009 · Week 1 ›
2008Eastern WashingtonFCS1,440,012
Weber StateFCS2008 · 1,440,012 mi² · Week 9 ›
191471
Eastern WashingtonFCS2008 · 1,440,012 mi² · Week 13 ›
Austin PeayFCS2008 · Week 1 ›
2007App StateFCS749,389
Eastern WashingtonFCS2007 · 749,389 mi² · Week 13 ›
171652
App StateFCS2007 · 749,389 mi² · Week 14 ›
Central ConnecticutFCS2007 · Week 1 ›
2006MontanaFCS1,489,853
MontanaFCS2006 · 1,489,853 mi² · Week 12 ›
221541
MontanaFCS2006 · 693,653 mi² · Week 5 ›
Morehead StateFCS2006 · Week 1 ›
2005Portland StateFCS1,059,750
Portland StateFCS2005 · 1,059,750 mi² · Week 11 ›
151640
Weber StateFCS2005 · 1,059,750 mi² · Week 8 ›
Morgan StateFCS2005 · Week 1 ›
2004Portland StateFCS960,110
Portland StateFCS2004 · 960,110 mi² · Week 13 ›
151641
MontanaFCS2004 · 741,906 mi² · Week 14 ›
UAlbanyFCS2004 · Week 2 ›
2003Portland StateFCS614,996
Portland StateFCS2003 · 614,996 mi² · Week 7 ›
271271
Northern IowaFCS2003 · 320,121 mi² · Week 13 ›
HamptonFCS2003 · Week 2 ›