Jimbo Fisher on why Power 5 teams should keep playing FCS teams: 'Trickle the wealth down'

Jimbo Fisher has strong opinions when it comes to Power Five programs playing against FCS teams.

While many are tired of the so-called “cupcake” games teams schedule, Fisher believes they play a very important role in the sport of football. Aside from the amazing moment an unlikely upset creates during these contests, Fisher believes the amount of wealth that gets spread during them is invaluable to the sport.

“I do believe we need to play an FCS — one AA game,” stated Fisher, during the SEC meetings. “People don’t believe that. I’m going to give you my reason why. I came from that league of ball. Bobby Bowden came from that league of ball. A lot of great coaches. .. How do those schools make budget, make things for this game the betterment of football. I think you have to trickle the wealth down to those schools. So they can make budget.

“If you don’t, and those schools have to fold-up because they can’t get the money for their program, where do the high school kids get scholarships? How many kids get educated from small college football? They don’t get crowds. I mean, what’s a big crowd for Division II, 10,000? .. Some get more, I’m not saying that. But you have to trickle that finance. I think we have to let that wealth drain all the way through all of football. .. I think you have to do that for the betterment of this game.

“I don’t care if it’s not the greatest game to watch .. if those kids quit playing the game of football because there’s more opportunity in other sports, that hurts the big game of football in the big picture. That’s the way I look at it. Maybe that’s because I came from small college football, but I think those things and opportunities and those chances for people are out there in my opinion.”

Of course, Fisher began his football journey as a coach at an FCS school, as an offensive assistant at Samford. Now one of the top coaches in all of the sport, the Texas A&M coach doesn’t want other coaches to lose the opportunity he had going through his career.

Nevertheless, changes are on the horizon for the SEC and their scheduling format. Still, Jimbo Fisher is hoping to see FCS schools still get a piece of the pie moving forward.