After a 10-0 mark last week and finally nailing an upset pick, we’ll see if that continues into this weekend. Let’s predict some scores.

Predictions Record:
2024 Record: 47-15
2023 Record: 96-42

Week 8 Top 5 Games

Week 8 Viewing Guide

No. 1 South Dakota State at No. 2 North Dakota State

I tipped my hand earlier this week in my FCS Bracketology story when I projected NDSU to be the No. 2 playoff seed and SDSU No. 3. I’ve had a gut feeling about this game since August, thinking NDSU is going to get the Dakota Marker back after a long drought. The Bison bring back so many seniors, the front seven is playing well, quarterback play is elite, receivers and running backs have stepped up, and it’s in the Fargodome. An SDSU 5-game winning streak was unthinkable a decade ago. The streak has to end at some point. And if not this year? Then when?

But that doesn’t mean my prediction has to be locked in.

I started second-guessing earlier this week when the NDSU injury report came out.

Cam Miller, playing at a Walter Payton Award level, is nursing an ankle injury. He didn’t look like himself last weekend at Southern Illinois. And if he can’t make plays with his legs, whether it’s running downfield on designs or broken plays, or he can’t extend plays and maneuver inside and outside the pocket, that could be a legit difference-maker on Saturday. Plus, All-American DE Dylan Hendricks will miss this game and potentially the rest of the season with a knee injury. And starting middle linebacker Nick Kubitz is questionable as he recovers from a head injury. MLB has been a point of contention for NDSU’s defense the last couple of years, but Kubitz has really played well as of late.

Those are three major players either not playing or playing at less than 100 percent.

Meanwhile, if SDSU showed any chinks in the armor during non-conference, the Jackrabbits have appeared to iron most of it out. They look like the two-time defending champs and have rolled in conference play. The defense is perhaps the best in the FCS. The o-line is playing strong for a loaded running back room, while the passing game with Mark Gronowski and his receivers/tight ends is still coming along as they are starting to connect more consistently.

And it’s not like SDSU is fully healthy either. The Jacks have had some starting offensive linemen in and out. The d-line has suffered some injuries. And their two standout safeties have missed time. Cale Reeder is out for the year with a shoulder injury. All-American safety/returner Tucker Large hasn’t played since mid-September. Large was shown wearing a protective boot on the sidelines during the game last week, although he is now listed on this week’s depth chart as an “or” starter with Matthew Durrance.

So much is on the line in this one — rankings, seed positions, program trajectory, recruiting, Gronowski chasing Easton Stick’s FCS record for QB wins, Miller trying to beat SDSU for the first time, etc.

The Fargodome home-field advantage isn’t what it used to be compared to the peak in the early to mid-2010s. And that’s somewhat understandable as the Bison and their fans have accomplished all there is to accomplish in the FCS while watching several like-minded football programs move up to the FBS. While the Dome may not reach 2012 Georgia Southern again, Saturday could come pretty close. The Fargo faithful are thirsting for a win over a team they very much dislike. Keep an eye on how SDSU’s new offensive tackles handle the noise. The crowd could give an extra boost to an NDSU team already playing with an edge and willing itself, despite injuries, to end the five-game losing streak to its rival.

SDSU may get the last laugh this season (rings instead of rocks, amirite?). But in a competitive rivalry series like this, and with it being in Fargo, NDSU looks poised to get back in the win column on Saturday.

RELATED: FCS Bracketology 1.0

Prediction: NDSU 28-27

No. 16 Rhode Island at No. 24 New Hampshire

A pivotal game for both teams as it may be the winner’s only ranked win on their playoff resume.

UNH is 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS, losing to Harvard. The Wildcats edged a struggling Elon team 17-10 last week. They go to No. 5 Villanova in what will be a tough place to get a win. There are no currently-ranked opponents after that.

Rhody is an interesting team because this is the only ranked team on its schedule, although Delaware would be a rankable team if eligible to be voted on.

It’s a blessing and a curse for the CAA to have so many programs. The conference will have a lot of teams with records good enough to make the playoffs. But if those teams have 0 or 1 ranked win, how well does that set them up in the playoffs? It’s an interesting scheduling conundrum and “strategy” for the CAA.

The Rams are 5-1 overall and 5-0 vs. the FCS. A 3-point win over Holy Cross, a 7-point win over LIU, and a 2-point win over Hampton make a voter wonder where exactly this team is at.

UNH is 2-0 at home this year. The Wildcats are getting good quarterback play from Seth Morgan, a former starter at VMI. He has thrown for 1,340 yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Josiah Silver is continuing his incredible career at defensive end, totaling 33 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks so far this fall. Watch him take advantage of a Rhody pass-blocking grade that is ranked No. 69 on PFF.

I’ll take UNH at home, a program that would be nice to see back in the postseason after being a playoff staple for so long.

Prediction: UNH 31-24

No. 7 Mercer at Samford

We sang the praises of Central Arkansas. But then it fell into a trap game.

We then sang the praises of Abilene Christian. But then it fell into a trap game.

Does that mean teams like Mercer and SEMO are on the clock?

Mercer is off to a dynamite start, sitting at 6-0 with two ranked wins. The defense has dominated, ranking No. 1 in FCS scoring defense (7.7 PPG), No. 1 in rushing defense (38.8 yards per game), No. 1 in rushing yards allowed per attempt (1.48), No. 2 in total defense (219.3 YPG), No. 8 in TFLs (46), and No. 1 in interceptions (13).

Samford is a dangerous team, though. The Bulldogs are 2-3, but they nearly beat a rankable ETSU squad before losing 31-28 in the final minutes. Quincy Crittendon has thrown for 1,138 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions.

On the other side, Mercer QB D.J. Smith is expected to return from an ankle injury. The JuCo transfer, who is a junior this year, has thrown for 981 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions while rushing for 167 yards and three touchdowns.

Defense travels. And the Bears will lean on that unit to go to Samford and get a road win.

Prediction: Mercer 27-14

McNeese at No. 14 UIW

UIW made a statement last week, beating 2023 Southland champs Nicholls 55-10 to improve to 4-2. Zach Calzada had himself a day, throwing for 270 yards and five touchdowns. The UIW defense held the run-heavy Nicholls offense to just 123 yards and 40 carries.

McNeese comes in after an important bye week. The Cowboys knocked off No. 25 Weber State at the end of September, improving to 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. The following week, though, they lost 43-22 at HCU. Clifton McDowell suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand in that loss. He sat in the second quarter, then returned in the second half, but you could tell the finger was bothering him.

McDowell has played well this fall after transferring in from Montana, leading the team with 370 rushing yards and six touchdowns while throwing for 1,054 yards, six TDs, and three interceptions.

The McNeese defense has also suffered several injuries. We’ll see if the bye week can get the Cowboys healthier. Winning at a hot UIW team will be an uphill battle, though, healthy or not.

RELATED: Resumes For The Top 10 Ranked FCS Teams

Prediction: UIW 41-20

Weber State at Sacramento State

This looks like a de facto playoff elimination game.

Both teams already have four losses and likely need to win out to reach the postseason. A 7-5 record in a 12-game season will be like a 6-5 record in previous years — can sometimes get you into the bracket, but it is rare.

Sac State was preseason No. 8. The Hornets are now 2-4 overall and 2-2 vs. the FCS, losing to consecutive unranked teams — Northern Arizona and EWU. They still need to play ranked Montana State and UC Davis.

Weber State was preseason No. 22. The Wildcats are now 3-4 overall and 3-3 vs. the FCS. They lost to unranked Lamar and McNeese, won at No. 8 Montana, and then gave Northern Colorado its first win since 2022. Weber still needs to play at ranked Idaho.

Both squads are tough to figure out. And both teams will probably end up missing the playoffs anyway. But the loser’s playoff hopes are almost certainly squandered. I’ll side with the home team here. Sac State has too much experience to drop a second straight home game. And Carson Conklin is playing well (1,100 yards, 13 TDs, 4 INT) to get the Hornets back on track.

Prediction: Sac State 28-24

More FCS Predictions

Eastern Kentucky at No. 17 Abilene Christian

EKU suffered its first FCS loss last week at Southern Utah. Abilene Christian looks to rebound from a loss to North Alabama that dropped it out of the Top 10. ACU gets it done behind the arm of Maverick McIvor (2,231 yards, 17 TDs, 3 INT).

Prediction: ACU 35-28

No. 25 Florida A&M at Jackson State

This very well could decide the SWAC East champ. Jackson State is 2-0 in the standings (4-2 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS) and FAMU is 1-0 in conference play (3-2 overall, 3-0 vs. the FCS). It’s going to be an incredible crowd. But I trust FAMU’s defense a bit more to get a hard-earned road win.

Prediction: FAMU 27-24

Delaware at No. 18 Richmond

Delaware is off to a 6-0 start. The Blue Hens are not eligible to be voted on in the polls as it transitions to the FBS. While it won’t count as a ranked win, it would still be a resume-boosting win for playoff-hopeful Richmond, who has won four straight after a 0-2 start. I’ll lean Delaware here.

Prediction: Delaware 28-21

Northern Iowa at No. 9 North Dakota

This is a crucial game for UND. The Fighting Hawks are coming off a bye week after a humbling 41-17 loss at NDSU. At 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS with a ranked win over then-No. 4 Montana, UND has a good shot at hitting eight wins by beating UNI, YSU, Indiana State, and Illinois State. The other two remaining games are hosting Top 5 SDSU and USD. Splitting those would be massive. Losing both would be fine if the Hawks don’t mess around and lose the other games they are favored to win. And that starts this week hosting a UNI team that is at its lowest point in recent memory, sitting at 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the MVFC, losing 41-3 vs. SDSU and 42-17 at USD.

Prediction: North Dakota 28-17

Wofford at No. 19 Chattanooga

Chattanooga is 3-3 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS, has won three straight, and has one-score losses to FBS Georgia State and Top 10 Mercer. The Mocs are a dangerous team with one ranked win over ETSU on their resume. Wofford is still hanging around in the playoff picture at 3-3 and a ranked win over Richmond. Chattanooga is rolling, though, and I don’t think the Terriers will have the offensive firepower to hang for four quarters.

Prediction: Chattanooga 28-20

The post Week 8 FCS Predictions appeared first on HERO Sports.

At any rate, let’s get right to it as we cross the halfway mark threshold of the season.

THE PRESTIGIOUS TOP 8

NOTE: These are the schools that would receive a first-round playoff bye and host a second-round game. Also, in parenthesis after the ranked team () is what I had them ranked last week.

NO. 1 – MONTANA STATE (1^ST)

LAST WEEK NO. 1 TEAM: Montana State  

WHY?: Montana State’s schedule strength, according to Massey, is weaker than all four of the Dakota schools – this much is a fact. But the Bobcats have knocked off an FBS team (New Mexico) and have easily handled all six FCS teams it has beaten. There have been few challenges, a testament to how strong this program is – and the recent blowout win over a dangerous Idaho backs it up. Let’s face it, there’s a decent chance MSU finishes undefeated going into the postseason. 

NO. 2 – NORTH DAKOTA STATE (2^ND)

LAST WEEK NO. 2 TEAM: North Dakota State

WHY?: Understatement department: This weekend’s annual slugfest against South Dakota State is going to go a long way in telling us who this NDSU team is. Will it be the team that survived ETSU down in Tennessee earlier this year, or will it be the team that truly out-hit P4 Colorado before succumbing to future NFL millionaire talent Travis Hunter? The Bison have pummeled what is a tough Illinois State team, too. The Dakota Marker battle this weekend will be on national television (ESPN2) and will be in Fargo – and it’s been a while since NDSU has won this rivalry game. 

NO. 3 – SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (3^rd)

LAST WEEK NO. 3 TEAM: South Dakota State

WHY?: How much do we know about this SDSU team? Obviously, quarterback play isn’t an issue with two-time national champion signal-caller Mark Gronowski at the helm en route to a 6-1 start, but where is that quality win? Right now, it looks like the 21-point win over Incarnate Word. But this weekend, that could all change as SDSU faces a team it has owned of late – rival NDSU. Be prepared for a big move on this ballot if the Jackrabbits handle this decisively on the road, which they’re capable of.

NO. 4 – SOUTH DAKOTA (4^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 4 TEAM: South Dakota

WHY?: The Coyotes are a fascinating team, steamrolling the past four FCS teams it has played – allowing only 33 points in the four wins (and if they’d not been canceled against Portland State, it’d be even more impressive). We will learn a lot about this dangerous USD team between now and Thanksgiving when it faces NDSU, SDSU, and North Dakota.

NO. 5 – VILLANOVA (5^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 5 TEAM: Villanova

WHY?: There’s no way I can elevate Villanova past this spot, and if there are stronger performances by other teams coming up? I have no problem moving teams ahead. The Wildcats are solid and look like the class of a massive CAA, but the best win so far is against a 4-2 Stony Brook team – and the 7-point win over Youngstown State looks less and less impressive due to the Penguins’ struggles. Nova needs to take it up a notch and win out, while also capturing the CAA, or there’s a chance other teams could surpass them in the battle for a seeding – even with Villanova continuing to win.

NO. 6 –UC DAVIS (6^th)

LAST WEEK NO. 6 TEAM: UC Davis

WHY?: Right now, the signature win is against Idaho, and the win over Southern Utah was against a team that has an FBS win (UTEP). But the near loss to Portland State is also on this resume. Like Villanova, the Aggies will need to impress as things progress to hold on to this lofty spot on my ballot.

NO. 7 – TARLETON STATE (8^TH)

LAST WEEK NO. 7 TEAM: Idaho

WHY?: RB Kayvon Britten has been fantastic this year. His last game’s efforts put him over 1,000 yards in a season for the third straight year. He’s been the biggest reason that this recent team addition to the FCS level has been so effective, as his running has been pivotal in tight wins over McNeese, Southeastern Louisiana, and Southern Utah.

NO. 8 – MERCER (10^TH)

LAST WEEK NO. 8 TEAM: Tarleton State

WHY?: Some people may not be as impressed as I was with Mercer’s big win over Princeton this past week. I felt that was key for the Bears. That coupled with a 10-3 win over Chattanooga earlier this year – which looks better and better on paper each week – gives Mercer some serious street cred. This is clearly the best Mercer team in the second stint of football, which began just a bit over a decade ago after about 70 years without the game.

FROM NO. 9 TO NO. 16

NOTE: This is the tier that would be seeded (if they participate in the playoffs) but would still have to play in the first round.

9 North Dakota
10 SEMO
11 Idaho
12 Abilene Christian
13 Cent. Arkansas
14 Incarnate Word
15 Montana
16 Chattanooga

WHY?: Idaho is clearly the best 4-3 team in the FCS, is dangerous, and possesses the No. 1 toughest schedule in the country according to Massey. SEMO is two minutes away from a 7-0 record (and a win over FBS New Mexico State), and the Redhawks should be watched closely. North Dakota is one of the Dakota quartet – and this year? Nothing else needs to be said. Lastly? The rest of this season, Chattanooga may snake its way up through this list like the Tennessee River snakes through town.

FROM NO. 17 TO NO. 25

NOTE: This is the tier that would not be seeded, but would be battling for a spot in the playoffs (if they aren’t conference champions)

17 Dartmouth
18 Rhode Island
19 Duquesne
20 UT Martin
21 Harvard 
22 Illinois State
23 Stony Brook
24 Southeastern Louisiana
25 Drake

WHY?: Sometimes? I wish voting on this poll was easier in the 15ish to 25ish range – but it never is simple. There are so many dynamics to consider, but the truth is, the teams listed below in my “also considered” area? They could easily be in this 17^th to 25^th range – the area which contains the kind of teams (if they choose to compete in it) that will play in the FCS postseason. I did drop some idle teams who made my ballot last week, based on how some of their earlier opponents performed this past weekend.

OUTSIDE THE TOP 25 AND READY TO MOVE IN

Teams like Richmond, William & Mary, McNeese, Western Carolina, and ETSU will be teams I pay close attention to this week.

The post FCS Top 25: Brian McLaughlin’s Poll Vote After Week 7 appeared first on HERO Sports.

On this episode, Sam Herder and Zach McKinnell discuss:

-Week 7 Three Game Balls and A Flag

-Montana State gets a statement win, while North Alabama, Northern Colorado, and SFA pull off upset wins

-Week 8 previews:

• An in-depth preview of No. 1 SDSU at No. 2 NDSU
• No. 16 Rhode Island at No. 24 New Hampshire implications
• Is Weber State at Sac State already a playoff elimination game?
• Is Mercer at Samford a trap game? 
• Importance of McNeese at UIW in the Southland playoff race

You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and Spreaker.​​

SUBSCRIBE: FCS Football Talk

3 Game Balls and a Flag

Each week of the 2024 FCS football season, the FCS Football Talk podcast will award three game balls and a flag from the previous weekend’s action.

The game balls are awarded to three standout teams or individual players, while the flag is thrown after a disappointing performance or questionable coaching decision.

Below are the three game balls and a flag from Week 7.

Zach’s 3 Game Balls And A Flag

• Game Ball: North Alabama
  • North Alabama stunned No. 10 Abilene Christian in a 47-34 upset victory
  • It was the Lions’ first win over a ranked opponent at the FCS level
  • The Lions have now won three consecutive conference matchups, moving to 3-1 in UAC play
  • The Lions generated over 500 yards of total offense and averaged 8.2 yards per play
  • QB TJ Smith: 17-of-24, 220 passing yards, 94 rushing yards, six total TDs
  • Wide receiver Kobe Warden: 9 receptions for 112 receiving yards & 2 TDs
  • Freshman running back Jalen Fletcher led the Lions with 123 rushing yards (12.3 YPC) and one TD
  • The defense held Abilene Christian to only 101 total yards on their final five drives, including a game-sealing interception from Gregory Reddick
  • Reddick led the Lions with 12 total tackles 
  • Jackson Bratton: 5 total tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 fumble recovery, & 2 QBHs

• Game Ball: Incarnate Word
  • Incarnate Word dominated Nicholls in a 55-10 victory, avenging last season’s loss to the Colonels
  • First time since 2022 that the Cardinals have scored 50 or more points in back-to-back games
  • The Cardinals suffocated the Nicholls’ offense, holding the Colonels to only 3.6 yards per play
  • UIW allowed only 260 total yards and forced four turnovers
  • Ten players recorded at least 0.5 tackles for loss or more
  • Mister Williams: 11 total tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 forced fumble
  • Linebacker Dune Smith had a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown
  • Quarterback Zach Calzada led the Cardinals with 270 passing yards and five touchdowns
  • Wide receiver Jalen Walthall: 4 receptions for 80 receiving yards and 2 TDs

• Game Ball: Northern Colorado
  • Northern Colorado shocked No. 20 Weber State with a 21-17 upset victory
  • The first win over a ranked opponent since 2016
  • It was also the first win for the Bears since Nov. 12, 2022, and the first win under head coach Ed Lamb
  • The Bears finished the game with over 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns
  • David Afari led the Bears with 74 rushing yards, while Caden Meis recorded 60 rushing yards and one touchdown
  • Quarterback Kai’I Keone: 14-of-28, 118 passing yards
  • Keone led a 17-play, 98-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter, winning the game for the Bears
  • Northern Colorado’s defense forced four turnovers, including a game-sealing interception from Cam Chapa
    
• Flag: Weber State
  • No. 20 Weber State collapsed against Northern Colorado in a shocking upset loss
  • The Wildcats fall to 3-4 (2-1 Big Sky) and may need to win all their remaining games to make the FCS Playoffs
  • It was a disappointing performance following last weekend’s upset victory over Montana
  • The Wildcats generated over 400 yards of total offense, but four turnovers were the difference in this game
  • Weber State fumbled twice inside the 2-yard line in the first quarter, allowing Northern Colorado to avoid a 21-0 deficit early in this game
  • Damon Bankston: 108 rushing yards (6.8 YPC)
  • Weber State faces a must-win game against Sacramento State next weekend before traveling to Northern Arizona in another potential elimination game for the FCS Playoffs

Sam’s 3 Game Balls And A Flag

• Game Ball: Montana State 
  • No. 3 Montana State beats No. 7 Idaho 38-7
  • MSU rushed for 360 yards while Tommy Mellott has put himself in the conversation for the Walter Payton Award.
  • Idaho is battling another QB injury when Saturday’s starter Nick Josifek went down with a broken collarbone, the same injury to Week 1 starter Jack Layne
  • MSU is now 7-0 with an FBS win and a ranked win
  • Idaho is 4-3 overall with 2 FCS losses, 3 ranked wins, and an FBS win
• Game Ball: SFA 
  • SFA beats No. 22 Lamar 27-20
  • SFA has won three straight, improving to 4-2 overall
  • Sam Vidlak throws for 329 yards in the win. This fall, he is completing 66.47% of his passes for 1,565 yards, 17 touchdowns, and two interceptions
  • SFA could be that No. 2 team in the Southland in the hunt for a playoff bid
  • Other teams, besides SFA, to watch behind UIW are McNeese, Lamar, and Southeastern
• Game Ball: New Hampshire DE Josiah Silver 
  • The three-time All-CAA selection and multi-time All-American is at it again
  • He had 5 TFLs and 4 sacks in a win at Elon.
  • This fall, he has 33 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks
  • In 2021, Silver recorded 80 tackles, 20.5 TFLs, and 12.5 sacks. In 2022, he had 55 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, and 8.5 sacks. Last year, he totaled 45 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, and 5 sacks.
• Flag: Sac State
  • After being preseason ranked No. 8, Sac State is now 2-4 overall and 2-2 vs. the FCS, dropping back-to-back games to unranked FCS teams
  • On Saturday, No. 18 Sac State lost 35-28 at home to Eastern Washington, who was 1-4 entering the game
  • EWU rushed for 289 yards and four touchdowns
  • Sac State likely has to win out to make the playoffs at 8-4
  • It hosts Weber State this weekend, who is in the same position with four losses. The Hornets still need to travel to Montana State and host UC Davis

The post FCS Podcast: The No. 1 vs. No. 2 Showdown Is Here appeared first on HERO Sports.

“Notable games” are from a national landscape perspective. Games below include Top 25-ranked teams in the media poll, teams in the playoff picture, intriguing non-conference games, intriguing FCS vs. FBS games, or games involving two teams at the top of their conference. It’s essentially a viewing guide of games to pay attention to that are most important in the FCS national picture.

Week 8

Friday, Oct. 18
All times CT

6 — Brown at Princeton (ESPNU)

Saturday, Oct. 19
All times CT

11 — Lehigh at Yale (ESPN+)

11 — Holy Cross at Harvard (ESPN+)

11:30 — Sacred Heart at Lafayette (LSN)

12 — Drake at Presbyterian (ESPN+)

12 — CCSU at No. 22 Dartmouth (ESPN+)

12 — Dayton at Butler (FloFootball)

12 — No. 5 Villanova at Maine (FloFootball)

12 — Stony Brook at Towson (FloFootball)

12 — No. 16 Rhode Island at No. 24 New Hampshire (FloFootball)

12 — Bryant at Monmouth (FloFootball)

12:30 — The Citadel at VMI (ESPN+)

12:30 — Wofford at No. 19 Chattanooga (ESPN+)

1 — Northern Iowa at No. 9 North Dakota (ESPN+)

1 — Western Carolina at Furman (ESPN+)

2 — No. 7 Mercer at Samford (ESPN+)

2 — No. 21 Illinois State at Murray State (ESPN+)

2 — Indiana State at Missouri State (ESPN+)

2:30 — Tennessee State at Howard (ESPN+)

2:30 — Campbell at No. 15 William & Mary (FloFootball)

2:30 — Delaware at No. 18 Richmond (FloFootball)

2:30 — Elon at UAlbany (FloFootball)

2:30 — No. 25 Florida A&M at Jackson State (ESPNU)

3 — No. 8 SEMO at Charleston Southern (ESPN+)

3 — Eastern Kentucky at No. 17 Abilene Christian (ESPN+)

3 — No. 3 Montana State at Portland State (ESPN+)

3 — Idaho State at Northern Arizona (ESPN+)

3 — Cal Poly at No. 13 Idaho (ESPN+)

3:30 — Lamar at Texas A&M-Commerce (ESPN+)

4 — McNeese at No. 14 UIW (ESPN+)

4 — Stephen F. Austin at Southeastern Louisiana (ESPN+)

5 — No. 4 South Dakota at Youngstown State (ESPN+)

6 — No. 6 UC Davis at Eastern Washington (ESPN+)

6 — Alcorn State at Southern (ESPN+)

7 — No. 1 South Dakota State at No. 2 North Dakota State (ESPN2)

8 — Weber State at Sacramento State (ESPN+)

The post FCS Week 8 Notable Games And How To Watch appeared first on HERO Sports.

This past weekend was crazy, and we saw some programs that looked like world-beaters back in August fall by the wayside, while others we didn’t expect anything from made a serious case to be Top 25 material.

Here are some of the FCS highlights of the Week 7 schedule.

THE HEADLINE

There is such a serious and clear hierarchy here FCS folks. I hate to say that some schools outside of the “big two” of the Big Sky and Missouri Valley Football Conference are going to crack that Top 4 seeding situation, but it’s hard to visualize it.

In the top four stratosphere, we have the Dakota and Montana-type programs, which clearly are head and shoulders above the rest in the FCS. If any of these top four programs lose to a non “Big Two” program it will be considered an upset.

Are we ready to finally get more first-place votes for Montana State and stop clinging to 2023? I mean, come on folks, Montana State is undefeated, has beaten an FBS team, and has been a machine ever since. By hanging more than a four-touchdown win over a very good Idaho team this past weekend, the Bobcats have clearly proven that when healthy? They’re the class of the FCS.

Yes, NDSU and SDSU are good – and in a couple of days, they’ll have a chance to prove who is best. But many of the voters have chosen to put the Dakota schools ahead of MSU. To me? That’s wrong, that’s why I’ve voted this way since early in the season and haven’t deviated.

TALKING POINTS

**The UAC, the newest FCS conference, is making quite an argument for how strong it is. That much is for certain. Tarleton State wasn’t even an FCS team a few years ago and so far? It clearly has a Top 10 resume, falling only to P4 Baylor this year. Along with Tarleton, Abilene Christian and Central Arkansas have proven they are legit – and it is clear we will have some impressive battles within this league going forward. Abilene did trip up this past weekend against North Alabama, but it took P4 Texas Tech to OT and fell only by three to a strong Idaho team. Could this supplant the CAA as the No. 3 league in the FCS? We shall see.

**In the Ivy League, Dartmouth has clearly emerged being the only 4-0 team, but Harvard is legit and let’s not forget – Harvard’s lone loss was to Brown (by 3). The truth is, the Ivy League looks like it is as competitive as it has been in years, with some new blood. Don’t forget Columbia, either. One other worthy mention is that Princeton fell by a ton against the SoCon’s top team so far, Mercer. That was a signature win for the Georgia school, knocking off an Ivy League blueblood.

**The HBCU picture isn’t very clear so far, but North Carolina Central is 5-2 overall and looks like the clearcut favorite in the MEAC. The SWAC picture is still forming, so the whole idea of who might win the Celebration Bowl and the HBCU national title is a bit premature to project. At this point, it’s hard to rank any of the HBCUs, but we’ll be checking each week.

**The SoCon usually appears to be unable to break away from eating its own. Is this the year that changes and one or two monsters emerge on the national scene?  I’m beginning to think yes, though beyond Mercer, I’m not 100 percent sure who would be No. 2. ETSU, Chattanooga, Western Carolina and even rebounding Wofford seem to have some special qualities – and if one of them really punches out of that second level? They might be interesting to watch in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Mercer is having its best season since its first stint of football back in the leather-helmet days.

POLL EFFECT

As mentioned above, the Top 10-ish window isn’t going to budge much until we hit the real meat of the conference schedule. But once that begins to happen? You can be sure it’ll shake (and shape) things up. 

I hate to repeat something said a few weeks back, but when you venture outside of the top 10? It gets hairier to figure out. Way, way, way hairier, but that’s pretty common with that realm in the FCS. It tends to chop itself up all the way to Thanksgiving Week when the seedings are released. That No. 11 to No. 25 vote space? Well, that’ll be the focus of my poll vote piece coming out Tuesday and pinned to the top of my Twitter account (@BrianMacWriter).

FINAL THOUGHTS

We are definitely in the final stretch with how this level is going to size up, playoff-wise. We are mostly done with the FBS/payoff matchups, we’re done with the D2 games, and we’re done with the non-conference games that in many cases really weren’t indicative of how strong a program is – now it’s time to hunker down and figure this out. 

Translation? Mid-October to mid-November has always been my favorite time to write about the FCS level. We learn a ton from now until Thanksgiving.

Here we go, folks!

The post Brian McLaughlin’s Week 7 Five-Minute Recap appeared first on HERO Sports.

The resumes paint the picture of what the playoff committee looks at before Selection Sunday (although watching the games gives the clearest picture). Resumes include overall record, record against FCS opponents, Division 1 wins, Non-D1 wins, FBS wins and losses, ranked wins at the time of the game, wins against teams currently ranked in the Top 25, strength of schedule, and past opponents’ record against other teams.

Resumes For Top 10 Teams

Teams 1-10 are via this week’s Stats Perform Media Poll

“Then-Ranked Wins” are wins against ranked teams at the time of the game using the media poll

“Now-Ranked Wins” are wins against teams currently ranked in the media poll

Strength of schedule (SOS) is via Massey and is through current games played only and doesn’t factor in future games

“Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams” is the combined record of your previous opponents without including your own record. As an example, if a 3-0 team has beaten three teams that are now 0-3, the past opponents’ record vs *other* teams is 0-6 (three teams that are 0-2 vs. other opponents).

1. South Dakota State

Record: 5-1

FCS Record: 4-0

Non-D1 Wins: 1 (Augustana)

D1 Wins: 4 (UIW, SLU, UNI, YSU)

FCS Losses: 0 

FBS Losses: 1 (Oklahoma State)

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 12 UIW)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 14 UIW)

Massey SOS: 5th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 17-15

2. North Dakota State

Record: 6-1

FCS Record: 6-0

D1 Wins: 6 (TN State, ETSU, Towson, Illinois State, UND, SIU)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (Colorado)

Then-Ranked Wins: 2 (No. 18 Illinois State, No. 7 UND)

Now-Ranked Wins: 3 (No. 23 ETSU, No. 21 Illinois State, No. 9 UND)

Massey SOS: 11th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 25-14

3. Montana State

Record: 7-0

FCS Record: 7-0 

FBS Wins: 1 (New Mexico) 

D1 Wins: 7 (New Mexico, Utah Tech, Maine, Mercyhurst, Idaho State, Northern Colorado, Idaho)

FCS Losses: 0

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 7 Idaho)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 13 Idaho)

Massey SOS: 58th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 15-25

4. South Dakota

Record: 5-1

FCS Record: 4-0 

Non-D1 Wins: 1 (Northern State)

D1 Wins: 4 (Drake, SIU, Murray State, UNI)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (Wisconsin)

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 17 SIU)

Now-Ranked Wins: 0

Massey SOS: 33rd

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 15-16

5. Villanova

Record: 5-1

FCS Record: 5-0 

D1 Wins: 5 (YSU, Colgate, Towson, LIU, Stony Brook)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (Maryland)

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 25 YSU) 

Now-Ranked Wins: 0

Massey SOS: 47th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 13-19

6. UC Davis

Record: 6-1

FCS Record: 6-0 

D1 Wins: 6 (Texas A&M-Commerce, SUU, Utah Tech, Idaho, Portland State, Cal Poly)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (Cal) 

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 4 Idaho)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 13 Idaho)

Massey SOS: 40th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 13-25

7. Mercer

Record: 6-0

FCS Record: 6-0 

D1 Wins: 6 (Presbyterian, Bethune-Cookman, Chattanooga, The Citadel, Wofford, Princeton)

FCS Losses: 0

Then-Ranked Wins: 2 (No. 13 Chattanooga, No. 23 Wofford)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 19 Chattanooga)

Massey SOS: 102nd

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 11-19

8. SEMO

Record: 6-1

FCS Record: 6-0

D1 Wins: 6 (North Alabama, UT Martin, SIU, Northwestern State, EIU, TN Tech)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (NMSU)

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 7 SIU)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 25 UT Martin)

Massey SOS: 59th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 12-29

9. North Dakota

Record: 4-2

FCS Record: 4-1 

D1 Wins: 4 (Montana, Idaho State, San Diego, Murray State)

FCS Losses: 1 (No. 2 NDSU)

FBS Losses: 1 (Iowa State)

Then-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 4 Montana)

Now-Ranked Wins: 1 (No. 11 Montana)

Massey SOS: 6th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 22-10

10. Tarleton State

Record: 6-1

FCS Record: 6-0 

D1 Wins: 6 (McNeese, HCU, North Alabama, SLU, SUU, Utah Tech)

FCS Losses: 0

FBS Losses: 1 (Baylor) 

Then-Ranked Wins: 0

Now-Ranked Wins: 0

Massey SOS: 49th

Past opponents’ record vs *other* teams: 17-25

The post 2024 Week 8 Resumes For The Top 10 Ranked FCS Teams appeared first on HERO Sports.

How the playoff field changes and takes shape every week is fascinating. So after every weekend of games moving forward, I will predict what the bracket will look like.

Below are predictions for the seeds, auto-bids, at-large bids, the bracket, and which teams are on the bubble.

Notes

These predictions take current playoff resumes and all future scheduled games into consideration. 

This is through the eyes of the playoff committee and what I think they will do.

The seeds associated with teams won’t be the same as my Top 25 rankings. My poll ballot is ranking teams based on performances/resumes so far. This bracketology is projecting ahead.

The Field

2021-2023 Final Bracketology Accuracy: 22/24 seeds correct, 69/72 teams in the field correct

Seeds
1. Montana State
2. North Dakota State
3. South Dakota State
4. Mercer
5. Villanova
6. South Dakota
7. SEMO
8. UC Davis
9. UIW
10. Idaho
11. Chattanooga
12. Central Arkansas
13. Montana
14. William & Mary
15. Tarleton State
16. Abilene Christian

Auto-Bids
Big Sky – Montana State
Big South-OVC – SEMO
CAA – Villanova
MVFC – North Dakota State
NEC – Duquesne
Patriot – Holy Cross
Pioneer – Drake
SoCon – Mercer
Southland – UIW
UAC – Central Arkansas

At-Large Bids 
Ordered from most likely to least likely to get in. Seeded teams who are not their conference’s auto-bid will be at the top.

South Dakota State (seed)
South Dakota (seed)
UC Davis (seed)
Idaho (seed)
Chattanooga (seed)
Montana (seed)
William & Mary (seed)
Tarleton State (seed)
Abilene Christian (seed)
Rhode Island
Last 4 In
North Dakota
ETSU
Western Carolina
Stephen F. Austin

Bubble Teams Left Out
Ordered from the best chance to make the bracket out of this group to the worst chance.

25. UT Martin
26. Richmond
27. McNeese
28. Northern Arizona
29. Lamar

The Bracket

The FCS playoff bracket increased its number of seeded teams from 8 to 16 this year. Seeds 1-8 get a first-round bye, and seeds 9-16 will host first-round games. First-round matchups will still be paired up based on geography. But the second round will no longer be based on regionalization. The No. 16 seed will feed into the No. 1 seed, the No. 15 seed into the No. 2 seed, and so on.

The first round is still regionalized to save on travel costs. The committee tries to utilize as many bus trips (400 miles or less) as possible while avoiding regular-season rematches.

The committee avoids conference matchups in the first round if the two teams played each other in the regular season. However, if two conference teams did not play each other during the regular season, they may be paired up in the first round. Regular-season non-conference rematches should be avoided in the first round.

If a conference has four or more teams in the bracket, the committee can add an extra flight to avoid having all teams on one side of the bracket as long as it doesn’t impact or change the seeding.

The order of seeds is not determined by regionalization.

The Explanation

This section will typically have between 1,000-2,000 words breaking down each team, their current resume, and their future games and why it has a pathway to a seed, an at-large bid, etc.

Keep in mind that this bracketology factors in future games as well. So in this instance, I’m projecting Montana State will go 12-0 to earn the No. 1 seed. And I’m projecting NDSU to win the MVFC. Just to use those two as examples.

We obviously have a lot of games left, so this is going to be fluid and move around each week. Some will say doing a bracketology in October is pointless. Those people also probably aren’t fun to hang out with in social settings. It’s an entertaining exercise to see how each week of results shapes the playoff picture. And it also gives fan bases an idea of “This is where we’re at now, this is where other teams are at to keep an eye on, this is our remaining schedule, and if we win out or lose just one more game we can get a seed in this range.”

If a team is on the bubble, this will give those fans an idea of what teams to keep an eye on and where their resume is at. Same with Top 2 seeds, Top 4 seeds, Top 8, etc.

As we get closer to Selection Sunday, I’ll dive more into details on resumes, ranked wins, strength of schedule, upcoming games, etc. to explain why I think Team A will be the No. 1 seed, Team B will be the No. 8 seed, Team C is left on the bubble, and so on.

Here’s a look at what future bracketology story breakdowns will look like.

The post 2024 FCS Bracketology 1.0 appeared first on HERO Sports.

Notes at the bottom.

Delaware and Missouri State, FCS-to-FBS transitioning teams, are not eligible to be voted on in the Media Poll.

Week 7 Top 25 FCS Scoreboard

FCS Top 25

1. South Dakota State
2. North Dakota State
3. Montana State
4. South Dakota
5. Villanova
6. UC Davis
7. Mercer
8. Idaho
9. SEMO
10. UIW
11. Chattanooga
12. Abilene Christian
13. Central Arkansas
14. ETSU
15. North Dakota
16. Montana
17. William & Mary
18. Tarleton State
19. NC Central
20. Rhode Island
21. Western Carolina
22. Northern Arizona
23. Richmond
24. McNeese
25. Stephen F. Austin

Leaving: Sacramento State, Illinois State, Lamar, Weber State

Entering: NC Central, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stephen F. Austin

I kept my Top 3 the same as last week, even after No. 3 Montana State beat No. 7 Idaho 38-7 in a statement performance. You can make a strong argument for South Dakota State, North Dakota State, or MSU to be ranked No. 1, No. 2, etc.

SDSU might have the best defense in the FCS while its offense continues to get more explosive. MSU might have the best offense in the FCS while its defense looks stronger than last year’s. NDSU might have the most complete team in the FCS.

MSU has the best win of the three with its Idaho victory. NDSU has the most ranked wins of the three. SDSU is the two-time defending champs with several familiar names back, has mostly dominated its FCS opponents, and has the strongest Massey strength of schedule of the three — SDSU has the 5th-strongest SOS through games played, NDSU 11th, and MSU 58th.

So you can argue in circles why each team should be No. 1, who should be No. 2, and who should be No. 3.

It’ll get sorted out better this week, voting-wise, when SDSU visits NDSU. The winner will likely get the No. 1 spot and the loser goes to No. 3, while MSU (assuming it doesn’t lose at Portland State) moves to No. 2.

South Dakota has asserted itself as a strong No. 4, dominating its FCS opponents and sitting at 5-1 overall and 4-0 vs. the FCS with one ranked win. Villanova stays at No. 5 and UC Davis stays at No. 6. Both squads are undefeated vs. the FCS with one ranked win. Mercer rises to No. 7 at 6-0 vs. the FCS and two ranked wins.

Leaving my ballot are Sacramento State, Illinois State, Lamar, and Weber State.

Sac State lost 35-28 to unranked EWU and is now 2-4 overall and 2-2 vs. the FCS. It’s the second straight loss to an unranked opponent for the Hornets. Illinois State lost 41-7 to Missouri State, who is ranked in the Coaches Poll. ISU is now 4-3 overall and 4-2 vs. the FCS with two blowout home losses in the last three weeks.

Lamar lost 27-20 to unranked SFA, dropping to 3-3 overall and 3-2 vs. the FCS. Its then-ranked win over Weber State hasn’t aged as well … because Weber State lost 21-17 to Northern Colorado, which was UNC’s first win since November of 2022. Weber is now 3-4 overall and 3-3 vs. the FCS.

Moving into my ballot are NC Central, Rhode Island, Richmond, and Stephen F. Austin.

NC Central is 5-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. Its 41-19 loss to unranked Elon is questionable, but the Eagles have rolled since then, including beating opponents by much wider margins than other ranked teams did for comparative data points. Rhode Island is 5-1 overall and 5-0 vs. the FCS. It hasn’t played a strong schedule and hasn’t exactly dominated inferior opponents, but it keeps on winning.

I preseason ranked Richmond and moved the Spiders back in at 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. No great wins yet, and it does have a loss to Wofford, but Richmond has won four straight. Stephen F. Austin is 4-2 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS, and just beat No. 22 Lamar. The Lumberjacks have won three straight.

In the 7-13 range, Mercer, SEMO, Chattanooga, and UIW rise as Idaho, Abilene Christian, and Central Arkansas fall back a few spots.

The post FCS Top 25: Sam Herder’s Ballot For The Week Of 10-14-2024 appeared first on HERO Sports.

Every score involving Top 25 teams via the media poll will be published below after the games.

FCS Scoreboard

No. 1 South Dakota State 63
Youngstown State 13

No. 2 North Dakota State 24
Southern Illinois 3

No. 3 Montana State 38
No. 7 Idaho 7

No. 4 South Dakota 42
Northern Iowa 17

No. 6 UC Davis 56
Cal Poly 10

No. 8 Mercer 34
Princeton 7

North Alabama 47
No. 10 Abilene Christian 34

No. 11 SEMO 34
Tennessee Tech 3

No. 12 Central Arkansas 34
West Georgia 33

No. 13 Tarleton State 42
Utah Tech 0

No. 14 Montana 31
No. 24 Northern Arizona 20

No. 15 UIW 55
Nicholls 10

Missouri State 41
No. 16 Illinois State 7

Eastern Washington 35
No. 18 Sacramento State 28

Northern Colorado 21
No. 20 Weber State 17

No. 19 Rhode Island 31
Brown 21

Stephen F. Austin 27
No. 22 Lamar 20

No. 23 Chattanooga 41
Furman 10

No. 25 North Carolina Central 68
Virginia-Lynchburg 0

Bye weeks: No. 5 Villanova, No. 9 North Dakota, No. 17 William & Mary, No. 21 Richmond

The post Week 7 Top 25 FCS Scoreboard appeared first on HERO Sports.

The PFF grading system evaluates every player on every play. Each position has its own grading rubric.

Below are the highest-graded FCS players by position after Week 6.

Note: PFF isn’t the gospel or the de facto ranking of who the best players are, it’s just another tool to look at top performers. There is more context beyond film grades, like the quality of opponents, just like there is more context beyond box scores and statistical leaders.

Quarterback

1. Chase Goodwin, Columbia — 91.6

2. Nick Howard, Butler — 91.4

3. Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian — 90.0

4. Brady Meitz, Stetson — 89.3

5. Cam Miller, NDSU — 89.0

Running Back

1. Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota — 93.5

2. Targhee Lambson, Southern Utah — 92.6

3. Travis Theis, South Dakota — 92.4

4. Eli Gillman, Montana — 91.1

5. Darius Hale, Central Arkansas — 90.6

Wide Receiver

1. Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington — 89.6

2. Elijah Steward, Lafayette — 87.4

3. Sam Phillips, Chattanooga — 86.9

4. Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown — 84.0

5. Caleb Burke, New Hampshire — 83.0

Tight End

1. Cooper Dawson, Charleston Southern — 84.5

2. Lance Mason, Missouri State — 82.9

3. Nathan Levicki, Presbyterian — 81.3

4. Rylan Schlepp, Montana State — 81.3

5. Marvin Landy, Jackson State — 80.3

Center

1. Reid Williams, Chattanooga — 82.2

2. Tuli Teuhema, Tarleton State — 75.7

3. George Padezanin, Lehigh — 75.0

4. Joey Lombard, South Dakota — 74.8

5. John Ohnegian, Bucknell — 74.7

Guard

1. Kadin Lynch, William & Mary — 81.5

2. Marcus Wehr, Montana State — 79.3

3. Nicholas Hilliard, Princeton — 78.4

t4. Eric Meslin, Stonehill — 78.0

t4. Conner Moore, Montana State — 78.0

Tackle

1. Charles Grant, William & Mary — 91.4

2. Grey Zabel, NDSU — 90.4

3. Jaison Williams, Youngstown State — 90.0

4. Titan Fleischmann, Montana State — 82.5

5. Gavin Ortega, Weber State — 80.0

Cornerback

1. Gavin Shipman, Harvard — 92.4

2. Sammy Anderson Jr., Austin Peay — 89.3

3. Mike Reid, South Dakota — 88.5

4. Cam Cope, Dayton — 86.0

5. Isaiah Wadsworth, Wofford — 85.7

Safety

1. Nick Peltekian, Lehigh — 90.5

2. Colby Huerter, SDSU — 90.1

3. Barry Wagner Jr., Delaware State — 90.0

4. Jake East, Cal Poly — 86.0

5. Nick Bafia, Butler — 85.9

Linebacker

1. Gideon Lampron, Dayton — 91.0

2. Noah Martin, Samford — 90.7

3. Anthony Roussos, Columbia — 88.9

4. Gary Bryant, South Dakota — 88.8

5. Seth Verilus, Robert Morris — 85.5

Edge Defender

1. David Walker, Central Arkansas — 91.5

2. Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho — 90.0

3. Riley Wilson, Montana — 88.6

4. Elijah Williams, Morgan State — 88.4

5. Mi’Quise Grace, South Dakota — 86.9

Interior Defender

1. Taylor Bolesta, Stony Brook — 86.7

2. Elijah St. John, LIU — 86.1

3. Rushawn Lawrence, Stony Brook — 85.5

4. Josh Barker, SC State — 85.1

5. Jalen Bell, Tennessee State — 84.7

The post 2024 PFF Highest-Graded FCS Players By Position (After Week 6) appeared first on HERO Sports.