ursus arctos horribilis
April 29th, 2021, 02:43 PM
FCS FOOTBALL – KEY LINKS
NCAA Statistics -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs) | NCAA Scoreboard / Schedule -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/scoreboard/football/fcs)
Standings -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/standings/football/fcs) | Rankings / Polls -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll)
FCS Insider -- Click Here (https://fcsinsider.com/) | Stats Perform – Click Here (http://www.fcs.football/fcsfront.asp) | HERO Sports -- Click Here (https://herosports.com/college-football/fcs/)
Congratulations to Sahar Abdur-Rashid, previously our staff contact for PR/media relations for FCS football, who has left the NCAA for a new opportunity.
For those covering the 2020 FCS Championship and 2021 FCS Championship game , please contact David Lentz ([email protected] ([email protected])) and Courtney Archer ([email protected] ([email protected])).
HEADLINES
This Week’s Schedule (Sunday, May 2)
North Dakota State at Sam Houston [ESPN] -- 2 pm CT
Delaware at Jacksonville State [ESPN3] -- 2 pm CT
North Dakota at James Madison [ESPN2] -- 5 pm CT
Southern Illinois at South Dakota State [ESPN2] -- 8 pm CT
Conference playoff records this spring: CAA (2-0), Southland (1-0), OVC (1-0); MVFC (4-1); Patriot (0-1); Pioneer (0-1); NEC (0-1); Big South (0-1); Southern (0-1); Big Sky (0-2).
In the past 10+ playoffs (2010-20/21), five leagues (Big Sky, CAA Football, MVFC, Southern and Southland) have combined to win 190 of 226 total games.
In the past 10 seasons, 166 FCS players have been taken in the NFL Draft, which includes 34 in the first 3 rounds (including 2 first-round selections)
3 Invited to FCS Stats Perform Walter Payton Award Announcement – Click Here (https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/04/barriere-chestnut-kelley-invited-to-walter-payton-award-announcement/)
3 Invited to FCS Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Announcement -- Click Here (https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/04/campbell-lewis-snyder-invited-to-buck-buchanan-award-announcement/)
FCS in the Spring (by the numbers, courtesy HERO/Sam Herder) -- Click Here (https://herosports.com/fcs-football-spring-season-games-played-covid-canceled-bzbz/)
BIG SKY -- Link to Football Home Page (https://bigskyconf.com/index.aspx?path=football)
BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL --Link to Football Home Page (https://bigsouthsports.com/index.aspx?path=football&)
CAA FOOTBALL -- Link to CAA Football Home Page (https://caasports.com/index.aspx?path=football&)
CAA GOES 2-0 IN FIRST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS: CAA Football went 2-0 in the first round of the FCS playoffs last Saturday as JMU beat SoCon champ VMI, 31-24, and Delaware defeated Northeast Conference champ Sacred Heart, 19-10. The CAA is now 54-39 (.581) all-time in first-round games. The Blue Hens visit OVC champ Jacksonville State on Sunday while JMU hosts MVFC co-champ North Dakota. It's the first time since 2017 that the CAA has had two teams advance to the quarterfinals.
DOMINANT DEFENSE: The CAA has three of the top 15 teams in FCS in total defense (#1 JMU - 213.5 ypg, #4 Delaware - 226.8 ypg and #15 Richmond - 278.5 ypg) and three of top 10 in scoring defense (#2 Delaware - 11.3 ppg, #3 JMU - 12.2 ppg and #9 Richmond - 17.0 ppg).
IVY LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (https://ivyleague.com/index.aspx?path=football)
MEAC FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://meacsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
MISSOURI VALLEY – Link to Football Home Page (https://valley-football.org/)
The MVFC is 71-29 (.705) since 2010 in the playoffs -- which includes 12 intra-conference games (meaning the league is 59-17 against teams from other leagues.)
This week’s game between Southern Illinois and fellow MVFC member South Dakota State is the 15th matchup of two MVFC schools in the playoffs. In 2014, Illinois State and North Dakota State played an all-MVFC championship game -- the only time that’s happened in FCS history.
Since the playoff bracket expanded to 20 teams in 2010 (3 years) and 24 in 2013 (7 years), the MVFC has had a minimum of two teams in the quarterfinals nine times. Three times the league has had three quarterfinal teams (2015, 2016, 2019), but this year’s four quarterfinal teams set a new standard. The CAA has had four quarterfinal teams in the same year three times (2004, 08, 09).
NEC FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://northeastconference.org/index.aspx?path=fball&)
OHIO VALLEY – Click for More Info (http://ovcsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
OVC football teams completed 27 of 28 scheduled Conference games this spring, playing from February 21 through April 11 (primarily on Sunday's)
Three times in the past six years an OVC team has advanced to the Quarterfinals, including Jacksonville State (2015, 2020) and Austin Peay (2019)
OVC teams have won at least one playoff game in five of the past eight years
Three OVC teams were ranked in the last regular season Top 25 polls, with Jacksonville State at No. 8/9, Murray State at No. 19/18 and Austin Peay at No. 21; every OVC team has been ranked at least one week over the past five years
PATRIOT LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (https://patriotleague.org/index.aspx?path=football&)
PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (http://www.pioneer-football.org/)
SoCON FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://soconsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
SOUTHLAND -- Link to Football Home Page (https://www.southland.org/index.aspx?path=football)
The Southland was the only FCS conference to play all of its games this spring without any cancellations or rescheduled games due to COVID.
With a 42-14 win over UIW, Sam Houston claimed its first Southland Football Championship since 2017. It also secured the first undefeated conference season (6-0) since 2016 and earned the Bearkats the No. 2 seed in the FCS Playoffs.
The Bearkats aim to stay perfect in FCS Playoff matchups at Bowers Stadium, where they are 14-0.
Sam Houston led the seven spring season participants with 22 all-conference selections, headlined by Player of the Year Eric Schmid and Newcomer of the Year Jequez Ezzard. Head man K.C. Keeler garnered Coach of the Year honors.
SWAC – Link to Football Home Page (https://swac.org/index.aspx?path=football)
NCAA Statistics -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs) | NCAA Scoreboard / Schedule -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/scoreboard/football/fcs)
Standings -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/standings/football/fcs) | Rankings / Polls -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll)
FCS Insider -- Click Here (https://fcsinsider.com/) | Stats Perform – Click Here (http://www.fcs.football/fcsfront.asp) | HERO Sports -- Click Here (https://herosports.com/college-football/fcs/)
Congratulations to Sahar Abdur-Rashid, previously our staff contact for PR/media relations for FCS football, who has left the NCAA for a new opportunity.
For those covering the 2020 FCS Championship and 2021 FCS Championship game , please contact David Lentz ([email protected] ([email protected])) and Courtney Archer ([email protected] ([email protected])).
HEADLINES
This Week’s Schedule (Sunday, May 2)
North Dakota State at Sam Houston [ESPN] -- 2 pm CT
Delaware at Jacksonville State [ESPN3] -- 2 pm CT
North Dakota at James Madison [ESPN2] -- 5 pm CT
Southern Illinois at South Dakota State [ESPN2] -- 8 pm CT
Conference playoff records this spring: CAA (2-0), Southland (1-0), OVC (1-0); MVFC (4-1); Patriot (0-1); Pioneer (0-1); NEC (0-1); Big South (0-1); Southern (0-1); Big Sky (0-2).
In the past 10+ playoffs (2010-20/21), five leagues (Big Sky, CAA Football, MVFC, Southern and Southland) have combined to win 190 of 226 total games.
In the past 10 seasons, 166 FCS players have been taken in the NFL Draft, which includes 34 in the first 3 rounds (including 2 first-round selections)
3 Invited to FCS Stats Perform Walter Payton Award Announcement – Click Here (https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/04/barriere-chestnut-kelley-invited-to-walter-payton-award-announcement/)
3 Invited to FCS Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Announcement -- Click Here (https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/04/campbell-lewis-snyder-invited-to-buck-buchanan-award-announcement/)
FCS in the Spring (by the numbers, courtesy HERO/Sam Herder) -- Click Here (https://herosports.com/fcs-football-spring-season-games-played-covid-canceled-bzbz/)
BIG SKY -- Link to Football Home Page (https://bigskyconf.com/index.aspx?path=football)
BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL --Link to Football Home Page (https://bigsouthsports.com/index.aspx?path=football&)
CAA FOOTBALL -- Link to CAA Football Home Page (https://caasports.com/index.aspx?path=football&)
CAA GOES 2-0 IN FIRST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS: CAA Football went 2-0 in the first round of the FCS playoffs last Saturday as JMU beat SoCon champ VMI, 31-24, and Delaware defeated Northeast Conference champ Sacred Heart, 19-10. The CAA is now 54-39 (.581) all-time in first-round games. The Blue Hens visit OVC champ Jacksonville State on Sunday while JMU hosts MVFC co-champ North Dakota. It's the first time since 2017 that the CAA has had two teams advance to the quarterfinals.
DOMINANT DEFENSE: The CAA has three of the top 15 teams in FCS in total defense (#1 JMU - 213.5 ypg, #4 Delaware - 226.8 ypg and #15 Richmond - 278.5 ypg) and three of top 10 in scoring defense (#2 Delaware - 11.3 ppg, #3 JMU - 12.2 ppg and #9 Richmond - 17.0 ppg).
IVY LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (https://ivyleague.com/index.aspx?path=football)
MEAC FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://meacsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
MISSOURI VALLEY – Link to Football Home Page (https://valley-football.org/)
The MVFC is 71-29 (.705) since 2010 in the playoffs -- which includes 12 intra-conference games (meaning the league is 59-17 against teams from other leagues.)
This week’s game between Southern Illinois and fellow MVFC member South Dakota State is the 15th matchup of two MVFC schools in the playoffs. In 2014, Illinois State and North Dakota State played an all-MVFC championship game -- the only time that’s happened in FCS history.
Since the playoff bracket expanded to 20 teams in 2010 (3 years) and 24 in 2013 (7 years), the MVFC has had a minimum of two teams in the quarterfinals nine times. Three times the league has had three quarterfinal teams (2015, 2016, 2019), but this year’s four quarterfinal teams set a new standard. The CAA has had four quarterfinal teams in the same year three times (2004, 08, 09).
NEC FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://northeastconference.org/index.aspx?path=fball&)
OHIO VALLEY – Click for More Info (http://ovcsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
OVC football teams completed 27 of 28 scheduled Conference games this spring, playing from February 21 through April 11 (primarily on Sunday's)
Three times in the past six years an OVC team has advanced to the Quarterfinals, including Jacksonville State (2015, 2020) and Austin Peay (2019)
OVC teams have won at least one playoff game in five of the past eight years
Three OVC teams were ranked in the last regular season Top 25 polls, with Jacksonville State at No. 8/9, Murray State at No. 19/18 and Austin Peay at No. 21; every OVC team has been ranked at least one week over the past five years
PATRIOT LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (https://patriotleague.org/index.aspx?path=football&)
PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE -- Link to Football Home Page (http://www.pioneer-football.org/)
SoCON FOOTBALL -- Link to Football Home Page (https://soconsports.com/index.aspx?path=football)
SOUTHLAND -- Link to Football Home Page (https://www.southland.org/index.aspx?path=football)
The Southland was the only FCS conference to play all of its games this spring without any cancellations or rescheduled games due to COVID.
With a 42-14 win over UIW, Sam Houston claimed its first Southland Football Championship since 2017. It also secured the first undefeated conference season (6-0) since 2016 and earned the Bearkats the No. 2 seed in the FCS Playoffs.
The Bearkats aim to stay perfect in FCS Playoff matchups at Bowers Stadium, where they are 14-0.
Sam Houston led the seven spring season participants with 22 all-conference selections, headlined by Player of the Year Eric Schmid and Newcomer of the Year Jequez Ezzard. Head man K.C. Keeler garnered Coach of the Year honors.
SWAC – Link to Football Home Page (https://swac.org/index.aspx?path=football)