ursus arctos horribilis
October 15th, 2021, 02:13 PM
2021 FCS INSIDER -- KEY LINKS
NCAA Statistics – Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fstats.ncaa.org%2frankings%2fch ange_sport_year_div&c=E,1,mRjnMdfJ923UgEz_6F_K71TPIgaYLBK4h14t4LGm20rq WWtqfAZgQSQTq6pntUD0a2pxmiKT48pAb9pE53zsA3uTxDpujS 57ux2QBVpU&typo=1) | Top-25 Polls -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll) | Scoreboard -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/scoreboard/football/fcs)
FCS Insider -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2ffcsinsider.com%2f&c=E,1,3rB462R9KZ-aj2yNofuGFA9TqKQXYMRWX4Earw7riN3E_ztqOugup5gq2BwpL zt7KVV2pF5uyCpiAUfIkKrtUsBnLvSjTj6jHtoKYe9jgHKVuPp zXHxOEBrbksEt&typo=1) | Stats Perform -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fcs.football%2ffcsfront.asp&c=E,1,RNp9OmJwGyQPTgnEngU_v5QjJKoipACVxOqXwmSKZRyR PeqAHQOwZzl7U5GVxWDiwWUhGytnkLPvjVLVgWta1mTlttk6oK UmwhlQhdFYHjWZGXR8cFBDG7EaRw,,&typo=1) | HERO Sports -- Click Here
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FCS ALL IN -- "FCS ALL IN" is a weekly news program dedicated to promoting all FCS 15 conferences. Content will be provided by each participating conference, and the program will be distributed via a YouTube channel (//YouTube.com/c/FCSALLIN) and launched each Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. In addition to providing an overview of FCS games, each episode will include interviews with special guests and national media correspondents.
Through games of Saturday, Oct. 9, there are only eight FCS teams who still have a perfect record, including three Ivies.
6-0 ETSU, Eastern Washington
5-0 North Dakota State, Rhode Island, Sam Houston
4-0 Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton
Southeastern Louisiana's Cole Kelley, Columbia's Cam Dillon, Saint Francis' Josh McGrigg and Youngstown State's Demeatric Crenshaw were selected Monday as the Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week last week. In addition, Villanova earned FCS National Team of the Week.
There are three matchups this weekend in which two top-25 teams face one another. Where to watch those key matchups (AFCA rankings denoted). One of them is tonight (Friday), and two of the three contests involve ranked MVFC schools.
No. 9 Montana State at No. 18 Weber State (FRIDAY, Oct. 15) - ESPNU, 7 pm CT
No. 24 North Dakota at No. 4 Southern Illinois, Oct. 16 - ESPN3, 2 pm CT
No. 21 South Dakota at No. 17 UNI, Oct. 16 - Panther Sports Network, ESPN+, 4 pm CT
No. 1 Sam Houston hosts No. 22 Jacksonville State on Oct. 23 in both teams' next game.
#FearTheFCS -- In Week 1, the Big Sky became first FCS conference to post three wins over FBS opponents in the same week since CAA Football in 2009. Montana knocked off No. 20 Washington, becoming just the sixth FCS school to post a win over a nationally ranked FBS foe. There have been 10 FCS wins over FBS programs this season, including four wins over teams from "Power 5" programs. In 2016, five FCS teams knocked off Power 5 teams (the last time as many as three-such wins have occurred in one season). The last time the FCS had more than 10 wins in one season against FBS schools was in 2013 (16 that year).
FCS in the NFL – There were more than two full teams worth of FCS players on NFL opening-day rosters. Better than 130 former FCS players made teams' 53-man rosters. Despite low draft numbers this spring (6) and last (6 in 2019), the number of FCS players on NFL rosters has not altered much --- with more than 210 FCS players on NFL Opening Day rosters in each of the previous three seasons (that number includes 53-man rosters and practice squads).
The 2021 season marks the debut of two new FCS conferences. The ASUN has three members this season: Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, and Central Arkansas. The WAC has four post-season eligible teams in the fall: Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, and SFA. The two leagues have agreed on a one-year scheduling alliance for this fall.
ASUN -- This weekend's slate features the first-ever meeting between two ASUN Conference Football programs when Jacksonville State travels to Conway for a battle against Central Arkansas. The teams have only met twice before previously with the series knotted at one win apiece. Saturday also features first-time matchups for Kennesaw State and North Alabama against their respective conference opponents North Carolina A&T and Robert Morris.
Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State have a combined 3-1 record in AQ7 matchups this season with each team earning a victory. Current and future ASUN Football programs have accumulated four wins against FCS Top-25 opponents this fall with wins by Austin Peay, EKU, JSU and Kennesaw State.
ASUN Football squads hold a .667 winning percentage on their home fields with a combined record of 6-3. Eastern Kentucky leads the way with a 3-1 mark inside Roy Kidd Stadium The Jacksonville State Gamecocks are 2-1 on Burgess-Snow Field while Central Arkansas is 1-1 so far this season on "The Stripes".
BIG SKY -- Montana State travels to Weber State for a ranked Friday night showdown in Ogden, as the Bobcats put their 3-0 undefeated record in league play on the line. The game will air on ESPNU, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. MT tonight.
EWU climbed to No. 2 in both national polls this week, as the Eagles earned their first 6-0 start since joining the FCS in 1984. The No. 2 ranking is EWU's highest since finishing the 2018 season second overall in the country. The last time EWU was 6-0 in any season came 54 years ago in 1967 when Eastern won its first 11 games before losing in the NAIA Championship Game.
The EWU-Idaho game this Saturday will mark the second of four Big Sky games on ROOT SPORTS this season. The game will be available on ESPN+ subject to blackout in the ROOT SPORTS AT&T Sports Net territories airing the game live.
EWU's Eric Barriere has been one of the best players in college football this season, leading the FCS in passing yards (2,452), total offense (2,534) and passing touchdowns (21) and passing yards per game (408.7).
Montana State has been stellar on defense this year, with the Bobcats leading the conference in scoring defense (11.2), total defense (270.0) and pass defense (152.7). McKay also ranks seventh in passing yards per completion (14.45), 29th in passing yards per game (224.0), and 12th in passing TDs (13).
BIG SOUTH -- Campbell and Monmouth are seeking 3-0 Big South starts this Saturday -- but only one will emerge with the record as the teams go head-to-head in Buies Creek. The Camels' last 3-0 Big South start was in 2019, while the Hawks are looking for their fifth consecutive 3-0 open to the league season. Meanwhile, North Carolina A&T is looking to open a conference slate 3-0 for the first time since 2018. The Aggies' travel to Kennesaw State Saturday, and the Owls are eying a 2-0 start to the Big South season for the fifth-straight year.
North Carolina A&T is just the second new member in the league's 20-year history to begin its first Big South season with a 2-0 record. The Aggies join the 2002 Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, who won the inaugural Big South title that year with a 3-0 mark.
Campbell defeated Gardner-Webb last week, 42-28, to claim the inaugural North Carolina East/West BBQ Bowl as part of a new annual rivalry between the two in-state members. The Camels brought home the well-built, hefty trophy -- topped with a decorative hog and adorned with a placard to engrave each year's winning team and score -- back to Buies Creek, and will eventually enjoy a feast of eastern-style barbeque to be supplied by the Runnin' Bulldogs as part of the arrangement. Campbell is scheduled to host the second BBQ Bowl rivalry game on Nov. 12, 2022.
Kennesaw State QB Xavier Shepherd rushed for a career-high 179 yards last week at Hampton -- the most-ever by a Big South quarterback in a conference game and the third-highest overall QB single-game rushing total in league history. The old record for a Big South game was 175 rushing yards by Gardner-Webb quarterback Tyrell Maxwell against Presbyterian in 2017.
CAA FOOTBALL -- Four of the CAA's five nationally ranked teams face conference road tests this Saturday. #6/5 Villanova visits UAlbany, #8/7 James Madison is at in-state rival Richmond, #12/14 Rhode Island travels to Towson and #14/15 Delaware heads to Stony Brook. Maine hosts William & Mary to round out the league slate while #23 New Hampshire entertains unbeaten Dartmouth.
Four of the five CAA games last Saturday were decided by seven points or less. For the season, an incredible 11 of 16 conference games (68.8%) have been determined by no more than seven points.
Rhode Island is off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2001. William & Mary is 4-1 for the first time since 2014 and 2-0 in CAA play for the first time since 2004. Elon is 3-1 on the road for the first time since 2017. Villanova snapped JMU's 15-game CAA winning streak and 19-game home winning streak last week. Both streaks dated back to 2018. It was the Wildcats' first victory in Harrisonburg since 2009.
Six CAA teams are among the top 32 in FCS in turnover margin and eight of the league's 12 squads have a positive turnover margin. Villanova and Elon are both +7, Rhode Island is +6 and JMU is +5. Individually, Rhode Island's Jordan Jones tops FCS with five interceptions and Villanova's Christian Benford is 2nd with four.
IVY LEAGUE -- A pair of Ivy League matchups highlights this weekend's Ivy Football slate. Brown welcomes No. 20 Princeton to Providence, R.I., at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Then at 1:30 p.m. Penn and Columbia clash in The Big Apple.
This is the final weekend of the season of non-conference play. Three of the four games are in-state clashes, including a bout between Dartmouth and No. 23 New Hampshire. After going 4-0 last week against non-league opponents, Ivies are collectively 14-6 on the season. The league's non-conference success is not a new trend. Dating back to the 2010 season, Ivy League schools are 155-105 against non-league opponents.
Three of the eight remaining unbeaten teams in the FCS are Ivies: Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton. The three schools have been winning by a large average margin; Dartmouth (19.75), Harvard (26.5), Princeton (28.75).
Five of the Ancient Eight teams rank in the top 10 in the nation in scoring defense: Princeton (8.8, second), Dartmouth (11.2, fourth), Harvard (12.2, sixth), Yale (15.2, 10th) and Penn (15.2, 10th).
After entering the top 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll last week, Harvard and Princeton both moved up spots in this week's poll. After topping Cornell, the Crimson bumped up three spots to No. 19 in the country. The Tigers, which beat then No. 25 Monmouth, moved up four spots to No. 20.
MEAC -- This Saturday's MEAC battle between the South Carolina State Bulldogs and the Morgan State Bears will take center stage this Saturday – in more ways than one. For one, it'll be a clash between two MEAC foes still searching for an identity midway through 2021. The Bulldogs currently hold a record of 1-4, with the win coming against Bethune-Cookman two weeks ago. This will be South Carolina State's first conference contest; meanwhile, the Bears haven't tasted victory yet, entering the game at 0-5 overall and 0-1 in the league after being shut out 27-0 by Howard last weekend.
The other significant factor about the game is that it will get added national attention with the premiere of the MEAC's football pregame show, MEAC Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Coca-Cola, airing two hours before kickoff on South Carolina State's campus. Hosted by Hall of Fame broadcaster Charlie Neal and Nicole Hutchison, the hour-long pregame show will not only focus on the football game, but it will also feature information on the history of the participating institutions, current events, updates from around the conference, interviews with coaches, student-athletes, athletics directors, presidents and chancellors and alumni, and news and analysis about the day's featured game.
MISSOURI VALLEY -- Southern Illinois has won back-to-back overtime games, defeating Western Illinois and South Dakota State when the home team failed on their two-point try after SIU had scored first both weekends. Counting those two wins, SIU's won four consecutive overtimes. The prior two wins came in 2013 and 2015. Notably, three of the four consecutive OT wins have been road games. Also, 2013 is the only other season in which SIU has played two overtime games in the same season. SIU is now 8-4 all-time in overtime games, including 8-2 in league games.
Missouri Valley Football schools have built its FCS-best record against peer conferences to 18-2.
Including polls of Oct. 11, the league has had seven or more teams ranked in the same week 19 times in its history, most recently on March 8, 2021. Notably, eight different MVFC teams were ranked during the same week (7 teams in the coaches poll and 7 in the media poll) on Sept. 29, 2014, setting a league record for total teams ranked in one week.
In addition to the AFCA and Stats Perform Top 25 polls, the MVFC's 11 schools are well-represented in all the metrics. In the Massey FCS ratings, North Dakota State is the top-rated FCS program, followed closely by three other MVFC schools (all in the Top 5). South Dakota State is No. 2; Southern Illinois is No. 4; and UNI ranks No. 5 in that metric. Joined by South Dakota (8) and Missouri State (10), the league has six teams in the Top 10; the Big Sky (Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State) holds three top-10 spots.
NORTHEAST -- There are three Northeast Conference contests on the Week 7 slate with LIU hosting MERRIMACK in a featured matchup on ESPN3 at 12:00 pm ET. SACRED HEART clashes with CENTRAL CONNECTICUT in a Nutmeg State rivalry game (NEC Front Row) and BRYANT welcomes SAINT FRANCIS to Smithfield (NEC Front Row).
BRYANT freshmen Zevi Eckhaus (QB) and Fabrice Mukendi (RB) have quickly emerged into prime performers. Eckhaus, who has held the NEC Rookie of the Week award for three straight weeks, has accounted for back-to-back 300-yard passing days against Brown and Duquesne. Mukendi, who has scored a touchdown in four consecutive outings, recorded his first career 100-yard rushing day in the last-minute setback at Duquesne.
SAINT FRANCIS has been home to the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week for four of the season's first six weeks. SFU WR Josh McGrigg currently holds the honor after his 94-yard KOR TD and his 59-yard PR TD in a 55-10 win over LIU.
SACRED HEART has been without consensus All-America RB Julius Chestnut (due to injury) since Week 2, but 5-foot-7 backup Malik Grant has carried the load admirably in his absence. Grant rushed 28 times for 228 yards in a Week 6 win over Merrimack, accounting for the third-highest single-game total in the FCS this season.
OHIO VALLEY -- The OVC and Southland Conference have announced plans for a football scheduling alliance between the two leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The planned collaboration will see institutions from each conference fill available non-conference dates on schedules in the next two years with a focus toward competitive balance and reasonable travel. In addition to providing quality Division I FCS non-conference matchups, the alliance will allow increased visibility, exposure and branding for each Conference. More specific details, including game matchups in 2022 and 2023, will be announced at a later date
UT Martin ran its winning streak to four in a row with a 48-24 win over rival Murray State. It was the first OVC game of the season for the Skyhawks who have moved to No. 16 in the FCS Coaches Top 25 poll. UTM plays at Eastern Illinois this week looking for its first five-game winning streak since 2006, the last time they won the OVC Championship.
Southeast Missouri is the first OVC team with two Conference victories this season, after winning 30-14 at Austin Peay. Running back Geno Hess scored three rushing touchdowns and now has nine rushing scores in six games, which ranks second nationally. He had 12 rushing touchdowns a year ago to lead all of the FCS. Hess ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards (586).
PATRIOT -- The week seven schedule opens with first-place Colgate at Cornell on Friday night in Ithaca, N.Y. with a 7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Lafayette closes its non-League schedule at Harvard, and Bucknell and Fordham each play their second League game with coverage of both games beginning at 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Audio will be available on WVLY 100.9 FM and WFUVSports.org for the Bison at Rams meeting. Holy Cross hosts Georgetown to open League play at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Home Patriot League games can be viewed internationally at https://patriotleague.org/watch.
Fordham senior quarterback Tim DeMorat and senior wide receiver Fotis Kokosioulis connected on two touchdowns during the Rams' 56-7 victory over Wagner on Oct. 9. DeMorat leads the Patriot League and is eighth in the FCS with 15 touchdown passes this season, including a pair of four-touchdown games. Kokosioulis leads the League and is fifth in the nation with six touchdown receptions, all from DeMorat. The Rams offense leads the League, averaging 28.8 points per game through six games this season.
Lafayette freshman QB Ah-Shaun Davis has recorded a League-best 156.6 pass efficiency rating in his first four games, completing 59-of-87 passes for 825 yards with one interception and three TD passes. The two-time League rookie of the week threw for a career-high 354 yards with touchdown passes of 46 and 74 yards to earn honorable mention for the Stats Perform National Rookie of the Week.
PFL -- San Diego's Dale Lindsey became the fourth head coach to record 50 career PFL victories with the Torero's win at Butler, Oct. 9. He joins Dayton's Rich Chamberlin (72), Dayton's Mike Kelley (55), and Jacksonville's Kerwin Bell (51) as coaches with 50-plus wins. That group still could grow by two this season with Butler's Jeff Voris (48) and Marist's Jim Parady (48) just two wins away from joining the exclusive group.
With Dayton's 63-point performance in a league victory against Presbyterian, five of the FCS's 60-plus scoring performances have been put forth by PFL teams. Presbyterian holds down the No. 1 and No. 5 spots on the list with its 84 points against St. Andrews and 68 points against Fort Lauderdale. Butler sits at No. 2 with its 77-point outing against Taylor (Ind.). Dayton is now No. 9 while Morehead State's 62-point effort against Point (Ga.) is No. 14.
Furthering the league's offensive mindset in 2021, four of the league's 11 members are ranked in the FCS' Top 50 in scoring offense. Presbyterian ranks No. 4 (45.0 ppg) followed by Morehead State (13th, 38.0), Dayton (36th, 29.8), and Davidson (43rd, 28.8 ppg).
SOUTHERN -- Tenth-ranked and unbeaten ETSU visits Chattanooga on Saturday in the Ingles Southern Conference Game of the Week on select Nexstar affiliates. Mercer also puts it perfect SoCon start on the line when it hosts VMI on Saturday, while Wofford hosts Samford and Furman welcomes The Citadel.
ETSU moved to No. 10 in both the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 and the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 after its 48-21 win over The Citadel on Oct. 9. The Bucs, who are 6-0 for the third time in program history and first time since 1969, got 182 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns from Quay Holmes, who finished the game No. 9 in SoCon history with 5,393 career all-purpose yards.
Chattanooga dropped a 37-34 decision in overtime at VMI last time out. The Mocs got 16 tackles each from Ty Boeck and Kam Jones and saw Tyrell Price (122) and Ailym Ford (118) each rush for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Mercer, the first team out of both national polls, is 3-0 in SoCon play for the first time in program history. The Bears downed Western Carolina 34-24 last Saturday, with sophomore safety Lance Wise forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass en route to being named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week presented by GEICO. Devin Fosler hit a pair of long field goals, tying the school record with a 50-yard make in the third quarter and breaking the mark with a 51-yarder fourth.
SOUTHLAND -- At 4-1 out of the gates, Southeastern is off to its finest five-game start since 1980, the Lions' first year as a Division I program. Southeastern QB Cole Kelley has completed at least 73.2 percent of his passes in each of his last eight games, averaging 424.4 yards of total offense and totaling 39 touchdowns in that span. The Lions are 6-2 in those games with an average of 48.1 points per contest.
Nicholls quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. extended his streak of games with at least 100 rushing yards and 100 passing yards to four with 298 yards passing and 108 yards on the ground against Southeastern. He has averaged 381.5 yards of total offense and 7.9 yards per carry in those games.
With 11 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns against Southeastern, Nicholls wide receiver Dai'Jean Dixon moves to third in Southland history in career yards (3,427) and a tie for fourth with 32 career touchdown receptions. He also entered the top-10 in career receptions with 207.
SWAC -- Offensive Player of the Week Andrew Body completed 28-of-35 pass attempts for 338 yards and rushed for 85 yards on 13 attempts. He set up the game-winning touchdown with a 21-yard run on TSU's final drive as the Tigers beat Southern 35-31 for the first time since 2010 and only second time since 1996.
The Jackson State Tigers made their debut in AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll- Week Six rankings with a #25 ranking. The Tigers enter Week Seven with a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 record in league play.
WAC -- It's a light week with just two games on the schedule but both games will count in the WAC standings as Lamar travels to Abilene Christian for a 3 p.m. CT kick while Tarleton travels to Dixie State for a 7 p.m. MT kick. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
As a team, Sam Houston leads the WAC in scoring offense (40.2), scoring defense (18.4), total offense (465.2), rushing offense (222.2), rushing defense (70.2), passing touchdowns (15), field goal percentage (100.0), opponent first downs (15.6) and are tied with Abilene Christian for touchdowns scored (27).
Mike Kern
Associate Commissioner
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FCS ALL IN -- "FCS ALL IN" is a weekly news program dedicated to promoting all FCS 15 conferences. Content will be provided by each participating conference, and the program will be distributed via a YouTube channel (//YouTube.com/c/FCSALLIN) and launched each Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. In addition to providing an overview of FCS games, each episode will include interviews with special guests and national media correspondents.
Through games of Saturday, Oct. 9, there are only eight FCS teams who still have a perfect record, including three Ivies.
6-0 ETSU, Eastern Washington
5-0 North Dakota State, Rhode Island, Sam Houston
4-0 Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton
Southeastern Louisiana's Cole Kelley, Columbia's Cam Dillon, Saint Francis' Josh McGrigg and Youngstown State's Demeatric Crenshaw were selected Monday as the Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week last week. In addition, Villanova earned FCS National Team of the Week.
There are three matchups this weekend in which two top-25 teams face one another. Where to watch those key matchups (AFCA rankings denoted). One of them is tonight (Friday), and two of the three contests involve ranked MVFC schools.
No. 9 Montana State at No. 18 Weber State (FRIDAY, Oct. 15) - ESPNU, 7 pm CT
No. 24 North Dakota at No. 4 Southern Illinois, Oct. 16 - ESPN3, 2 pm CT
No. 21 South Dakota at No. 17 UNI, Oct. 16 - Panther Sports Network, ESPN+, 4 pm CT
No. 1 Sam Houston hosts No. 22 Jacksonville State on Oct. 23 in both teams' next game.
#FearTheFCS -- In Week 1, the Big Sky became first FCS conference to post three wins over FBS opponents in the same week since CAA Football in 2009. Montana knocked off No. 20 Washington, becoming just the sixth FCS school to post a win over a nationally ranked FBS foe. There have been 10 FCS wins over FBS programs this season, including four wins over teams from "Power 5" programs. In 2016, five FCS teams knocked off Power 5 teams (the last time as many as three-such wins have occurred in one season). The last time the FCS had more than 10 wins in one season against FBS schools was in 2013 (16 that year).
FCS in the NFL – There were more than two full teams worth of FCS players on NFL opening-day rosters. Better than 130 former FCS players made teams' 53-man rosters. Despite low draft numbers this spring (6) and last (6 in 2019), the number of FCS players on NFL rosters has not altered much --- with more than 210 FCS players on NFL Opening Day rosters in each of the previous three seasons (that number includes 53-man rosters and practice squads).
The 2021 season marks the debut of two new FCS conferences. The ASUN has three members this season: Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, and Central Arkansas. The WAC has four post-season eligible teams in the fall: Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, and SFA. The two leagues have agreed on a one-year scheduling alliance for this fall.
ASUN -- This weekend's slate features the first-ever meeting between two ASUN Conference Football programs when Jacksonville State travels to Conway for a battle against Central Arkansas. The teams have only met twice before previously with the series knotted at one win apiece. Saturday also features first-time matchups for Kennesaw State and North Alabama against their respective conference opponents North Carolina A&T and Robert Morris.
Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State have a combined 3-1 record in AQ7 matchups this season with each team earning a victory. Current and future ASUN Football programs have accumulated four wins against FCS Top-25 opponents this fall with wins by Austin Peay, EKU, JSU and Kennesaw State.
ASUN Football squads hold a .667 winning percentage on their home fields with a combined record of 6-3. Eastern Kentucky leads the way with a 3-1 mark inside Roy Kidd Stadium The Jacksonville State Gamecocks are 2-1 on Burgess-Snow Field while Central Arkansas is 1-1 so far this season on "The Stripes".
BIG SKY -- Montana State travels to Weber State for a ranked Friday night showdown in Ogden, as the Bobcats put their 3-0 undefeated record in league play on the line. The game will air on ESPNU, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. MT tonight.
EWU climbed to No. 2 in both national polls this week, as the Eagles earned their first 6-0 start since joining the FCS in 1984. The No. 2 ranking is EWU's highest since finishing the 2018 season second overall in the country. The last time EWU was 6-0 in any season came 54 years ago in 1967 when Eastern won its first 11 games before losing in the NAIA Championship Game.
The EWU-Idaho game this Saturday will mark the second of four Big Sky games on ROOT SPORTS this season. The game will be available on ESPN+ subject to blackout in the ROOT SPORTS AT&T Sports Net territories airing the game live.
EWU's Eric Barriere has been one of the best players in college football this season, leading the FCS in passing yards (2,452), total offense (2,534) and passing touchdowns (21) and passing yards per game (408.7).
Montana State has been stellar on defense this year, with the Bobcats leading the conference in scoring defense (11.2), total defense (270.0) and pass defense (152.7). McKay also ranks seventh in passing yards per completion (14.45), 29th in passing yards per game (224.0), and 12th in passing TDs (13).
BIG SOUTH -- Campbell and Monmouth are seeking 3-0 Big South starts this Saturday -- but only one will emerge with the record as the teams go head-to-head in Buies Creek. The Camels' last 3-0 Big South start was in 2019, while the Hawks are looking for their fifth consecutive 3-0 open to the league season. Meanwhile, North Carolina A&T is looking to open a conference slate 3-0 for the first time since 2018. The Aggies' travel to Kennesaw State Saturday, and the Owls are eying a 2-0 start to the Big South season for the fifth-straight year.
North Carolina A&T is just the second new member in the league's 20-year history to begin its first Big South season with a 2-0 record. The Aggies join the 2002 Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, who won the inaugural Big South title that year with a 3-0 mark.
Campbell defeated Gardner-Webb last week, 42-28, to claim the inaugural North Carolina East/West BBQ Bowl as part of a new annual rivalry between the two in-state members. The Camels brought home the well-built, hefty trophy -- topped with a decorative hog and adorned with a placard to engrave each year's winning team and score -- back to Buies Creek, and will eventually enjoy a feast of eastern-style barbeque to be supplied by the Runnin' Bulldogs as part of the arrangement. Campbell is scheduled to host the second BBQ Bowl rivalry game on Nov. 12, 2022.
Kennesaw State QB Xavier Shepherd rushed for a career-high 179 yards last week at Hampton -- the most-ever by a Big South quarterback in a conference game and the third-highest overall QB single-game rushing total in league history. The old record for a Big South game was 175 rushing yards by Gardner-Webb quarterback Tyrell Maxwell against Presbyterian in 2017.
CAA FOOTBALL -- Four of the CAA's five nationally ranked teams face conference road tests this Saturday. #6/5 Villanova visits UAlbany, #8/7 James Madison is at in-state rival Richmond, #12/14 Rhode Island travels to Towson and #14/15 Delaware heads to Stony Brook. Maine hosts William & Mary to round out the league slate while #23 New Hampshire entertains unbeaten Dartmouth.
Four of the five CAA games last Saturday were decided by seven points or less. For the season, an incredible 11 of 16 conference games (68.8%) have been determined by no more than seven points.
Rhode Island is off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2001. William & Mary is 4-1 for the first time since 2014 and 2-0 in CAA play for the first time since 2004. Elon is 3-1 on the road for the first time since 2017. Villanova snapped JMU's 15-game CAA winning streak and 19-game home winning streak last week. Both streaks dated back to 2018. It was the Wildcats' first victory in Harrisonburg since 2009.
Six CAA teams are among the top 32 in FCS in turnover margin and eight of the league's 12 squads have a positive turnover margin. Villanova and Elon are both +7, Rhode Island is +6 and JMU is +5. Individually, Rhode Island's Jordan Jones tops FCS with five interceptions and Villanova's Christian Benford is 2nd with four.
IVY LEAGUE -- A pair of Ivy League matchups highlights this weekend's Ivy Football slate. Brown welcomes No. 20 Princeton to Providence, R.I., at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Then at 1:30 p.m. Penn and Columbia clash in The Big Apple.
This is the final weekend of the season of non-conference play. Three of the four games are in-state clashes, including a bout between Dartmouth and No. 23 New Hampshire. After going 4-0 last week against non-league opponents, Ivies are collectively 14-6 on the season. The league's non-conference success is not a new trend. Dating back to the 2010 season, Ivy League schools are 155-105 against non-league opponents.
Three of the eight remaining unbeaten teams in the FCS are Ivies: Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton. The three schools have been winning by a large average margin; Dartmouth (19.75), Harvard (26.5), Princeton (28.75).
Five of the Ancient Eight teams rank in the top 10 in the nation in scoring defense: Princeton (8.8, second), Dartmouth (11.2, fourth), Harvard (12.2, sixth), Yale (15.2, 10th) and Penn (15.2, 10th).
After entering the top 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll last week, Harvard and Princeton both moved up spots in this week's poll. After topping Cornell, the Crimson bumped up three spots to No. 19 in the country. The Tigers, which beat then No. 25 Monmouth, moved up four spots to No. 20.
MEAC -- This Saturday's MEAC battle between the South Carolina State Bulldogs and the Morgan State Bears will take center stage this Saturday – in more ways than one. For one, it'll be a clash between two MEAC foes still searching for an identity midway through 2021. The Bulldogs currently hold a record of 1-4, with the win coming against Bethune-Cookman two weeks ago. This will be South Carolina State's first conference contest; meanwhile, the Bears haven't tasted victory yet, entering the game at 0-5 overall and 0-1 in the league after being shut out 27-0 by Howard last weekend.
The other significant factor about the game is that it will get added national attention with the premiere of the MEAC's football pregame show, MEAC Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Coca-Cola, airing two hours before kickoff on South Carolina State's campus. Hosted by Hall of Fame broadcaster Charlie Neal and Nicole Hutchison, the hour-long pregame show will not only focus on the football game, but it will also feature information on the history of the participating institutions, current events, updates from around the conference, interviews with coaches, student-athletes, athletics directors, presidents and chancellors and alumni, and news and analysis about the day's featured game.
MISSOURI VALLEY -- Southern Illinois has won back-to-back overtime games, defeating Western Illinois and South Dakota State when the home team failed on their two-point try after SIU had scored first both weekends. Counting those two wins, SIU's won four consecutive overtimes. The prior two wins came in 2013 and 2015. Notably, three of the four consecutive OT wins have been road games. Also, 2013 is the only other season in which SIU has played two overtime games in the same season. SIU is now 8-4 all-time in overtime games, including 8-2 in league games.
Missouri Valley Football schools have built its FCS-best record against peer conferences to 18-2.
Including polls of Oct. 11, the league has had seven or more teams ranked in the same week 19 times in its history, most recently on March 8, 2021. Notably, eight different MVFC teams were ranked during the same week (7 teams in the coaches poll and 7 in the media poll) on Sept. 29, 2014, setting a league record for total teams ranked in one week.
In addition to the AFCA and Stats Perform Top 25 polls, the MVFC's 11 schools are well-represented in all the metrics. In the Massey FCS ratings, North Dakota State is the top-rated FCS program, followed closely by three other MVFC schools (all in the Top 5). South Dakota State is No. 2; Southern Illinois is No. 4; and UNI ranks No. 5 in that metric. Joined by South Dakota (8) and Missouri State (10), the league has six teams in the Top 10; the Big Sky (Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State) holds three top-10 spots.
NORTHEAST -- There are three Northeast Conference contests on the Week 7 slate with LIU hosting MERRIMACK in a featured matchup on ESPN3 at 12:00 pm ET. SACRED HEART clashes with CENTRAL CONNECTICUT in a Nutmeg State rivalry game (NEC Front Row) and BRYANT welcomes SAINT FRANCIS to Smithfield (NEC Front Row).
BRYANT freshmen Zevi Eckhaus (QB) and Fabrice Mukendi (RB) have quickly emerged into prime performers. Eckhaus, who has held the NEC Rookie of the Week award for three straight weeks, has accounted for back-to-back 300-yard passing days against Brown and Duquesne. Mukendi, who has scored a touchdown in four consecutive outings, recorded his first career 100-yard rushing day in the last-minute setback at Duquesne.
SAINT FRANCIS has been home to the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week for four of the season's first six weeks. SFU WR Josh McGrigg currently holds the honor after his 94-yard KOR TD and his 59-yard PR TD in a 55-10 win over LIU.
SACRED HEART has been without consensus All-America RB Julius Chestnut (due to injury) since Week 2, but 5-foot-7 backup Malik Grant has carried the load admirably in his absence. Grant rushed 28 times for 228 yards in a Week 6 win over Merrimack, accounting for the third-highest single-game total in the FCS this season.
OHIO VALLEY -- The OVC and Southland Conference have announced plans for a football scheduling alliance between the two leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The planned collaboration will see institutions from each conference fill available non-conference dates on schedules in the next two years with a focus toward competitive balance and reasonable travel. In addition to providing quality Division I FCS non-conference matchups, the alliance will allow increased visibility, exposure and branding for each Conference. More specific details, including game matchups in 2022 and 2023, will be announced at a later date
UT Martin ran its winning streak to four in a row with a 48-24 win over rival Murray State. It was the first OVC game of the season for the Skyhawks who have moved to No. 16 in the FCS Coaches Top 25 poll. UTM plays at Eastern Illinois this week looking for its first five-game winning streak since 2006, the last time they won the OVC Championship.
Southeast Missouri is the first OVC team with two Conference victories this season, after winning 30-14 at Austin Peay. Running back Geno Hess scored three rushing touchdowns and now has nine rushing scores in six games, which ranks second nationally. He had 12 rushing touchdowns a year ago to lead all of the FCS. Hess ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards (586).
PATRIOT -- The week seven schedule opens with first-place Colgate at Cornell on Friday night in Ithaca, N.Y. with a 7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Lafayette closes its non-League schedule at Harvard, and Bucknell and Fordham each play their second League game with coverage of both games beginning at 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Audio will be available on WVLY 100.9 FM and WFUVSports.org for the Bison at Rams meeting. Holy Cross hosts Georgetown to open League play at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Home Patriot League games can be viewed internationally at https://patriotleague.org/watch.
Fordham senior quarterback Tim DeMorat and senior wide receiver Fotis Kokosioulis connected on two touchdowns during the Rams' 56-7 victory over Wagner on Oct. 9. DeMorat leads the Patriot League and is eighth in the FCS with 15 touchdown passes this season, including a pair of four-touchdown games. Kokosioulis leads the League and is fifth in the nation with six touchdown receptions, all from DeMorat. The Rams offense leads the League, averaging 28.8 points per game through six games this season.
Lafayette freshman QB Ah-Shaun Davis has recorded a League-best 156.6 pass efficiency rating in his first four games, completing 59-of-87 passes for 825 yards with one interception and three TD passes. The two-time League rookie of the week threw for a career-high 354 yards with touchdown passes of 46 and 74 yards to earn honorable mention for the Stats Perform National Rookie of the Week.
PFL -- San Diego's Dale Lindsey became the fourth head coach to record 50 career PFL victories with the Torero's win at Butler, Oct. 9. He joins Dayton's Rich Chamberlin (72), Dayton's Mike Kelley (55), and Jacksonville's Kerwin Bell (51) as coaches with 50-plus wins. That group still could grow by two this season with Butler's Jeff Voris (48) and Marist's Jim Parady (48) just two wins away from joining the exclusive group.
With Dayton's 63-point performance in a league victory against Presbyterian, five of the FCS's 60-plus scoring performances have been put forth by PFL teams. Presbyterian holds down the No. 1 and No. 5 spots on the list with its 84 points against St. Andrews and 68 points against Fort Lauderdale. Butler sits at No. 2 with its 77-point outing against Taylor (Ind.). Dayton is now No. 9 while Morehead State's 62-point effort against Point (Ga.) is No. 14.
Furthering the league's offensive mindset in 2021, four of the league's 11 members are ranked in the FCS' Top 50 in scoring offense. Presbyterian ranks No. 4 (45.0 ppg) followed by Morehead State (13th, 38.0), Dayton (36th, 29.8), and Davidson (43rd, 28.8 ppg).
SOUTHERN -- Tenth-ranked and unbeaten ETSU visits Chattanooga on Saturday in the Ingles Southern Conference Game of the Week on select Nexstar affiliates. Mercer also puts it perfect SoCon start on the line when it hosts VMI on Saturday, while Wofford hosts Samford and Furman welcomes The Citadel.
ETSU moved to No. 10 in both the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 and the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 after its 48-21 win over The Citadel on Oct. 9. The Bucs, who are 6-0 for the third time in program history and first time since 1969, got 182 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns from Quay Holmes, who finished the game No. 9 in SoCon history with 5,393 career all-purpose yards.
Chattanooga dropped a 37-34 decision in overtime at VMI last time out. The Mocs got 16 tackles each from Ty Boeck and Kam Jones and saw Tyrell Price (122) and Ailym Ford (118) each rush for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Mercer, the first team out of both national polls, is 3-0 in SoCon play for the first time in program history. The Bears downed Western Carolina 34-24 last Saturday, with sophomore safety Lance Wise forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass en route to being named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week presented by GEICO. Devin Fosler hit a pair of long field goals, tying the school record with a 50-yard make in the third quarter and breaking the mark with a 51-yarder fourth.
SOUTHLAND -- At 4-1 out of the gates, Southeastern is off to its finest five-game start since 1980, the Lions' first year as a Division I program. Southeastern QB Cole Kelley has completed at least 73.2 percent of his passes in each of his last eight games, averaging 424.4 yards of total offense and totaling 39 touchdowns in that span. The Lions are 6-2 in those games with an average of 48.1 points per contest.
Nicholls quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. extended his streak of games with at least 100 rushing yards and 100 passing yards to four with 298 yards passing and 108 yards on the ground against Southeastern. He has averaged 381.5 yards of total offense and 7.9 yards per carry in those games.
With 11 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns against Southeastern, Nicholls wide receiver Dai'Jean Dixon moves to third in Southland history in career yards (3,427) and a tie for fourth with 32 career touchdown receptions. He also entered the top-10 in career receptions with 207.
SWAC -- Offensive Player of the Week Andrew Body completed 28-of-35 pass attempts for 338 yards and rushed for 85 yards on 13 attempts. He set up the game-winning touchdown with a 21-yard run on TSU's final drive as the Tigers beat Southern 35-31 for the first time since 2010 and only second time since 1996.
The Jackson State Tigers made their debut in AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll- Week Six rankings with a #25 ranking. The Tigers enter Week Seven with a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 record in league play.
WAC -- It's a light week with just two games on the schedule but both games will count in the WAC standings as Lamar travels to Abilene Christian for a 3 p.m. CT kick while Tarleton travels to Dixie State for a 7 p.m. MT kick. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
As a team, Sam Houston leads the WAC in scoring offense (40.2), scoring defense (18.4), total offense (465.2), rushing offense (222.2), rushing defense (70.2), passing touchdowns (15), field goal percentage (100.0), opponent first downs (15.6) and are tied with Abilene Christian for touchdowns scored (27).
Mike Kern
Associate Commissioner