D-II/NAIA/D-III over FCS Scalp Watch 2024

[bonarae]

While not all FCS teams have announced their full schedules yet, and D-II has mostly dialed down on move-up games... do you think there will be scalps of the wrong kind for the FCS this season? xchinscratchx

[WestCoastAggie]

As much as I hate to put this out there...

The CIAA's WSSU plays their long-time rival NC A&T in Greensboro Week 1. With A&T's 1-10 record in 2023, gambling degens should be put on high alert for this potential scalp.

[ST_Lawson]

I'll also put one out there for my own team.

WIU is winless since October 2021. We start off the season at two FBS teams then at Illinois State, but then have our home opener against DII McKendree University.
Massey says we're favored by 18 (predicted 38-20), but I'm still worried we're going to find a way to screw this up and lose to a DII for what would likely be our 28th loss in a row.

McKendree is from Lebanon, IL, just outside of the St. Louis "Metro East" suburbs area.

[UNAPride]

D2 North Greenville has an interesting couple of games to start the season. They open with defending NAIA champ Keiser before taking on The Citadel which was winless in FCS last season. It's possible that they lose to Keiser and beat The Citadel. But, the Bulldogs handled them in 2021 and will likely do so again this fall.

[bonarae]

One month left until FCS kicks off its season. Sad to say, there is still no sub-FBS/FCS game list for 2024 as of now.

[JALMOND]

Last year San Diego took a loss to DII Colorado Mesa. This year, they have Central Washington who is picked by some to win the Lone Star Conference. That could be tricky.

[Baron Sardonicus]

Last year San Diego took a loss to DII Colorado Mesa.

I wouldn't fixate on that game. About a third of the Torero squad was suspended that week.

For obvious reasons, USD is better this year. Not so obvious is the group of transfers they've brought in.

[bonarae]

Deep in Hero Sports' article list is a Daily Dose article (https://herosports.com/fcs-vs-non-d1-opponents-2024-bzbz/)listing the sub-D-I games of FCS in 2024.

Here’s the list of FCS vs. non-D1 opponents in 2024:
Week 1
Central State at Morehead State
Quincy at Drake
Northern State at South Dakota
Sioux Falls at St. Thomas
Virginia-Lynchburg at Wagner
Upper Iowa at Butler
Ave Maria at Stetson
Lincoln (CA) at Northern Arizona
North American at Stephen F. Austin
Week 2
Saint Anselm at Sacred Heart
Virginia State at Norfolk State
Franklin Pierce at Bryant
Central Washington at San Diego
UVA Wise at ETSU
Miles College at Alabama State
Virginia Union at Hampton
Warner at Stetson
Kentucky Christian at Morehead State
Edinboro at Robert Morris
Winston-Salem State at North Carolina A&T
Savannah State at Southern
Arkansas Baptist at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Catawba at Davidson
Western Oregon at Idaho State
Kentucky State at Alabama A&M
Tuskegee at Grambling State
Lane College at Jackson State
Presbyterian at Erskine
Week 3
North Greenville at The Citadel
Virginia-Lynchburg at Presbyterian
Morehouse vs Howard
Hanover College at Butler
Louisiana Christian at HCU
Augustana at South Dakota State
Point at Davidson
Georgetown (KY) at Alabama A&M
Indiana Wesleyan at Valparaiso
Black Hills State at St. Thomas
Western Oregon at Cal Poly
Edward Waters at Alcorn State
Week 4
Ave Maria at Dayton
Roosevelt at Valparaiso
Clark Atlanta at Bethune-Cookman
West Va. Wesleyan at Duquesne
Virginia-Lynchburg at Morgan State
Week 5
Virginia-Lynchburg at Butler
McKendree at Western Illinois
Week 6
Lincoln (PA) at Morgan State
Virginia-Lynchburg at Texas Southern
Week 7
Virginia-Lynchburg at NC Central
Week 8
Fort Valley State at SC State
Shorter at West Georgia
Week 14
Tuskegee at Alabama State

[bonarae]

Sioux Falls just scalped one of my teams, St. Thomas, on the road.

Final score was 34-13.

[SteelSD]

Sioux Falls just scalped one of my teams, St. Thomas, on the road.

Final score was 34-13.

USF was picked to finish 8th out of 13 teams in the NSIC coaches preseason poll. This was an old fashioned butt whooping. Interestingly UST plays another SD DII team in a couple weeks. And yet we let the winner of this conference in the playoffs…

[NY Crusader 2010]

Sioux Falls just scalped one of my teams, St. Thomas, on the road.

Final score was 34-13.

Yikes, I thought the Tommies were going to start shaping up to become the team to beat in the Pioneer League.

[hebmskebm]

Yikes, I thought the Tommies were going to start shaping up to become the team to beat in the Pioneer League.

They could still! It wouldn't be saying much, but they could. When the talent level is so low to begin with, results can be unpredictable.

[NY Crusader 2010]

D-II West Georgia knocked off Samford last night.

[JacksFan40]

D-II West Georgia knocked off Samford last night.
West Georgia is in their first year in D1.

[NY Crusader 2010]

West Georgia is in their first year in D1.

Oops. I totally missed that. Looks like they're in the A-SUN/WAC, assuming A-SUN for all sports. Their next game is on the road at Abilene Christian.

[FUBeAR]

Oops. I totally missed that. Looks like they're in the A-SUN/WAC, assuming A-SUN for all sports. Their next game is on the road at Abilene Christian.
*UAC

[bonarae]

Can Virginia Union thrash an unstable Hampton team as some would expect?

[UNAPride]

D2 North Greenville has an interesting couple of games to start the season. They open with defending NAIA champ Keiser before taking on The Citadel which was winless in FCS last season. It's possible that they lose to Keiser and beat The Citadel. But, the Bulldogs handled them in 2021 and will likely do so again this fall.

The first part of this scenario just happened. Keiser just beat North Greenville by a FG as time expired.

[bonarae]

Franklin Pierce 17, Bryant 14 5:03 3Q

Wait...

[bonarae]

Scalp alert averted for Bryant.

Edinboro leading on RMU 14-0, 2Q.

[bonarae]

Virginia Union, defending CIAA champions in D-II, leading on Hampton 14-12 at halftime.

[bonarae]

Edinboro 21, RMU 14 1:14 3Q
Virginia Union 21, Hampton 19 5:55 3Q

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Edinboro 23 Robert Morris 21 Final

Go PSAC!! Great win for the Fighting Scots!!

[NY Crusader 2010]

Hampton hung on against VUU, scoring 2 TDs in the 4th to win 33-21.

The CAA had two other D-II games played within a score as well:

NC A&T 27 Winston-Salem State 20
Bryant 21 Franklin Pierce 17

Holy Cross gets Bryant next week. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing for us.

[bonarae]

Clark Atlanta completes comeback and scalps Bethune-Cookman 38-37.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Clark Atlanta completes comeback and scalps Bethune-Cookman 38-37.

Clark won the game with a 55yd FG at the final horn.

[bonarae]

Frostburg State trapped Mercyhurst 25-24.