FCS Conference-by-Conference Preview

August 25, 2021 by Staff

AQ7, ASUN, WAC

For the Fall of 2021, the ASUN and WAC will team up as one conference, the AQ7, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Playoff awarded to the team with the best conference record.

Though there are a combined 9 teams, Dixie State and Tarleton State in the WAC are both in reclassification phase and ineligible for the playoff. Games involving either will not count toward the league standings.

The schools vying for the crown include defending national champion Sam Houston State which departs the Southland to join the WAC. The Bearkats are joined there by three other schools from the Southland - Abilene Christian, Lamar, and Stephen F. Austin.

Those four schools are joined by 3 ASUN members - Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State. Central Arkansas also vacated the Southland while Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State are former OVC programs.

Four of the AQ7 members did not participate in the Spring season - Central Arkansas, Abilene Christian, Eastern Kentucky and Stephen F. Austin. Those four schools played ball in the Fall of 2020. Central Arkansas finished 5-4, Abilene Christian 1-5, Eastern Kentucky 3-6, and SFA 6-4. They played some games against each other, but also faced a variety of FBS programs and lower-division schools.

In addition to nonconference games, each team will play three home and three away games. All conference games will take place between September 25 and November 20. The team with the highest winning percentage in conference games will represent the A-Sun and the WAC in the chase for the 2021 FCS title.

The Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com favor SHSU to claim the crown in this temporary 'conglomeration', and place the Bearkats at No. 2 nationally, behind James Madison.  Sam Houston defeated JMU in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs, 38-35, in May and went on to win the national championship with a 23-21 win over South Dakota State.

Jacksonville State, picked to finish second in the AQ7, was knocked out of the playoffs in the second round by Delaware.

NAT'L	AQ7
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
2	Sam Houston State	10	0		6	0	61.21	120
27	Jacksonville State	7	4		5	1	55.36	10
19	Central Arkansas	8	3		4	2	51.30	76
48	Eastern Kentucky	7	4		3	3	45.70	58
86	Abilene Christian	4	7		2	4	37.90	74
83	Lamar	4	7		1	5	40.64	92
119	Stephen F. Austin	1	10		0	6	32.57	62

NOTE: The preseason Stats Perform order of finish is same as above, except Stephen F. Austin is 4th.

Big Sky

The Big Sky had three members that didn't play a game in the Spring - Montana State, Northern Colorado and Sacramento State. Montana played 2 games and Portland State played 1 (vs. Montana). Weber State won the conference but was eliminated by Southern Illinois in the first round of the playoffs. Eastern Washington finished 2nd and also was eliminated in the first round by North Dakota State.

Montana and Weber State are each picked to go undefeated this fall (they do not play each other) with UC Davis repeating its 3rd-place finish from the spring.

NAT'L	BIG SKY
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
5	Montana	10	1		8	0	59.22	47
10	Weber State	9	2		8	0	55.71	19
20	UC Davis	8	3		7	1	50.72	40
15	Montana State	8	3		6	2	57.95	50
25	Sacramento State	8	3		6	2	48.85	32
58	Northern Arizona	6	5		5	3	46.79	51
32	Eastern Washington	6	5		4	4	49.59	70
70	Portland State	4	7		3	5	44.26	20
78	Idaho	3	8		2	6	42.75	1
68	Idaho State	2	9		2	6	44.31	2
94	Southern Utah	1	10		1	7	39.21	3
112	Cal Poly	0	11		0	8	36.39	6
127	Northern Colorado	0	11		0	8	30.68	5

NOTE: The Big Sky Media poll order of finish is Weber, Montana, Montana State, EWU, Sacramento, UC Davis, PSU, Idaho, NAU, Cal Poly, ISU, Southern Utah, and Northern Colorado. The Coaches Poll top six and last four are the same as the media poll, but 7th thru 9th are NAU, PSU, Idaho.

Big South

Monmouth won the Big South with a 3-0 record and was knocked out in the first round by Sam Houston State. Hampton opted out of the season while Campbell and North Alabama played only in the fall (0-4). UNA continues as a transition member in 2021 and their games will not count in the conference standings. North Carolina A&T moves over from the MEAC.

This season, Monmouth is forecast to edge-out Kennesaw State for the conference title - just as the Hawks did in the spring.

NAT'L	BIG SOUTH
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
6	Monmouth	10	1		6	0	58.65	42
13	Kennesaw State	9	2		5	1	54.21	66
35	North Carolina A&T	7	4		4	2	51.38	56
60	Charleston Southern	6	4		4	2	47.91	23
71	Gardner-Webb	5	6		3	4	42.56	61
77	Robert Morris	4	7		2	5	44.30	52
79	Campbell	4	7		1	5	43.83	24
97	Hampton	3	8		0	6	34.42	117
123	North Alabama	0	11				37.40	29

NOTE: The combined coaches/media poll has the same top 4.

CAA

Delaware was voted champions of the Colonial in the spring, breaking a tie with James Madison at the top of the standings, and made it to the Semifinals where they were ousted by eventual runner-up South Dakota State. JMU was knocked out in the semis by eventual champ Sam Houston State. Those two are expected to be the class of the conference this fall, with James Madison taking the title, going undefeated, and winning the national championship.

NAT'L	CAA
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
1	James Madison	11	0		8	0	62.78	45
12	Delaware	9	2		7	1	55.50	22
26	Villanova	8	3		6	2	48.72	13
37	Richmond	7	4		5	3	51.19	26
47	Rhode Island	7	4		5	3	45.86	89
64	Maine	5	6		4	4	46.01	49
67	Towson	5	6		4	4	44.72	34
65	William & Mary	5	6		3	5	45.19	11
89	New Hampshire	3	8		3	5	44.76	14
92	Stony Brook	3	8		2	6	42.66	17
101	Albany	2	9		1	7	42.82	35
112	Elon	1	10		0	8	40.55	15

NOTE: A vote by the head coaches and media relations directors came up with the same top 4.

Ivy League

The Ivy League skipped the 2020 season altogether. The 2019 season saw Dartmouth and Yale share the title. This season's computer forecast has the Big Green winning its first outright title since 1996 with Princeton in second. Dartmouth hosts the Tigers on November 5 as a 6.77-point favorite.

NAT'L	IVY
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
8	Dartmouth	10	0		7	0	50.44	119
19	Princeton	8	2		6	1	46.67	118
29	Yale	7	3		4	3	49.05	116
84	Harvard	4	6		4	3	36.41	112
90	Penn	3	7		2	5	38.95	106
94	Cornell	3	7		2	5	35.79	114
107	Columbia	2	8		1	6	33.01	111
128	Brown	0	10		0	7	29.55	113

NOTE: The Ivy League media put Princeton 1st, Yale 2nd, and Dartmouth 3rd.

MEAC

Delaware State (2-3), Howard (0-2) and South Carolina State (3-1) played as independents in the spring after the conference opted out of the spring season. For the fall, the computer has the Bulldogs claiming the title over the Hornets with SC State favored by 12.55 points in their head-to-head battle on October 23 in Dover.

NAT'L	MEAC
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
17	South Carolina State	8	3		5	0	53.35	67
43	Delaware State	9	2		4	1	37.80	128
80	Howard	5	6		3	2	34.69	103
98	Norfolk State	3	8		1	4	33.07	104
108	North Carolina Central	2	9		1	4	34.57	109
120	Morgan State	1	10		1	4	32.16	95

NOTE: MEAC head coaches and SID's voted SCSU 1st, but place Norfolk State 2nd, NC Central 3rd and Delaware State 4th with Morgan State 5th and Howard 6th. All six schools received at least 1 first-place vote.

MVFC

North Dakota State was the big surprise of the spring season by NOT winning or sharing the title for the first time since 2010. A trio of teams were named co-champions, led by South Dakota State (8-2, 5-1) which made it all the way to the national title game where the Jackrabbits fell 23-21 to Sam Houston State on May 16.

North Dakota State finished fourth with record of 7-3 over-all and 5-2 in the conference, but still earned a playoff berth and was eliminated by Sam Houston State, 24-20, in the second round.

Missouri State (5-5, 5-1) went 0-3 in the fall and then turned in an unexpected 5-2 campaign in the spring to join North Dakota (5-2, 4-1) in the tie with SDSU. Missouri State was trou8nced, 44-10, by North Dakota in the first round.

A fifth MVFC team, Southern Illinois, took out Weber State in the first round before falling to South Dakota State in the second round.

This fall, the computer has NDSU returning to the top of the conference, going undefeated and advancing to the semifinals of the playoffs. South Dakota State is expected to mount the strongest challenge and gets to host the Bison on November 6 in Brookings as a 2.81-point preseason underdog.

NAT'L	MVFC
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
3	North Dakota State	11	0		8	0	59.46	75
14	South Dakota State	9	2		7	1	53.65	60
36	Southern Illinois	7	4		6	2	51.26	27
39	Northern Iowa	7	4		6	2	51.08	21
40	North Dakota	7	4		5	3	50.91	53
59	Illinois State	6	5		4	4	45.90	55
88	Missouri State	3	8		3	5	45.06	7
93	South Dakota	3	8		2	6	41.35	48
96	Indiana State	3	8		2	6	38.43	43
110	Youngstown State	1	9		1	7	40.14	9
122	Western Illinois	0	11		0	8	38.10	12

NOTE: A poll of head coaches, SID's and media members gave SDSU 24 first-place votes and North Dakota State 18. North Dakota, Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa round out the top 5.

NEC

Central Connecticut and St. Francis did not compete in the spring.

Sacred Heart defeated Duquesne in the conference championship game and advanced to the NCAA playoff where the Pioneers were eliminated by Delaware in the first round.

For the 2021 season, the computer expects CCSU to pick up where the Blue Devils left off in 2019 by capturing the conference crown for the third time in their last three seasons of competing. Sacred Heart and Duquesne are forecast to finish second and third, respectively.

LIU begins the season with 3 straight road games against FBS schools - FIU, West Virginia and Miami (O).

NAT'L	NEC
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
7	Central Connecticut	10	1		7	0	58.20	84
16	Sacred Heart	9	2		6	1	48.38	101
44	Duquesne	6	4		5	2	51.00	28
62	Bryant	6	5		4	3	43.53	97
70	Saint Francis (PA)	5	6		3	4	42.82	82
99	LIU	2	8		2	5	40.52	4
103	Merrimack (ineligible)	2	9		1	6	39.54	94
125	Wagner	0	11		0	7	33.97	44

NOTE: Sacred Heart was voted No. 1 by the league's head coaches. Duquesne and CCSU tied for second, followed by Bryant, St. Francis and LIU.

OVC

Eastern Kentucky was the only OVC member to opt-out of the spring season. The Colonels will compete as an AQ7 team this season as a member of the new ASUN that will begin play in 2022.

Jacksonville State has also vacated the OVC and will compete in the AQ7. The Gamecocks were the 2020 conference champions after going 3-1 in the fall and 6-1 in the spring. They ultimately finished the 2020-21 season at 10-3 after crushing Davidson in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs before falling to Delaware in the second round.

For the 2021 season, the computer tabs SEMO as the projected conference winner with UT-Martin nipping at the Redhawks' heels. Both are picked to go 5-1 in conference play and their November 20 game in Cape Girardeau would serve as a de facto conference championship contest with SEMO favored by 7.12 points.

However, Murray State and Austin Peay will open the season firmly in the mix for a championship run. The top four teams are all separated by no more than 4.12 power points, and the Governors begin the year with the second-highest Power rating among OVC teams. However, only SEMO is expected to finish among the computer's top 50 teams after four were among the top 26 last season.

NAT'L	OVC
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
24	Southeast Missouri	8	3		5	1	49.02	37
51	Tennessee-Martin	7	4		5	1	44.90	79
49	Murray State	7	4		4	2	45.70	87
56	Austin Peay	6	5		4	2	47.64	63
82	Tennessee Tech	4	7		2	4	40.92	93
117	Eastern Illinois	1	10		1	5	36.43	69
116	Tennessee State	1	10		0	6	36.54	73

NOTE: Muray State collected 7 of the 14 first-place votes from head coaches and communications directors. Austin Peay (45) and SEMO (3) got the rest. UT-Martin was picked to finish 4th.

Patriot League

Georgetown was the only Patriot member to opt-out entirely in the spring, but Colgate canceled the remainder of its season after managing to play just two games (0-2). Only Holy Cross and Bucknell managed to play four games and that's because they faced each other in the conference championship which the Crusaders won 33-10 over the Bison. It was the second straight conference title won by Holy Cross and the computer expects the Crusaders to make it 3 straight this fall. Lafayette is a close second in the forecast with the deciding game between Holy Cross and the Leopards taking place on November 6 at Worcester with the Crusaders favored by 7.37 points.

After going 2-1 in the spring, Fordham gets the computer's nod for 3rd-place, ahead of Bucknell. The remaining three teams - Lehigh, Colgate and Georgetown are all projected to be non-factors and go 1-5 in conference play.

NAT'L	PATRIOT
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
22	Holy Cross	8	3		6	0	50.45	90
32	Lafayette	8	3		5	1	46.08	98
57	Fordham	6	5		4	2	47.44	33
66	Bucknell	5	6		3	3	44.80	81
75	Georgetown	5	6		1	5	37.72	125
105	Colgate	2	9		1	5	37.42	85
114	Lehigh	1	10		1	5	38.34	78

NOTE: Holy Cross was voted first on 5 ballots submitted by head coaches and SID's. Fordham was 2nd with Lafayette 3rd, followed by Lehigh, Bucknell, Georgetown and Colgate.

Pioneer League

This non-scholarship conference is a collection of geographically far-flung private schools with Morehead State being the only public institution. San Diego has dominated the conference with five titles since 2014, including 4 straight from 2016-2019.

Last year, the Toreros finished a half-game behind Davidson in a three-way tie for second with Valparaiso and Morehead State. For Davidson, it was the school's first conference title since 1969 (Southern) and first-ever NCAA playoff appearance. Alas, the 'Cats were crushed 49-14 by Jacksonville State in the first round.

For the 2021 season, the computer has USD returning to the top of the heap with Valpo a surprising second. Formerly known as the Crusaders, Valparaiso announced the adoption of "Beacons" as the new nickname on August 10. The Toreros host Valpo on October 30 in a potential de facto league championship game with San Diego favored by 8.40 points.

NAT'L	PIONEER
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
9	San Diego	10	1		8	0	50.67	102
34	Valparaiso	8	3		7	1	45.27	107
31	Dayton	8	3		6	2	46.45	110
46	Morehead State	7	4		6	2	45.87	105
52	Davidson	6	4		5	3	46.40	115
72	Drake	5	6		4	4	42.20	108
73	Presbyterian	5	6		3	5	41.00	127
85	Stetson	4	7		2	6	38.18	126
87	Saint Thomas (MN)	4	7		2	6	34.01	123
118	Marist	1	10		1	7	35.15	124
109	Butler	2	9		0	8	33.69	121

NOTE: 8 of the 11 head coaches voted Davidson at the top of the ballot, followed by San Diego, Drake, Dayton and Presbyterian. Valparaiso was down at No. 6 with Morehead State 7th.

SoCON

VMI was one of the top stories of the year as the Keydets had their first winning season since 1981, won the conference title for the first time 1977, and advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in history. After being eliminated, 28-17 by James Madison in the first round, VMI is back on top in the preseason computer rankings

Chattanooga, which shut down the program in the spring after a 3-1 start, is picked to finish in a 2nd-place tie with Samford. ETSU made a run at the conference title in the spring and was the only school to beat VMI, but is expected to take a step backward to 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the SoCon. Mercer was another surprise by going 5-3 in the spring after an 0-3 fall.

Western Carolina is projected to go winless in the first season with Kerwin Bell as head coach. The school is dealing with the tragic death of 32-year old offensive line coach John Peacock from Covid. Bell organized a GoFund Me page for Peacock's funeral expenses.

NAT'L	SoCON
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
11	VMI	10	1		8	0	50.01	88
28	Chattanooga	8	3		6	2	47.37	77
30	Samford	8	3		6	2	46.57	68
61	Furman	6	5		5	3	45.54	46
63	ETSU	6	5		4	4	43.45	100
74	Mercer	5	6		3	5	43.57	64
95	The Citadel	3	8		2	6	39.01	86
111	Wofford	1	10		1	7	41.64	36
126	Western Carolina	0	11		0	8	33.96	30

NOTE: The coaches vote was Chattanooga (4), Samford (2), VMI (2) and ETSU (1) for the top 4, followed by Furman, Mercer and The Citadel.

Southland

With defending national champion Sam Houston State headed off to the WAC, and joined by Central Arkansas' exodus to the ASUN (both will compete as AQ7 members this fall), the Southland will almost surely belong to either Nicholls or SE Louisiana in 2021. The Colonels are no strangers to Southland titles, having claimed the crown in 2018 and 2019. The Lions haven't been champs since 2013.

NAT'L	SOUTHLAND
RANK		W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
23	Nicholls State	8	3		7	1	50.37	25
45	SE Louisiana	7	4		6	2	48.01	65
60	Incarnate Word	6	5		5	3	45.56	83
68	McNeese State	5	6		4	4	44.41	38
104	Houston Baptist	2	9		1	7	37.86	80
115	Northwestern State (LA)	1	10		1	7	38.27	59

NOTE: The head coaches and SID's gave SE Louisiana 8 of the 12 first-place votes and Nicholls State bagged the rest. UIW and McNeese were 3rd and 4th, with Northwestern State at No. 5 and Houston Baptist bringing up the rear.

SWAC

The conference of historically black colleges and universities also provides some of the most entertaining football, and halftime shows.

Just this past spring, Alabama A&M captured its first SWAC title since 2006 with a 40-33 win over APBU. Ironically, it's the same team the Bulldogs defeated for their last conference championship.

The SWAC gained some additional exposure this spring when ESPN featured a weekly televised game. Extra attention was also lauded with Deion Sanders' arrival as the head coach of Jackson State. The school has 16 SWAC titles, but none since 2007 and its last appearance in the championship game came in 2013.

The computer's forecast for the 2021 season has Alabama A&M repeating as east division champs, and then knocking off Southern in the title game.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff will host Southern on October 16 as the favorite, but the computer sees that  as the Jaguars' only conference loss while the Golden Lions are underdogs in two SWAC road games at Prairie View A&M on October 2 and Alabama A&M in the season finale on November 20.

NAT'L	SWAC
RANK	EAST	W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
4	Alabama A&M	10	0		8	0	56.91	99
55	Bethune-Cookman	6	5		6	2	47.67	8
38	Florida A&M	7	4		5	3	51.10	54
69	Jackson State	5	6		3	5	42.85	96
81	Alabama State	4	7		2	6	42.63	57
106	Mississippi Valley State	2	9		0	8	36.72	71
	WEST
21	Southern	9	2		7	1	49.14	72
33	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	7	4		6	2	52.34	39
41	Prairie View A&M	7	4		5	3	50.41	41
42	Alcorn State	7	4		5	3	49.86	91
102	Grambling State	2	9		1	7	42.43	16
121	Texas Southern	1	10		0	8	31.72	18

NOTE: The head coaches and SID's agree with Alabama A&M in the east, but take Alcorn State in the west. Bethune-Cookman was 5th in the poll in the east, and APBU was 5th in the poll in the west. Florida A&M was 2nd in the east, and Southern was 2nd in the west.

WAC

The WAC won't compete as a conference until 2022 when the full membership will consist of Abilene Christian, Dixie State, Lamar, Sam Houston State, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, and Tarleton State. For this season, neither Dixie or Tarleton are eligible for the playoffs and they will essentially compete as independents. Southern Utah remains in the Big Sky for this season.

NAT'L	WAC
RANK	EAST	W	L		CW	CL	POWER	SOS
54	Tarleton State	7	4				41.35	122
76	Dixie State	4	7				44.78	31