FCS Weekend Recap: North Dakota State Leads Parade of Losses For Five of the Top 11 Teams

November 7, 2021 by Staff

Four of the top seven teams in the Congrove Computer Rankings, and five of the top eleven, went down to defeat over the weekend. Two of those - Princeton and North Dakota State - lost for the first time this season.

No. 7 Princeton was drubbed 31-7 at Dartmouth on Friday night to set the stage for Saturday's upsets that saw the top-ranked Bison lose 27-19 at No. 9 South Dakota State, No. 5 Eastern Washington lose 23-20 at home to Montana State, No. 6 SE Louisiana drop a 55-52 shootout at Incarnate Word, and No. 11 Southern Illinois fall 38-28 at home to Missouri State.

Meanwhile, Sam Houston State pounded Dixie State 59-10, and James Madison rolled 51-14 over Campbell.

Illinois State was a 17-10 upset winner at Northern Iowa in overtime. The Redbirds entered the game as a 16-point underdog in the sportsbooks.

Weber State, which has played an incredibly difficult schedule, fell 30-18 at home to Portland State as a 14-point favorite.

At the other end of the rankings, No. 121 Bethune-Cookman bagged its first win of the season with a 35-31 upset of Alcorn State in Daytona Beach.

SEE: Weekly Picks and Scores

FCS vs. FBS

2 teams will play 2 FCS teams this fall (UConn and UMass), and 115 teams will play 1 FCS school for a total of 117 such matchups. 107 of those 117 games have been played.

Rhode Island gave the FCS another win over the FBS, 35-22 at UMass. The only other FBS-FCS matchup this weekend saw BYU thump Idaho State 59-14.

The FBS is 98-11 vs. the FCS this season. Since we began tracking this in 2003, the FBS teams are now 1,567-139 (.919).

Last year, 30 FBS teams played a total of just 34 games against FCS schools and the FCS won just 1 game (1-33). That honor also went to Jacksonville State with its 19-10 victory over FIU.

Here are the FCS wins in 2021:

September 2: UC Davis 19, Tulsa 17
September 2: Eastern Washington 35, UNLV 33 (2 OT)
September 3: South Dakota State 42, Colorado State 23
September 4: Holy Cross 38, UConn 28
September 4: Montana 13, Washington 7
September 4: ETSU 23, Vanderbilt 3
September 11: Duquesne 28, Ohio 26
September 11: Jacksonville State 20, Florida State 17.
September 18: Incarnate Word 42, Texas State 34.
September 18: Northern Arizona 21, Arizona 19
November 6: Rhode Island 35, Massachusetts 22

This was the only FCS win vs. the FBS in 2020:
October 23: Jacksonville State 19, FIU 10

In 2019, FBS teams were 111-3 (.974) in such games. These were the only FCS wins that season:
August 29: Central Arkansas 35, Western Kentucky 28
September 7: Southern Illinois 45, Massachusetts 20
September 14: The Citadel 27, Georgia Tech 24 (OT)

Streaks

SAM HOUSTON STATE - Won 19 straight games overall (FCS longest).
Last: Won 51-10 vs. Dixie State on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Next:  Hosts Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 13.

ALCORN STATE - Won 12 straight home games (FCS longest).
Last: Lost 35-31 at Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Next: Hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Nov. 13.

MONMOUTH - Won 15 straight conference games (FCS longest).
Last: Won 45-33 vs. North Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Next: Hosts Robert Morris on Saturday, Nov. 13.

PRINCETON - Had won 12 straight road games (FCS longest), but lost 31-7 at Dartmouth which now leads FCS with 10 straight road wins.
Last: Lost 31-7 at Dartmouth on Friday, Nov. 5.
Next: Hosts Yale on Saturday, Nov. 13.

DARTMOUTH - Won 10 straight road games - now FCS Longest after halting Princeton's 12-game road winning streak with 31-7 win on Friday.
Last: Won 31-7 vs. Princeton on Friday, November 5.
Next: Hosts Cornell on Saturday, Nov. 13.

TEXAS SOUTHERN - Lost 17 straight road games (tied FCS longest).
Last: Lost 41-21 at Jackson State on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Next: Hosts Alabama A&M on Saturday, Nov. 13.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE - Lost 17 straight road games (tied FCS longest).
Last: Lost 24-21 at North Dakota on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Next: Hosts North Dakota State on Saturday, Nov. 13.

BUTLER - Lost 13 straight conference games (FCS longest).
Last: Lost 38-31 at  Dayton on Saturday, Oct. 30.
Next: Hosts Valparaiso on Saturday, Nov. 13.

WAGNER - Lost 17 straight overall (FCS longest).
LAST: Lost 28-14 at LIU on Saturday, Oct. 30.
Next: Hosts Merrimack on Saturday, Nov. 6.