Just 13 of the 128 FCS teams are idle this week so the schedule is loaded with 56 contests of head-to-head FCS action, 1 FCS vs. FBS game, and a pair of teams hosting D2 schools.
The lone FCS-FBS affair has Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-4, 0-3 SWAC) and Arkansas (4-2, 1-2 SEC) meeting for the very first time. That game will take place in Little Rock.
Tarleton State is entertaining Midwestern State (TX), a former conference rival of the Texans in D2. The teams met earlier this year on March 20 with Tarleton prevailing 33-21.
Tennessee Tech is hosting D2 member Virginia-Lynchburg. The VUL Dragons have already faced FCS members Duquesne, Delaware State and Norfolk State, land will play Howard at the end of the season - all away from home. They lost the first 3 games mentioned vs. FCS teams by a cumulative 127 points.
Every member of the Top 26 in the Congrove Computer Rankings, except No. 10 Southern Illinois, is seeing action this week. A visit to casinositesreview.io might be a good idea while on break.
No. 1 North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 MWFC) hosts Missouri State (4-2, 3-1 MVFC) as a 17.07-point computer pick.
No. 2 Sam Houston State (5-0, 3-0 AQ7) is a 15.22-point home favorite over Jacksonville State (3-3, 1-0 AQ7). The Gamecocks have had an extra week to prepare after snapping a two-game losing streak with a 28-24 win over Stephen F. Austin on October 9.
No. 3 Eastern Washington (7-0, 4-0 Big Sky) is a 5.92-point computer choice when the Eagles welcome Weber State to Cheney on Saturday. The Wildcats (2-4, 1-2 Big Sky) have faced a brutal schedule that began with FBS member Utah and has included home losses to three teams ranked in the computer's top 5 at the time those games took place. James Madison was No. 1, UC Davis was 5th, and Montana State was also ranked 5th when the Bobcats paid a visit last Friday.
No. 4 James Madison (5-1, 3-1 CAA) hits the road as a 12.34-point pick at Delaware (3-3, 2-2 CAA) which has lost 2 of its last 3 and is coming off a 34-17 loss at Stony Brook (2-5, 1-3).
No. 5 Montana State (6-1, 4-0 Big Sky), a 13-7 winner in that game at Weber last Friday, hosts Idaho State (1-5, 1-3 Big Sky) as a 25.73-point computer favorite.
No. 6 South Dakota State (51-, 2-1 MVFC) entertains Northern Iowa (3-3, 1-2 MVFC) as a 10.32-point play.
The FCS football week kicks off on Friday night with No. 7 Dartmouth (5-0, 2-0) hosting a Columbia (4-1, 1-1) squad hat was picked to win just 2 games this season. The Big Green are projected winners over the Lions by 20.41.
SEE: Weekly Picks.
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.
There is just one such game this week as Arkansas faces Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock.
The FBS is 96-10 vs. the FCS this season. Since we began tracking this in 2003, the FBS teams are now 1,565-138 (.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
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)
SAM HOUSTON STATE - Won 15 straight games overall (FCS longest).
Last: Won 41-7 at home vs. Lamar on Saturday, Oct. 9.
Next: Hosts Jacksonville State on Saturday, Oct. 23.
EASTERN WASHINGTON - Owns 19-game home winning streak (FCS longest).
Last: Won 71-21 at home over Idaho on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Next: Hosts Weber State on Saturday, Oct. 23.
MONMOUTH - Owns a 13-game conference streak (FCS longest).
Last: Won 34-17 at Campbell on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Next: Visits North Carolina A&T on Saturday, Oct. 30.
PRINCETON - Won 10 straight road games (FCS longest).
Last: Won 56-42 at Brown on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Next: Hosts Harvard on Saturday, Oct. 23.
TEXAS SOUTHERN - Owns a 16-game road losing streak (FCS longest).
Last: Lost 34-20 at Grambling State on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Next: Hosts Alcorn State on Saturday, Oct. 23.
BUTLER - Has 11-game conference losing streak (FCS longest).
Last: Lost 31-8 at Morehead State on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Next: Hosts Davidson on Saturday, Oct. 23.
WAGNER - Has lost 15 straight overall (FCS longest).
LAST: Lost 56-7 at Fordham on Saturday, Oct. 9.
NEXT: Hosts Bryant on Saturday, Oct. 23.