FCS Weekly Preview For 10/8-10/9

October 3, 2021 by Staff

Seven games have flipped on which team is now the computer's predicted winner since the preseason data was compiled. Campbell is now the predicted winner at Gardner-Webb, as is Chattanooga at VMI, Northwestern State at Houston Baptist, Western Illinois at Indiana State, SE Louisiana at Nicholls State, North Carolina Central at home over Tennessee Tech, St. Thomas at home over Valparaiso

One of the biggest movers we've ever seen from preseason to in-season is Jacksonville State's 25.79-point preseason advantage over Stephen F. Austin shrinking to 8.95 which actually gives the Lumberjacks the edge on the computer trend line.

Sacred Heart's 11.84-point preseason computer line has almost entirely dissolved into just a 1.54-point edge at home over Merrimack.

Monmouth's 14.98-point preseason advantage over Princeton has turned into a 5.49-point edge for the Hawks.

There are 56 games on the docket and no FCS teams are playing FBS schools, though Delaware State hosts D2 school Virginia-Lynchburg.

17 FCS teams are idle this week, including Incarnate Word, Weber State, and Prairie View A&M.

SEE: Weekly Picks

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.

105 of those 117 games have already been played and the FBS is 95-10. Since we began tracking this in 2003, the FBS teams are now 1,564-138 (.919).

No FCS vs. FBS games were played last week and none will be played this week, but Delaware State hosts D2 member Virginia-Lynchburg.

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)

Streaks

SAM HOUSTON STATE - Won 15 straight games overall (FCS longest).
Last: Won 21-20 vs. Stephen F. Austin in Houston on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Next: Hosts Lamar on Saturday, Oct. 9.

JAMES MADISON - Won 19 straight home games (tied with Eastern Washington for FCS longest), 16 straight conference games (FCS longest).
Last: Won 23-21 at New Hampshire on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Next: Hosts Villanova on Saturday, Oct. 9.

PRINCETON - Won 9 straight road games (FCS longest).
Last: Won 24-7 at home vs. Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Next: Visits Monmouth on Saturday, Oct. 9.

TEXAS SOUTHERN - Ended a 19-game overall losing streak (FCS longest) with a 69-0 win over NAIA member North American. The Tigers still own a 13-game conference losing streak (FCS longest).
Last: Won 69-0 at home vs. North American (NAIA) on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Next: vs. Southern at Arlington on Saturday, Oct. 9.

MVSU - Lost 18 straight road games (FCS longest).
Last: Won 17-16 at home over North Carolina Central on Saturday, Oct. 2.
Next: Visits Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, Oct. 9.