News/Commentary

Week 4 FCS Recap: Monmouth Gets First Win Over an FBS Program

September 22, 2024 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

The fifth upset by a FCS school over a FBS program in 2024 saw Monmouth bring back a 45-42 win from its trip to Miami to face Florida International. This one wasn't a major shocker, but the ending was off the charts. The Hawks trailed 14-0 at the end of the 1st quarter and still trailed by 14 until a Monmouth TD with 1:49 left in the half made the score 28-21, FIU, at the break. The second half was a back-and-forth game and Monmouth took a 42-35 lead with 13:24 left. FIU answered on the next series to make it 42-all. It wasn't until there was 1:52 left that the next points would go on the board, courtesy of a 43-yard field goal by the Hawks.

The Panthers were driving for the winning score, going from their own 25 to the Monmouth 21. That's when Keyone Jenkins threw to Eric Rivers across the middle who broke a tackle at the 13-yard line,cut to the sideline and was heading to the endzone when he was met with force at the 1-yard line and fumbled. Deuce Lee was credited with the recovery and the Hawks had their first-ever win over a FBS school. Monmouth started football in 1993, FIU in 2002.

In other games, Idaho got out of Abilene with a 27-24 win over ACU, Montana overcame an early onslaught from Western Carolina for a 46-35 win in Missoula, and Montana State rolled in Bozeman to 56-13 win over FCS newbie Mercyhurst.

South Dakota State was a resounding 41-0 winner at Southeastern Louisiana, and South Dakota was a 42-3 home winner over Drake.

North Dakota and North Dakota State each won home games by the score of 41-24. The Bison defeated Towson while the Fighting Hawks knocked off the San Diego Toreros of the Pioneer League.

Villanova fell 38-20 at FBS Maryland, while Central Arkansas blasted APBU 56-17, and Sacramento State was a 34-0 road winner at Texas A&M-Commerce.

SEMO won the 'War for the Wheel' over rival Southern Illinois with a 38-21 victory in Carbondale. The two schools are less than an hour apart.

FBS vs. FCS

10 more FBS-FCS games were played over the weekend with the FBS schools going 9-1. The FBS schools to raise their record to 106-5 in such games this season, and a collective 1,906-157 (.924) since we began tracking this in 2003.

The lone FCS win was a wild one in Miami where Monmouth and FIU were battling. The Hawks hit the go-ahead field goal with 1:52 to play, then stopped the Panthers from scoring on a recovered fumbled just outside the goal line with 32 seconds left for the 45-42 Monmouth victory.

St. Francis (PA) was trying for a second win over a FBS program this year, having knocked off Kent State 23-17 two weeks ago, but the trip to Eastern Michigan resulted in a 36-0 loss.

Here are all 10 FBS-FCS scores from Saturday:

NEVADA 49, Eastern Washington 16
UMASS 35, CCSU 31
HAWAII 36, Northern Iowa 7
TROY 34, Florida A&M 12
PITTSBURGH 73, Youngstown State 17
Monmouth 45, Florida International 42
MARYLAND 38, Villanova 20
EASTERN MICHIGAN 36, St. Francis (PA) 0
UTSA 45, Houston Christian 7
BOISE STATE 56, Portland State 14

In 2024, there are 121 scheduled scheduled matchups between FBS and FCS schools with 119 schools playing one such game, while Hawaii and UMass each play two.

This year, 15 schools do not play a FCS opponent and 5 are in the B1G (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC and UCLA). Texas is the only school in the SEC that will not play a FCS program. The same is true for Virginia Tech in the ACC. In fact, Texas and Virginia Tech, along with Michigan and Houston, are repeats from last year's list of schools that played all FBS programs.

2024 FCS wins vs. FBS:
August 24: Montana State 35, New Mexico 31
September 7: St. Francis (PA) 23, Kent State 17
September 7: Idaho 17, Wyoming 13
September 7: Southern Utah 27, UTEP 24 (OT)
September 21: Monmouth 45, FIU 42

In 2023, FBS schools were 114-4. These were the FCS wins last year:
September 9: Idaho 33, Nevada 6
September 9: Southern Illinois 14, Northern Illinois 12
September 9: Fordham 40, Buffalo 37
September 16: Sacramento State 30, Stanford 23

Streaks - Current FCS Longest

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE - Won 31 straight vs FCS teams, 23 straight at home, 17 straight conference games, and 9 straight FCS road games.
Last: Won 41-0 at SE Louisiana on Saturday, September 21.
Next: Visits Northern Iowa (after a bye week) on Saturday, October 5.

FLORIDA A&M - 13 straight FCS wins, 21 home wins, and 16 conference wins (2nd longest)
Last: Lost 34-12 FBS member Troy on Saturday, September 21.
Next: Hosts Alabama A&M on Saturday, September 28.

WESTERN ILLINOIS - Lost 27 straight over-all, 18 straight conference games, 11 straight home games, 18 road games.
Last: Lost 51-34 at 13th-ranked Illinois State on Saturday, September 14.
Next: Hosts D2 McKendree on Saturday, September 28.

CAL POLY - Lost 18 straight true road games.
Last: Won 31-14 at home over D2 Western Oregon on Saturday, September 14.
Next: Visits Northern Colorado on Saturday, September 28.