The FCSTV Guide For Week 3

Once again our friends  FargoBison & RootinFerDukes at AnyGivenSaturday.com bring us a list of televised FCS games.

AGS Top 25 Match-ups – Week 3

Tennessee State at (1) Jacksonville State (ESPN3) 2pm
JSU almost beat Auburn and the tigers had to rally to beat an FCS team in OT. That performance is good enough to keep Jax State at #1 and to beat TN State comfortably.

(ORV- 28) Western Illinois at (2) Coastal Carolina (No TV) 6pm
Western Ill. is creeping on the outside of the Top 25 and beating Coastal would be a huge win. I think the Chanticleers win this one, however.

(25) North Dakota at (3) North Dakota State (ESPN3/NBC ND) 3:30pm
This could be a great game and filled with passion between top in-state rivals. I don’t see UND winning against the Bison though.

Lamar at (4) Sam Houston State (MASN/ALT2/ASN) 7pm

Lamar hung around with a sluggish Baylor team for a bit, but SHSU will win here easily.

(5) Illinois State at Eastern Illinois (OVC Video/WCIA/WMBD/WTWO) 7pm

An in-state meeting that heavily favors ISU.

Delaware at (7) Villanova (CSNE/SNY/CSCA/CSN/CAA Video) 12pm

John Robertson and the Wildcats should dispatch a reeling UD squad with ease.

(8) Montana at (17) Liberty (ESPN3/Cowles Media/(ABC/FOX) MT) 7pm

A potential AGS GOTW. This is really a toss-up and the Flames are a tough opponent, especially on the road. Either team can take this one but I think the home squad has the razor thin edge.

(10) Northern Iowa at (9) Cal Poly (CSCA/ASN/KSBY) 10:30pm

This may well be the GOTW and UNI is feeling high after a big win over EWU last week. Cal Poly kept it respectable against AZ State. Another tough OOC opponent for the second straight week for the panthers. Phew.

Albany at (11) James Madison (CSMA/CSN/CAA Video) 3pm

The Dukes dispatched Lehigh in a far more convincing manner than I could’ve imagined. They should have another convincing, if not lopsided performance against Albany this week. Is our defense improving, or are our opponents not very strong?

(12) Montana State at (14) Eastern Washington (RSNW/RSRM/DTV: 101) 4pm

Another GOTW mention. EWU looks to rebound after last week’s set back to UNI, while MSU comes off of a bye week. Wow there are a number of great games in FCS this week.

(13) New Hampshire at Stony Brook (SNY/ASN) 7pm

UNH looks to beat a middle of the pack, but good defensive CAA team in Stony Brook. I see the wildcats winning this by 2 or 3 TDs.

(16) Chattanooga at (21) Samford (ESPN3/ALT2/ASN) 3:30pm

Another top matchup as UTC looks for an impressive win and Samford wants to gain ground in the Top 25 with a statement win.

(18) Southeastern Louisiana at Ohio (ESPN3) 2pm

SELA will face their first tough opponent of the season in FBS Ohio. A top 25 FCS team should give all but the top 1 or 2 MAC teams quite a fight. A small chance of an upset.
Columbia at (19) Fordham (No TV) 1pmFordham will rebound easily after the loss to VU last week. Columbia shouldn’t pose a challenge.

Saint Francis at (20) Youngstown State (ESPN3) 4pm
Youngstown had an underwhelming performance last week and should win easily here against SFU.

(22) William & Mary at Virginia (ESPN3) 3:30pm
This is a trap game if I ever saw one. UVA will overlook this after the heartbreak to Notre Dame last week. Make the Boohoos cry all over Charlottesville, Tribe. Make them “Boohoo Boo”. W&M should keep it respectable, at minimum.

Southeast Missouri State at (23) Indiana State (No TV) 3pm
Indiana State needs a win badly to stay within the Top 25.

(24) Northern Arizona at Arizona (Pac-12 Network) 11pm
NAU barely knew the Top 25 as they face in-state power, Arizona, this week.

Bye Week:
(6) South Dakota State
(15) Portland State

Others Receiving Votes (26-30):
(26) Harvard at Rhode Island (No TV) 1pm
(27) McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin (ESPN3) 7pm
Virginia Military at (29) Richmond (CSNMA+) 6pm
(30) The Citadel at Georgia Southern (ESPN3) 6pm

More details:

Lots of FCS action on TV once again this week. As always check back for updates or if you see a game not listed please mention it. All times are in Central Time…

TV Guide
9/17: Florida A&M at SC State 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
9/18: Howard at Hampton 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
Idaho State at Boise State 8:00 p.m. CBS Sports Network
9/19: Delaware at Villanova 11:00 a.m. Comcast Sports NE/MidAtlatnic/CA
Albany at James Madison 2:00 p.m. Comcast Sports MA
Chattanooga at Samford 2:30 p.m. Altitude 2/ASN
Montana State at Eastern Washington 3:00 p.m. Root Sports NW/RM/Direct TV 101
Austin Peay at Vandy 3:00 p.m. SECN/SECN+
Northwestern State at Mississippi State 3:00 p.m. SECN/SECN+
Lamar at Sam Houston State 6:00 p.m. Altitude 2/MASN/ASN
UNH at Stony Brook 6:00 p.m. SNY/ASN
WCU at Tennessee 6:00 p.m. ESPNU
Northern Iowa at Cal Poly 9:30 p.m. Comcast Sports CA/ASN
NAU at Arizona 10:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

FCS on ESPN3
9/19: Savannah State at Akron 11:00 a.m.
Southeastern LA at Ohio 1:00 p.m.
College of Faith at Valpo 1:00 p.m.
Tenn State at Jax State 1:00 p.m.
Drake at South Dakota 2:00 p.m.
Chattanooga at Samford 2:30 p.m.
UND at NDSU 2:30 p.m.
William and Mary at UVA 2:30 p.m.
St Francis at YSU 3:00 p.m.
Wofford at Idaho 4:00 p.m.
Jackson State at Southern 5:00 p.m.
The Citadel at GSU 5:00 p.m.
Furman at UCF 5:00 p.m.
Murray State at Western Michigan 6:00 p.m.
Missouri State at Arkansas State 6:00 p.m.
McNeese State at SFA 6:00 p.m.
Montana at Liberty 6:00 p.m.
Maine at Tulane 7:00 p.m.

FCS on ESPN College Extra
UND at NDSU 2:30 p.m.
Other games TBA

Where to find other FCS games(FREE) online….
http://lsufootball.net/tvschedule.htm (Guide to all games on TV or online webcasts)
OVC Conference…http://www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com/watch/
Big Sky Conference…http://eversport.tv/big-sky
Big South Conference…http://www.bigsouthsports.com/live/8589
Northeast Conference…http://www.necfrontrow.com/
Patriot League…http://www.campusinsiders.com/networ…ot_league/live
SoCon Digital Network…http://www.socondigitalnetwork.com

SLC Review 2015.2

SLC Week 2 Review:

UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | September 15, 2015
Southland RECAP 9-13-15

Saturday was day of extremes for the Southland Conference.It was a week dubbed “bloodbath and paycheck week” when SLC teams collect their annual paychecks from FBS schools or pay lower division schools for the “W”.  Let’s take a look at the results for each game.

TCU 70, SFA 7

Stephen F. Austin took on their paycheck FBS opponent Texas Christian and it didn’t take long to see why TCU is ranked third in the nation in the FBS. One of the telling stats of the game was the offense by both teams. S.F.A was outgunned and outrun 627 to 167 yards. Heralded starting QB for SFA Zach Conque was held to just 9 passing yards on 11 of 18passes. Things don’t get easier for the Lumberjacks as they take on the Cowboys of McNeese next week at home.

Speaking of Cowboys….

McNeese 43, UIW 6

McNeese showed the SLC what a good QB and defense can do for a football team’s pride. The Cowboys defense led the way with four sacks, three fumble recoveries, and only allowed 12 yards rushing. On offense the Cowboys were led by transfer Daniel Sams who threw for nearly 200yards. UIW struggled all night with ball possession and in the fourth quarter coughed it to the tune of giving up 14 points to the Cowboys. McNeese travels to S.F.A next week to take on the Lumberjacks.  UIW hosts Nicholls State next Saturday at2.p.m.

Yet more Cowboys…

Oklahoma State 32, UCA 8

UCA traveled to Stillwater Oklahoma for their paycheck game to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Again UCA had problems establishing their offense and the pass defense fell victim again to a barrage of passes that mercifully ended in the fourth quarter. UCA gave up over 400yards in the air and nearly 200 on the ground. But despite the huge yardage gained by Oklahoma State the score was actually closer than cowboy fans wanted.Halftime rolled around and the bears were only down 10-0. To the surprise of Bear fans the UCA’s defensive line was able to push back the much larger O.S.U.Offensive line all night. On several 2nd and 3rd and shorts UCA was unable to convert to first downs and had to punt. Overall Bear fans are happy with the effort and can’t wait for a home game in early October.UCA has a bye next week.

Southeastern Louisiana 28, (D2) Florida Tech 17

The lions of Southeastern Louisiana struggled to put away their “W” game but were able to do so by forcing 9 turnovers and scoring 3 defensive touchdowns. The offense struggled all night only scoring once. Starting QB D’Shaie Landon left the game early with an injury forcing the Lions to play their backup QB.  The Lions play their FBS opponent Ohio next Saturday.

Baylor 66, Lamar 31

In a game where FCS  fans were cheering for an upset, the Lamar Cardinals made the SLC proud as they hung close to the #3 team in the FBS the Baylor Bears for nearly a half. But it was the second half that proved too difficult for the Cardinals as the Baylor Bears pulled away to the tune of 785 yards of total offense and 66 points. Things don’t get easier for Lamar as they travel to Sam Houston State to take on the Bearkats at 6 p.m.on Saturday.

University of Louisiana – Lafayette 44, Northwestern State – 17

The Demons of Northwestern State traveled to Cajun field to take on the Rajun Cajuns in yet another FBS matchup for the Southland. The running game proved too much for the Demons as Elijah McGuire of the Rajun Cajuns scored 5 rushing touchdowns and the team amassed 360 yards on the ground. Life doesn’t get any easier for the Demons as they travel for another paycheck to Mississippi State next Saturday.

Northern Colorado 34, Houston Baptist 10

With even yardage the whole game this one turned into who turned the ball over less. Three critical turnovers allowed the UNC Bears to defeat the Huskies. The Huskies ran for 182 yards and passed for120 yards but it wasn’t enough. The Huskies go to Abilene Christian to take on the Wildcats next Saturday.

University of Louisiana- Monroe 37, Nicholls State 0

A second quarter 30 points offensive onslaught by the Warhawks of ULM put that game out of reach early. Nicholls State gave up nearly 600 yards of offense however they were able to amass 260 yards of offense. This one appeared to be over early. Nicholls travels to UIW next Saturday to open SLC play.

The good: Paychecks went to the Southland schools to fund their football budgets. Lamar showed it is tougher than last year. UCA showed it has improved in a game where they were heavy underdogs. McNeese showed swag on defense that had been missing to Cowboy fans.

The Bad: Injuries to starting QBs right before conference play may change how this conference will be perceived and how it will be determined. Many defenses are also exposed for conference foes.

SWAC Review 2015.2

SWAC Week 2 Review:

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 15, 2015

Thursday, September 10

Southern 50, Mississippi Valley State 13

Southern wasted no time putting the Louisiana Tech loss behind them by blowing past Mississippi Valley State 50-13 in the conference opener for both teams Thursday night in Rice-Totten Stadium. MVSU’s struggles from the previous week continued as they found themselves trailing 33-0 after a quarter and a half of action. The Delta Devils went backwards more than they did forward, even changing QBs to no success.

Lenard Tillery ran for touchdowns of 10 and 14 yards on the Jaguars’ first two possessions on his way to gaining 91 yards on 15 carries. Willie Quinn followed his 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Louisiana Tech with a 39-yard punt return for a touchdown. Austin Howard threw his first touchdown pass of the season, lofting a perfect 28-yard toss to Nico Talbert, then Quinn topped him with an 89-yarder to Randall Menard.

SU’s defense came up with three interceptions as two newcomers — junior safety Nicholas McDonald and freshman cornerback Demerio Houston — had one each and wide receiver Justin Morgan, who just started practicing at cornerback this week, had one. MVSU’s offense showed some life after Dontrinell Scott replaced Quantavius Peterson at quarterback in the second quarter to cut the lead to 33-7 at halftime and he teamed with Barron for a 34-yard touchdown on the first possession of the third quarter. But the Devils sent the ensuing kickoff in Quinn’s direction and he ran 90 yards for a doubt-removing touchdown.

Friday, September 11

Texas Southern 63, Bacone 0

Coming off of a bad loss to open the season, Texas Southern got exactly what they needed, an easy go of it against Bacone College. Texas Southern gained 447 yards of total offense, forced three turnovers and produced its highest point total in four years with a 63-0 victory of Bacone Friday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

TSU quarterback Johnathan Bowen completed 8 of his 11 passing attempts for 163 yards and three touchdowns. The first year starter also carried the ball 12 times for 103 yards. Derrick Griffin, who scored the team’s second touchdown of the evening led the receiving corps with a pair of catches along with 99 yards and a touchdown.

The Tigers broken the game open in the second quarter when Bowen connected with Tracy Johnson on a 24 yards pass making the score 21-0. On its next possession, Bowen scored again on an eight yard scamper and would later find Marc Edwards on a nine yard touchdown toss increasing the lead to 35-0 just before halftime.

Saturday, September 12

Alcorn State 31, Alabama State 14

The game I thought would be the game that would possibly vault Alabama State into contention was not so. Alcorn State earned its first win of the season defeating Alabama State for the second straight year 31-14. For the second consecutive week, the Hornets (0-2, 0-1 SWAC) had a lead that they were unable to sustain. The Hornets took the lead twice on touchdown drives in the opening half, but the Braves had an answer each time.

Alcorn took a 17-14 lead into halftime on a 29-yard field goal by Haiden McCraney and Braves senior quarterback John Gibbs Jr. completed 26-of-33 passes for 306 yards, threw for a touchdown and ran for another.

ASU outscored the Braves 14-7 in the first quarter. ASU marched right down the field on their first possession, capping a six-play drive for 70 yards in 2:12 on a 37-yard touchdown scramble by redshirt sophomore Ellis Richardson, who was making his first career start. Richardson completed 9-of-18 passes for 59 yards and he also added 46 yards on the ground with a score.  On the Hornets’ next series, the offense was at it again, as ASU went on a 12-play drive for 76 yards.

Junior Khalid Thomas had a nice touchdown run of seven yards to put the Hornets back on top 14-7 late in the first quarter. Alcorn State came directly back with a 14-play drive for 90 yards in 6:12 on a Gibbs Jr. three-run touchdown run to lock up the score are 14-14.

The biggest play of the night came when Gibbs Jr. connected with Tollette George, who streaked down the near sidelines for a 62-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 17 after the PAT. The Hornets threatened again when Thomas returned the kickoff to the ASU 48-yard line, but they were unable to convert the field position into points.

Texas State 63, Prairie View 24

Texas State rode a 35-point first quarter to a 63-24 win over Prairie View A&M. It only took the Bobcats five plays to score on its opening drive as a 49-yard strike to Jafus Gaines on the third play set up a 1-yard run by Robert Lowe two plays later. Down 7-0, the Panthers were moving on its opening drive but a fumble at the Texas State 35 killed the drive and set up Texas State’s second score of the night five plays later after Chris Nutall’s touchdown run. Later, Texas State needed only one play to move ahead 20-0 as Tyler Smith connected with Brandon Smith for a 65-yard strike.

The Panthers cashed in on their scoring opportunity on its third drive of the game as they drove down to the Texas State 13 but had to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Owen Hoolihan. However, the momentum was short-lived as Nutall capped off a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 7-yard rush up the middle for a 27-3 lead after the PAT.
PVAMU failed to capitalize off a 51-yard kickoff return by Johnta’ Hebert and committed a huge special teams mistake on the punt as they allowed Brandon McDowell to return a 95-yard punt for a touchdown en route to a 35-7 first quarter lead after the PAT.

After falling behind 35-7 the Panthers regrouped on their next drive and had an 11-play, 75-yard drive which was capped off by De’Auntre Smiley’s 4-yard touchdown run. Texas State added two more touchdowns over the next few minutes and jumped ahead 56-10 until a 10-yard strike from Trey Green to Keylon LaSalle with 18 seconds left in the first half. PVAMU finished with 402 (323 Passing, 79 Rushing) yards, Green threw for 289 yards on 25-of-37 passing with two touchdowns. Hebert caught a team-high six passes for 63 yards while LaStrappe led all receivers with 87 yards on five receptions.

Arkansas Pine Bluff 29, Morehouse 27

Arkansas – Pine Bluff Football claimed its first victory of the season in dramatic fashion with a 29-27 overtime win over Morehouse College. Both teams were unable to get anything going in the first three quarters, then the Golden Lions scored on a 15-yard Touchdown run by KeShawn Williams early in the 4th Quarter.

On the ensuing drive, Morehouse drove the ball 74 yards on 12 plays as the Tigers scored on a Monqavious Johnson three-yard pass to Amyr Smith with 1:34 left in the game and tying the contest 7-7 forcing overtime. Things would pick up in overtime.

In the first overtime, MHC scored first a Johnson 25-yard pass to Justin Browning, giving the Tigers a 14-7 lead. UAPB would respond with Willie Young scoring on a nine yard pass from Marcus Terrell, making the game at 14-14. The Golden Lions opened the second overtime with a five-yard TD run to take a 21-14 lead. MHC would convert a fourth and 15 to tie the contest at 21-21 as Johnson found Smith in the back of the end zone for a 30-yard TD strike. UAPB retook the lead in the third overtime on two-yard score by Nicholas Woodfork, followed by a Terrell two-point conversion, giving the Golden Lions a 29-21 lead. Smith scored his third touchdown of the game on a 13- yard pass from Johnson to cut UAPB’s lead to 29-27, but the Tigers two-point conversion would come up short allowing the Golden Lions to survive the upset bid.

Bethune Cookman 56, Grambling State 53

I thought the running game would decide this one but it was the passing game of BCU that sealed the deal. Larry Brihm, Jr. and Quentin Williams combined to throw for 463 yards and six touchdowns as Bethune-Cookman scored late and held on for a 56-53 victory over Grambling State on Saturday night. After a tight 1st half the game exploded in the second.

Trailing 46-41 with 3:37 remaining in the game, Williams hit Jawill Davis, who finished with 199 yards, on a 29-yard scoring strike to retake the lead 49-46. Bethune-Cookman added another score with 1:48 left when Anthony Jordan ran in from 41 yards out. Grambling quickly marched down the field and Johna Williams hit Chester Rogers with a 12-yard scoring strike to close to 56-53 with 54 seconds left. Johnathon Williams threw for 326 yards on 30-of-47 passing.

Tennessee State 35, Jackson State 25

Jackson State continues to be vexed by Tennessee State dropping the Southern Heritage Classic to Tennessee State in Memphis 35-25. This was JSU’s 4th straight loss to TSU. O’Shay Ackerman-Carter was 15 of 26 for 250 yards. Telvin Hooks ran for 68 yards on 14 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns for the Tigers (2-0).

Ackerman-Carter threw a TD to Patrick Smith early in the first quarter followed by a 7-yard TD run by Hooks and the Tigers up 14-6.

After a Jackson State field goal late in the first quarter and another scoring pass from Ackerman-Carter in the final seconds of the first half, Tennessee State went into the half leading 21-9. LaMontiez Ivy was 24 of 39 for 322 yards for Jackson State (0-2). Early in the third quarter, Hooks scored his second TD from 2 yards and Ackerman-Carter found Chris Sanders-McCollum for a 64-yard touchdown play and a 35-18 Tennessee State lead. JSU got a 4th Quarter TD for the final margin. Neither team ran the ball very well, combining for about 225 yards.

Football Players of the Week: September 14

Alcorn State quarterback John Gibbs , Southern linebacker Kentarious Preston and wide receiver Willie Quinn, and Prairie View A&M linebacker Jalan Coleman have been recognized by the Southwestern Athletic Conference as football players of the week for their outstanding performance in competition during Sept. 10-12.

Offensive Player of the Week – Gibbs
Alcorn State’s senior signal-caller accounted for more than 350 total yards of offense in a 31-14 win over conference foe Alabama State. Gibbs went 23-of-33 for 306 yards and a score and chipped in 46 yards and another touchdowns on the ground.

Defensive Player of the Week – Preston
Preston led the Jaguar defense in Southern’s 50-13 win over Mississippi Valley State, notching 11 stops (2.5 tackles for loss) and getting a sack along the way. With the effort, Preston is more than halfway to his 2014 tackles total (20).

Special Teams Player of the Week – Quinn
Quinn earned his second-straight SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week award after making a dazzling 39-yard punt return touchdown and later adding a 90-yard kickoff return for a score during the Jaguars’ 50-13 win over Mississippi Valley State. Quinn amassed 187 total yards from scrimmage (152 return) and also threw for a 89-yard touchdown during the game.

Newcomer of the Week – Coleman
The sophomore linebacker was a bright spot for the Panthers during their 63-24 loss to Texas State. Coleman was in on 10 stops (one for loss) during the game, and the sophomore’s tackle totals were tops among all Panthers’ defenders during the contest.

AGS Poll Results – WEEK 2 – 2015

With the loss to Auburn JSU cemented their grip on the #1 ranking in the AGS Top 25 Poll this week.  When a top 1o can not put and FCS team away in regulation it says something about the strength of that FCS team.  There may not be any good losses but this is surely what it would like if there were any.

SDSU moves up a couple of spots to #6 with a drubbing of Southern Utah last weekend.

Eastern Washington drops 5 spots to #14 after a trip to Cedar Falls and a good game with the UNI Panthers…so close to getting that first win against the Panthers but still came up a bit short.

Portland State continues its climb up the AGS Poll this week jumping another 8 spots up to #15 this week after defeating the Idaho State Bengals last Saturday.

Southern Illinois & Western Carolina both dropped out of the ORV this week after their respective losses over the past weekend.  Good things are expected from both of these squads this season so they need to get it going in the right direction quickly and start moving up the ranks to meet expectations this season.

Previous Wk. Rank Team: Total Points First Place Votes
1 1 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1902 47
2 2 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 1749 14
4 3 North Dakota State Bison 1727 3
3 4 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1640 6
5 5 Illinois State Redbirds 1584 5
8 6 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1566 3
6 7 Villanova Wildcats 1521
7 8 Montana Grizzlies 1437
10 9 Cal Poly Mustangs 1241 1
19 10 Northern Iowa Panthers 1172
12 11 James Madison Dukes 1157
11 12 Montana State Bobcats 1056
15 13 New Hampshire Wildcats 889
9 14 Eastern Washington Eagles 879
23 15 Portland State Vikings 837 1
14 16 Chattanooga Mocs 828
13 17 Liberty Flames 746
18 18 Southeastern Louisiana Lions 577
17 19 Fordham Rams 575
16 20 Youngstown State Penguins 511
25 21 Samford Bulldogs 499
24 22 William & Mary Tribe 324
20 23 Eastern Kentucky Colonels 251
21 24 Indiana State Sycamores 251
30 25 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 231
ORV:
27 26 North Dakota 212
28 27 Harvard Crimson 114
32 28 McNeese State Cowboys 100
26 29 Western Illinois Leathernecks 71
29 30 Richmond Spiders 60
NR 31 The Citadel Bulldogs 50
35 32 Towson Tigers 29
22 33 Idaho State Bengals 25
37 34 Wofford Terriers 24
36 35 Jacksonville Dolphins 23
NR 36 Holy Cross Crusaders 18
NR 37 Sacred Heart Pioneers 15
39 38 Tennessee State Tigers 15
NR 39 Duquesne Dukes 14
NR 40 Stony Brook Seawolves 13
Dropped out this week:
31 Southern Illinois Salukis
33 Western Carolina Catamounts

 

ICYMI: Week 2

In Case You Missed It: Week 2

The last time an FCS team beat a ranked FBS opponent came back in the 2013 season, when Eastern Washington and then-No. 25 Oregon State went punch-for-punch offensively as the Eagles squeezed out a 49-46 victory on an Aug. 31 afternoon.

They say close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, and Jacksonville State head coach John Grass will likely be the first to say the same after his Gamecocks fell to sixth-ranked Auburn in overtime on Saturday, 27-20.

But for everyone else on the outside looking in, Jacksonville State’s loss to the Tigers sure seems at least a little like a victory.

The Gamecocks held a 10-6 lead over perennial powerhouse Auburn at halftime, and with 5:38 left to play in the contest a five-yard Troymaine Pope touchdown run gave the visitors a 20-13 lead. Visions of Appalachian State and Michigan swirled as the upset loomed.

The SEC Tigers knotted the game, however, with 39 seconds to play, and won it in overtime. Jacksonville State kicker Connor Rouleau went 2-for-4 on field goal attempts in the game, showing a glimpse at what could have been.

The overtime loss for the Gamecocks was as close as any FCS team came to defeating an FBS opponent this weekend. In case you missed the Week 2 FCS action, here are some quieter stats and headlines to know:

Jacksonville State made the headlines by potentially boosting its stock with the overtime loss to sixth-ranked Auburn, but watch out for Portland State in the upcoming polls. The Vikings took down FBS opponent Washington State last weekend, and downed No. 23 Idaho State handedly, 34-14, on Saturday.

Portland State held the explosive Bengals’ offense to a mere 242 total yards, which included just 61 rushing. The Vikings also forced four Idaho State turnovers en route to the victory. Keep an eye out for PSU as they head into a bye week looking to load up for a Sept. 26 contest against Western Oregon.

Speaking of likely poll risers, South Dakota State proved the Week 1 victory over Big 12 member Kansas wasn’t at all a fluke. The Jackrabbits thrashed Southern Utah, 55-10, Saturday behind another gaudy rushing attack. Brady Mengarelli was the beneficiary of the major workload this time around, gaining 143 yards and scoring three touchdowns on 17 carries. Sophomore receiver Jake Wieneke pumped up his stats once again with a two-touchdown and 205-yard receiving performance.

The only receiver with a better showing through two weeks (at least in terms of yards and touchdowns) is Eastern Washington pass catcher Cooper Kupp. The junior, who is on pace to have one of the better receiving careers statistically in history, hauled in nine receptions against Northern Iowa for 179 yards and a pair of scores. That gives the former Jerry Rice Award winner 425 yards and five touchdowns through two weeks. The only problem is his Eastern team is 0-2 after the narrow 38-35 defeat to the Panthers.

Finding offense hasn’t been an issue for teams like Kennesaw State, James Madison and Samford. The three programs have all scored over 100 combined points through two weeks. Kennesaw State leads the FCS averaging 57.0 ppg, followed by the Dukes (55.0 ppg) and the Bulldogs (51.5 ppg).

The same goes for The Citadel and its flourishing ground game, which “only” gained 341 yards rushing over the weekend in the team’s 28-10 win over Western Carolina. The Bulldogs lead the nation with 438.0 rushing ypg through two weeks, and have scored an FCS-best 12 times via the ground.

Two top-ranked teams came back with a vengeance Saturday after suffering season-opening losses. Four-time reigning national champion North Dakota State clearly wasn’t happy about its loss to Montana two weeks ago, so the Bison took their frustrations out on Weber State. NDSU limited the Wildcats to six total first downs as the Big Sky Conference program went just 1-for-13 on third-down conversion attempts. The Bison rolled to a 41-14 victory.

Illinois State, the reigning national runners-up, dominated Morgan State to the tune of a 67-14 victory. Quarterback Tre Roberson and running back Marshaun Coprich combined for seven touchdowns against the Bears (four passing for Roberson, three rushing for Coprich).

Things keep getting worse for Rhode Island, which dropped a 35-7 contest to CAA foe Albany. The Rams turned the ball over six times against the Great Danes, which included four lost fumbles.

Morehead State dropped a 43-40 contest to VMI in an aerial assault. Eagles quarterback Austin Gahafer threw a whopping 62 pass attempts in the loss, connecting on 35 of those throws. He and VMI quarterback Al Cobb combined for 103 pass attempts and 62 completions in the contest.

Bethune-Cookman and Grambling State fought it out in a battle between two HBCU programs Saturday that led to an overwhelming offensive performance. The two teams combined for 1,047 yards of total offense and 109 points in B-CU’s 56-53 win.

Finally, Southern Illinois may be 0-2 to start the season, but the Salukis should by no means be a team to underestimate. Starting quarterback Mark Iannotti leads the FCS in total offense per game through the first two weeks, averaging 426.0 ypg. He’s third in the FCS in passing yards per contest (352.5), and is averaging 14.1 passing yards per completion. His completion percentage sits at a healthy 72.5 percent.

The FCSTV Guide For Week 2 – 9/10-9/12/2015

Once again our friends  FargoBison & RootinFerDukes at AGS brings us a list of televised FCS games, thanks again FB.

 

Must See Matchups – Week 2

Saturday, September 12
(1) Jacksonville State at Auburn (SEC Network) 12pm
The newly #1 Gamecocks will not likely stay atop the top perch for long after their visit to Auburn.

(21) Indiana State at Purdue (ESPNEWS) 12pm
Purdue is likely the worst Big 10 team this season, recently losing to Marshall. Indiana State could pull the upset.

Mars Hill (D2) at (14) Chattanooga (SoCon Video) 1pm
Chattanooga should cruise easily in this D2 tune-up game.

(9) Eastern Washington at (19) Northern Iowa (ESPN Extra/(CSNC/ESPN3)/(SWX/PSN) (cable)) 2pm
The AGS GOTW that should prove to be a game that will go down to the wire. Will UNI’s home crowd give them the advantage as the MVFC tries to flex its muscles?

(13) Liberty at West Virginia (RSPI) 3pm
Liberty may find themselves in over their heads as they head up to Morgantown.

Florida A&M at (25) Samford (ESPN3) 3pm
Samford should win easily against the MEAC’s Florida A&M.

Weber State at (4) North Dakota State (ESPN Extra/ESPN3/NBC ND (cable)) 3:30pm
NDSU doesn’t like losing and has had to think about the disappointment in Missoula for two weeks now. I feel bad for Weber State.

Lehigh at (12) James Madison (Madizone Streaming, http://portal.stretchinternet.com/jmu/) 4pm
As thunderstorms loom in Harrisonburg, hopefully the Dukes can effectively run the ball or it can be a long, wet game.

(2) Coastal Carolina at South Carolina State (No TV) 6pm
An in-state match-up that CCU should win convincingly, but SCSU may be the best HBCU in the land.

(6) Villanova at (17) Fordham (PLN Video) 6pm
Runner-up for the AGS GOTW. Fordham could spring the upset, but I think and hope that VU prevails.

(15) New Hampshire at Colgate (PLN Video) 6pm
UNH wants to rebound after the disappointing performance in San Jose. They should win comfortably.

(20) Eastern Kentucky at North Carolina State (ESPN3) 6pm
EKU has a tall task in Raleigh against the Wolf Pack.

(23) Portland State at (22) Idaho State (Big Sky Video) 6pm
PSU’s upset of Washington State last week made this match-up more intriguing than it looked a week ago. This could go either way, but I’ll give the home team the edge.

Southern Utah at (8) South Dakota State (No TV) 7pm
SDSU smacked the Jayhawks and will do the same to SUU.

Robert Morris at (16) Youngstown State (ESPN Extra/ESPN3) 7pm
An easy early season game for Bo Pelini and company.

Morgan State at (5) Illinois State (ESPN Extra/CSNC/ESPN3) 7:30pm
Illinois State will roll with ease.

Florida Tech (D2) at (18) Southeastern Louisiana (No TV) 8pm
SELA should easily dispatch a D2 team here.

(10) Cal Poly at Arizona State (Pac-12 Network) 11pm
Cal Poly barely knew the AGS Top 10. Maybe later this season.

Bye Week:
(3) Sam Houston State
(7) Montana
(11) Montana State
(24) William & Mary

Others Receiving Votes (26-30):
(26) Western Illinois at Illinois (Big Ten Network) 12pm
(29) Richmond at Hampton (No TV) 12pm
Drake at (27) North Dakota (FCSP/Midco (cable)/Video (FS Go/Big Sky) 6pm
New Mexico Highlands (D2) at Northern Arizona (FSAZ+/FCSP/NAU-TV Video/Big Sky Video) 7pm

Here is a detailed listing of the games available and as usual FCS-FBS games dominate the slate of early season games, but a few great FCS-FCS battles can be found. UNI-EWU…perhaps the headline game of the week is on CSN Chicago and ESPN3…All times are in Central Time….

TV Guide
9/10: Southern at Mississippi Valley State 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
9/12: JSU at Auburn 11:00 a.m. SEC Network
WIU at Illinois 11:00 a.m. Big 10 Network
Indiana State at Purdue 11:00 a.m. ESPN News
Sac State at Washington 1:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network
EWU at UNI 1:00 p.m CSN Chicago/EPSN3
Liberty at WVU 2:00 p.m. Root Sports Pittsburgh
Rhode Island at Albany 2:30 p.m. Altitude/SNY/Comcast California
SFA at TCU 2:30 p.m. Fox Sports 1
Weber State at NDSU 2:30 p.m. NBC ND/ESPN3
Austin Peay at Southern Miss 2:30 p.m. CSN Bay Area/ASN
EIU at Northwestern 3:00 p.m. ESPN News
Drake at North Dakota 6:00 p.m. Fox Sports Pacific/Midco
SUU at SDSU 6:00 p.m. Midco Sports Network
Norfolk State at Old Dominion 6:00 p.m. ASN(Affiliates TBA)
Incarnate Word at McNeese State 6:00 p.m. MASN/ASN
Lamar at Baylor 6:30 p.m. Fox Sports Affiliates
Central Arkansas at Oklahoma State 6:30 Fox Sports Network Affiliates
Morgan State Illinois State 6:30 p.m CSN Chicago Sports+/ESPN3
Bacone College at Texas Southern 7:00 p.m. Root Sports SW+
Cal Poly at Arizona State 10:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

FCS on ESPN3
9/12: Presbyterian at Charlotte 11:00 a.m.
Howard at BC noon
Morehead State at VMI 12:30 p.m.
EWU at UNI 1:00 p.m.
Monmouth at CMU 2:00 p.m.
Florida A&M at Samford 2:00 p.m.
Chadron State Missouri State 2:00 p.m.
Murray State at Northern Illinois 2:30 p.m.
Furman at Va Tech 2:30 p.m.
Weber State at NDSU 2:30 p.m.
WCU at The Citadel 5:00 p.m.
Stetson at Mercer 5:00 p.m.
Delaware State at Kent Sate 5:00 p.m.
NCCU at Duke 5:00 p.m.
NC A&T at North Carolina 5:00 p.m.
EKU at NC State 5:00 p.m.
RMU at YSU 6:00 p.m.
Northwestern State at UL-Lafayette 6:00 p.m.
Nicholls State at UL-Monroe 6:00 p.m.
Prairie View A&M at Texas State 6:00 p.m.
Charleston Southern at Troy 6:00 p.m.
Morgan State at Illinois State 6:30 p.m.

FCS on ESPN College Extra
EWU at UNI 1:00 p.m.
Weber State at NDSU 2:30 p.m.
Lafayette at Delaware 5:00 p.m.
RMU at YSU 6:00 p.m.
Morgan State at Illinois State 6:30 p.m.

Where to find other FCS games (FREE) online….
http://lsufootball.net/tvschedule.htm (Guide to all games on TV or online webcasts)
OVC Conference…http://www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com/watch/
Big Sky Conference…http://www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp
Big South Conference…http://www.bigsouthsports.com/live/8589
Northeast Conference…http://www.necfrontrow.com/
Patriot League…http://www.campusinsiders.com/networ…ot_league/live
SoCon Digital Network…http://www.socondigitalnetwork.com

 

MVFC Preview 2015.2

MVFC Week 2 Preview

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | September 11, 2015

 

Chad says-

 

WIU @ ILLINOIS

Lance Lenoir Jr leads the Leathernecks into Memorial Stadium coming of a conference player of the week honor. He’s going to need a fair amount of help to walk out with a win. Illinois looks like a mess from the outside, with Tim Beckman being fired just 2 weeks ago, but it didn’t seem to phase them last week. Based on what I saw from both last week the Leathernecks have a chance, but they are going to get a career day from Lenoir and hope Illinois gives them a couple turnovers to work with.

 

EWU @ UNI

This Eagles team is going to be the best offense to ever take to Stan Sheriff Field inside the UNIDome. UNI has the defense to keep EWU out of the end zone enough to give a normal offense a shot. Based the abomination that took place in Jack Trice last weekend, where 3 quarterbacks saw the field and the special teams looked like they had never seen a football before, I have no reason to believe the defense will get any help. Sadly, I think this gets ugly in a hurry.

 

Weber State @ NDSU

Last season Weber State gave a Bison team with significantly fewer holes than this years edition all they could handle. This years Bison team will be without AGS All American left guard Zack Johnson, who is out with a broken leg, and Carson Wentz, who will be out for a couple weeks with a high ankle sprain. They should get CJ Smith back to sure the secondary up a bit, and I expect a focused Bison team taking the field. I think we see a final similar to last years score of 24-7.

 

Southern Utah @ SDSU

SDSU is going to need to avoid a let down after picking up their first FBS scalp in program history. They may have lost Zach Zenner and Austin Sumner, but Zach Lujan and Issac Wallace looked the part and had numbers almost identical to those we’d have expected from Sumner and Zenner. If Southern Utah’s game against Utah State is a true indicator of what to expect from them moving forward this game could get ugly. The Thunderbirds showed very little signs of life on offense. That could lead to SDSU jumping out big early and never looking back.

 

Morgan State @ Illinois State

What better way for Illinois State to correct issues from last week than having the Bears of Morgan State roll into town. The Bears gave up 6.9 yards per carry to Air Force last week, so look for offensive coordinator Kurt Beathard work to establish Coprich and Roberson early and often. I don’t think this game ends any better for Morgan State than their 63-7 loss last weekend.

 

JT Says-

 

#21 Indiana State @ Purdue

The battle of Indiana will have Purdue vs #21 Indiana State.  Purdue opened the season with  a loss to former FCS school Marshall 41-31.  The Sycamores beat Butler 52-17 with 303 yards of rushing.  Lemonte Booker reminding fans of Shakir Bell with 137 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD’s and a 24 yard TD reception.  Indiana State with the mild upset in West Lafayette

 

Chadron State (D2) @ Missouri State

Chadron State a Div-II school that beat Missouri S & T their opening week are coming to Missouri State.  Chadron State plays the Colorado School of Mines the following week.  Even a good Div II school has no business beating a good FCS school.  Missouri State lost to Memphis 63-7 their opening week but a beat down of a Division 2 school will get the Bears back on track.

 

Robert Morris @ #16 Youngstown State

Bo Pelini nearly knocked off Pittsburgh 45-37.  Pelini will look to notch his first win over Robert Morris who lost to Dayton 27-24.  Robert Morris went 1-10 last season and will not put up much of a fight vs the #16 team in FCS.  Youngstown had over 400 yards of offense against Pittsburgh.  Look for them to get over 500 this week.

 

ORV (31) Southern Illinois @ Southeast Missouri State

Southern Illinois is back.  Southeast Missouri State lost 34-3 to Missouri only managing to put up 201 yards of offense including 56 passing yards.  Southern Illinois certainly didn’t play in a defensive struggle with Indiana but will be too much for the Redhawks to handle.  SIU runs away with it.

 

South Dakota @ UC-Davis

South Dakota looks the right the ship against UC Davis after being shutout 34-0 by K State. mustering only 61 yards of rushing.  South Dakota won 2 games (William & Penn and Northern Arizona) last year, neither team the caliber of UC-Davis.  UC-Davis lost to Nevada 31-17.  UC Davis QB Ben Scott was 32-47 for 238 yards 1 TD, no picks.  The K-State running game beat South Dakota but it will be the UC Davis passing game that beats them this week.

 

TIME (CDT) MATCHUP TV
11:00 AM ORV (26) Western Illinois @ Illinois Big Ten Network
11:00 AM #21 Indiana State @ Purdue ESPNNews
1:00 PM #9 Eastern Washington @ #19 Northern Iowa ESPN3
2:00 PM Chadron State (D2) @ Missouri State ESPN3
2:30 PM Weber State @ #4 North Dakota State ESPN3
6:00 PM Robert Morris @ #16 Youngstown State ESPN3
6:00 PM Southern Utah @ #8 South Dakota State NO TV
6:00 PM ORV (31) Southern Illinois @ Southeast Missouri State NO TV
6:30 PM Morgan State @ #5 Illinois State ESPN3
8:00 PM South Dakota @ UC-Davis NO TV

Big Sky Preview 2015.2

BSC  Week 2 Preview

Kris Kallem & Lance Berndt, BSC  Contributors | September 11, 2015

Kris Says-

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

The Eagles try and get their first victory ever at the UNI Dome against 4 losses. The Panthers have switched to a no-huddle passing attack under new offensive coordinator, Joe Davis, but have not established a clear #1 at quarterback yet and they are inexperienced at wide receiver. This might be good timing for an Eastern defense that gave up over 400 yards on the ground last week against Oregon. The good news for the Eagles is that quarterbacks Jordan West and Reilly Hennessey appear more than capable in replacing Vernon Adams.

 

Weber State @ North Dakota State

The Bison defense struggled against Montana, and Weber State might just be what the doctor ordered. The Wildcats managed just 9 first downs and 178 total yards in their loss against Oregon State last week.

 

Portland State at Idaho State

With the Viking’s upset of Washington State, this has suddenly become a huge matchup. The Bengals have playoff hopes and a slim margin for error as they face two FBS opponents as well as Cal Poly, both Montana’s, and Eastern Washington. Portland State needs to prove their win against lowly Wazzu was not a fluke.

 

New Mexico Highlands @ Northern Arizona

The Lumberjacks are coming off a big road victory against Stephen F. Austin and look to build more confidence for new quarterback Case Cookus against the Division II Cowboys.

 

South Dakota @ UC Davis

The Yotes are coming off a shut out loss to Kansas State. Davis on the other hand, played reasonably well against Nevada in their opener. These are two teams without much success of late and this will be one of their better opportunities for a win this season.

 

Lance says-

Sacramento State @ FBS Washington

The competition for the Hornets will be a lot tougher against the Huskies. Quarterback Daniel Kniffin will lead the team into Husky Stadium, but should struggle against a very strong Washington defense that held Boise State to just 16 points this past week.

 

Drake @ (ORV) North Dakota

While this should be an easy win for UND, this could be a potential trap game with teams from the Pioneer Football league winning a couple of non-conference FCS games last weekend. Drake is sure to be in the top tier of the PFL this season led by RB Conley Wilkins and senior QB Andy Rice. North Dakota does have the definite advantage in this game and it will be interesting to see how they respond to their big win and with playing their first game in front of their home fans. Look for Will Ratelle and the UND defense to shut down Drake in this game.

 

Southern Utah @ (#8) South Dakota State

The T-Birds nearly picked off Utah State last week, but will face an opponent who was able to pull off their own FBS win. With South Dakota State coming off a very impressive win against Kansas, they will look to move to 2-0 with a win in their home opener against Southern Utah. James Cowser and company may have something different to say though as they look to improve on a very successful defensive performance in their first outing. The Jackrabbits could very well run away with this one, but if the Thunderbirds can step up the defense early, they may have a chance to go toe-to-toe with their highly ranked opponents.

 

Northern Colorado @ Houston Baptist

It’s hard to guess how this game will go with Northern Colorado coming off a D-II win and Houston Baptist beating an NAIA team. Northern Colorado’s defense will need to step it up after allowing nearly 600 yards of offense. The Bears offense will be led by RB Trae Riek and QB Jonathan Newsom.

 

(#10) Cal Poly @ (ORV) FBS Arizona State

In their past 5 seasons, Arizona State has beaten their FCS opponent by an average score of 53-8. The game might be a little bit closer with Cal Poly coming into town, but it should still be a very uphill battle for the Mustangs. Chris Brown and the Cal Poly attack will need to find success on offense for long periods of time to be able to keep the fierce Sun Devil offense at bay.

 

TIME (ET) MATCHUP TV
2:00 PM Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa
2:00 PM Sacramento State @ Washington Pac-12 Network
3:30 PM Weber State @ North Dakota State
6:00 PM Drake @ North Dakota
6:05 PM Portland State @ Idaho State
7:00 PM Southern Utah @ South Dakota State
7:00 PM New Mexico Highlands @ Northern Arizona
8:00 PM Northern Colorado @ Houston Baptist
9:00 PM South Dakota @ UC Davis
11:00 PM Cal Poly @ #15 Arizona State Pac-12 Network

SWAC Preview 2015.2

SWAC week 2 Preview

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 10, 2015

Thursday, September 10

SOUTHERN AT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Thursday • September 10 • 6:30 p.m. CST
Rice-Totten Stadium (10,000) • Itta Bena, Miss.
TV: ESPNU/ESPN 3
Series: Southern leads, 36-9
Last Meeting: November 15, 2014
Southern 44, Mississippi Valley State 13

Two teams that got blown out in two different manners that kind of mirror the direction of both teams. Southern will bombarded thru the air by Louisiana Tech, but was able to have a few explosive plays. MVSU never crossed the 50 yard line as New Mexico set a school rushing record. These teams meet in the Delta on Thursday night where strange things can happen. Southern will be led by their offense. QB Austin Howard is in his second year as a starter and he has lots of targets at his disposal. Lenard Tillery leads the running game. Return Specialist Willie Quinn is a threat any time he touches the ball. The defense will be as usual bend but don’t break. Valley comes into this game with questions on both sides of the ball. They have struggled to move the ball on the ground and in the air. Valley’s chances in this game hinge on forcing turnovers and hoping for some Delta Devil magic. Prediction: SU 31 MVSU 14

Saturday, September 12

TENNESSEE STATE AT JACKSON STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (59,308) • Memphis, Tenn.
26th Annual Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx
TV: None
Series: Tennessee State leads, 14-9
Last Meeting: September 13, 2014 – Memphis, Tenn.
Tennessee State 35 Jackson State 7

These two teams clash again in a battle of the Big Cats. Tennessee State is coming in fresh off a victory over Alabama State in which the scored 3 4th quarter TD’s. Jackson State is off of a loss to FBS foe Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Bengals of JSU are led by their passing duo of QB LaMontez Ivy and WR Dan Williams. Tennessee State started RS Freshman QB O’Shay Ackerman-Carter last week against the Hornets, he did a good enough job to help the Big Blue win the game. JSU’s Darkside Defense will try to make the going rough for the young QB. I see the key factor in this game being JSU’s ability to run the ball to keep TSU honest. If they can do that, the JSU Tigers will win. My prediction: JSU 24 TSU 21

 

ALCORN STATE AT ALABAMA STATE
Saturday • September 12• 6:00 p.m. CST
ASU Stadium (26,500) • Montgomery, Ala.
TV: None
Series: Alabama State leads 21-20
Last Meeting: October 2, 2012 – Lorman, Miss.
Alcorn State 33, Alabama State 7

In this Battle of the ASU’s, the early SWAC East Lead is on the line. Last season this was supposed to be the brawl for it all in the East but the Braves boat-raced the Hornets on National Television. This season both teams are coming into this crucial early season game off of losses in different fashions. The Hornets lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee State when they couldn’t hold the football in the fourth quarter. The Braves were ran over by Georgia Tech. There are two keys to this game: #1 is quarterback play, against Georgia Tech, Alcorn’s John Gibbs was ineffective due to his inability to make plays on the ground or through the air due to defensive pressure. Alabama State’s QB Daniel Duhart is dealing with an ankle injury. #2 is Alcorn g continuing to grow after the loss of key coaches on both sides of the ball. I expect this to be an emotional affair, since this is Coach Jenkins’ first home game. I feel Alcorn is still the better team although this may be the SWAC’s best shot to get the Braves. Prediction: Alcorn 38 Alabama State 17
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Golden Lion Stadium (16,000) • Pine Bluff, Ark.
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None

If ever there was an opportunity for a UAPB win this would be it. The Golden Lions were inconsistent in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge against South Carolina State, playing three QB’s and not having much success with either of them. Their top receiver Willie Young was held to one catch and their defense wore down. Facing the D-II Maroon Tigers could be good for what ails the Golden Lions although they are in no position to overlook any team. Morehouse blew out Edward Waters last week so they will head into Pine Bluff feeling good. I expect UAPB to get a couple early scores and hold on to win. Prediction: UAPB 27 Morehouse 20

 

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT TEXAS STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Bobcat Stadium (30,000) • San Marcos, Texas
TV: ESPN 3 Watch ESPN
Series: Texas State leads, 11-2
Last Meeting: September 7, 2013 – San Marcos, Texas
Texas State 28 Prairie View 3

The Willie Simmons era got off to a great start for the Panthers as they knocked off Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic. This week they take a step up in competition facing the FBS Bobcats. Texas State is looking to rebound from an opening season loss. The Panthers defense will be tested by the Texas State running game led by QB Tyler Jones. PVU brings an offense led by a two headed RB combo (Courtney Brown and Johnta Hebert) into San Marcos. QB Trey Green was a pleasant surprise for the Panthers as he won the SWAC offensive player of the week in his first start. This should be a high scoring game as both teams should move the ball. In the end the Bobcats will be too much. Prediction: TSU 52 PVU 28

 

TEXAS SOUTHERN VS BACONE COLLEGE
Saturday • September 12 • 7:00 p.m. CST
BBVA Compass Stadium (22,000) • Houston, Texas
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None

Where to start, first off who is Bacone you ask? The Warriors are an NAIA school from Muskogee, Oklahoma and the lost their last game to Lamar 66-3. This should be Texas Southern’s first win of the season as the Tigers look to rebound from a disappointing effort against PVU on Saturday. Some believe that coach Asberry is on the hot seat and although it should be a win, games like this don’t quell the flames. The Tigers should have an offensive explosion especially if top receivers Derrick Griffin and Malik Cross can make plays. The defense will be stout in this one for TSU. Bacone will take their second Texas beating in consecutive weeks. Not much else I can say about this one. Prediction: TSU 63 Bacone 7

 

BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT GRAMBLING STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Eddie Robinson Stadium (19,600) • Grambling, La.
TV: None
Series: Grambling State leads 12-2
Last Meeting: September 13, 2014 – Daytona Beach, Fla.
Bethune-Cookman 36 Grambling State 23

Last year this game was sort of coming out party for the G-Men, even though they came up short on the scoreboard. Both teams are coming off of FBS losses, BCU went down to Miami, FL and Cal knocked off Grambling. First year BCU coach Terry Sims will look to make a statement on the road and Grambling’s Brodrick Fobbs is seeking to prove that the Tigers are top in the SWAC. To me this should have been the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. This should be an entertaining game, I feel GSU’s Johnathan Williams will not be plagued by the INT bug as he was against Cal. The key in this game is simple, the run game: BCU will want to run the ball, can Grambling stop them. For Grambling has a running game developed? After a 112 yard effort from Martez Carter, does this mean the Tigers have a new weapon? This could easily be the game of the week. Prediction: GSU 26 BCU 21

TSOTN Week 2

National Notes Week 2

Kevin Marshall, National Contributor | September 10, 2015

 

The Review

The State of the Nation in FCS this week was pretty dynamic, tumultuous, and any other $3 word we can use to describe the unstable nature of thinking you know something about the FCS landscape.

The AnyGivenSaturday.com Top 25 Poll, the most accurate and dependable  poll in all of the Football Championship Subdivision, has a new number  one team after week zero and week one action. The Jacksonville State  Gamecocks, of the Ohio Valley Conference, jumped from #9 to #1 over several other  teams on the strength of the Cocks 23-20 road victory over the defending  Southern Conference Champion Chattanooga Mocs.  Jacksonville State will  face FBS #6 the Auburn Tigers this Saturday. A strong case could have  been made for several other teams to claim the top spot in the poll.  Coastal Carolina, Sam Houston State, and Villanova could have just as  easily been number 1. Early season ranking is TOUGH! Thankfully in the  FCS we have a 24 team playoff and our National Champion will be the last  team to win a football game.

Game Balls go out to Portland State, North Dakota, Fordham, and South  Dakota State for claiming FBS scalps with their upset wins over ‘The Big  Boys’ last week. Let the FBS Schools continue to whine and cry about  not wanting to schedule teams from our Subdivision while they are losing  some of those games!

 

The Preview

Fordham @ Villanova

Fordham is riding high after their victory over West Point at Michie  Stadium last week and Villanova is coming in after a close and hard  fought loss to UConn. Three of the best of the FCS will be on display in  this one. Chase Edmonds of Fordham, last years Jerry Rice Award Winner,  and Villanova’s Qb John Robertson and LB Don Cherry. Robertson won the  Walter Payton Award one season ago and Cherry is a leading candidate for  the Buck Buchanan Award this season. All three are worth price of  admission separately and seeing all three on the same field should be  quite a show.

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

The Eagles of Eastern Washington and the Panthers of Northern Iowa are  two traditional powers in the FCS. The Eagles played with and gave  Oregon, of the FBS, all they wanted plus some last week while the  Panthers were very disappointed in their performance at FBS Iowa State.  Both of these teams know how important this game is as neither wants to  be 0-2 with an uphill sled to a Playoff Berth. It’s difficult to say  that any game, not against a rival that is, is a must win game in week  two but this one is as close as can be for both ball clubs. Eagle WR  Cooper Kupp will again be the best player on the field just as he was  one week ago at Oregon and the Panthers will have a tough time  containing him much less stopping him. Northern Iowa must be much more  fundamentally sound this week to avoid another loss. Their blocking and  tackling was poor against the Cyclones and a repeat of that type of  performance will get them the same result.

Western Carolina @ The Citadel

The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, will host the  Western Carolina Catamounts at General Johnson Hagood Stadium in the  first Southern Conference Game of the 2015 Season. Both teams are coming  off impressive games against lesser competition last week. The  Catamounts defeated Mars Hill, a Division II team, and the Bulldogs  whipped former Southern Conference member Davidson 69-0. In last years  game at Cullowhee, NC the Catamounts rolled up over 600 yards of total  offense and won the game by two scores. The Citadel turned the ball over  4 times inside the Catamount 30 including a strip at the one yard line  after a 53 yard run. Two opposing styles will be on display. The  Catamount spread offense passing attack and The Citadel’s triple option.  Whomever plays the most defense will win this one in beautiful  Charleston, South Carolina.

 

South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina

SC  State Head Coach Buddy Pough has one of his better teams in the last  several years in 2015. Coastal Carolina has become a yearly playoff  participant and this one will be a match-up where SC State’s strength,  rushing the football, is Coastal’s weakness. The Furman Paladins ran the  ball exceptionally well against the Chanticleers last week in a 38-35  victory for Coastal. State is better defensively than the Paladins and  should be able to control the ball on offense and keep Coastal from  turning the game into a shootout. Looking forward to a hard fought game  in Conway, SC.

 

The Interview

The FCS Wedge is very happy  to welcome East Tennessee State University Head Coach Carl Torbush to  the program this week. I had the chance to speak with Coach Torbush  last week and discuss the Buccaneers restarting their football program  after a 12 year hiatus. Y’all will want to tune in to hear what this  veteran coach has to say.

 

The Purview

Fordham @ Villanova

Fordham will be tough but I’ll take the Villanova Wildcats at home 28-17.

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

All Eagles in this one as their offense is too much for the Panthers. EWU 34-24.

Western Carolina @ The Citadel

The  football playing members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets will use  their ball control triple option offense and an improved defense to  stifle the Catamounts and win the first Southern Conference game of the  2015 season. The Citadel 31 WCU 20.

South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina

I like SC  State in this one on the strength of their running game and defense.  Coastal will be very tough but I think SC State will be a bit tougher.  SC State 24 CCU 21.