The FCS Wedge

Big Sky Review 2015.1

BSC Week 1 Review

Lance Berndt & Kris Kallem, BSC Contributors | September 8, 2015

Lance says-

#23 Portland State 24, FBS Washington State 17

The Vikings were picked to finish in the bottom fourth of the conference, but they may be turning a lot of heads in the Big Sky with this win. Anytime a team can hold a Mike Leach offense under 20 points, praise deserves to be handed out. The final game winning drive showcased PSU’s desire to run the ball with David Jones, Alex Kuresa, Paris Penn, and Steven Long all having significant carries. Aaron Sibley stamped the win for Portland State with an interception ending Wazzu’s final drive.

(ORV) North Dakota 24, FBS Wyoming 13

Many of us in the Big Sky knew North Dakota had a strong defense, but we didn’t know it was that good. UND shut out Wyoming for 3 quarters and held the Cowboys to just 41 rushing yards. When Bubba Schweigert took the head coaching job last season, he promised he would reignite UND’s rushing attack. They made that clear rushing for 276 yards, which helped them control the time of possession holding the ball for over 37 minutes. Freshman John Santiago led the rushing attack with 148 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries.

(ORV) Northern Arizona 34, Stephen F. Austin 28

Now I’ll have to admit, this game surprised me just a little bit. Not necessarily with NAU winning, but rather them winning with very strong offensive numbers. Casey Jahn led a strong rushing attack with 157 yards on 21 carries, but the real story was the connection that developed between true freshman QB Case Cookus and sophomore receiver Emmanuel Butler. Cookus finished the game with 267 yards through the air, while Butler caught 7 passes for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.

#10 Cal Poly 20, #8 Montana 19

The week of surprise performances in the Big Sky was capped off by Cal Poly’s impressive win at Washington-Grizzly stadium. The Mustangs held Brady Gustafson and the Montana offense in check by simple containment. The Griz were able to pick up short gains and the occasional 15+ yard reception, but anytime they slipped up just slightly, the Cal Poly D was there to capitalize hauling in 3 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery. Chris Brown and the Cal Poly option attack helped control the time of possession throughout the game and utilized patience in gaining the yards they needed on their key final drive which resulted in Alex Vega kicking an impressive game-winning 49 yard field goal. Mustang defensive back B.J. Nard came away with all 3 interceptions, while Griz linebacker Kendrick Van Ackeren led the team with 20 total tackles.

Kris Says-

Northern Colorado 42 Western State 34

Northern Colorado gave up 587 yards to the Division II Mountaineers including 285 on the ground but managed to avoid the embarrassing loss.

# 22 Idaho State 55 Black Hills State 0

Transfer quarterback Michael Sanders had a very efficient debut for the Bengals going 15-18 for 278 yards and five touchdowns. Junior running back Jakori Ford out-shined last season’s big sky rushing champion Xavier Finney with 201 yards on the ground. Idaho state was also solid on defense giving up just 155 yards.

Oregon 61 #9 Eastern Washington 42

Eastern lost the turnover battle and the defense got gashed as expected but 42 points were the most put on Oregon in Autzen Stadium since USC’s 51 back in 2012. The Eagles kept things respectable with quarterbacks Jordan West and Reilly Hennessey combining for 438 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide Receiver Cooper Kupp was outstanding, setting stadium records for receptions with 15 and yards with 246.

Sacramento State 41 Eastern Oregon 20

The Hornets played solid on both sides of the ball led by Darnell Sankey’s 11 tackles, and a two touchdown, 296 yard throwing performance by new quarterback Daniel Kniffin.

Big Sky Conference Players of the Week

Offensive Player Of The Week – Cooper Kupp & Emmanuel Butler

Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Northern Arizona wide receiver Emmanuel Butler shared the honors. Kupp set personal and Autzen Stadium records of 15 receptions for 246 yards to go along with 2 touchdowns. Butler caught 7 balls for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin.

Defensive Player Of The Week – Aaron Sibley

Portland State’s corner Aaron Sibley tallied 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, a broke up pass, a blocked field goal, and the game clinching interception.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Alex Vega

Cal Poly’s Alex Vega who’s 49 yard field goal was the game winner against the Griz.

MVFC Review 2015.1

MVFC Week 1 Review

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC Contributors | September 8, 2015

Chad says-

(ORV) Western Illinois 33, #25 Eastern Illinois 5

I mentioned last week that if the Leathernecks back 7 could get production they would have success, and they did just that as Brett Taylor nabbed a pick 6 and was joined by Eddy Holtschlag and Timothy Smith as Leathernecks picking off EIU QB Jalen Whitlow. Lance Lenoir Jr. continued to show that last season was just the tip of the iceberg for him. He racked up 280 all purpose yards, 124 receiving and 156 on kick returns, to pace the Western Illinois offense. He was clearly the main target for quarterback, Trenton Norvell, as Lenoir caught 10 of Norvell’s 18 completes for 124 of the 189 passing yards. For success to be sustained on offense the Leathernecks are going to need to find a consistent #2 wide receiver, and running back replacement for J.C. Baker. Freshman Steve McShane paced the Leathernecks with 52 yards on 14 carries, while junior Devon Moore managed just 33 yards on 23 carries, though he did have 2 touchdowns.

#2 Illinois State 14, Iowa 31

Last week J.T., and myself, agreed that the key for the Redbirds was winning the line of scrimmage against a program known for big hosses up front. They failed to do so and were punished for it. At one point in the second quarter over 30% Illinois State’s plays had been for negative yards. AGS All American running back Marshaun Coprich was held to just 32 yards on 13 carries (2.5 ypc) and a long of just 7. That is unlike the Redbird rushing game, as-a-matter-of-fact, the Redbirds averaged just 1.3 yards per carry as a team and surrendered 5 sacks. The defense wasn’t much more successful. The Hawkeyes piled up 210 yards rushing, on 4.8 yards per carry, and managed 221 yard through the air. The lone bright spot for the Redbirds might be back up Jake Kolbe’s performance in the 4th quarter. He went 11-15 for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns. While that did take place against Iowa’s second and third teamers, it showed the potential for explosiveness from last year remains.

#19 Indiana State 52, Butler 17

Indiana State is looking to replace one of the best quarterbacks in program history, Mike Perish, and their plan to do so might be a potent run game. Last season the Indiana State struggled to get anything going on the ground, but a semi-new look offense piled up 303 yards on the ground at 8.9 yards per carry and 5 rushing touchdowns. LeMonte Booker made a case for being the man in the backfield rushing for 137 yards on 11 carries and scoring 3 touchdowns. The rushing numbers likely needs to be taken with a grain, or a tablespoon, of salt as Butler isn’t known as a powerhouse program. Potentially concerning for the Sycamores is the defense giving up nearly 4 yards per carry, 4.5 yards per play, and 33 minutes of possession, up to the Bulldogs. Look for a renewed focus on defense from Indiana State this coming week.

Missouri State 7, Memphis 63

The Dave Steckel era in Springfield is off to a rough start as the Bears fell behind 49-0 just 5 minutes into the second quarter. Offensively the bears managed just 18 yards rushing and 105 yards passing. I wish I had more to say about this game, but the score and first 20 minutes of the game say it all. On the plus side for the Bears, things can only get better as they break in the new coaching staff.

South Dakota – 0, Kansas State – 34

Kansas State senior Morgan Burns ran the opening kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown to set the tone early. The South Dakota defense did step up and hold Kansas State off the board the remainder of the first quarter. Just 1:30 into the second quarter Kansas State broke the seal and never looked back. South Dakota QB Ryan Saeger had a better night passing than I would have predicted, throwing for 205 yards, but got no help from his running game as they averaged just 1.7 yards per carry and had none of the 5 players who registered a carry break 20 yards rushing. The plus side of the Yotes is the defense. They may have given up up 34 points for the game, but they looked the part. Had the offense given them a bit of support the score could have been significantly closer.

JT Says-

#8 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (1-0) 41, Kansas Jayhawks (0-1) 38

South Dakota State wins their first FBS game over Kansas. 3 years in a row that a Missouri Valley Conference team opens its season with a win over the Big 12. Zach Lujan lead the Jackrabbits with 3 TD’s on 293 yards passing. Jake Wieneke had 160 receiving yards and 2 TD’s and he’s only a sophomore. The Jackrabbits lead wire to wire jumping out to a 10-0 lead before giving up a kick return in the first quarter. They never trailed, Kansas made it interesting late.

#16 Youngstown State Penguins (0-1) 37, Pittsburgh Panthers (1-0) 45

It took Youngstown State almost a half to score a TD. They settled for field goals early, got a defensive TD just before halftime and fell 45-37 to Pittsburgh. If you want to win on the road over an FBS team, you have to get 7, not 3. Jody Webb was a bright spot rushing for 2 TD’s and 127 yards and 2 receptions for 21 yards. They gave up 458 yards in a losing effort.

ORV Southern Illinois Salukis (0-1) 47, Indiana Hoosiers (1-0) 48

Southern Illinois. The abbreviation is So Ill and they were SO CLOSE. Late in the game they let Jordan Howard waltz in for an untouched rushing TD with 58 seconds left. They drove down the field with a beautiful 25 yard strike from Mark Iannotti to Jimmy Jones with 18 seconds left. The 2 point conversion failed and the Hoosiers escape 48-47 in a game SIU really should have won. The Salukis are BACK and will make noise in the Missouri Valley. Mark Iannotti 411 yards and 4 TD’s in an inspired effort.

#19 UNI Panthers (0-1) 7, Iowa State Cyclones (1-0) 31

As good as Southern Illinois looked, UNI did not. UNI’s defense showed up but the offense sputtered and the special teams was a no show. The Special Teams left the defense in a short field. The D never gave up for UNI and looks just as strong as last year. The offense…well…it looked like the offense from 2 years ago when UNI missed the playoffs. UNI’s first play of the game was a delay of game. That’s how the night went. Too many mistakes, too undisciplined, too many penalties. Aaron Bailey transferred from Illinois and started but lacked the consistency needed for a starting QB getting sacked 5 times. UNI has more questions after the game than they did coming into it. Who’s the starting QB? We’ll find out next week.

SWAC Review 2015.1

SWAC Week 1 Review:

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 8, 2015

SWAC football got off to a rough but predictable start as teams stepped up to play FBS competition. Here are the recaps of the week’s action:

Thursday, September 3

Georgia Tech 69, Alcorn State 6

The Braves headed to the ATL to face the ACC favorite Yellow Jackets, things got off to a rough start immediately for the Braves as they surrendered 34 points in the first quarter and 48 in the half while also struggling to generate anything offensively. John Gibbs Jr. completed 8-of-22 passes for 106 and an interception. He also led the team in rushing carrying the ball seven times for 51 yards. Darryan Ragsdale was held to 50 yards on 11 attempts. The Tech Defense kept the Braves off balance all night, in their first game without Offensive Coordinator Willie Simmons.

Alcorn gave up 553 yards of total offense with 476 coming on the ground. Tech scored on its first seven possessions. Defensively, Alcorn was led by Damon Watkins who finished with 12 tackles. Darien Anderson totaled 12 while Darien McNair registered the only sack. On the plus side this will be the best team Alcorn faces this season and they will be able to work the kinks out during SWAC play.

Saturday, September 5

California 73, Grambling State 14

The Tigers went west to Cali to face the Golden Bears, things did not go well for them. Grambling State threw two interceptions for scores and surrendered three first half touchdowns. Last year lack of pass rush and inconsistent coverage in the secondary were issues for the Tigers, on Saturday the Bears exploited those weaknesses. Cal’s Jared Goff connected with Kenny Lawler three times for scores as the Tigers found themselves trailing 52-0 at halftime

Johnathan Williams threw four interceptions in the first half but there were a couple bright spots: Martez Carter scored on a 90-yard run in the fourth quarter and Nicholas Peoples added two interceptions for the Tigers. GSU forced two turnovers on the Golden Bears first three drives with a deflected pass by thrown by Goff and a fumble near the goal line by Vic Enwere.

Williams threw as many interceptions as completed passes in the first quarter. GSU’s Guy Stallworth led both teams in tackles with 10. Nicholas Peoples finished with nine stops and a pair of interceptions for the Tigers.

Middle Tennessee State 70, Jackson State 14

Jackson State came out firing but didn’t have enough as the Blue Riders took care of business. LaMontiez Ivy threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns but Jackson State still dropped it season opener at Middle Tennessee State 70-14 Saturday night.

JSU’s Dan Williams, continues to be Ivy’s go to guy, leading all receivers with 7 receptions for 130 yards. Stacy Noble totaled 13 tackles with 11 of them solo stops. Brent Stockstill threw four touchdowns for Middle Tennessee, he was 23 of 29 for 336 yards. Jeremiah Bryson rushed for two scores and Jordan Parker and Ruben Garnett each ran for a touchdown. A 75 yard interception return by D.J. Sanders closed out the scoring for Middle Tennessee. The Tigers trailed by 21 and with no time remaining before the break, Howard returned a blocked JSU field goal 63 yards for another score and the Blue Raiders had a 42-14 halftime advantage.

New Mexico 66, Mississippi Valley State 0

The Delta Devils traveled to Albuquerque to face the Lobos and the outcome was not pretty. Mississippi Valley State allowed New Mexico to tie a school and Mountain West Conference record for rushing touchdowns with eight in a season-opening 66-0 defeat Saturday night.

The Delta Devils struggled offensively finishing the game with only 74 yards of total offense. MVSU never crossed midfield on the night. They didn’t get past their own 40 in the first half and the deepest penetration came on its final possession when it reached their own 42.

Lobos quarterback Lamar Jordan completed all seven of his passes for 103 yards and added 62 rushing yards and the game’s first touchdown. Thomas Stokes Jr. led the Delta Devils with 40 yards on 13 carries, but overall they finished with 26 rushing yards on 40 carries. Of all the blowouts on Saturday this was easily the worst.

Cincinnati 52, Alabama A&M 10

Alabama A&M fell at Cincinnati in front of an on-campus record crowd of the newly renovated Nippert Stadium 52-10 Saturday night. The Bulldogs were competitive early. Gunner Kiel led the Bearcats on an 8-play, 58-yard touchdown drive that began with a 20-yard pass to Shaq Washington and ended with Johnny Holton catching a 6-yard TD pass. The Bulldogs would respond with a forced fumble and blocked punt which led to a a five play drive with DeWayne Ballard hitting Tevin McKenzie on a 12-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:55 to play in the first quarter.

Kiel and the Bearcats were too much as they pulled ahead 35-7 at halftime. He went 18 of 22 for 233 yards. AAMU didn’t score again until the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter when Cesar Diaz-Ramon kicked a 28-yard field goal. By then, UC had scored 45 unanswered points. Bryan Bower rushed the ball 19 times for 61 yards for AAMU.

Louisiana Tech 62 Southern 15

After a 12 minute delay, the Bulldogs only needed less than 10 minutes to score the first 17 points and had touchdowns covering 55, 45, 22, 27, 58 and 65 yards in rolling to a 44-point halftime lead.

Jeff Driskel made his first start after transferring from Florida; he threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Kenny Dixon scored on a 55-yard pass play and a 65-yard run; he finished with 171 total yards.

Southern’s only points came on a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Willie Quinn and a 1-yard TD run by Lenard Tillery. Danny Johnson had two interceptions for the Jags. Austin Howard completed 9 of 17 passes for just 66 yards as the Bulldogs swarmed Jaguars receivers. The Jaguars’ best sequence was an 85-yard drive that ended with Tillery’s touchdown in the third quarter. The Jags are considered a contender in the West, they will have to rebound from this game and continue to develop.

Prairie View 38, Texas Southern 11

The Tigers and Panthers faced off in the Labor Day Classic, the Panthers gave the SWAC their only win of the weekend. Trey Green ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third. The victory made Willie Simmons a winner in his debut as head coach of the Panthers. Simmons served as Alcorn State’s offensive coordinator last season.

Green ran 80 yards for his first score in the opening minutes of the game and the Panthers held a 10-3 lead at halftime. He scored from the two yard line early in the third quarter and Johnta Hebert added an 11-yard run for a score to give PVAMU a 24-3 lead after three quarters.

After Green threw 11 yards to Nick Pitre for a 7-yard score to make it 31-3. The Tigers struggled to get offense going all game long. Averion Hurts got Texas Southern into the end zone with a 5-yard toss to Larry Clark III. Malik Cross hauled eight passes totaling 65 yards for TSU. Courtney Brown (returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss all 2014), Green and Hebert combined for 224 yards on the ground for the Panthers.

Sunday, September 6

South Carolina State 35, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7

UAPB was plagued with turnovers and a sluggish third quarter Sunday evening at the 11th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge falling to South Carolina State 35-7 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The MEAC has owned this game winning 9 out of 11 meetings. Both teams combined for eight turnovers with UAPB throwing three interceptions in a game that started two hours late due to lightning delays.

The Golden Lions struggled on offense with the team playing three different quarterbacks. Collectively, they were 6-of-29 for 38 yards passing. Last season’s leading receiver in Willie Young has held to one catch and nine yards receiving. Brian Handley, who carried the ball 11 times for 51 yards was named MVP for the Golden Lions. Javon Hargraves earned MVP honors for the Bulldogs. He ended the game with 7 tackles including three sacks.

S.C. State, who led 7-0 at halftime rushed for one score, returned an interception for a touchdown along with an 18-yard scamper all in the third quarter opening up a 28-7 lead heading into the fourth. The Golden Lions only score came on a Draylon Willis 20 yard run in the third.UAPB surrendered 336 yards of total offense and was held to 191 yards.

Tennessee State 24, Alabama State 14

The Brian Jenkins era got off to a rough start as Alabama State gave up three fourth quarter touchdowns to squander away 14-3 lead falling to Tennessee State 24-14 in Nashville Sunday evening at Nissan Stadium. Patrick Smith, Tom Smith and Telvin Hooks scored fourth-quarter touchdowns for TSU The Tigers trailed by 11 going into the fourth quarter before Patrick Smith caught Oshay Ackerman-Carter’s 19-yard TD pass with 14:22 to go.

Latrelle Lee forced an Alabama State fumble three plays later and Javon Brandon recovered for the Tigers on the Hornets 36. Tom Smith’s 12-yard TD run gave TSU a 17-14 lead with 12:01 left. The Hornets fumbled again on the very next drive, and Hooks scored an insurance touchdown on a 5-yard run with 6:15 to play.

Daniel Duhart was 20-of-25 passing for 225 yards for the Hornets including an 82-yard TD pass to Josh Davis in the first quarter. Duhart ran for another score midway through the third that gave Alabama State a 14-3 lead.

Football Players of the Week: September 7

Offensive Player of the Week – Trey Green

Green accounted for three total touchdowns and 248 yards of offense in the Panthers’ 38-11 win over Texas Southern. The redshirt junior threw for 167 yards and a score, and he added 81 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. Green’s week 1 output surpassed all of his offensive production from the 2014 season.

Defensive Player of the Week – Ahkeem Barton

Barton was a large part of Prairie View’s defensive play versus Texas Southern, as the sophomore notched five tackles (2.5 TFL) and also collected two sacks for the Panthers defense, which held Texas Southern to 291 total yards of offense in a winning effort. With his efforts, Barton has already tied his 2014 total output in the sack department.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Willie Quinn

Quinn racked up 197 return yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, in Southern’s loss versus Louisiana Tech. For Quinn, it was second kick return score of his career, and fifth overall return for a touchdown. It is also the longest return for Quinn in his career, surpassing a 98-yard return touchdown he notched in the 2013 season.

Newcomer of the Week –Derrick Bobo

Bobo made six stops – all solo – in Jackson State’s loss to Middle Tennessee State. For the redshirt junior, it was his first in-game action of his collegiate career after missing last year due to injury.

AGS Poll Results – WEEK 1 – 2015

After some very interesting developments over the last two weeks the AGS Poll voters showed just how dynamic the early season voting can be. I believe this to be Jacksonville State’s first time topping the AGS Poll. This is going to be one heck of a season.

This Week’s Ranking:	Team:	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	1844	14
2	Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	1839	17
3	Sam Houston State Bearkats	1792	20
4	North Dakota State Bison	1780	12
5	Illinois State Redbirds	1649	6
6	Villanova Wildcats	1575	3
7	Montana Grizzlies	1529
8	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	1494	2
9	Eastern Washington Eagles	1462	7
10	Cal Poly Mustangs	1136	3
11	Montana State Bobcats	1114
12	James Madison Dukes	1033
13	Liberty Flames	1025
14	Chattanooga Mocs	1017
15	New Hampshire Wildcats	865
16	Youngstown State Penguins	751
17	Fordham Rams	741
18	Southeastern Louisiana Lions	739
19	Northern Iowa Panthers	727
20	Eastern Kentucky Colonels	521
21	Indiana State Sycamores	418
22	Idaho State Bengals	335
23	Portland State Vikings	332	1
24	William & Mary Tribe	270
25	Samford Bulldogs	265


	ORV:
26	Western Illinois Leathernecks	241
27	North Dakota	208
28	Harvard Crimson	155
29	Richmond Spiders	154
30	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	149
31	Southern Illinois Salukis	131
32	McNeese State Cowboys	77
33	Western Carolina Catamounts	47
34	Furman Paladins	43
35	Towson Tigers	21
36	Jacksonville Dolphins	20
37	Wofford Terriers	13
38	Holy Cross Crusaders	12
39	Tennessee State Tigers	11
40	Bryant Bulldogs	10

ICYMI – Week 1

By Brandon Lawrence

It didn’t take long for the brand new 2015-16 college football season to turn upside down and give fans a good shake-up, forcing any preconceived knowledge and logic out the window.

In fact, it all went away in the solo contest on Aug. 29 – the ground-shaking Montana upset over top-ranked North Dakota State in Missoula. It was North Dakota State’s second loss since its 2012 campaign.

Saturday’s schedule – college football’s first full slate of games – provided more storylines that suggest this FCS season will be one littered with breakout performances by both individual players and teams as a whole.

A handful of familiar names picked up right where they left off from last season in their first action of 2015. Four FCS teams took down FBS opponents on Saturday, and offenses ran wild in a number of contests. In case you missed the action in the first full week of the FCS season, here are some of the more muted headlines and stats to know:

The biggest storyline Saturday was the clash between former Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and his current Oregon team taking on the very Eagles he left behind. Adams performed well in his debut with the reigning FBS national runners-up, passing for 246 yards and two scores, and adding another 94 yards on 14 carries.

It was clear his former teammates weren’t too keen on Adams leaving the program to play out his final year of eligibility, though, evidenced by EWU linebacker John Kreifels’s late hit to the head of a sliding Adams after a run up the middle. Kreifels was ejected from the game, and Adams was ushered to the locker room for analysis.

The former beneficiary of Adams’s success with the Eagles, receiver Cooper Kupp, showed he doesn’t care which signal caller is throwing him the ball. The junior pass catcher racked up 243 receiving yards and three touchdown snares on 15 receptions – the second most receiving yards in the FCS behind Tennessee Tech’s Brock McCoin (264 yards in Week 1). Adams and his Ducks took down Eastern Washington, 61-42.

Another Big Sky Conference program – the Idaho State Bengals – made waves on Saturday with a resounding 55-0 victory over Black Hills State. The Bengals, under the leadership of new quarterback Michael Sanders, accounted for a whopping 710 total yards of offense. Sanders, replacing 2014 Walter Payton Award finalist Justin Arias under center, was one of three FCS quarterbacks to throw five touchdown passes over the weekend.

It was Jakori Ford who got the bulk of the work running the ball for the Bengals, not senior Xavier Finney. Ford galloped for 201 yards on 24 carries, although Finney did account for a rushing score.

Idaho State was topped only by James Madison’s explosive offensive effort in the Dukes’ 56-7 win over Morehead State. Quarterback Vad Lee accounted for 402 total yards and four touchdowns as JMU amassed 713 yards offensively in the victory (347 passing yards, 366 rushing).

But when it came to running the football, no program had an easier time Saturday than The Citadel. The Bulldogs accounted for an FCS single-game high 535 yards on the ground in their 69-0 thumping of Davidson. The Citadel scored eight times using the ground attack, which included three scores from Isiaha Smith.

Speaking of strong ground games, it was déjà vu all over again for Fordham back Chase Edmonds. In his first collegiate game one year ago, Edmonds notched 300 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

There must be something about season openers that gets Edmonds’s competitive juices flowing, because he was at the center of the action Saturday in his Rams’ 37-35 victory over FBS opponent Army. Edmonds got loose for 110 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and also led his squad in receiving with 140 yards on six receptions. His 250 all-purpose yards rank fifth among Week 1 players.

It seems like South Dakota State has temporarily put to rest questions about replacing Zach Zenner, one of the best FCS running backs of all-time. In SDSU’s 41-38 victory over Big Ten Conference member Kansas, the Jackrabbits dashed for 170 yards as a unit, led by Isaac Wallace’s 118 yards on 24 carries. He added a rushing score to his stat line.

It was Zach Lujan and Jake Wieneke that stole the show for the Jacks, though. Lujan tossed three touchdowns in the win – two of them to last season’s Jerry Rice Award runner-up for freshman of the year. Wieneke hauled in eight receptions for 160 yards and the two scores to help bury Kansas.

Finally, Central Arkansas was embarrassed by Samford in the Bulldogs’ 45-16 romp of the Southland Conference Bears. Michael Eubank passed for 372 yards and four touchdowns to lead Samford.

The mistakes were numerous for UCA, which was penalized a hefty 12 times for 183 yards, and two fumbles didn’t help the cause. The Bears held possession of the ball for 36 minutes and 30 seconds, exactly 13 minutes longer than Samford, and ran a total of 103 offensive plays – the most by any team in the FCS.

Must See Matchups – Week 1

This is a listing of good games that you need to catch if you can. This group of must see events are put together on a weekly basis by one of our newer members on AGS. I don’t know who this fella roots for but I’d like to say thank you to our friend RootinFerDukes for putting this together.

(AGS Poll Rank)

9/3 – (17) Southeastern Louisiana at Northwestern State 7pm (ALT2/ASN/MASN2/SLCTV)
Valparaiso at (18) Eastern Kentucky 7pm (OVC Video)
(24) Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois 7pm (ESPN3)
(4) Villanova at Connecticut 7:30pm (SNY/ESPN3)
Fort Lewis (D2) at (11) Montana State 9pm (ALT/Cowles Media/(ABC/FOX) MT)
(7) New Hampshire at San Jose State 10pm (No TV)

9/4 – (23) Fordham at Army 7pm (CBSSN)

9/5 – (2) Illinois State at Iowa 12pm (Big Ten Network)
(16) South Dakota State at Kansas 12pm (Fox Sports Net/MASN2)
(21) Richmond at Maryland 12pm (ESPNU)
(15) Youngstown State at Pittsburgh 1pm (ESPN3)
Butler at (19) Indiana State 3pm (No TV)
(3) Sam Houston State at Texas Tech 3:30pm (Fox Sports Net/MASN2)
(9) Jacksonville State at (6) Chattanooga 6pm (SoCon Video)
Morehead State at (14) James Madison 6pm (CAA.TV, Madizone Streaming: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/jmu/)
Black Hills State (D2) at (20) Idaho State 6pm (No TV)
(5) Coastal Carolina at Furman 7pm (ESPN3)
Delaware State at (13) Liberty 7pm (LFSN/Big South Video)
(8) Eastern Washington at Oregon 8pm (Pac-12 Network)
(10) Northern Iowa at Iowa State 8pm (Cyclones.tv; $)
(25) Cal Poly at (12) Montana 9pm (ALT/(Cowles Media/KSBY)/(ABC/FOX) MT)

Bye Week:
(1) North Dakota State (9/5)
(22) Harvard

Others Receiving Votes (#26-30):
9/3
Central Arkansas at Samford (29) 7pm (ESPN3)

9/5
William & Mary (28) at Lafayette 6pm (PLN Video)
Northern Arizona at Stephen F. Austin (26) 7pm (ESPN3)
Mars Hill (D2) at Western Carolina (30) 7pm (SoCon Video)
McNeese State (27) at Louisiana State 7:30pm (SEC Network)

The MVFC Review & Preview Week 1 2015-0905

By Chad Lenz & JT Nutt

The Review

#1. North Dakota State @ #12. Montana
NDSU and Montana kicked off not only the football season but the FCS season in fine fashion. A TREMENDOUS game between NDSU and Montana, two premier FCS programs narrated by Brent Musburger that didn’t disappoint. NDSU started the game off making it look far too easy scoring on a long, nearly perfect drive. They tried to chew up as much clock as possible and very very nearly did it. Montana used more than one 4th down desperation play to get into the red zone. After a couple…questionable…play calls, they faced 4th and goal from the 1 with 2 seconds left. Joey Counts punched it in and the Griz nation went nuts. NDSU allowed Montana to get 434 passing yards. Previous Bizon teams failed to give up that many yards over multiple games. The defense had led them to four FCS Titles in a row but it may be the Achilles Heel this season. They got some easy games before conference play starts but the Missouri Valley is always a tough row to hoe. They’ll be in the playoffs but they may be traveling for the first time in years. That won’t be much of an issue though, the Bizon nation always shows up in full force. And for one week, the nation’s only football game of substance was a brilliant game played by two FCS schools that have ruined some FBS seasons. Further proving that the gap between the FBS and FCS is as close as it has ever been.

The Previews

EIU @ WIU
The Leathernecks are looking for their 11th win in their last 12 home openers while facing a familiar opponent as this will be the 66th meeting between the two. The Panthers come into this game as the favorite looking to rebound after a disappointing 2014 campaign. Meanwhile the Leatherneck are looking to build off of the momentum they gained last season while being lead by one of the best quarterback/wide receiver combos in the league with Trenton Norvell and Lance Lenoir Jr. WIU does have to replace 4 of their back 7 on defense but if they can get that group together I think the Leathernecks offense will be potent enough to pull out the win to open the season.

Illinois State @ Iowa
Iowa has never lost to an opponent that is currently in the FCS since 1938, but this might be one of the two best FCS teams to ever enter Kinnick Stadium. The Redbirds, led by Tre Roberson and Marshaun Coprich have the potential to be one of the most potent offenses in the nation this year and can cause some real match up issues with the back 7 of the Iowa defense. They key will be the line of scrimmage. If Illinois State can manage to win that, against an Iowa team known for massive offensive and defensive lineman they have a shot. I think Iowa finds a way to take this one by about 8 though.

Buter @ ISUb
If Indiana State wants to repeat last years success they will need to find replacements for lost weapons in a hurry. While they may return their top 2 wide receivers, they lost the next 4 leading wide receivers, lost their top running back and will need to replace Mike Perrish at QB. It might be a long season for the ISU offense, but the defense will keep them in most games. Lead by All American Connor Underwood the Syc defense is opportunistic. Thankfully for the boys from Terre Haute, Butler shouldn’t cause them too much grief and allow their new players to get into game rhythm early. I expect Indiana State to win this one big.

Missouri State @ Kansas State
The Bears are breaking in a brand new coaching staff this season, but return 12 starters, including AGS All American, Robert Booker, at center to help create holes for Calan Crowder, who ran for a Bear freshman record 762 yards last season. For the Bears to be successful this year the defense will need to maintain the level they played at last year ranking 11th nationally in take aways. Memphis figures to fall back some from the 10 win season they had last year, but I don’t see them falling enough for the Bears to pick up a win.

South Dakota @ Kansas State
Joe Glenn may be entering a make or break season for the Coyotes. He’s managed just 3 conference wins in 3 years, and 2 of those years were winless in conference play, including last season. This season is already off to a rough start as starting QB Kevin Earl has been forced to give up football due to injuries. They also lost their top running back and 3 of their top 5 wide receivers. The Yotes do bring back much of their defense, but I don’t know where the offense comes from. I think this game gets ugly early for the Yotes – Wildcats big.

#10. Northern Iowa @ Iowa State
The University of Northern Iowa rode David Johnson past Iowa State two years ago and into the playoffs last season. #7 may be gone but there is still plenty left in stock for UNI to find success. They WILL need to find success early this season if they want to make it back to the playoffs. A win against Iowa State is a great way to jump-start the campaign. It will be a new look Panther team with a much more uptempo system than years past. Farley may publicly say he hasn’t decided who the QB is, but he’s probably got a guy picked out. Not saying there won’t be more than one QB but if UNI wants to win, he needs to focus on one QB. Last time there was more than one QB used in Ames by UNI, they got run out of Jack Trice. The new endzone will be rocking at first, but quiet late when UNI wins 24-21.

#16. South Dakota State @ Kansas
Another FCS upset alert also involves another bottom feeding Big 12 team. The Jayhawks of Kansas will be facing a top 15 FCS school in South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits have been often overlooked, even in the Missouri Valley. With teams like NDSU, UNI, and Illinois State, there has been little discussion of SDSU. SDSU nearly knocked off NDSU last year and with NDSU already losing their first game AT Montana, the MVFC will be up for grabs. A sleeper dark house team could steal the crown. SDSU is a great pick for that dark horse. Kansas is a terrible place to play and a long long journey for Jackrabbit fans. Those who make it will see their team win making it two games won by Missouri Valley schools over Big 12 schools.

ORV Southern Illinois @ Indiana
Southern Illinois, a once proud and dominant FCS school, has fallen on hard times recently. Indiana certainly isn’t a power house in the B1G but will be too much for SIU. SIU has finished 6-6, 7-5, and 6-5 the past 3 seasons including losses to 2 B1G in Illinois and Purdue. Dale Lennon is still an excellent coach in his 8th season at SIU but another year out of the playoffs might put him into the hot seat. SIU could bounce back and make the playoffs this season but a win over Indiana is not in the cards. Indiana finished 4-8 last year but had a win over Indiana State. Southern HAS a win over Indiana in 2006 but that was a fully loaded world beating FCS squad that season that won 9 games.

#15. Youngstown State vs Pittsburgh.
Had to check on the coach of Pittsburgh because the last one in recent memory was Dave Wansted. Pat Narduzzi is now at the helm of the Panthers and looking to make a name for himself as the first time head coach after being an assistant coach since 1990. Pittsburgh will be too much for Youngstown to handle (dare I say too much for Iowa to handle in a few weeks). Bo Pelini and his cat will have success at Youngstown who has come close to the playoffs recently but an upset is not in the works. This YSU team will be an upset special for Missouri Valley foes come conference season, but it will take time for Bo to get his mojo going.

The Big Sky Review & Preview Week 1 2015-0905

By Lance Berndt & Kris Kallem

The Review
#12 Montana 38 #1 North Dakota State 35

Coming into this season, one of the biggest question marks for the Griz was how Brady Gustafson will adapt to being both Jordan Johnson’s successor and also the leader of a very fast paced offense. He answered that question and more throwing for 434 yards on a NDSU defense that hasn’t allowed that many passing yards since, I believe, 2009 against Sam Houston State. Gustafson wasn’t the only shining light for the Griz offense. Receivers Ellis Henderson and Jamaal Jones combined for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 receptions. Running back John Nguyen also racked up 134 yards of total offense. King Frazier led the Bison combining for 145 yards of offense and a touchdown, while potential All-American Carson Wentz showed that he’s not just lethal through the air running for 70 yards with a couple highlight reel moves and 2 touchdowns.

While it was a high scoring battle, both teams appeared to have defensive leaders step forward heading into the rest of the season. Nate Tanguay and Nick DeLuca were menaces all game for the Bison defense combing for 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception, and 24 tackles. For Montana, Tyrone Holmes invaded the Bison backfield, while Kendrick Van Ackeren, Jeremiah Kose, and Connor Lebsock provided a balanced linebacker attack. Van Ackeren picked up 2 fumble recoveries and Holmes added a sack, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.

This game in some ways reminds me of the Eastern Washington win against Montana in the inaugural game on the red turf. Montana was coming off of back to back FCS Championship game appearances and a long streak of Big Sky Conference Championships. Eastern was able to bring in a new era by vanquishing the evil empire in exciting fashion. The win served as a spring board to Eastern’s first National Championship. Of course Eastern had to first lay an egg the next week against Montana State in Bozeman losing 33-7. Hint: This win could be the start of a magical season for Montana, but beware of the hangover trap against Cal Poly this week, Griz fans.

· Carson Wentz injured his ankle late in the third quarter & played on a high ankle sprain which hurt his mobility.
· The Griz defense gave up just 61 yards and held the Bison scoreless in the 3rd quarter.
· When was the last time the Bison gave up 544 yards of offense?
· I expected the Griz offense to be clicking later in the season but not this early against a historically great defensive program.
· Montana has a great wider receiver combo in Jamal Jones and Ellis Henderson.
· Up tempo – no huddle offenses can be very effective between the 20’s but sometimes struggle as the field gets tighter. Montana will need to do some work on its red zone efficiency.
· Is North Dakota State’s defense exposed? Will the rest of the Missouri Valley look to attack the bison like Montana did?
· Herbert Gamboa’s return at linebacker will make the Griz one of the most complete teams in the Big Sky.

The Preview
Southern Utah vs. Utah State

The Tbirds bring Senior Quarterback Ammon Olsen who finished last season strong into Logan against a solid Aggie defense that gave up just 19.7 points per game in 2014. The Aggies will counter at QB with Chuckie Keaton who pitched a near perfect game against Southern Utah the last time the teams met back in 2012.

UC Davis @ Nevada

Another Big Sky program that faces an FBS bowl team from last season. The Aggies return QB Ben Scott who put up impressive numbers after earning the starting job in the middle of the 2014 campaign. His favorite target, Ramon Vargas is also back at wide receiver.

Portland State @ Washington State

Interim Head Coach Bruce Barnum and the Vikings visit Mike Leach and the Coug’s Air-Raid offense in the smokey Palouse. Portland State once again has a roster filled with transfers and talent but getting them to play with discipline is the challenge.

North Dakota @ Wyoming

We know North Dakota can play some defense and you’d expect nothing less out of Craig Bohl’s Cowboys. This could be one of those low scoring intra-division matchups where the FCS team is in it until the end.

Northern Arizona @ Stephen F Austin

Star cornerback Marcus Alford leads a talented Northern Arizona secondary against the Texas Lumberjacks. Northern Arizona will need Kyren Poe to improve his passing if they are going to return to the playoffs in 2015. Stephen F. Austin is looking to build on a playoff season from a year ago with an experienced offense line and quarterback Zach Conque returning.

Eastern Washington @ #7 Oregon

For those who have been stranded on a desert island, Eastern Washington faces ex quarterback Vernon Adams and the high flying Ducks in Autzen Stadium. The Eagles are loaded on offense and young but talented on defense. Oh, and they might be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder.

Eastern Oregon @ Sacramento State

The Hornets are looking to replace a ton of production in all Big Sky quarterback Garret Saffron and wide receiver DeAndre Carter. Getting back Nnamdi Agude at wide receiver and Darnell Sanky at linebacker should help against the Mountaineers.

D-II Fort Lewis @ #11 Montana State

Dakota Prukop and company have a chance to flex their muscles before a crucial three game stretch. Fort Lewis did struggle most of last season, but they did upset the eventual DII national champion and return 18 starters from last season. They have not fared well against the Big Sky in the past, and Montana State will likely continue that trend with a blowout win.

Weber State @ FBS Oregon State

Well Oregon State is holding football tryouts on the 7th, so that may show how confident they are right now. Weber State will be led by an experienced offense with Jadrian Clark taking snaps, and Zach Smith leading the rushing attack. Weber State might have a chance for an FBS upset here against the likely Pac 12 cellar dweller.

D-II Western State Colorado @ Northern Colorado

Like Oregon State, Northern Colorado should win this game, but they face a Western State team looking to prove themselves this season. Mountaineer running back Austin Ekeler totaled over 2,000 all-purpose yards last season and will be helped QB Brett Arrivey who threw for over 2,400 yards. With many question marks on who is going to lead the team on offense, NoCo will rely on their deep corps at linebacker led by senior JaQueal Walker.

D-II Black Hills State @ #20 Idaho State

With such a long list of talented returning starters for this Bengal offense, the player to look for in this first game is new quarterback Michael Sanders. If he is able to transition into being a strong and capable leader, this Idaho State team could make a lot of noise this season. Black Hills State should be happy if they keep this game within 40.

#25 Cal Poly @ #12 Montana

Coming off a win that could very well rejuvenate both their program and their fans, Montana once again faces a tough as nails opponent in Cal Poly. Returning stud quarterback Chris Brown will head the Mustang triple option attack. Last season he ran for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns and threw for 107 yards and another touchdown against Montana. The Griz defense headlined by outstanding lineman Tyrone Holmes will have a tough task in stopping the Mustang offense. Montana quarterback Brady Gustafson and his tremendous supporting task may need to put up another high score to start the season 2-0.

The FCSTV Guide For Week 1 – 9/3-9/5/2015

This listing is compiled by our friend FargoBison on AGS and I am sure he had editing help from his friends there because no mistake goes unpunished on AnyGivenSaturday.com

Lots of FCS action on TV and the internet this week….All times Central…

TV Guide

9/3:

Southeastern LA at Northwestern State 6:00 p.m. Altitude 2/MASN2/ASN/Comcast Sports California

Villanova at UConn 6:30 p.m. SNY

Alcorn State at Ga Tech 6:30 p.m. NESN/YES/SUN/STO/Fox Sports Network Affliates

Fort Lewis at Montana State 8:00 p.m. Altitude

9/4:

Weber State at Oregon State 7:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

9/5:

SDSU at Kansas 11:00 a.m. Fox Sports Network Affliates/MSG+/MASN

Illinois State at Iowa 11:00 a.m. BTN

Colgate at Navy 11:00 a.m. CBS Sports Network

Richmond at Maryland 11:00 a.m. ESPNU

Norfolk State at Rutgers 11:00 a.m. ESPN News

Wofford at Clemson 11:30 a.m. ACC Network

Portland State at Washington State 1:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

Morgan State at Air Force 2:30 p.m. Root Sports

Sam Houston State at Texas Tech 2:30 p.m. Fox Sports Net Affiliates

Wagner at Rice 2:30 p.m. SNY/Comcast Sports California/ASN

SIU at Indiana 3:00 p.m. ESPN News

SEMO at Missouri 3:00 p.m. SEC Network

Grambling State at Cal 4:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

Alabama A&M at Cincinnati 6:00 p.m. Fox Sports Cincinnati/Fox Sports Ohio

McNeese State at LSU 6:30 p.m. SEC Network

EWU at Oregon 7:00 p.m. Pac 12 Network

Cal Poly at Montana 8:00 p.m. Altitude

Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern Root Sports Southwest Alterante

9/6:

Arkansas Pine Bluff at SC State 2:30 p.m. ESPN

FCS on ESPN3

9/3:

EIU at WIU 6:00 p.m.

VMI at Ball State 6:00 p.m.

Stony Brook at Toledo 6:00 p.m.

Central Arkansas at Samford 6:00 p.m.

Elon at Wake Forest 6:00 p.m.

Alcorn State at Ga Tech 6:30 p.m.

Villanova at UConn 6:30 p.m.

9/4:

URI at Syracuse 6:00 p.m.

9/5:

Wofford at Clemson 11:30 a.m.

YSU at Pitt noon

Maine at BC noon

Holy Cross at Monmouth noon

Albany at Buffalo 2:30 p.m.

Presbyterian at Miami(Oh) 2:30 p.m.

Howard at App State 2:30 p.m.

Davidson at The Citadel 5:00 p.m.

Gardner Webb at South Alabama 5:00 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman at Miami(FL) 5:00 p.m.

Towson at ECU 5:00 p.m.

NAU at SFA 6:00 p.m.

Delaware State at Liberty 6:00 p.m.

Missouri Sate at Memphis 6:00 p.m.

Alabama A&M at Cincy 6:00 p.m.

Webber Internation at Stetson 6:00 p.m.

Tenn Tech at Houston 7:00 p.m.

FCS on ESPN College Extra

9/5:

Wofford at Clemson 11:30 a.m.

Holy Cross at Monmouth noon

Presbyterian at Miami(Oh) 2:30 p.m.

Towson at ECU 5:00 p.m.

CCU at Furman 6:00 p.m.

NAU at SFA 6:00 p.m.

Webber Int at Stetson 6:00 p.m.

Missouri State at Memphis 6:00 p.m.

Florida A&M at USF 6:00 p.m.

Tenn Tech at Houston 7:00 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

AGS Announces Inaugural 2015 FCS Preseason All-American Team

08/06/2015

For the first time ever the poll voters in the AGS Top 25 have cast their ballots to pick a NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Preseason All-America Team.

The offense is headlined by 2014 Walter Payton Award winner quarterback John Robertson of Villanova. Robertson threw for 2,846 yards with a 35-3 ratio passing while rushing for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Leading the way defensively in voting was Villanova linebacker Don Cherry who was an All-American by nearly every media outlet in 2014. During his junior campaign, Cherry tallied 134 tackles and 21.5 tackles for loss.

North Dakota State punter Ben LeCompte headlines the special teams unit. As a junior he averaged 45.3 yards per punt with 2,671 yards.

At the conclusion of the playoffs in January AGS will select the first ever postseason FCS All-America Teams and Player of the Year awards.

Below is the full list:

AGS PRESEASON FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB John Robertson, Villanova, Sr.
RB Marshaun Coprich, Illinois State, Sr.
RB De’Angelo Henderson, Coastal Carolina, Jr.
FB Andrew Bonnet, North Dakota State, Sr.
WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, Jr.
WR Zach Vraa, North Dakota State, Sr.
TE Josh Cook, Idaho State, Jr.
OT Joe Haeg, North Dakota State, Sr.
OT Donald Jackson III, Sam Houston State, Sr.
OG JP Flynn, Montana State, Jr.
OG Zack Johnson, North Dakota State, Jr.
C Robert Booker, Missouri State, Sr.

AGS PRESEASON FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE James Cowser, Southern Utah, Sr.
DE P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State, Soph.
DT Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State, Sr.
DT Devaunte Sigler, Jacksonville State, Sr.
LB Don Cherry, Villanova, Sr.
LB Connor Underwood, Indiana State, Sr.
LB Luke Rhodes, William & Mary, Sr.
CB Deiondre’ Hall, Norhtern Iowa, Sr.
CB CJ Smith, North Dakota State, Sr.
S Tim Kilfoy, Northern Iowa, Sr.
S Donald Payne, Stetson, Jr.

AGS PRESEASON FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K John Lunsford, Liberty, Sr.
Tie K Michael Schmadeke, Northern Iowa, Sr.
P Ben LeCompte, North Dakota State, Sr.
KR Xavier Roberson, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr.
PR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, Jr.
AP Xavier Roberson, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr.