We’re previewing the key games and storylines each week throughout the 2024 college football season. Our FCS coverage is the home for the Top 25 media poll, FCS National Awards, predictive TRACR model and much more.
The majority of FCS college football games are at this weekend, and it conveniently falls in line with a number of teams trying to prove they’re prime time this season following a rough week against FBS opposition.
But there are more FCS-vs.-FCS matchups in Week 2, including two-time defending champion South Dakota State in a headliner, as the new season revs up.
With key games abounding in another huge schedule, let’s span FCS nation.
FCS Football Week 2 Week Preview
FCS Game of the Week
No. 12 UIW (1-0) at No. 1 South Dakota State (0-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN+)
Notable: The host Jackrabbits will honor last season’s second straight FCS championship squad prior to this first-time meeting of programs. They’re on a 21-game home winning streak (tied with Florida A&M for the FCS active high), but the MVFC power’s 29-game overall winning streak ended at Oklahoma State 44-20 last Saturday. Quarterback Mark Gronowski’s 37 pass attempts were a career high, with sophomore Griffin Wilde collecting career highs in receptions (seven) and receiving yards (150), with one touchdown. In contrast, UIW’s offense, behind QB Zach Calzada, was balanced (205 passing yards, 203 rushing yards) in a 28-7 win over Northern Colorado. The Cardinals’ veteran defense was top-ranked in the Southland Conference last season, but they allowed 214 rushing yards and five yards per carry in the opener, which is welcome news to the SDSU offensive linemen and running backs Amar and Angel Johnson. UIW linebacker Mister Robinson had an interception and a fumble recovery as the Cardinals produced four turnovers in their win.
The Pick: South Dakota State
Second-and-10
1. Besides UIW at SDSU, No. 4 Montana travels to No. 23 North Dakota for a matchup between two teams ranked in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. It’s the first meeting since 2018, and UND (0-1) has won 37 straight home openers – the national high. Montana (1-0), the FCS runner-up last season, struggled to beat Missouri State 29-24, playing better behind quarterback Logan Fife off the bench, although starter Keali’I Ah Yat was hurt by dropped passes, and the Grizzlies were without wide receiver/returner Junior Bergen and tight end Cole Grossman.
2. The Big South-OVC Football Association’s conference schedule opens in a big way with UT Martin traveling to Southeast Missouri – their first meeting in September in 10 years. At least one of the two programs has been a part of a conference championship in four of the past five seasons, including their OVC title share in 2022. UTM (0-1), the Big South-OVC preseason favorite, hold a 20-19 edge in the all-time series, but the Skyhawks have dropped their last two trips to SEMO (1-1), which appears to be stronger than advertised with a healthier Paxton DeLaurent back behind center.
3. The first United Athletic Conference matchup has an unexpected spotlight with West Georgia at Abilene Christian due to the two programs’ strong start to the season. West Georgia rallied past Samford 38-29 in its first game on the Division I level, earning Stats Perform FCS National of the Week. Abilene Christian quarterback Maverick McIvor earned national offensive player of the week after passing for 506 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats pushed Texas Tech to overtime before falling 52-51.
4. Some heavy hitters aren’t just seeking their first win of the season this week, they’re looking to score their first points. Ten FCS teams were shut out by FBS opponents in their opener, including nationally ranked Furman (Ole Miss) and Illinois State (Iowa) and defending UAC champ Austin Peay (Louisville).
5. There are 29 more matchups between FCS and FBS teams in Week 2. Montana State won 34-31 at New Mexico in Week 0, but FCS teams have dropped all 60 meetings since then, although seven were decided by eight or fewer points. Tennessee Tech, which surrendered a lead in the final seconds at Middle Tennessee, will travel to Georgia in the 18th all-time matchup between an FCS program and the No. 1-ranked FBS team in the Associated Press poll. The closest result was Georgia’s 45-21 win over Georgia Southern in 2008.
6. With an FCS-record 16 teams in CAA Football this season, the weekly schedule and storylines are aplenty. The long and short of it this week: Maine treks 2,603 miles for a first-time meeting with No. 3 Montana State and Towson plays its home opener against Morgan State, which is making a five-mile trip (the shortest in all of the FCS) for the “Battle of Greater Baltimore.”
7. The only non-Ivy League teams yet to play this season are Marist and Stonehill. On Saturday, Marist hosts Georgetown, with Mike Willis making his coaching debut (the retired Jim Parady had led the Red Foxes since 1992), and Stonehill – a solid 9-10 in two seasons at the FCS level – travels to Stony Brook. In Week 1, Drake had a 10-0 halftime lead over Quincy when severe weather forced a lengthy delay that ultimately led to the matchup being canceled and made an NCAA no contest. The Pioneer Football League’s defending champ will make it into the win-loss column at Eastern Washington on Saturday.
8. Southern Illinois and Austin Peay are meeting for just the ninth time, but they’ve done so in five different decades since 1938. The No. 10 Salukis built a 35-0 halftime lead in a 49-23 win last season, but they haven’t caught a train to Clarksville, er made a trip there, since 1991. The Salukis had only seven returning starters in their season-opening loss at BYU, but transfer QB DJ Williams played well (he rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns) and faced Austin Peay twice while at Murray State in 2021 (as a reserve in the spring season and as a starter in the fall season).
9. Speaking of Murray State, the Racers (0-1) face Butler (1-0) at Roy Stewart Stadium in the home opener of their 100th season. First-year coach Jody Wright goes for his first win in the first-time matchup.
10. McNeese redshirt junior linebacker Micah Davey has picked up where he left off last November. The All-American, who led the FCS in tackles (153) and tackles per game (15.3) in 2023, is again No. 1 nationally with 31 tackles and a 15.5 average through two games. He’s had 10+ tackles in 14 straight games since 2022.
FCS Football Week 2 Top 25 Schedule
All Times ET Saturday
1. South Dakota State (0-1, 0–0 MVFC): No. 12 UIW (7 p.m., ESPN+)
2. North Dakota State (0-1, 0-0 MVFC): Tennessee State (3:30 p.m., ABC North Dakota/ESPN+)
3. Montana State (2-0, 0-0 Big Sky): Maine (8 p.m., Scripps/ESPN+)
4. Montana (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky): at No. 23 North Dakota (7 p.m., Midco/MTN/ESPN+)
5. Villanova (1-0, 0-0 CAA): at Colgate (6 p.m., ESPN+)
6. South Dakota (1-0, 0-0 MVFC): at Wisconsin (3:30 p.m., FS1)
7. Idaho (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky): at Wyoming (3:30 p.m., truTV/Max)
8. Sacramento State (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky): at Fresno State (10 p.m., CBS47/Mountain West Network)
9. Central Arkansas (0-1, 0-0 UAC): at Lindenwood (7 p.m., ESPN+)
10. Southern Illinois (0-1, 0-0 MVFC): at Austin Peay (7 p.m., ESPN+)
12. UIW (1-0, 0-0 Southland): at No. 1 South Dakota State (7 p.m., ESPN+)
13. William & Mary (1-0, 0-0 CAA): at Coastal Carolina (7 p.m., ESPN+)
14. Richmond (0-1, 0-0 CAA): Wofford (3:30 p.m., FloFootball)
15. Furman (0-1, 0-0 SoCon): Charleston Southern (6 p.m., ESPN+)
16. UAlbany (1-0, 0-0 CAA): at West Virginia (6 p.m., ESPN+)
17. Western Carolina (0-1, 0-0 SoCon): Campbell (2:30 p.m., ESPN+)
18. UC Davis (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky): Texas A&M-Commerce (10 p.m., ESPN+)
19. Lafayette (0-1, 0-0 Patriot): at Monmouth (1 p.m., FloFootball/SNY/NBCSP+)
20. Tarleton State (1-1, 0-0 UAC): at HCU (7 p.m., ESPN+)
21. Illinois State (0-1, 0-0 MVFC): at North Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN+)
22. Nicholls (0-1, 0-0 Southland): at LSU (7:30 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+)
23. North Dakota (0-1, 0-0 MVFC): No. 4 Montana (7 p.m., Midco Sports Network/MTN/ESPN+)
24. Weber State (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky): Portland State (8 p.m., ESPN+)
25. Youngstown State (0-1, 0-0 MVFC): Valparaiso (2 p.m., ESPN+)
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