The 2025 FCS playoffs kicked off with eight first-round games. We’re reviewing how the winners moved farther along the Road to Nashville in pursuit of the national championship.
The 2025 FCS playoffs kicked off with eight first-round matchups on Saturday.
School host sites are utilized until the national championship game on Jan. 5 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The second round will be played on Dec. 6.
FCS Playoffs – First Round
No. 9 Seed Rhode Island (11-2) 27, Central Connecticut State (8-5) 19
Game Ball – URI quarterback Devin Farrell completed 25-of-39 passes for 374 yards and capped the Rams’ first two possessions with touchdown passes. He surpassed 5,000 passing yards in his career.
Key Stat – Nearly half of CCSU’s yards didn’t come until the fourth quarter – 183 of 382 – as URI built a 24-7 lead through three quarters while holding on for the win.
Up Next – Rhode Island will play at No. 8 seed UC Davis (8-3) in the second round.
No. 12 Seed Villanova (10-2) 52, Harvard (9-2) 7
Game Balls – The Villanova offensive and defensive lines controlled the lines of scrimmage to handle a Harvard squad that was making its playoff debut. The margin of victory was the largest of the Wildcats’ playoff history (a 16-15 record).
Key Stats – Villanova posted a 336-31 advantage in yards while building a 31-0 halftime lead, and it was 512-213 by game’s end. Isaiah Ragland capped the game’s opening drive with a 45-yard TD run and finished with a career-high 152 of the Wildcats’ 319 rushing yards.
Up Next – Villanova will play at No. 5 seed Lehigh (12-0) in the second round.
Yale (9-2) 43, No. 15 Seed Youngstown State (8-5) 42
Game Ball – In Yale’s first-ever playoff game, Josh Pitsenberger carried the ball 32 times for 209 yards and three touchdowns, including a 21/149/2 line in the second half. He scored on a 56-yard run to tie the game at 42 before Noah Piper’s extra point with 2:47 left gave the Bulldogs their first lead and marked 29 unanswered points over the final 22:37.
Key Stat – Coach Tony Reno’s squad was a combined 10 of 16 (62.5%) on third- and fourth-down attempts. The Bulldogs scored TDs on their first five possessions of the second half and it could have been all six but they chose to run out game clock from the YSU 1.
Up Next – Yale will play at No. 2 seed Montana State (10-2) in the second round.
No. 10 Seed Abilene Christian (9-4) 38, Lamar (8-5) 20
Game Ball – ACU wide receiver Javon Gipson caught nine of his 10 targets for 164 yards and the first two-touchdown game of his career. It also came one week after he set career highs with 10 receptions and 188 yards in the Wildcats’ final regular-season game.
Key Stats – The Wildcats scored the first 24 points and ended the first half with a 253-139 advantage in yards.
Up Next – Abilene Christian will play at No. 7 seed Stephen F. Austin (10-2) in the second round. The Wildcats won their regular season matchup, 28-20 on Sept. 6.
No. 11 Seed South Dakota (9-4) 38, Drake (8-4) 17
Game Balls – USD wide receiver Larenzo Fenner caught three of quarterback Aidan Bouman’s four touchdown passes, finishing with five catches for 115 yards. Bouman’s four scoring passes were the second most of his 45-game career.
Key Stat – While matching their 21-point win over Drake in the regular season, the Coyotes averaged 9.1 yards per play compared to the Bulldogs’ 4.7.
Up Next – South Dakota will play at No. 6 seed Mercer (9-2) in the second round.
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5 days ago Craig HaleyNorth Dakota (8-5) 31, No. 13 Seed Tennessee Tech (11-2) 6
Game Ball – UND’s Lance Rucker forced TTU’s Kekoa Visperas into three lost fumbles on strips sacks, one of which the edge rusher recovered and two leading to points. He spearheaded UND’s big defensive effort that included six takeways and holding the Golden Eagles to a season-low point total.
Key Stats – The Fighting Hawks were 5 of 7 in the red zone, while TTU came up empty on one chance. A road team has won by 25+ points in the playoffs in three straight years.
Up Next – North Dakota will play at No. 4 seed Tarleton State (11-1) in the second round.
No. 14 Seed South Dakota State (9-4) 41, New Hampshire (8-5) 3
Game Ball – SDSU quarterback Chase Mason celebrated his return from an Oct. 18 injury by going 16 of 20 for 230 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in a snowstorm.
Key Stats – The Jackrabbits more than doubled UNH in yards (425 to 192) and yards per play (7.0 to 3.4). They’ve won their last 10 home playoff games by double digits and with a 31.7-point average.
Up Next – South Dakota State will play at No. 3 seed Montana (11-1) in the second round.
Illinois State (9-4) 21, No. 16 Seed Southeastern Louisiana (9-4) 3
Game Balls – Linebacker Tye Niekamp totaled 13 tackles, including a 7-yard sack, and had one of the Illinois State’s four interceptions with an 18-yard return. Mason Kaplan had two of the other picks and SLU was held to a season-low point total against a non-FBS opponent.
Key Stat – The Redbirds are 6-0 on the road against FCS opponents this season and 12-1 in the last two seasons.
Up Next – Illinois State will play at No. 1 seed North Dakota State (12-0) in the second round. NDSU has won the last 14 meetings, including 33-16 on Oct. 4.
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FCS Playoffs First-Round Scoreboard: Yale’s Comeback Highlights Three Road Wins Opta Analyst.
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