There are a lot of plusses, an occasional minus and unlimited intrigue with the teams in the semifinal round of the FCS playoffs. We answer some key questions about the final four.
If there’s one factor that has been answered in a resounding way during the FCS playoffs, it’s the importance of a team playing its best football at the most important time of the season.
With the 2025 semifinalists, Montana State (12) and Villanova (11) have continued the FCS’ longest winning streaks, Montana has dispatched of two of last year’s semifinalists, and Illinois State continues to defy the difficulty of winning on the road.
There are more questions that will be answered Saturday, when No. 2 seed Montana State (12-2) hosts No. 3 seed Montana (13-1) in the first playoff meeting of a rivalry that began in 1897, and No. 12 seed Villanova (12-2) hosts unseeded Illinois State (11-4) in the unexpected pairing of the final four.
But let’s first answer some key questions heading into the semifinal-round matchups.
What Does Each Semifinalist Do Best?
Montana State: Run the Ball
The Bobcats rank No. 4 in the FCS in rushing yards per game (234.1) and have been in the top 10 in each of their last six seasons. With running backs Julius Davis (1,044 yards) and Adam Jones (916, over 100 in both playoff wins) and quarterback Justin Lamson (661), the Big Sky champs and Villanova are the only FCS teams to have three players with 650+ yards.
Montana: Scoring in the Fourth Quarter
With 21 points in the final 15 minutes of each playoff win (South Dakota State, then South Dakota) the Grizzlies pushed their FCS-high total to 181 points – 30.6% of their overall scoring and 44 more points than San Diego’s second-highest fourth-quarter total (137). In three of their first six wins this season, the Grizzlies rallied from fourth-quarter deficits.
Villanova: Protect the Football
While committing only six turnovers in 14 games, the Wildcats have the lowest per-game average (0.43) in the FCS. It breaks down to just three interceptions and three fumbles lost, and only three of the turnovers have occurred during the team’s 11-game winning streak.
Illinois State: Win on the Road
The Redbirds are seeking to become the first team to win four road games in a single FCS playoff. Highlighted by the second-round upset at 2024 national champion North Dakota State, their eight straight road wins represent the highest active streak, and they’re a combined 14-1 on the road against FCS teams the last two seasons.
What Does Each Semifinalist Struggle to Do?
Montana State: Prevent Sacks
The Bobcats’ 28 sacks allowed are more than the last two seasons combined (21) and more than in any season since 2012. Montana’s four sacks in their Nov. 22 matchup tied for the season high against the Bobcats.
Montana: Win on the Road in the Playoffs
Since winning a national semifinal at James Madison in 2008, the Grizzlies have lost their last seven road games in the FCS playoffs. It’s a stark contrast to playing at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, where they’ve won 11 in a row and are 38-7 in playoff games.
Villanova: Kicking Consistency
The Wildcats rank 87th out of 129 FCS teams in net punting average (34.9 yards) and are tied for 90th in field goal percentage (62.5% on 15 of 24) and tied for 87th in extra-point percentage (94.1%, 48 of 51).
Illinois State: Finishing Touch
The 15 points in the final three minutes at North Dakota State were an exception. The Redbirds have been outscored in the fourth quarter in six of their last seven seasons, and sometimes decisively, including 153-73 this season.
Who or What Are the X-Factors?
Montana State: Home Field
A visiting team that falls behind at Bobcat Stadium winds up battling the crowd noise and raucous environment as well as the talented home team. The Bobcats have won 43 of their last 45 matchups at home since 2019, and haven’t lost to Montana in Bozeman since 2015.
Montana: Michael Wortham
The Grizzlies all-purpose’ standout ranks second in the FCS with 163.9 yards per game on receptions, rushes and returns – and that average doesn’t include passing. In the last two regular seasons (2024 while he played for Eastern Washington), the 5-foot-9, 190-pound dynamo has done more damage against Montana State as a rusher (127 yards, two touchdowns), kick returner (197 yards), even passer (2 for 2, 24 yards) than as a receiver (three catches, seven yards).
Villanova: Pat McQuaide
The transfer quarterback from Nicholls has been ideal for the Wildcats with efficiency and game management. But the left-hander is averaging under 200 passing yards in the last eight games and is prone to sacks (22 this season, 75 in 37 career games). He’s capable of making big plays against an Illinois State defense with eight sacks and eight takeaways in the playoffs, and he may be asked to do so.
Illinois State: Travel
By kickoff Saturday night, the round-trip flights to play Southeastern Louisiana, North Dakota State and UC Davis followed by the trip to Villanova will have totaled seven flights and about 8,000 miles in just over three weeks. At some point, that kind of taxing schedule has to impact the Redbirds.
Have the Semifinalists Taken the Next Step Before?
Even with the narrative of Villanova and Illinois State being bracket busters in this year’s FCS playoffs, all of the semifinalists have reached the national championship game before.
Montana won national titles in 1995 and 2001, and is tied with Georgia Southern for the second-most appearances in the championship game (eight) behind North Dakota State.
Montana State won the 1984 title and was the runner-up in 2021 and last year, while Villanova beat Montana in its only appearance championship game appearance in 2009.
Illinois State surrendered a last-minute touchdown to NDSU in dropping its previous championship game appearance in 2014.
Top photos, from left, via Illinois State, Villanova, Montana and Montana State Athletics. For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
FCS Playoffs: Questions and Answers Heading Into the National Semifinals Opta Analyst.
Hence then, the article about fcs playoffs questions and answers heading into the national semifinals was published today ( ) and is available on The Analyst ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( FCS Playoffs: Questions and Answers Heading Into the National Semifinals )
Also on site :