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Mercer, San Diego and Yale were so excited to sit atop their conference’s preseason poll that they went and celebrated with a … loss?
Rhode Island and Villanova, preseason favorites as well, are … 1-2 against their familiar foes?
Nobody said conference play was going to be easy.
Except Montana State, of course. The defending FCS champ even wins when missing four All-Americans.
Conference play – it’s the most wonderful and wacky time of the FCS year.
And we’re ready for more.
FCS Football Week 5 Preview & Predictions
FCS Game of the Week: SDSU at Illinois State
Illinois State (4-1, 0-1 Missouri Valley) lost a trap game at Northern Iowa last week and now faces an important bounce-back assignment against South Dakota State (4-1, 1-0), second-ranked in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll and allowing only 12 points per game to FCS opponents. The 10th-ranked Redbirds opened the season with a blowout win over NAIA program St. Francis (IL), but non-Division I doesn’t count on a playoff resume, making this even more important for the big picture.
The Stats Perform FCS Game of the Week offers a chance to rise in the Valley:No. 2 South Dakota State (4-1, 1-0) at No. 10 Illinois State (4-1, 0-1)Kendra Sheehan previews the Week 5 showdown. pic.twitter.com/spuQwGSEqJ
— Opta FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) September 30, 2026Each team has a red-hot player on offense. In the last two weeks, SDSU’s Josiah Johnson has the second-most rushing yards (395) in the FCS and Illinois State’s Dylan Lord has the second-most receptions (18).
Second-and-10
1. Five FCS teams currently have winning streaks of at least 10 straight conference games. Montana State leads the way at 18 in the Big Sky (during that time, the Bobcats also beat two conference opponents in the playoffs). Lehigh has won 15 straight Patriot League games, while Tennessee Tech has beaten 14 straight conference opponents between the Ohio Valley and Southern conferences (plus one other SoCon opponent in what was considered a nonconference matchup). Also, South Carolina State is at 11 in a row in the MEAC and Stephen F. Austin 10 in the Southland.
FCS Longest Active Winning StreaksOverall19 – Montana St13 – S Carolina St8 – Idaho St5 – Lehigh, SFA4 – Alabama A&M, Dayton, Jackson St, Tarleton St, Tenn TechHome16 – Rhode Island12 – Montana St, S Carolina St10 – SFARoad9 – Lehigh6 – Montana St, S Carolina St
— Opta FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) September 27, 20262. The best week in conference belongs to the SoCon. Wofford (2-3, 1-2) travels to Furman (3-2, 1-0) for the 100th renewal of the Deep South’s oldest football rivalry (while Furman leads the all-time series 56-36-7, Wofford has won the last three meetings). Ninth-ranked Tennessee Tech (4-0, 2-0), nearly upset at Wofford until SoCon offensive player of the week Jax Leatherwood’s fifth touchdown pass with 1:06 left provided a 42-38 escape, is back on the road against a Western Carolina squad that faces a must-win. Additionally, either Chattanooga (3-2, 2-0) or ETSU (3-2, 1-0) will remain unbeaten in conference when one of them secures a third straight win in Johnson City.
3. Two byes since the start of the season has Dayton (3-0) rested for its Pioneer Football League opener at Drake (1-3, 1-0), the three-time defending champion. Dayton joins Harvard as the only FCS teams not to trail in a game this season. Drake has changed up the offensive style in coach Matt Walker’s first season. Last season, the Bulldogs ranked 10th out of 11 PFL teams in passing yards per game. This season, they’re first in the FCS at 368.8 passing yards per game, with Stevens Tech grad transfer Riley Warzynski also No. 1 individually at 349.8 on average.
4. Top-ranked Montana State (5-0, 2-0) beating Northern Arizona without four All-Americans was ridiculously impressive, and quarterback Justin Lamson, running back Adam Jones and the Dowler twins (wide receiver Taco and safety Caden) are expected to sit out Friday night’s next Big Sky game at Idaho. The injury list has mounted with top FCS players, including two other top-six teams that have gone several games without their starting QB – South Dakota State (Chase Mason) and Lehigh (Hayden Johnson). Other All-Americans yet to even play this season because of injuries include UC Davis safety Rex Connors, North Dakota edge Lance Rucker, Rhode Island QB Devin Farrell and Idaho State offensive tackle Stryker Rashid. Gardner-Webb RB Carson Gresock, the OVC’s preseason offensive player of the year, also hasn’t played to date. Plus, Tarleton State RB Tylan Hines (FCS leader in rushing yards per game) and Yale QB Dante Reno (off a 454-yard, five-TD opener) were sidelined last week.
5. Third-ranked Montana (4-1, 2-0) doesn’t figure to be too tasked against Northern Colorado, entering their Big Sky matchup with three straight shutout wins over the Bears: 35-0 in 2021, 40-0 in 2023 and 24-0 in 2024. The Grizzlies are 10-0 against UNC in Missoula and 17-2 all time. The last FCS program to have four straight shutouts wins over another FCS program was Wagner against Iona from 1995 to 2002. Wagner, though, was victimized with three straight shutout losses to Duquesne earlier this decade – the last such occurrence before Montana-Northern Colorado.
6. Abilene Christian entered the season nationally ranked and coming off two straight United Athletic Conference titles. But the Wildcats are a mere 1-4, with losses to Texas Tech and three FCS Top 25 teams. Starting Saturday, they have a bit of do-over via a clean slate conference-wise at 0-0. Three of their four games this month are at home, beginning with No. 17 West Florida. In coach Keith Patterson’s tenure, they’re 11-2 at home in conference games. The scenario is similar for two-time defending NEC Football champ Central Connecticut State (0-3), which opens league play against Wagner, and OVC favorite UT Martin (1-4), which after a bye will face Tennessee State next week.
Per @CraigHaley2025, first-year FCS program West Florida has an agreement to play Arkansas in 2029. The Argonauts are eligible to play an FBS school in 2028, so another matchup could wind up preceding the Razorbacks. pic.twitter.com/0Vq6FnJp7u
— Opta FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) September 30, 20267. What’s the over/under for the quarterbacks in No. 8 Youngstown State (3-2, 1-1) at No. 21 Southern Illinois (3-2, 1-0) in the MVFC? YSU won 48-38 last year behind Walter Payton Award-winning QB Bean Brungard (449 yards of total offense, six total touchdowns). SIU’s DJ Williams went for 416 yards and four TDs. Brungard wound up second and Williams fifth in the FCS in offensive yards per game, and they were first and fifth, respectively, in total touchdowns.
8. One of the benefits of the Ivy League’s later start to each season is it can provide an outstanding nonconference game in October. In this case, it’s a Top 25 matchup as No. 20 Harvard (2-0) welcomes in No. 22 Colgate (4-1) for their first meeting since 1995. The host Crimson have won 11 straight non-league regular-season games as well as 10 of their last 11 games against the Patriot League. The Raiders are seeking a second consecutive nationally ranked win after posting their first since 2023 at Villanova, which, ironically, knocked Harvard out of last year’s FCS playoffs.
9. Fourth-ranked Tarleton State (4-0) isn’t forcing turnovers with last season’s ridiculous rate – 38 forced with a plus-30 margin. But the Texans have been even better at holding on to the ball – just one lost turnover in the four games – and they’ve gone 11 straight games since last season without having more turnovers than an opponent. No other FCS team has an active streak of more than six games.
10. UIW (2-2, 1-0) is trying to bounce back in the Southland this season after imploding as the preseason favorite last year. The problem for the likely improved squad is it faces all three of last year’s Southland playoff teams on the road: No. 7 Stephen F. Austin this week, then Lamar next week and Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 7. The Cardinals have an offensive triple threat in QB Emmett Brown, RB Lontrell Turner and WR Isaiah Champagne, but the team’s 13 turnovers are tied for the third most in the FCS (in one fewer game than the two teams with 14). SFA’s defense dials up attack mode – its 21 sacks lead the FCS and the Lumberjacks’ 12 takeaways are tied for the fifth most among 128 teams – to try to get the ball back to QB Gavin Rutherford & Co.
FCS Football Week 5 – Top 25 Schedule
All games ET and on Saturday unless noted; Predicted winner in boldface
Last Week’s Record: 15-6 (.714); Season Record: 86-21 (.804)
No. 1 Montana State (5-0, 2-0 Big Sky): at Idaho (0-4, 0-1), 10:30 p.m. Friday (ESPN) No. 2 South Dakota State (4-1, 1-0 MVFC): at No. 10 Illinois State (4-1, 0-1), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 3 Montana (4-1, 2-0 Big Sky): vs. Northern Colorado (2-3, 1-1), 4 p.m. (ESPN+/Scripps/MTN) No. 4 Tarleton State (4-0): vs. Chicago State (1-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 5 North Dakota (4-1, 1-0 MVFC): vs. Murray State (1-4, 0-1), 2 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 6 Lehigh (5-0, 3-0 Patriot): vs. Fordham (1-4, 1-1), noon (ESPN+) No. 7 Stephen F. Austin (5-0, 2-0 Southland): vs. UIW (2-2, 1-0), 6 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 8 Youngstown State (3-2, 1-1 MVFC): at No. 21 Southern Illinois (3-2, 1-0), 5 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 9 Tennessee Tech (4-0, 2-0 Southern): at Western Carolina (2-3, 0-1), 6 p.m. (Nexstar/ESPN+) No. 10 Illinois State (4-1, 0-1 MVFC): vs. No. 2 South Dakota State (4-1, 1-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 11 Austin Peay (4-1, 1-0 UAC): vs. New Haven (1-4, 0-1 NEC), 5 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 12 Idaho State (4-0, 1-0 Big Sky):vs. No. 19 Northern Arizona (3-2, 1-1), 8 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 13 South Dakota (3-2, 0-1 MVFC): vs. Indiana State (2-3, 0-1), 3 p.m. (MidCo Sports/ESPN+) No. 14 Lamar (3-1, 1-0 Southland): vs. Northwestern State (0-5, 0-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 15 South Carolina State (5-0): vs. The Citadel (1-3, 0-2 Southern), 2 p.m. (MEAC Network) No. 16 UC Davis (3-2, 1-1 Big Sky): vs. Eastern Washington (1-4, 0-2), 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2) No. 17 West Florida (3-1, 1-1 UAC): at Abilene Christian (1-4, 0-0), 8 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 18 Campbell (4-1, 2-0 CAA): at North Carolina Central (2-3), 6 p.m. (MEAC Network) No. 19 Northern Arizona (3-2, 1-1 Big Sky): at No. 12 Idaho State (4-0, 1-0), 8 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 20 Harvard (2-0, 1-0 Ivy): vs. No. 22 Colgate (4-1, 3-0 Patriot), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 21 Southern Illinois (3-2, 1-0 MVFC): vs. No. 8 Youngstown State (3-2, 1-1), 5 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 22 Colgate (4-1, 3-0 Patriot): at No. 20 Harvard (2-0, 1-0 Ivy), 7 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 23 Mercer (3-2, 0-1 Southern): at VMI (0-5, 0-1), 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 24 Richmond (4-1, 2-0 Patriot): at Lafayette (1-3, 0-1), 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+) No. 25 Jackson State (4-0, 1-0 SWAC): vs. Alabama A&M (4-1, 1-0) in Mobile, Alabama, 5 p.m. (SWAC TV)Top photo, from left, from Dave Eagen/Inertia and Chattanooga, SFA and Dayton Athletics. For more FCS coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
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