The first half of the FCS football season has made you go wow! We’re looking back at all of the action to highlight the best of the best.
The 2025 FCS football season has a familiar look – the North Dakota State Bison are absolutely rolling midway through the season.
The defending FCS champions have outscored opponents 267-63 in a 6-0 start, including wins over three straight nationally ranked opponents within the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Rival South Dakota State isn’t far behind, also with three Top 25 wins, and their excellence in the first half of the season keeps FCS football’s biggest powers on a No. 1 vs. No. 2 collision course on Oct. 25.
Abilene Christian is the only other team with a trio of Top 25 wins in a first half of the season that has featured quarterbacks, including NDSU’s Cole Payton, Monmouth’s Derek Robertson, Southern Illinois’ DJ Williams and Western Carolina’s Taron Dickens.
While storylines aplenty across 129 schools and 13 conferences, here’s an FCS midseason review of the best of the best.
Of course, even better things are surely on the way.
Best Game I: South Dakota State 30, Montana State 24, 2 OTs
The No. 2 (SDSU) vs. No. 3 (MSU) matchup actually exceeded expectations on Sept. 6, with the visiting Jackrabbits handing the Bobcats their first home loss in the regular season since 2019.
After both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, SDSU opened the second extra session with Brayden Delahoyde catching a 25-yard score up the middle from Chase Mason (three TD pass, one TD run). The Bobcats gained a first down on their ensuing possession, but Julius Davis was stopped for no gain on 4th-and-1 just shy of the 5-yard line, ending the thriller.
Best Game II: Jackson State 38, Alabama State 34
Jackson State’s announced Homecoming crowd of 44,000 on Oct. 11 watched as the SWAC East Division co-leaders staged a slugfest before the defending conference champion Tigers prevailed in a non-stop final minute.
JaCobian Morgan connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nate Rembert to lift JSU from a 34-31 deficit. ASU quarterback Andrew Body (442 total yards) moved the Hornets to the JSU 2 with 1 second left and then flipped a pass to Jamarie Hostzclaw on a final-play roll-out, but Tigers linebacker Ashton Taylor swooped in for a tackle to keep the Hornets short of the goal line.
Four FCS programs have posted wins over FBS teams.Best Upset: Presbyterian 15, Mercer 10
The Blue Hose had lost 63-10 to Southern Conference champion Mercer last season, but they announced their breakout season on Aug. 30 as 23-point underdogs. They ended the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League’s 35-game losing streak against FCS Top 25 teams (Mercer was ranked No. 11).
Zach Switzer erased a 10-9 deficit with a 16-yard touchdown run with 56 seconds remaining, while Collin Hurst completed 25 passes for 303 yards in the upset.
Best Offensive Performance: Taron Dickens, Western Carolina
Dickens shattered NCAA and FCS single-game records with 46 straight completions to begin Western Carolina’s 23-21 win at Wofford on Oct. 4. He finished 53 of 56 for 378 yards and three touchdowns, with the 94.6 completion percentage also an FCS record for a quarterback with 30+ completions.
But shoutout to South Dakota’s L.J. Phillips Jr., who in his first career start carried the ball 35 times for 301 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 overtime win over Northern Colorado. It was just the third 300-yard game by an FCS rusher this decade.
Best Defensive Performance: Rashon Myles Jr., Abilene Christian
Myles recovered three fumbles in the first half and two were turned into touchdowns as Abilene Christian defeated Austin Peay 45-31 in a Top 25 matchup within the United Athletic Conference on Sept. 20. The redshirt junior linebacker was in on six tackles – and only one went for more than five yards – and had one pass breakup.
Surprising Team: Presbyterian
The No. 24 Blue Hose are 6-0 for the first time since 1959, and the first two wins were on the road against the last two SoCon champions (Mercer, then 39-38 over Furman in overtime). They’re already three weeks into having their first-ever FCS national ranking.
Pictured: Lehigh running back Luke Yoder. (Lucas Morrell/Lehigh Athletics)Disappointing Team: UIW
The defending Southland Conference champion was preseason No. 5 after adding significant transfer talent to its returning roster yet was overmatched by Nicholls 20-6 in the first FCS game of the season on Aug. 23. The Cardinals are now 2-4 and fell from the national rankings after Week 3.
Outstanding Offensive Player: Cole Payton, North Dakota State
Payton gets the nod over Monmouth’s Derek Robertson due to his precision while running the Bison offense. He’s produced 15 touchdowns (10 passing, five rushing) without a turnover, ranking No. 1 in the FCS in pass efficiency rating (223.2) and No. 2 in completion percentage (75.7). He’s averaging 303.3 yards of total offense per game on 18.2 yards per completion and 6.6 yards per carry.
It’s hard to deny Robertson’s excellence. He’s powered Monmouth to a 5-1 start with the most passing yards (2,272) and TD passes (24) in the FCS.
Outstanding Defensive Player: Joshua Stoneking, Furman
Considering he was a reserve on a 3-8 team last season, it was hard to foresee the 6-foot-3, 263-pound defensive end’s breakout as the FCS leader in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (14.5). The redshirt sophomore has dropped ball carriers for 72 yards in losses and has 37 overall tackles in Furman’s 4-2 start.
Outstanding HBCU Player: Andrew Body, Alabama State
The long-time SWAC signal caller’s two highest career games for yards of total offense have come in scintillating losses at UAB and Jackson State. He’s put the Hornets on his shoulders while averaging 301.7 total yards per game, and has 15 touchdown passes with just one interception.
Outstanding Freshman Player: Braden Atkinson, Mercer
After Mercer lost to Presbyterian, Atkinson was installed as the starting quarterback, and the Bears have reeled off five consecutive wins, including a 4-0 SoCon record. He’s surpassed 300 passing yards in four of the five wins, averaging 303.0 yards per game while throwing for 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions and one sack.
Outstanding Coaching Performance: Presbyterian’s Steve Englehart
The 6-0 start is a continuation of last year’s strong finish under the 48-year-old Englehart, now in his fourth season. Since last October the Blue Hose have won a program-record 10 straight games.
Top photo, clockwise from, via Dave Eggen/Inertia, NDSU Athletics, Alabama State Athletics and Furman Athletics. For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
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