Oh, how time flies when you’re having fun. Believe it or not, FCS football passed midseason this weekend. We’re looking back and ranking all the best of the first half of the campaign.
Raise your hand if you’ve been enjoying the 2026 FCS football team.
Well, look at that.
Everybody!
The exciting season has featured its share of twists, turns and thrills, and the depth of the Top 10 confirms how well the Division I subdivision has overcome the loss of North Dakota State, the greatest program in FCS history, making a move up to the FBS.
This weekend’s schedule was the seventh of 13 overall weeks, moving the regular season past the midway point.
Through midseason, here’s a review of who and what have been the best of the best in the FCS:
Top 10 Teams
1. South Dakota State (5-1) – The top-ranked Jackrabbits kept two Top 10 opponents (Youngstown State and Illinois State) to their FCS season lows for points and yards.
2. Tarleton State (6-0) – Beating Bowling Green gave the Texans the most FCS-over-FBS wins (three) during the 2020s decade.
3. Montana State (5-1) – The defending FCS champion posted an FBS win (Nevada) but has since battled injuries as opponents.
4. Stephen F. Austin (6-0) – The Lumberjacks’ best start since 1995 includes three road wins by an average of 17 points.
5. Lehigh (6-0) – Under first-year coach Richard Nagy, the Mountain Hawks have extended regular-season (23) and Patriot League winning streaks (16).
6. Youngstown State (5-2) – Two Top 25 wins are part of the Penguins’ best start since also opening 5-2 in their 2016 national runner-up season.
7. South Dakota (5-2) – USD earned its 100th win on the FCS level and went right to work on the next 100 with a Top 25 win over Southern Illinois.
8. Northern Arizona (5-2) – With back-to-back Top 15 wins over Idaho State and Montana, the Lumberjacks continue to win shootouts over potent opponents.
9. Montana (5-2) – The Griz impressed with 62 points at UC Davis but have surrendered a combined 101 in two road losses.
10. Lamar (5-1) – The Cardinals, who only have an FBS loss, are tied for first in the Southland Conference.
Top 10 Players
1. Eli Gillman, RB, Montana – Has been electrifying while racking up 1,063 yards and an FCS-high 17 touchdowns from scrimmage.
2. Beau Brungard, QB, Youngstown State – The 2025 Walter Payton recipient has accounted for 341.1 total offensive yards per game and an FCS-leading 27 total TDs.
3. Luke Yoder, RB, Lehigh – Has 120+ rushing yards in five of six games with 13 touchdowns.
4. Xaden Benson, S, Harvard – He’s rolling a seven. Takeaways, that is, in just four games (six interceptions, one fumble recovery).
5. Quinten Christensen, OT, South Dakota State – Has paved the way for many of the No. 1-ranked team’s big runs.
6. Joshua Sales Jr., OT, Austin Peay – Mobile anchor of one of the FCS’ more explosive offenses,
7. Zac Crews, DE, Montana State – Has stepped up to be the best player on a talent-filled team that’s dealing with injuries.
8. Desmeal Leigh, OT, Youngstown State – Brungard would agree Leigh could be the top 2027 NFL prospect from the FCS.
9. Jaxton Santiago, WR, Yale – In four games, has racked up 35 catches for 539 yards and seven TDs.
10.(tie) Kamden Sixkiller, QB, Campbell – Breakout player (18 total TDs) for the FCS’ breakout team.
10.(tie) Jerry Kaminski, QB, North Dakota – Entered Week 6 with an FCS-high 19 TD passes, but struggled in a loss at UNI.
Top 5 Coaching Performances
1. Todd Whitten, Tarleton State – With this season’s 6-0 start, the Texans have the second-most wins (28) among FCS programs since 2024.
2. Braxton Harris, Campbell – The Fighting Camels have gone from 2-10 last season to 5-1 with only an FBS loss.
3. Brent Dearmon, North Alabama – In a season in which UNA christened a new on-campus stadium, the Lions already have their most wins (four) since 2019.
4. Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin – Has guided unbeaten SFA to a 16-game regular-season winning streak.
5. Damon Wilson, Morgan State – A road win over Villanova highlights a 5-1 start, which is two wins more through six games than any Bears’ team since 2009. They only have an FBS loss.
Top 5 Games
Selections are based on impact or thrilling nature:
1. Idaho 35, Montana State 34 (Oct. 2) – The Vandals’ only win this season ended the Bobcats’ 19-game winning streak. It came with a TD pass and two-point conversion with 0:00 on the game clock.
2. Harvard 20, Colgate 17 (Oct. 3) – Nathan Bailey scored the winning TD off a lateral on a game-ending Hail Mary pass.
3. William & Mary 35, Villanova 32 (Aug. 28) – Villanova QB Pat McQuaide’s eligibility from a court injunction had all the attention until the Tribe rallied with three scores in the final minute, including Max Lipinski’s 45-yard, walk-off field goal.
4. Grambling State 63, Alcorn State 59 (Oct. 3) – The Tigers scored the final 21 points, including Ashton Frye’s 11-yard TD pass to Tyson George with 19 seconds left, in the FCS’ highest-scoring game since 2022.
5. The Citadel 43, Charlotte 41, 3 OTs (Sept. 5) – Gavin Garcia rushed for three touchdowns and Nick Billoups connected on a two-point pass to Whit Hobgood in the third overtime for the Bulldogs’ third FBS win since 2015.
For more FCS football coverage, follow at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
Craig Haley’s FCS Football Midseason Review: Best Teams, Players, Coaches, Games Opta Analyst.
Hence then, the article about craig haley s fcs football midseason review best teams players coaches games 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 ( Craig Haley’s FCS Football Midseason Review: Best Teams, Players, Coaches, Games )
Also on site :
- Tammy Wynette’s Favorite Song Reimagined By ’70s Music Star 50 Years Later for Star-Studded Tribute Concert
- In 1970, Oregon highway crews packed a dead 45-foot sperm whale with a half-ton of dynamite; the blast rained blubber on spectators and crushed a new car a quarter-mile away
- ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Season 2 to Premiere March 2027, Bill Nighy and Rosemarie DeWitt to Guest Star