For the first time in at least a month, it didn’t feel like chaos was the main storyline of an FCS weekend. While there were still some upsets across the country, Week 8 was defined more by big conference matchups that will likely prove to be pivotal in the final results. From the Missouri Valley to the Big Sky to the CAA and beyond, several teams positioned themselves well for the late-season push with wins over the weekend. Here’s what went down in the subdivision in the penultimate slate of October
games:
UAlbany, Monmouth and Stony Brook All Continue to Pass CAA Tests
Don’t look now but the CAA is turning into a very interesting league as November gets ever closer. On Saturday the conference continued to show that it might have some real depth with four of its top teams all taking home big wins. Campbell, who has been the frontrunner for a while, made light work of Maine but the three squads right behind the Camels are showing they might be in play for some at-large consideration when all is said and done.
UAlbany improved to 5-3 (3-1 CAA) with a solid 38-21 win over Rhode Island on the road. Rahshan La Mons ran for nearly 200 yards and found the end zone three times as he paced the Great Danes rushing attack which amassed 265 yards and four scores. Kai Colon threw for 177 yards and a touchdown as well. It is the third straight win for a UAlbany squad that is looking to return to the postseason for the first time since their semifinal run in 2023. They will have a huge test in front of them, though, as they host Campbell next weekend.
Monmouth stayed right on pace at the top of the CAA and got its sixth win of the year over Hampton. It was never in doubt for the Hawks who got another stellar performance from quarterback Frankie Weaver. Weaver tossed three touchdowns and completed 24 of 32 passes. All four ball carriers who got touches for Monmouth scored as well. They controlled the game from wire to wire, winning the time of possession battle by nearly seven minutes. The Hawks are still undefeated in conference play as they take on Bryant next Saturday.
Stony Brook bounced back from its Week 7 loss to UAlbany with a big victory over Bryant on the road. Seawolves receiver Seth Sweitzer went off for 122 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches while quarterback Quinn Boyd threw for 264 yards. A slow day from the ground game was balanced out by a smothering performance from the defense. Stony Brook registered eight tackles for loss as well as three sacks along with a pick and two fumble recoveries. Now 5-3 overall and 3-1 in league play, the Seawolves turn their attention to Sacred Heart.
South Dakota Edges UND 26-23 in OT
The game of the week in the FCS, and the one with the most implications as far as the national picture goes, lived up to its billing. #8 South Dakota opened up a sizable lead before withstanding a second-half surge from #6 North Dakota and winning in overtime. The Coyotes got their game-winner when freshman quarterback Austyn Modrzewski slung a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brayden White on the second possession of OT. White finished his day with 101 yards on six snags while Modrzewski threw for 159 yards and two scores. The big story for USD, though, was the return of running back Charles Pierre Jr. who missed last week. Pierre ran for 128 yards on 21 touches.
North Dakota came out flat, falling behind by as many as 17. The Hawks got hot in the second half, however, thanks to two long touchdown drives of 15 and ten plays respectively. Kicker Kenten Laughman hit a 45-yard field goal with under a minute left in regulation then connected on a 38-yard one in overtime. It was not quite enough, though, as Modrzewski’s TD pass ended it just two plays later. South Dakota is now 7-2 overall and 4-1 in Missouri Valley action and has a huge matchup with South Dakota State waiting. UND falls to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in league play. The Hawks also have another big one around the corner with Youngstown State.
Bethune-Cookman Hands Jackson State Second SWAC Loss
Jackson State’s odd season took another turn over the weekend as it fell to Bethune-Cookman on the road despite being a 7.5-point favorite. Once a hot pick to represent the SWAC in the Celebration Bowl, the Tigers are all but out of it now after dropping their second conference game in three weeks. Wildcats quarterback Tyler Jefferson tossed three touchdowns while the defense logged ten tackles behind the line of scrimmage. That effort was led by linebacker Stephen Sparrow and defensive lineman Isaiah Washburn. The duo teamed up for five TFLs and 18 stops. The defense also held JSU to 5-of-14 on third down. The win bolsters Bethune-Cookman’s SWAC record to 3-1 and ties them with Alabama A&M at the top of the SWAC East division standings (although the Bulldogs have the edge on the head-to-head matchup). The Wildcats travel to Arkansas-Pine Bluff this week looking for their third straight win. #24 Jackson State, meanwhile, will surely fall from the media polls this week. They take on Mississippi Valley State next Saturday.
SFA, Tarleton and Harvard Stay Undefeated
There are only three unbeaten teams remaining in the FCS and all three picked up wins to remain so over the weekend. Stephen F. Austin handled business against Southeastern Louisiana for a 45-28 victory that is their eighth of the year. SFA running back Jaylen Jenkins ran for 159 yards and a score while receiver Cameron Kelley went for 100 yards on just three catches. Sophomore defensive lineman A’Amear Walton logged a 20-yard pick six as well. The Lumberjacks are rolling through the Southland right now and bring a head of steam with them as they face Houston Christian next Saturday.
Also winning again was Tarleton State who, like SFA, is now 8-0 after a 49-6 thrashing of West Georgia. Kaden Anderson threw four touchdowns and Tanner Scmidt caught five passes for 129 yards. The TSU defense knocked down six passes, forced three turnovers and stopped the Wolves on third down 11 times. They also made two fourth down stops. The Texans return home next weekend to take on Eastern Kentucky as they look for their fourth UAC win.
Harvard stayed atop the Ivy League with a dominant 35-7 win over Princeton. Charlie Smith completed 22 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two scores as the Crimson offense delivered a nice balance against the Tigers defense which struggled all afternoon. Harvard converted all three of their fourth down attempts and turned Princeton away on three of theirs. The defense took the ball away twice and even found the end zone once themselves with a 32-yard fumble return TD in the fourth quarter. Harvard is now 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Ivy. They travel to Dartmouth on Friday evening.
Montana State Survives Upset-Minded Weber State 38-33
The top of the Big Sky was up for grabs in Bozeman on Saturday and Weber State showed from the first whistle that they meant business. Coming in as a 24.5-point underdog, the #22 Wildcats led #3 Montana State by ten heading into halftime. Aided by two forced fumbles, however, MSU climbed its way back in during a second-half rally that saw the Bobcats score 21 unanswered. Justin Lamson threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns while both Adam Jones and Jared White eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark. Weber State freshman QB Nate Dahl performed admirably in his own right, throwing for 240 yards and two scores also. Noah Kjar hauled in eight passes from Dahl for 124 yards. The WSU defense had two double-digit tacklers with Trevian Tribble and Tommy Romano. Montana State improves to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky. They turn around for another home game against Cal Poly next weekend. The Wildcats slip to 4-2 in conference and 5-4 overall. They take on UC Davis next Saturday.
Utah Tech Gets First Big Sky Win over Cal Poly
Utah Tech is winless no longer. The Trailblazers finally got their first win as a Big Sky member on Saturday evening against Cal Poly. Quarterback Deacon Hill accounted for three touchdowns and 270 total yards and the UTU defense got four sacks. Mustangs signal caller Anthony Grigsby Jr. tossed four interceptions and receivers Ray Hall and Tayvion McCoy each fumbled once on a night where Cal Poly turned it over six times. It was as ugly of a loss as they’ve suffered in some time and any hopes of reaching the playoffs as an at-large bid most likely went out the window. For Utah Tech it is their first victory this season and just third dating back to last year. They are 1-7 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Cal Poly travels to Montana State next weekend while the Trailblazers host Idaho State.
