The second weekend of October has come to a close in the FCS and the latter half of the season is officially upon most teams out there. The murky waters are getting ever clearer with each passing set of games and Week 7’s collection was again quite telling. The contenders and pretenders further separated themselves from each other and some more bold assumptions can be made from this weekend’s results. Here’s what they are:
Western Carolina is the SoCon’s Best Team
It was not that long ago that the
SoCon discussion really centered around just two teams; Mercer and Furman. After what Western Carolina did on Saturday, though, it can’t be ignored any longer that they are not only in that conversation but ought to be at the forefront of it. The Catamounts laid an absolute whooping on Furman to the tune of 52-7 at home over the weekend. Quarterback Taron Dickens has been lighting up the scoreboard as he threw for another four TDs in the big win, bringing his season total up to 13 (and that’s been with missing the first couple of games). WCU started 0-3 but has now spun off four straight to take a lead in the SoCon race alongside Mercer. The Bears are playing some good ball too right now but Western Carolina is on a different level and seems as though it could run the table. If they do so, it would be the program’s first playoff appearance since 1983.
The Patriot League Gets Two into the Playoffs
It’s a story that is flying somewhat under the radar right now but the Patriot League is good this year… really good. Lehigh has been on a tear, winning its first seven contests to start 7-0 for the first time in 13 seasons. The Mountain Hawks have dispatched some notable teams along the way like Richmond and Yale and are the clear favorite to repeat as conference champs. It isn’t just Lehigh, though, that has been piling up the victories. Lafayette also has been in the win column a lot recently. The Leopards are off to a 5-2 start and their most recent triumph was perhaps their most impressive. Lafayette took it to Bucknell on Saturday, winning 62-24. If things keep going at this pace, the Leopards and the Mountain Hawks will clash in what is essentially going to be the Patriot League championship when they meet on November 22. Both could come in with good enough marks, however, that even the loser there would still get into the postseason as an at-large selection.
North Dakota State Will Finish 12-0
If it wasn’t evident before this last weekend, it should be now; NDSU is far and above the best team in the country right now (again). The Bison took on a really talented Southern Illinois bunch in Week 7… a team that by all accounts should make the playoffs in its own right… and dropped the hammer on them in a game that was only competitive for a half. North Dakota State was able to generate well over 500 yards of total offense and hold SIU to 313. Once again Cole Payton couldn’t miss as he completed 13 of 16 passes and four different ball carriers scored. Southern Illinois was also one of the more difficult games remaining on the schedule. Yes, North Dakota and South Dakota State still loom but there’s no reason to think that this Bison team won’t win both of those games as well as the other four and end the season undefeated.
Idaho is not a Playoff Team
The real big head scratcher of the weekend went down in the Kibbie Dome as #11 Idaho got trounced by Northern Colorado 49-33. The Vandals looked lost against the Bears, giving up 350 yards through the air and turning the ball over three times. This is a UNC team that, until this year, only won one game dating back to the start of 2023 and an Idaho bunch that has been a playoff squad in each of the last three years. Thomas Ford came in with a head of steam taking over in Moscow and, at first, it seemed to be going well as the Vandals kept it close against a pair of FBS foes in Washington State and San Jose State. The loss a couple weeks ago to Montana was one thing but faltering at home against Northern Colorado to fall to 2-4? Things don’t look good as the meat of Big Sky play is still around the corner.
Jackson State Will Win the Celebration Bowl Again
Going into this last week it was not a stretch to say that the winner of the Jackson State-Alabama State game would likely get the SWAC East’s top spot and appear in the conference championship come December. JSU won that dogfight and again re-established itself as not only the team to beat in the SWAC, but in all of HBCU football yet again. The Hornets were able to put up a good fight but T.C. Taylor’s team was just far too good front to back. The rest of the conference slate should be theirs for the taking and so too should be the Celebration Bowl against whoever they see from the MEAC. Until someone can prove it can knock the Tigers from their stoop they are the unquestioned best team in the HBCU world and, barring an unforeseen meltdown, should win it all once more.
