There are just two weeks to play before the Playoff Committee gathers and, while there’s still a whole awful lot that needs to get ironed out before then, there was quite a bit that got determined over the weekend in the FCS. The latest crop of games made the Committee’s job… for the most part… even more difficult and muddied the waters for several teams across the country. Between weirdly close games for teams that aren’t used to them, a few more upsets and a handful of lopsided results, here’s what
we learned from Week 11:
Harvard is a Top Eight Seed
On Friday night the Crimson made a real case for themselves to get a bye week when the playoffs come around. Harvard moved to 8-0 on the year by dismantling Columbia to the tune of 31-14. Jaden Craig is as sharp as any QB out there right now and Xavier Bascon continues to dominate from the backfield while that Crimson defense just keeps on smothering its opposition. If Harvard can do what its supposed to over the next two weeks and finish undefeated with the the Ivy League crown, the Playoff Committee will all but need to give it a top eight seed on Selection Sunday. Yes, they’ve played two less games than everyone, but an undefeated record and dominant sweep through the conference should be rewarded justly.
South Dakota State Will Miss the Playoffs without Mason
The Jackrabbits are in total freefall right now, having lost three straight. They’ve been without quarterback Chase Mason through this slide and it’s become increasingly clear that he is the glue that holds SDSU together. They’ve seen a perfect 7-0 start quickly crumble into a 7-3 record and, with tough games against both Illinois State and North Dakota remaining to close out the season, there is no guarantee that the Jacks even make the playoffs. They might be able to afford one more loss but certainly not two. If Mason can’t come back soon, this group that had legitimate national title hopes will watch it all go up flames… if they haven’t already.
The Top Teams are Mortal
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the weekend is the idea that some of the nation’s top squads are not nearly as unbeatable as previously thought. North Dakota State, who is 10-0, got everything it wanted and then some from rival North Dakota on Saturday and needed a late touchdown to escape with a 15-10 win. Whether it was the voodoo of the Alerus Center, an off day for the Bison or a really strong showing from UND, it gave real credence to the notion that NDSU can be beat and for a while there this season it didn’t seem like that was possible. The same can be said for Montana who, also at 10-0, needed a gift from the football gods at the end of its game against Eastern Washington to remain unbeaten. After opening up a 22-0 lead against the Eagles at home, UM held on 29-24 thanks to a fumble on a spike attempt from EWU quarterback Jake Schakel at the five-yard line. The Griz, like the Bison, might have some holes in the armor but are undefeated nonetheless.
UTRGV is a Year Away
One of the ongoing stories in the FCS this year has been the emergence of UT Rio Grande Valley in its inaugural season. On Saturday evening the Vaqueros again showed that they can hang despite only starting their football program this year. They toppled Nichols 28-21 to improve to 7-3 on the year and pick up their third Southland victory. No matter what happens the rest of the way through, it has been a stellar first year for UTRGV and with taking the momentum of a first run like this into the offseason, it’s not exactly a stretch to say that this team could be really, really good in 2026.
