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NCAA DIVISION I FCS ®
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u All 25 FCS-ranked teams (STATS poll) will play this weekend, and three games will feature two ranked teams playing one another. No. 7 Elon at No. 18 New Hampshire, 2 pm ET [FOX Sports Go] No. 17 Illinois State at No. 6 South Dakota State, 3 pm ET [Midco SN / ESPN3] No. 10 South Dakota at No. 5 North Dakota State, 3:30 pm ET [NBC ND / ESPN3]
FACES of the FCS
u Just two unbeatens remain in the FCS -- James Madison (9-0) hosts Richmond, while North Carolina A&T State (9-0) hosts Savannah State. u The FCS Championship Committee revealed its second top-10 rankings Thursday. (A full graphic is on Page 5 of this notebook.) Defending champion James Madison is a consensus No. 1 in both polls, and the committee rankings. u STATS announced updates/additional nominees to its FCS Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award and Rice Award this week. Additional nominees include (for the Payton): QB Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State; QB Chad Kanoff, Princeton; QB Jake Maier, UC Davis; QB Daniel Smith, Campbell and QB Tommy Stuart, Duquesne. For the Buchanan: LB Brandon Bryant, Lafayette; LB Josh Buss, Montana; LB De’Arius Christmas, Grambling State; CB Malik Duncan, Saint Francis; OLB Matthew Oplinger, Yale; and DE Jaison Williams, Austin Peay. For the Rice Award: RB/LB Troy Anderson, Montana State; RB Marcus Cooper, Southeastern Louisiana; RB Kierre Crossley, Central Arkansas; LB Glenn Cunningham, Fordham; DE Anthony Knighton, Southern Illinois; and RB Emilio Martinez, San Diego.
Trumaine Johnson (Montana) is tied for the L.A. Rams’ team lead with two interceptions (including a 39-yard TD return), and he ranks fourth for the team with 32 tackles this year. He has 18 career picks.
u FCS schools have nine wins this season against FBS programs. The FCS had 10 wins against FBS teams last year, one more than 2015, and tied for the fourth-most in a single season in NCAA history. The FCS set a record in 2013 with 16 wins against FBS schools. BIG SKY -- There are two weeks left in the regular season and the Big Sky standings aren’t any clearer than they were a week ago. Three teams have one loss in league play, and another four teams have two losses. Northern Arizona versus Montana State is the only matchup this week of the top seven teams in the conference standings playing each other. UC Davis’ Keelan Doss leads the FCS in receiving yards (1,233 yds), receiving yards per game (137.0) and receptions per game (10.1). Weber State kicker Trey Tuttle leads the FCS in field goals per game at 1.78. UC Davis’ Jake Maier was one of five players added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List for national offensive player of the year Tuesday. He enters the final stretch with four top-five FCS rankings: No. 2 in the nation in completion percentage (.708), No. 3 in passing yards (3,033) and passing yards per game (337.0) and No. 5 in completions per game (26.67). OFF - Jake Maier, QB, UC Davis | DEF - Connor Strahm, Montana | SPECIAL TEAMS - Matt Blair, UC Davis BIG SOUTH -- Charleston Southern DL ANTHONY ELLIS recorded a Big South single-game record 5.5 tackles-for-loss this past Saturday at Gardner-Webb. With 23.0 career sacks and 48.0 career TFL, he is on the verge of becoming the Big South’s first-ever 25/50 player. He is second all-time in league history in both categories. Monmouth DB MIKE BASILE became just the fourth Big South player in history with 400 career tackles when he eclipsed the milestone Saturday. He is now third all-time in league annals with 403 stops. Basile, who is the Big South’s all-time leader for career solo tackles with 267, is three tackles shy of becoming just the third player with three 100-tackle seasons. Meanwhile, Basile is second in league history with six career blocked kicks. The Big South is one of three conferences (CAA, Southland) with two 1-loss teams, and is 16-11 ( =59.3 percent) against non-conference FCS opponents in 2017, marking the league’s fifth consecutive winning regular-season against non-league foes. Since the start of the 2013 campaign, the Big South is 8043 ( =65.0 winning percentage) in regular-season competition and 85-49 ( =63.4) when including postseason games in that span. OFF – Chandler Burks, QB, Kennesaw State | DEF – Anthony Ellis, DL, Charleston Southern | ST – Tyler Tekac, PK, Charleston Southern & Justin Thompson, PK, Kennesaw State | FR – Pete Guerriero, RB, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL -- The race for the CAA title is down to three teams - Elon, James Madison and Stony Brook - with two weeks left. The Dukes are looking to capture their third straight championship while the Phoenix and Seawolves are trying to win their first. Elon visits New Hampshire and JMU hosts Richmond this week before the two teams go head-to-head on Nov. 18. Stony Brook is at Maine for its CAA finale on Nov. 18. Three CAA teams are in the midst of landmark seasons. James Madison’s 9-0 start is the best in program history. Elon’s 8-1 start is its best since 2009 and the team’s eight-game win streak is the longest since 1980. The Phoenix’s six CAA wins are more than they achieved in the past three years combined as a league member (4-20). Stony Brook’s seven overall victories are its most in the regular season since 2012 and its six CAA wins are the most since joining the conference in 2013. Close games have become the standard during conference play in CAA Football. For the season, 24 of the 37 CAA Football games (64.9%) have had margins of seven points or less in the fourth quarter, including three of the six contests last Saturday. James Madison extended its overall winning streak to 21 games with a 38-3 victory at Rhode Island last Saturday. The Dukes have broken Richmond’s conference record of 17 consecutive wins that was set during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. JMU’s 21-game streak is the longest active streak of any FBS or FCS team and is tied for the 5th-longest streak in FCS history. JMU has also won 16 straight CAA Football contests, breaking the league record of 15 consecutive wins set by UMass from 1965-67. Off: Trevor Knight | QB | New Hampshire | Def: Troy Reeder | LB | Delaware | ST: Owen Johnson | PK | Elon | Rookie: Brelynd Cyphers | RB | Elon IVY LEAGUE -- With its win over Columbia, Yale claimed its 900th all-time victory. The Bulldogs are the third team in Division I history to accomplish the feat, joining Michigan and Notre Dame. Penn senior WR Justin Watson continues to climb in the Ivy League records book, as he now ranks third in receptions (265) and yards (3,537) and is fourth in TDs (31). He has caught a TD pass in all eight games so far this season, matching the all-time Ivy League record, and needs at least one reception over his final two games to break the League mark for consecutive games with a catch. Princeton senior quarterback Chad Kanoff is 11th in passing yards (6,621), sixth in completion percentage (63.8) and tied for 23rd in touchdown passes (36). #IvyFootball finished 18-6 in non-conference play in 2017, its best overall out-of-conference record since 1994, when it went 19-3-1. The Ivy League went 10-2 over its first two weeks this season, its best non-conference start since 1970, when it opened 12-0. The Ivy League’s .750 non-conference winning percentage leads the FCS and ranks fourth overall in Division I, trailing the SEC (.825), Pac 12 (.771) and Big Ten (.762). Three teams appear in the national rankings. Dartmouth and Yale are receiving votes in the coaches poll, while the Big Green, Bulldogs and Columbia are receiving votes in the STATS FCS poll. All four games this week will be broadcast on a television network. The week begins with Dartmouth against Brown at Fenway Park in Boston on Friday night on NBCSN, followed the next day by Penn at Harvard on NESNPlus, Yale at Princeton on Eleven Sports and Twitter, and Columbia at Cornell on SNY. All three of Saturday’s games will also be broadcast live on the Ivy League Network (ILN), now available on Apple TV, Roku and the ILN app on Apple and Android devices. Off: WR Justin Watson, Penn | Def: DT Richie Ryan, Harvard | ST: PK Nickolas Null, Cornell | Rookie: RB Zane Dudek, Yale MEAC -- QB Larry Brihm threw for a season- and career-high matching 354 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as Bethune-Cookman defeated Morgan State 41-28 on Saturday. He found eight different receivers on 23-of-30 passing and tied a school record for touchdown passes in a single game with five. The win over Norfolk State makes the 2017 N.C. A&T Aggies the only football team in the 93-year history of Aggie football to have a 9-0 record. This year’s senior class is the only senior class in school history to put together four consecutive nine-win seasons. Individually, junior quarterback Lamar Raynard broke the Aggies single-season passing record. He eclipsed Maseo Bolin’s 23-year old record on a 24-yard completion to graduate tight end Trey Scott in the third quarter. North Carolina Central’s defense ranks third in NCAA Division I-FCS and tops MEAC in third-down conversion percentage defense (25.8 percent). Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three defensive scores this year. MEAC opponents have rushed for just 65.5 yards per game against NCCU this season, while the Eagles average 146.7 rushing yards per contest in those league outings. Off: QB Larry Brihm, Jr., Bethune-Cookman | Def: DB Davanta Reynolds, UNC Central | O-Line: Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T State ST: KR JaMichael Baldwin, Savannah State | Rookie: QB Caylin Newton, Howard MISSOURI VALLEY -- After its third top-10 win of the season, UNI climbed back into the Top 25 STATS FCS rankings, joining five other MVFC teams in the polls. Three league schools are in the Top 10 (North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State). North Dakota State saw its FCS-best road winning streak end at 12-straight with its loss at South Dakota State on Nov. 4. With its 31-14 victory at Illinois State, Western Illinois secured its fifth road win of the season, the most since also compiling five during 2003. Western Illinois will be vying for their sixth away win of the year at Indiana State, never before accomplished in its 113 seasons of football prior to 2017. QB Ricky Davis of Youngstown State accounted for six TDs in the Penguins’ 66-24 win at Indiana State (4 pass, 2 rush). It marks the third time its happened in the MVFC this season (Taryn Christion of South Dakota State, vs. Western Illinois & Chris Streveler of South Dakota, vs. Drake.) Offense -- QB Ricky Davis, Youngstown State | Defense -- LB Keelon Brookins, UNI | Special Teams -- RS Matt Rush, Missouri State Newcomer -- LB Keelon Brookins, UNI | Offensive Lineman -- RT James Torgerson, WIU
NORTHEAST -- The featured #NECFB Game of the Week on ESPN3 will determine the recipient of the league’s automatic FCS playoffs bid. NEC Preseason favorite Duquesne (4-0) will host Central Connecticut (4-0), which has won six games in a row following an 0-3 start, for a 12:00 pm ET kickoff on November 11. Duquesne, which saw its seven-game win streak snapped by a 27-24 loss at Liberty in Week 10, averages a league-high 33.1 points per game and ranks second amongst FCS national team leaders in red zone offense (93.5 pct). CCSU, which scored 28 points off turnovers during last week’s win over 2016 NEC champion Saint Francis, leads all Division I teams with six defensive touchdowns this season and ranks third in turnover margin (+14). The NEC is home to two of the top-seven rushers in the FCS. Duquesne sophomore AJ Hines, who ran for 253 yards at Liberty, ranks third (115.0 ypg) while Wagner junior Ryan Fulse, who has eclipsed the 150-yard mark in back-to-back weeks, sits seventh (110.3 ypg). The league’s top-three leaders in receptions will be on DeGol Field when Saint Francis hosts Sacred Heart in a game that can be seen live at NECFrontRow.com. SFU junior Kamron Lewis (61) tops the chart followed by SHU senior Byron Barney (55) and Andrew O’Neill (50). OFFENSIVE: Tom Kennedy, BRY | DEFENSIVE: Najae Brown, CCSU | SPECIAL TEAMS: Vincent Nisivoccia, BRY | ROOKIE: Ezekiel Ennis, SHU OHIO VALLEY -- Jacksonville State won its 30th-straight OVC game (and 39th-straight regular season game against non-FBS competition) in topping Murray State 59-23. The Gamecocks can lock up its fourth-straight OVC Championship with a victory at UT Martin on Saturday. No OVC team has won four-straight OVC Championships since 1981-84 (Eastern Kentucky). Austin Peay claimed its first Sgt. York Trophy championship with a win Saturday. The competition is between the four OVC football playing schools from the state of Tennessee. The Govs tied for the championship in the inaugural year of competition (2007) but had never won the title outright. APSU was 3-0 against Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin in 2017. Jacksonville State offensive lineman Justin Lea, who will tie the OVC record for consecutive starts (49) on Saturday, was named one of 13 finalists nationally for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the national scholar-athlete of the year. By being one of the 13 finalists, Lea will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Offense: Roc Thomas (RB), Jacksonville State | Defense: Bradley Dewberry (S), Eastern Illinois | Specialist: Matt Severino (K), Eastern Illinois Co-Newcomer: Scotty Gilkey, Jr. (QB), Eastern Illinois | Co-Newcomer: Dresser Winn (QB), UT Martin PATRIOT -- Two games with League championship implications begin at 12:30 p.m. on the PLN with Lehigh welcoming Holy Cross in a game that will also be televised locally on Service Electric 2. Lafayette and Colgate, both tied at 3-1 in League play, will square off with the game also being televised on the Lafayette Sports Network. Fordham senior RB Chase Edmonds became the Patriot League’s career rushing leader (5,677) and all-purpose yards leader (7,124) with his 63-yard, two-touchdown performance in a loss to Holy Cross on Saturday. Edmonds moved past former Colgate star Jordan Scott’s (2005-08) League rushing record of 5,621 yards. He also surpassed former Ram star Javaris Dudley (2000-03), who recorded 7,121 all-purpose yards during his career. Lehigh senior WR Troy Pelletier became the League’s career receptions leader with a nine-catch game against Bucknell. Pelletier passed Dudley and now has 298 career receptions with two games remaining in his collegiate career. He is still tied with tied Dudley and former Colgate star Corey Hill with 34 career touchdowns receptions. Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh are tied atop the Patriot League standings at 3-1 with two games left on the regular-season schedule, while Holy Cross sits a half-game behind with a 3-2 League record with one game remaining. While four teams can earn a share of the League title, the Mountain Hawks and Leopards are the only two teams in the League that control their own destiny in earning the League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Lehigh can clinch its second-consecutive playoff trip by defeating Holy Cross and Lafayette. The Leopards can earn their first trip to the playoffs since 2013 by defeating Colgate and Lehigh, while Colgate needs to beat Lafayette and Georgetown, and Lehigh must lose to either Holy Cross or Lafayette to claim its first automatic bid since 2015. Holy Cross could clinch a share of the League title with a win over Lehigh and one loss by both Lafayette and Colgate. OFFENSIVE: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh, Jr., RB | DEFENSIVE: Nick McBeath, Holy Cross, Sr., LB SPECIAL TEAMS: Michael Turk, Lafayette, Fr., P | ROOKIE: Brandon Benson, Bucknell, Fr., S
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PFL -- San Diego, which claimed a share of the 2017 PFL Championship in Week 10, will travel to Davidson with the opportunity to clinch the crown outright. It is the fourth-straight season the Toreros have claimed at least a share of the PFL title and it is their ninth title all time.
San Diego posted its 19th consecutive PFL victory with a Week 10 win against Drake. It is the second longest active conference win streak in Division I entering Week 10, trailing only Ohio Valley Conference member Jacksonville State’s 30-game conference win streak. Campbell’s Daniel Smith and Jacksonville’s Trevor Tufano each earned FCS Stats National Player of the Week honors in Week 10. Smith rushed for 289 yards and four touchdowns as Campbell downed Davidson. Tufano intercepted a pass in the end zone and forced two fumbles to help Jacksonville hold off Valparaiso. Campbell quarterback Daniel Smith’s 289-yard rushing performance against Davidson in Week 10 catapulted him atop the FCS rushing leaders. He enters Week 11 leading all runners in rushing yards (1,188), rushing yards per game (132.0) and rushing yards per carry (9.98). Smith also is ranked No. 4 in rushing touchdowns (11), but is only one touchdown shy of the nation’s leaders. OFF – QB Daniel Smith, Campbell | DEF – LB Trevor Tufano, Jacksonville | ST – PK Allan Waltz, Dayton
SOUTHERN -- Five SoCon teams will wrap up their league schedules this weekend. Wofford can clinch at least a share of its fifth SoCon title and the league’s automatic NCAA bid with a win over VMI. Furman also controls its destiny to claim a share of the title and could earn the AQ with a Wofford loss, while Western Carolina and Samford must win out and need Wofford to lose in order to earn shares of the title. Wofford downed Chattanooga 24-21 in double overtime on Saturday to reclaim sole possession of first place in the SoCon standings, moving half a game ahead of idle Furman. All seven of the Terriers’ league games this year have been decided by one possession. Wofford’s win was its 100th since joining the SoCon in 1997, and at 100-61 (.621) all-time in league play, the Terriers own the best conference winning percentage among current SoCon schools. On the strength of its 31-19 win at The Citadel, Western Carolina moved back into the FCS Coaches Poll at No. 25 this week and jumped two spots to No. 22 in the STATS FCS Top 25. Wofford is eighth in both polls, while Samford is 14th in the coaches’ poll and 16th in the STATS rankings. Idle Furman picked up 17 points in the coaches’ poll and now sits with 37, three spots outside the rankings. The Paladins, which entered the STATS poll last week for their first national ranking since 2014, rose two spots to No. 21 in that poll. OFF – Detrez Newsome, RB, Western Carolina | DEF: Devin Watson, CB, Wofford | ST: Luke Carter, P/K, Wofford SOUTHLAND -- Central Arkansas remains unbeaten and improved to No. 3 nationally in the FCS Coaches and STATS polls. Sam Houston State moved up to No. 4 in both as well. McNeese is ranked at No. 18/20 and Nicholls at No. 17 in the coaches poll. Northwestern State won consecutive games for the first time since 2015 after senior kicker Eric Piccione made a 36-yard game winner to defeat ACU 26-23. He made a career-high four field goals in the game, tying a school record. Nicholls won their fifth straight in thrilling fashion in week 10, with sophomore QB Chase Fourcade hitting Dai’Jean Dixon for a 44-yard score as time expired to beat HBU 23-17. SHSU QB Jeremiah Briscoe ranks second in the FCS with 3,079 passing yards, behind Richmond’s Kyle Lauletta (3,212). Fellow Bearkat P.J. Hall ranks fourth in the FCS with 12.5 tackles for loss. SFA defensive back Marlon Walls was selected as one of 13 finalists among all NCAA divisions for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the best football scholar-athlete. Walls is the only finalist with a 4.00 GPA. Three current Southland members have produced winners of the award; NSU in 1999 and 2011, and MCN in 2000. OFF: QB Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston State | DEF: Dominique Hill, McNeese | ST: PK Eric Piccione, Northwestern State SWAC -- Tie-breaker scenario for the West Division race: Grambling State (3-0 in divisional games) vs. Southern on Nov. 25 in Bayou Classic ... and Southern (2-0 in divisional games) @Texas Southern Nov. 11 and vs. Grambling on Nov. 25 in Bayou Classic. It will come down to the Bayou Classic on Nov. 25 in New Orleans to determine the West Division winner regardless of what occurs between now and then. East Division: Alcorn State (2-0 in divisional games). Remaining games: vs. Mississippi Valley State Nov. 11 and @Jackson State Nov. 18; Alabama State (2-1 in divisional games). Remaining games: @Mississippi Valley State Nov. 18. Alcorn State can clinch the East this Saturday with a victory against Mississippi Valley State. It would make them 3-0 in the division and because they hold a head-to-head tie-breaker advantage against Alabama State (Alcorn State defeated Alabama State 24-10 back on Oct. 5), then Alcorn State would represent the East.. If Alcorn loses this Saturday, it would boil down to next Saturday, Nov. 18th games. Alabama State would need to defeat Mississippi Valley State AND Alcorn State would have to lose BOTH their remaining divisional games against Mississippi Valley State and at Jackson State if they were to represent the East. QB Austin Howard, Southern | DB Joshua Hill, Alabama State | K Corey McCullough, Alcorn State | RB P.J. Simmons, Alcorn State
Big Sky Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Southern Utah (15) 5 1 7 2 Won 5 Weber State (14) 5 1 7 2 Won 3 Northern Arizona (24) 5 1 6 3 Lost 1 Eastern Washington (19) 4 2 5 4 Lost 2 Montana 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Sacramento State 4 2 5 4 Won 1 Montana State 4 2 4 5 Lost 1 UC Davis 3 3 5 4 Won 2 Idaho State 2 5 4 6 Lost 2 North Dakota 2 5 3 7 Lost 1 Northern Colorado 1 5 2 6 Lost 5 Cal Poly 1 5 1 8 Won 1 Portland State 0 6 0 9 Lost 9 Big South Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Monmouth 3 0 8 1 Won 6 Kennesaw State (23) 3 0 8 1 Won 8 Charleston Southern 2 1 5 4 Won 1 Presbyterian 0 3 3 6 Lost 3 Gardner-Webb 0 3 1 8 Lost 4 Liberty 1 2 5 4 Won 2 CAA Football Standings Team W L W L Streak James Madison (1) 6 0 9 0 Won 9 Elon (7) 6 0 8 1 Won 8 Stony Brook (12) 6 1 7 2 Won 3 New Hampshire (18) 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Delaware 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Richmond 3 3 5 4 Won 1 Maine 3 4 4 4 Lost 1 Villanova 2 4 4 5 Lost 3 Albany 1 5 3 6 Lost 5 Towson 1 5 3 6 Lost 1 Rhode Island 1 5 2 7 Lost 1 William & Mary 0 6 2 7 Lost 6 Ivy League Standings Team W L W L Streak Yale 4 1 7 1 Won 4 Harvard 3 2 5 3 Won 2 Columbia 3 2 6 2 Lost 2 Cornell 3 2 3 5 Lost 1 Dartmouth 3 2 6 2 Won 1 Penn 2 3 4 4 Won 2 Princeton 2 3 5 3 Lost 2 Brown 0 5 2 6 Lost 5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Carolina A&T (9) 6 0 9 0 Won 9 North Carolina Central 5 1 7 2 Won 2 Howard 5 1 6 3 Won 4 Bethune-Cookman 4 2 5 4 Won 2 Hampton 4 2 5 4 Lost 2 Norfolk State 3 3 3 6 Lost 2 Savannah State 2 4 2 7 Won 2 Florida A&M 2 5 3 7 Lost 1 South Carolina State 1 5 2 6 Lost 3 Morgan State 1 5 1 8 Lost 3 Delaware State 1 6 1 8 Lost 2 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Dakota State (5) 5 1 8 1 Lost 1 UNI (25) 4 2 5 4 Won 1 Illinois State (17) 4 2 6 3 Lost 1 South Dakota State (6) 4 2 7 2 Won 3 South Dakota (10) 4 2 7 2 Lost 1 Western Illinois (11) 3 3 6 3 Won 1 Missouri State 2 4 3 6 Won 2 Youngstown State 2 4 4 5 Won 1 Southern Illinois 2 4 4 5 Lost 2 Indiana State 0 6 0 9 Lost 9 Northeast Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Duquesne 4 0 7 2 Lost 1 Central Connecticut State 4 0 6 3 Won 6 Saint Francis U 3 2 5 4 Lost 1 Bryant 2 2 4 5 Won 2 Sacred Heart 1 3 3 6 Lost 2 Wagner 1 4 3 6 Won 1 Robert Morris 0 4 2 7 Lost 6
Ohio Valley Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Jacksonville State (2) 6 0 8 1 Won 7 Austin Peay 5 1 6 4 Won 1 Eastern Illinois 5 2 6 4 Won 1 UT Martin 3 3 5 4 Won 2 Eastern Kentucky 3 4 3 6 Lost 1 Southeast Missouri State 2 4 2 7 Lost 3 Tennessee State 1 4 5 4 Won 1 Murray State 1 4 2 7 Lost 3 Tennessee Tech 1 5 1 8 Lost 1 Patriot League Standings Team W L W L Streak Colgate 3 1 5 4 Won 3 Lehigh 3 1 3 6 Won 1 Lafayette 3 1 3 6 Won 1 Holy Cross 3 2 4 6 Won 2 Fordham 2 3 3 7 Lost 1 Bucknell 1 3 4 5 Lost 2 Georgetown 0 4 1 8 Lost 8 Pioneer Football League Standings Team W L W L Streak San Diego 6 0 7 2 Won 6 Campbell 5 2 6 4 Won 1 Jacksonville 4 2 6 3 Won 2 Drake 4 2 5 4 Lost 1 Dayton 4 3 5 5 Won 3 Butler 4 3 6 4 Won 1 Valparaiso 3 3 4 5 Lost 1 Marist 2 4 3 6 Lost 4 Morehead State 2 4 3 6 Lost 1 Stetson 1 6 2 8 Lost 3 Davidson 0 6 2 7 Lost 6 Southern Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Wofford (8) 6 1 8 1 Won 2 Furman (21) 5 1 6 3 Won 6 Western Carolina (22) 5 2 7 3 Won 1 Samford (16) 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Mercer 3 4 4 5 Lost 2 Citadel 3 4 5 4 Lost 1 ETSU 2 4 4 5 Won 1 Chattanooga 2 5 2 8 Lost 1 VMI 0 7 0 10 Lost 10 Southland Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Central Arkansas (3) 7 0 8 1 Won 8 Sam Houston State (4) 6 1 8 1 Won 5 Nicholls 6 1 7 2 Won 5 McNeese (20) 5 2 7 2 Won 1 Southeastern Louisiana 5 3 5 5 Lost 2 Stephen F. Austin 4 3 4 5 Won 2 Northwestern State 3 4 3 6 Won 2 Abilene Christian 2 5 2 7 Lost 4 Incarnate Word 1 6 1 8 Lost 3 Lamar 0 7 1 8 Lost 7 Houston Baptist 0 7 1 8 Lost 7 Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak East Alcorn State 4 1 6 3 Won 1 Alabama State 3 2 3 5 Won 3 Alabama A&M 3 3 3 6 Lost 2 Jackson State 1 4 1 8 Lost 1 Mississippi Valley State 1 4 2 7 Lost 2 West Grambling State (13) 5 0 8 1 Won 8 Southern University 4 1 6 3 Won 5 Prairie View A&M 2 3 3 5 Lost 1 Texas Southern 1 3 1 7 Won 1 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 4 2 7 Lost 5
STATS FCS TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (162) 2 Jacksonville State 3 Central Arkansas 4 Sam Houston State 5 North Dakota State 6 South Dakota State 7 Elon 8 Wofford 9 North Carolina A&T 10 South Dakota 11 Western Illinois 12 Stony Brook 13 Grambling State 14 Weber State 15 Southern Utah 16 Samford 17 Illinois State 18 New Hampshire 19 Eastern Washington 20 McNeese 21 Furman 22 Western Carolina 23 Kennesaw State 24 Northern Arizona 25 UNI
4050 3830 3692 3427 3329 3260 3027 2902 2772 2278 2128 1977 1911 1835 1636 1615 1391 1088 1076 848 692 665 622 581 410
9-0 1 8-1 3 8-1 4 8-1 5 8-1 2 7-2 10 8-1 7 8-1 8 9-0 9 7-2 6 6-3 15 7-2 14 8-1 13 7-2 19 7-2 17 6-3 16 6-3 12 6-3 21 5-4 11 7-2 22 6-3 23 7-3 24 8-1 25 6-3 18 5-4 NR
FCS COACHES TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (26) 2 Jacksonville State 3 Central Arkansas 4 Sam Houston State 5 South Dakota State 6 North Dakota State 7 North Carolina A&T 8 Wofford 9 Elon 10 South Dakota 11 Grambling State 12 Weber State 13 Western Illinois 14 Samford 15 Stony Brook 16 New Hampshire 17 Nicholls 18 McNeese 19 Southern Utah 20 Illinois State 21 Eastern Washington 22 Monmouth 23 Kennesaw State 24 Northern Arizona 25 Western Carolina
650 619 567 550 538 527 478 466 447 364 362 346 308 285 238 234 221 177 167 164 152 114 103 85 65
9-0 1 8-1 3 8-1 4 8-1 5 7-2 8 8-1 2 9-0 7 8-1 9 8-1 10 7-2 6 8-1 12 7-2 14 6-3 18 6-3 15 7-2 21 6-3 19 7-2 17 7-2 22 7-2 23 6-2 13 5-4 11 8-1 24 8-1 25 6-3 16 7-3 NR
EVERY DOWN. EVERY DAY.
FCSINSIDER.COM
NCAA INFO: ncaa.com/fcs • STATS: ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs
FCS HEADLINES
AA E
u All 25 FCS-ranked teams (STATS poll) will play this weekend, and three games will feature two ranked teams playing one another. No. 7 Elon at No. 18 New Hampshire, 2 pm ET [FOX Sports Go] No. 17 Illinois State at No. 6 South Dakota State, 3 pm ET [Midco SN / ESPN3] No. 10 South Dakota at No. 5 North Dakota State, 3:30 pm ET [NBC ND / ESPN3]
FACES of the FCS
u Just two unbeatens remain in the FCS -- James Madison (9-0) hosts Richmond, while North Carolina A&T State (9-0) hosts Savannah State. u The FCS Championship Committee revealed its second top-10 rankings Thursday. (A full graphic is on Page 5 of this notebook.) Defending champion James Madison is a consensus No. 1 in both polls, and the committee rankings. u STATS announced updates/additional nominees to its FCS Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award and Rice Award this week. Additional nominees include (for the Payton): QB Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State; QB Chad Kanoff, Princeton; QB Jake Maier, UC Davis; QB Daniel Smith, Campbell and QB Tommy Stuart, Duquesne. For the Buchanan: LB Brandon Bryant, Lafayette; LB Josh Buss, Montana; LB De’Arius Christmas, Grambling State; CB Malik Duncan, Saint Francis; OLB Matthew Oplinger, Yale; and DE Jaison Williams, Austin Peay. For the Rice Award: RB/LB Troy Anderson, Montana State; RB Marcus Cooper, Southeastern Louisiana; RB Kierre Crossley, Central Arkansas; LB Glenn Cunningham, Fordham; DE Anthony Knighton, Southern Illinois; and RB Emilio Martinez, San Diego.
Trumaine Johnson (Montana) is tied for the L.A. Rams’ team lead with two interceptions (including a 39-yard TD return), and he ranks fourth for the team with 32 tackles this year. He has 18 career picks.
u FCS schools have nine wins this season against FBS programs. The FCS had 10 wins against FBS teams last year, one more than 2015, and tied for the fourth-most in a single season in NCAA history. The FCS set a record in 2013 with 16 wins against FBS schools. BIG SKY -- There are two weeks left in the regular season and the Big Sky standings aren’t any clearer than they were a week ago. Three teams have one loss in league play, and another four teams have two losses. Northern Arizona versus Montana State is the only matchup this week of the top seven teams in the conference standings playing each other. UC Davis’ Keelan Doss leads the FCS in receiving yards (1,233 yds), receiving yards per game (137.0) and receptions per game (10.1). Weber State kicker Trey Tuttle leads the FCS in field goals per game at 1.78. UC Davis’ Jake Maier was one of five players added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List for national offensive player of the year Tuesday. He enters the final stretch with four top-five FCS rankings: No. 2 in the nation in completion percentage (.708), No. 3 in passing yards (3,033) and passing yards per game (337.0) and No. 5 in completions per game (26.67). OFF - Jake Maier, QB, UC Davis | DEF - Connor Strahm, Montana | SPECIAL TEAMS - Matt Blair, UC Davis BIG SOUTH -- Charleston Southern DL ANTHONY ELLIS recorded a Big South single-game record 5.5 tackles-for-loss this past Saturday at Gardner-Webb. With 23.0 career sacks and 48.0 career TFL, he is on the verge of becoming the Big South’s first-ever 25/50 player. He is second all-time in league history in both categories. Monmouth DB MIKE BASILE became just the fourth Big South player in history with 400 career tackles when he eclipsed the milestone Saturday. He is now third all-time in league annals with 403 stops. Basile, who is the Big South’s all-time leader for career solo tackles with 267, is three tackles shy of becoming just the third player with three 100-tackle seasons. Meanwhile, Basile is second in league history with six career blocked kicks. The Big South is one of three conferences (CAA, Southland) with two 1-loss teams, and is 16-11 ( =59.3 percent) against non-conference FCS opponents in 2017, marking the league’s fifth consecutive winning regular-season against non-league foes. Since the start of the 2013 campaign, the Big South is 8043 ( =65.0 winning percentage) in regular-season competition and 85-49 ( =63.4) when including postseason games in that span. OFF – Chandler Burks, QB, Kennesaw State | DEF – Anthony Ellis, DL, Charleston Southern | ST – Tyler Tekac, PK, Charleston Southern & Justin Thompson, PK, Kennesaw State | FR – Pete Guerriero, RB, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL -- The race for the CAA title is down to three teams - Elon, James Madison and Stony Brook - with two weeks left. The Dukes are looking to capture their third straight championship while the Phoenix and Seawolves are trying to win their first. Elon visits New Hampshire and JMU hosts Richmond this week before the two teams go head-to-head on Nov. 18. Stony Brook is at Maine for its CAA finale on Nov. 18. Three CAA teams are in the midst of landmark seasons. James Madison’s 9-0 start is the best in program history. Elon’s 8-1 start is its best since 2009 and the team’s eight-game win streak is the longest since 1980. The Phoenix’s six CAA wins are more than they achieved in the past three years combined as a league member (4-20). Stony Brook’s seven overall victories are its most in the regular season since 2012 and its six CAA wins are the most since joining the conference in 2013. Close games have become the standard during conference play in CAA Football. For the season, 24 of the 37 CAA Football games (64.9%) have had margins of seven points or less in the fourth quarter, including three of the six contests last Saturday. James Madison extended its overall winning streak to 21 games with a 38-3 victory at Rhode Island last Saturday. The Dukes have broken Richmond’s conference record of 17 consecutive wins that was set during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. JMU’s 21-game streak is the longest active streak of any FBS or FCS team and is tied for the 5th-longest streak in FCS history. JMU has also won 16 straight CAA Football contests, breaking the league record of 15 consecutive wins set by UMass from 1965-67. Off: Trevor Knight | QB | New Hampshire | Def: Troy Reeder | LB | Delaware | ST: Owen Johnson | PK | Elon | Rookie: Brelynd Cyphers | RB | Elon IVY LEAGUE -- With its win over Columbia, Yale claimed its 900th all-time victory. The Bulldogs are the third team in Division I history to accomplish the feat, joining Michigan and Notre Dame. Penn senior WR Justin Watson continues to climb in the Ivy League records book, as he now ranks third in receptions (265) and yards (3,537) and is fourth in TDs (31). He has caught a TD pass in all eight games so far this season, matching the all-time Ivy League record, and needs at least one reception over his final two games to break the League mark for consecutive games with a catch. Princeton senior quarterback Chad Kanoff is 11th in passing yards (6,621), sixth in completion percentage (63.8) and tied for 23rd in touchdown passes (36). #IvyFootball finished 18-6 in non-conference play in 2017, its best overall out-of-conference record since 1994, when it went 19-3-1. The Ivy League went 10-2 over its first two weeks this season, its best non-conference start since 1970, when it opened 12-0. The Ivy League’s .750 non-conference winning percentage leads the FCS and ranks fourth overall in Division I, trailing the SEC (.825), Pac 12 (.771) and Big Ten (.762). Three teams appear in the national rankings. Dartmouth and Yale are receiving votes in the coaches poll, while the Big Green, Bulldogs and Columbia are receiving votes in the STATS FCS poll. All four games this week will be broadcast on a television network. The week begins with Dartmouth against Brown at Fenway Park in Boston on Friday night on NBCSN, followed the next day by Penn at Harvard on NESNPlus, Yale at Princeton on Eleven Sports and Twitter, and Columbia at Cornell on SNY. All three of Saturday’s games will also be broadcast live on the Ivy League Network (ILN), now available on Apple TV, Roku and the ILN app on Apple and Android devices. Off: WR Justin Watson, Penn | Def: DT Richie Ryan, Harvard | ST: PK Nickolas Null, Cornell | Rookie: RB Zane Dudek, Yale MEAC -- QB Larry Brihm threw for a season- and career-high matching 354 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as Bethune-Cookman defeated Morgan State 41-28 on Saturday. He found eight different receivers on 23-of-30 passing and tied a school record for touchdown passes in a single game with five. The win over Norfolk State makes the 2017 N.C. A&T Aggies the only football team in the 93-year history of Aggie football to have a 9-0 record. This year’s senior class is the only senior class in school history to put together four consecutive nine-win seasons. Individually, junior quarterback Lamar Raynard broke the Aggies single-season passing record. He eclipsed Maseo Bolin’s 23-year old record on a 24-yard completion to graduate tight end Trey Scott in the third quarter. North Carolina Central’s defense ranks third in NCAA Division I-FCS and tops MEAC in third-down conversion percentage defense (25.8 percent). Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three defensive scores this year. MEAC opponents have rushed for just 65.5 yards per game against NCCU this season, while the Eagles average 146.7 rushing yards per contest in those league outings. Off: QB Larry Brihm, Jr., Bethune-Cookman | Def: DB Davanta Reynolds, UNC Central | O-Line: Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T State ST: KR JaMichael Baldwin, Savannah State | Rookie: QB Caylin Newton, Howard MISSOURI VALLEY -- After its third top-10 win of the season, UNI climbed back into the Top 25 STATS FCS rankings, joining five other MVFC teams in the polls. Three league schools are in the Top 10 (North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State). North Dakota State saw its FCS-best road winning streak end at 12-straight with its loss at South Dakota State on Nov. 4. With its 31-14 victory at Illinois State, Western Illinois secured its fifth road win of the season, the most since also compiling five during 2003. Western Illinois will be vying for their sixth away win of the year at Indiana State, never before accomplished in its 113 seasons of football prior to 2017. QB Ricky Davis of Youngstown State accounted for six TDs in the Penguins’ 66-24 win at Indiana State (4 pass, 2 rush). It marks the third time its happened in the MVFC this season (Taryn Christion of South Dakota State, vs. Western Illinois & Chris Streveler of South Dakota, vs. Drake.) Offense -- QB Ricky Davis, Youngstown State | Defense -- LB Keelon Brookins, UNI | Special Teams -- RS Matt Rush, Missouri State Newcomer -- LB Keelon Brookins, UNI | Offensive Lineman -- RT James Torgerson, WIU
NORTHEAST -- The featured #NECFB Game of the Week on ESPN3 will determine the recipient of the league’s automatic FCS playoffs bid. NEC Preseason favorite Duquesne (4-0) will host Central Connecticut (4-0), which has won six games in a row following an 0-3 start, for a 12:00 pm ET kickoff on November 11. Duquesne, which saw its seven-game win streak snapped by a 27-24 loss at Liberty in Week 10, averages a league-high 33.1 points per game and ranks second amongst FCS national team leaders in red zone offense (93.5 pct). CCSU, which scored 28 points off turnovers during last week’s win over 2016 NEC champion Saint Francis, leads all Division I teams with six defensive touchdowns this season and ranks third in turnover margin (+14). The NEC is home to two of the top-seven rushers in the FCS. Duquesne sophomore AJ Hines, who ran for 253 yards at Liberty, ranks third (115.0 ypg) while Wagner junior Ryan Fulse, who has eclipsed the 150-yard mark in back-to-back weeks, sits seventh (110.3 ypg). The league’s top-three leaders in receptions will be on DeGol Field when Saint Francis hosts Sacred Heart in a game that can be seen live at NECFrontRow.com. SFU junior Kamron Lewis (61) tops the chart followed by SHU senior Byron Barney (55) and Andrew O’Neill (50). OFFENSIVE: Tom Kennedy, BRY | DEFENSIVE: Najae Brown, CCSU | SPECIAL TEAMS: Vincent Nisivoccia, BRY | ROOKIE: Ezekiel Ennis, SHU OHIO VALLEY -- Jacksonville State won its 30th-straight OVC game (and 39th-straight regular season game against non-FBS competition) in topping Murray State 59-23. The Gamecocks can lock up its fourth-straight OVC Championship with a victory at UT Martin on Saturday. No OVC team has won four-straight OVC Championships since 1981-84 (Eastern Kentucky). Austin Peay claimed its first Sgt. York Trophy championship with a win Saturday. The competition is between the four OVC football playing schools from the state of Tennessee. The Govs tied for the championship in the inaugural year of competition (2007) but had never won the title outright. APSU was 3-0 against Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin in 2017. Jacksonville State offensive lineman Justin Lea, who will tie the OVC record for consecutive starts (49) on Saturday, was named one of 13 finalists nationally for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the national scholar-athlete of the year. By being one of the 13 finalists, Lea will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Offense: Roc Thomas (RB), Jacksonville State | Defense: Bradley Dewberry (S), Eastern Illinois | Specialist: Matt Severino (K), Eastern Illinois Co-Newcomer: Scotty Gilkey, Jr. (QB), Eastern Illinois | Co-Newcomer: Dresser Winn (QB), UT Martin PATRIOT -- Two games with League championship implications begin at 12:30 p.m. on the PLN with Lehigh welcoming Holy Cross in a game that will also be televised locally on Service Electric 2. Lafayette and Colgate, both tied at 3-1 in League play, will square off with the game also being televised on the Lafayette Sports Network. Fordham senior RB Chase Edmonds became the Patriot League’s career rushing leader (5,677) and all-purpose yards leader (7,124) with his 63-yard, two-touchdown performance in a loss to Holy Cross on Saturday. Edmonds moved past former Colgate star Jordan Scott’s (2005-08) League rushing record of 5,621 yards. He also surpassed former Ram star Javaris Dudley (2000-03), who recorded 7,121 all-purpose yards during his career. Lehigh senior WR Troy Pelletier became the League’s career receptions leader with a nine-catch game against Bucknell. Pelletier passed Dudley and now has 298 career receptions with two games remaining in his collegiate career. He is still tied with tied Dudley and former Colgate star Corey Hill with 34 career touchdowns receptions. Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh are tied atop the Patriot League standings at 3-1 with two games left on the regular-season schedule, while Holy Cross sits a half-game behind with a 3-2 League record with one game remaining. While four teams can earn a share of the League title, the Mountain Hawks and Leopards are the only two teams in the League that control their own destiny in earning the League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Lehigh can clinch its second-consecutive playoff trip by defeating Holy Cross and Lafayette. The Leopards can earn their first trip to the playoffs since 2013 by defeating Colgate and Lehigh, while Colgate needs to beat Lafayette and Georgetown, and Lehigh must lose to either Holy Cross or Lafayette to claim its first automatic bid since 2015. Holy Cross could clinch a share of the League title with a win over Lehigh and one loss by both Lafayette and Colgate. OFFENSIVE: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh, Jr., RB | DEFENSIVE: Nick McBeath, Holy Cross, Sr., LB SPECIAL TEAMS: Michael Turk, Lafayette, Fr., P | ROOKIE: Brandon Benson, Bucknell, Fr., S
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PFL -- San Diego, which claimed a share of the 2017 PFL Championship in Week 10, will travel to Davidson with the opportunity to clinch the crown outright. It is the fourth-straight season the Toreros have claimed at least a share of the PFL title and it is their ninth title all time.
San Diego posted its 19th consecutive PFL victory with a Week 10 win against Drake. It is the second longest active conference win streak in Division I entering Week 10, trailing only Ohio Valley Conference member Jacksonville State’s 30-game conference win streak. Campbell’s Daniel Smith and Jacksonville’s Trevor Tufano each earned FCS Stats National Player of the Week honors in Week 10. Smith rushed for 289 yards and four touchdowns as Campbell downed Davidson. Tufano intercepted a pass in the end zone and forced two fumbles to help Jacksonville hold off Valparaiso. Campbell quarterback Daniel Smith’s 289-yard rushing performance against Davidson in Week 10 catapulted him atop the FCS rushing leaders. He enters Week 11 leading all runners in rushing yards (1,188), rushing yards per game (132.0) and rushing yards per carry (9.98). Smith also is ranked No. 4 in rushing touchdowns (11), but is only one touchdown shy of the nation’s leaders. OFF – QB Daniel Smith, Campbell | DEF – LB Trevor Tufano, Jacksonville | ST – PK Allan Waltz, Dayton
SOUTHERN -- Five SoCon teams will wrap up their league schedules this weekend. Wofford can clinch at least a share of its fifth SoCon title and the league’s automatic NCAA bid with a win over VMI. Furman also controls its destiny to claim a share of the title and could earn the AQ with a Wofford loss, while Western Carolina and Samford must win out and need Wofford to lose in order to earn shares of the title. Wofford downed Chattanooga 24-21 in double overtime on Saturday to reclaim sole possession of first place in the SoCon standings, moving half a game ahead of idle Furman. All seven of the Terriers’ league games this year have been decided by one possession. Wofford’s win was its 100th since joining the SoCon in 1997, and at 100-61 (.621) all-time in league play, the Terriers own the best conference winning percentage among current SoCon schools. On the strength of its 31-19 win at The Citadel, Western Carolina moved back into the FCS Coaches Poll at No. 25 this week and jumped two spots to No. 22 in the STATS FCS Top 25. Wofford is eighth in both polls, while Samford is 14th in the coaches’ poll and 16th in the STATS rankings. Idle Furman picked up 17 points in the coaches’ poll and now sits with 37, three spots outside the rankings. The Paladins, which entered the STATS poll last week for their first national ranking since 2014, rose two spots to No. 21 in that poll. OFF – Detrez Newsome, RB, Western Carolina | DEF: Devin Watson, CB, Wofford | ST: Luke Carter, P/K, Wofford SOUTHLAND -- Central Arkansas remains unbeaten and improved to No. 3 nationally in the FCS Coaches and STATS polls. Sam Houston State moved up to No. 4 in both as well. McNeese is ranked at No. 18/20 and Nicholls at No. 17 in the coaches poll. Northwestern State won consecutive games for the first time since 2015 after senior kicker Eric Piccione made a 36-yard game winner to defeat ACU 26-23. He made a career-high four field goals in the game, tying a school record. Nicholls won their fifth straight in thrilling fashion in week 10, with sophomore QB Chase Fourcade hitting Dai’Jean Dixon for a 44-yard score as time expired to beat HBU 23-17. SHSU QB Jeremiah Briscoe ranks second in the FCS with 3,079 passing yards, behind Richmond’s Kyle Lauletta (3,212). Fellow Bearkat P.J. Hall ranks fourth in the FCS with 12.5 tackles for loss. SFA defensive back Marlon Walls was selected as one of 13 finalists among all NCAA divisions for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the best football scholar-athlete. Walls is the only finalist with a 4.00 GPA. Three current Southland members have produced winners of the award; NSU in 1999 and 2011, and MCN in 2000. OFF: QB Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston State | DEF: Dominique Hill, McNeese | ST: PK Eric Piccione, Northwestern State SWAC -- Tie-breaker scenario for the West Division race: Grambling State (3-0 in divisional games) vs. Southern on Nov. 25 in Bayou Classic ... and Southern (2-0 in divisional games) @Texas Southern Nov. 11 and vs. Grambling on Nov. 25 in Bayou Classic. It will come down to the Bayou Classic on Nov. 25 in New Orleans to determine the West Division winner regardless of what occurs between now and then. East Division: Alcorn State (2-0 in divisional games). Remaining games: vs. Mississippi Valley State Nov. 11 and @Jackson State Nov. 18; Alabama State (2-1 in divisional games). Remaining games: @Mississippi Valley State Nov. 18. Alcorn State can clinch the East this Saturday with a victory against Mississippi Valley State. It would make them 3-0 in the division and because they hold a head-to-head tie-breaker advantage against Alabama State (Alcorn State defeated Alabama State 24-10 back on Oct. 5), then Alcorn State would represent the East.. If Alcorn loses this Saturday, it would boil down to next Saturday, Nov. 18th games. Alabama State would need to defeat Mississippi Valley State AND Alcorn State would have to lose BOTH their remaining divisional games against Mississippi Valley State and at Jackson State if they were to represent the East. QB Austin Howard, Southern | DB Joshua Hill, Alabama State | K Corey McCullough, Alcorn State | RB P.J. Simmons, Alcorn State
Big Sky Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Southern Utah (15) 5 1 7 2 Won 5 Weber State (14) 5 1 7 2 Won 3 Northern Arizona (24) 5 1 6 3 Lost 1 Eastern Washington (19) 4 2 5 4 Lost 2 Montana 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Sacramento State 4 2 5 4 Won 1 Montana State 4 2 4 5 Lost 1 UC Davis 3 3 5 4 Won 2 Idaho State 2 5 4 6 Lost 2 North Dakota 2 5 3 7 Lost 1 Northern Colorado 1 5 2 6 Lost 5 Cal Poly 1 5 1 8 Won 1 Portland State 0 6 0 9 Lost 9 Big South Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Monmouth 3 0 8 1 Won 6 Kennesaw State (23) 3 0 8 1 Won 8 Charleston Southern 2 1 5 4 Won 1 Presbyterian 0 3 3 6 Lost 3 Gardner-Webb 0 3 1 8 Lost 4 Liberty 1 2 5 4 Won 2 CAA Football Standings Team W L W L Streak James Madison (1) 6 0 9 0 Won 9 Elon (7) 6 0 8 1 Won 8 Stony Brook (12) 6 1 7 2 Won 3 New Hampshire (18) 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Delaware 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Richmond 3 3 5 4 Won 1 Maine 3 4 4 4 Lost 1 Villanova 2 4 4 5 Lost 3 Albany 1 5 3 6 Lost 5 Towson 1 5 3 6 Lost 1 Rhode Island 1 5 2 7 Lost 1 William & Mary 0 6 2 7 Lost 6 Ivy League Standings Team W L W L Streak Yale 4 1 7 1 Won 4 Harvard 3 2 5 3 Won 2 Columbia 3 2 6 2 Lost 2 Cornell 3 2 3 5 Lost 1 Dartmouth 3 2 6 2 Won 1 Penn 2 3 4 4 Won 2 Princeton 2 3 5 3 Lost 2 Brown 0 5 2 6 Lost 5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Carolina A&T (9) 6 0 9 0 Won 9 North Carolina Central 5 1 7 2 Won 2 Howard 5 1 6 3 Won 4 Bethune-Cookman 4 2 5 4 Won 2 Hampton 4 2 5 4 Lost 2 Norfolk State 3 3 3 6 Lost 2 Savannah State 2 4 2 7 Won 2 Florida A&M 2 5 3 7 Lost 1 South Carolina State 1 5 2 6 Lost 3 Morgan State 1 5 1 8 Lost 3 Delaware State 1 6 1 8 Lost 2 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Dakota State (5) 5 1 8 1 Lost 1 UNI (25) 4 2 5 4 Won 1 Illinois State (17) 4 2 6 3 Lost 1 South Dakota State (6) 4 2 7 2 Won 3 South Dakota (10) 4 2 7 2 Lost 1 Western Illinois (11) 3 3 6 3 Won 1 Missouri State 2 4 3 6 Won 2 Youngstown State 2 4 4 5 Won 1 Southern Illinois 2 4 4 5 Lost 2 Indiana State 0 6 0 9 Lost 9 Northeast Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Duquesne 4 0 7 2 Lost 1 Central Connecticut State 4 0 6 3 Won 6 Saint Francis U 3 2 5 4 Lost 1 Bryant 2 2 4 5 Won 2 Sacred Heart 1 3 3 6 Lost 2 Wagner 1 4 3 6 Won 1 Robert Morris 0 4 2 7 Lost 6
Ohio Valley Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Jacksonville State (2) 6 0 8 1 Won 7 Austin Peay 5 1 6 4 Won 1 Eastern Illinois 5 2 6 4 Won 1 UT Martin 3 3 5 4 Won 2 Eastern Kentucky 3 4 3 6 Lost 1 Southeast Missouri State 2 4 2 7 Lost 3 Tennessee State 1 4 5 4 Won 1 Murray State 1 4 2 7 Lost 3 Tennessee Tech 1 5 1 8 Lost 1 Patriot League Standings Team W L W L Streak Colgate 3 1 5 4 Won 3 Lehigh 3 1 3 6 Won 1 Lafayette 3 1 3 6 Won 1 Holy Cross 3 2 4 6 Won 2 Fordham 2 3 3 7 Lost 1 Bucknell 1 3 4 5 Lost 2 Georgetown 0 4 1 8 Lost 8 Pioneer Football League Standings Team W L W L Streak San Diego 6 0 7 2 Won 6 Campbell 5 2 6 4 Won 1 Jacksonville 4 2 6 3 Won 2 Drake 4 2 5 4 Lost 1 Dayton 4 3 5 5 Won 3 Butler 4 3 6 4 Won 1 Valparaiso 3 3 4 5 Lost 1 Marist 2 4 3 6 Lost 4 Morehead State 2 4 3 6 Lost 1 Stetson 1 6 2 8 Lost 3 Davidson 0 6 2 7 Lost 6 Southern Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Wofford (8) 6 1 8 1 Won 2 Furman (21) 5 1 6 3 Won 6 Western Carolina (22) 5 2 7 3 Won 1 Samford (16) 4 2 6 3 Won 1 Mercer 3 4 4 5 Lost 2 Citadel 3 4 5 4 Lost 1 ETSU 2 4 4 5 Won 1 Chattanooga 2 5 2 8 Lost 1 VMI 0 7 0 10 Lost 10 Southland Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Central Arkansas (3) 7 0 8 1 Won 8 Sam Houston State (4) 6 1 8 1 Won 5 Nicholls 6 1 7 2 Won 5 McNeese (20) 5 2 7 2 Won 1 Southeastern Louisiana 5 3 5 5 Lost 2 Stephen F. Austin 4 3 4 5 Won 2 Northwestern State 3 4 3 6 Won 2 Abilene Christian 2 5 2 7 Lost 4 Incarnate Word 1 6 1 8 Lost 3 Lamar 0 7 1 8 Lost 7 Houston Baptist 0 7 1 8 Lost 7 Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak East Alcorn State 4 1 6 3 Won 1 Alabama State 3 2 3 5 Won 3 Alabama A&M 3 3 3 6 Lost 2 Jackson State 1 4 1 8 Lost 1 Mississippi Valley State 1 4 2 7 Lost 2 West Grambling State (13) 5 0 8 1 Won 8 Southern University 4 1 6 3 Won 5 Prairie View A&M 2 3 3 5 Lost 1 Texas Southern 1 3 1 7 Won 1 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 4 2 7 Lost 5
STATS FCS TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (162) 2 Jacksonville State 3 Central Arkansas 4 Sam Houston State 5 North Dakota State 6 South Dakota State 7 Elon 8 Wofford 9 North Carolina A&T 10 South Dakota 11 Western Illinois 12 Stony Brook 13 Grambling State 14 Weber State 15 Southern Utah 16 Samford 17 Illinois State 18 New Hampshire 19 Eastern Washington 20 McNeese 21 Furman 22 Western Carolina 23 Kennesaw State 24 Northern Arizona 25 UNI
4050 3830 3692 3427 3329 3260 3027 2902 2772 2278 2128 1977 1911 1835 1636 1615 1391 1088 1076 848 692 665 622 581 410
9-0 1 8-1 3 8-1 4 8-1 5 8-1 2 7-2 10 8-1 7 8-1 8 9-0 9 7-2 6 6-3 15 7-2 14 8-1 13 7-2 19 7-2 17 6-3 16 6-3 12 6-3 21 5-4 11 7-2 22 6-3 23 7-3 24 8-1 25 6-3 18 5-4 NR
FCS COACHES TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (26) 2 Jacksonville State 3 Central Arkansas 4 Sam Houston State 5 South Dakota State 6 North Dakota State 7 North Carolina A&T 8 Wofford 9 Elon 10 South Dakota 11 Grambling State 12 Weber State 13 Western Illinois 14 Samford 15 Stony Brook 16 New Hampshire 17 Nicholls 18 McNeese 19 Southern Utah 20 Illinois State 21 Eastern Washington 22 Monmouth 23 Kennesaw State 24 Northern Arizona 25 Western Carolina
650 619 567 550 538 527 478 466 447 364 362 346 308 285 238 234 221 177 167 164 152 114 103 85 65
9-0 1 8-1 3 8-1 4 8-1 5 7-2 8 8-1 2 9-0 7 8-1 9 8-1 10 7-2 6 8-1 12 7-2 14 6-3 18 6-3 15 7-2 21 6-3 19 7-2 17 7-2 22 7-2 23 6-2 13 5-4 11 8-1 24 8-1 25 6-3 16 7-3 NR
