2021 FCS Season Preview: Chattanooga
Their best offensive player, Aylim Ford did not play at all in the spring but should be ready for the fall. Altogether, this should be the team to beat in the Southern Conference
2021 FCS Season Preview: VMI
VMI was the surprise of the spring season. Now the key is: can they back it up?
2021 FCS Season Preview: Wofford
In the Spring, Wofford tried to incorporate more passing into their offensive game plan. The result was a 70 yard per game drop in rushing offense, but only a 20 yard per game bump in the pass game.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Samford
The quarterback battle for Samford was simplified over the summer when Chris Oladokun transferred to South Dakota State. That meant the job was guaranteed to Liam Welch, not that it already wasn’t.
2021 FCS Season Preview: East Tennessee State
The Buccaneers will be a factor in the SoCon title race this year.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Mercer
Going in to their last game against Samford, the Bears had an outside chance to win the Southern Conference if a couple games broke their way. Mercer wound up losing that game, but it gives them hope that they can take the next step this year.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Furman
There were big expectations for the Paladins coming into the spring but they did not live up to them. Furman wound up 3-4 and was never a factor in the conference race.
2021 FCS Season Preview: The Citadel
The Citadel was expecting to make a little jump and be a playoff contender in 2020 after hovering around .500, but the emergence of COVID made for a long fall and spring season, where they played a grand total of 11 games. The Citadel really struggled through their season. But they never quit and played their entire schedule.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Western Carolina
The high level stats show the struggles that Western Carolina has endured. The last three seasons they have allowed 38, 39 and 41 points per game on average while going from 30 scored per game in 2018 to 19 to 18 over the last two seasons.
2021 Colonial Athletic Association Season Preview
The CAA should be strong again in the fall with several teams looking for playoff berths.
2021 FCS Season Preview: James Madison
The Dukes return to action in the fall with a Frisco or Bust mentality. They are loaded throughout the entire lineup and have Cole Johnson returning to be the starting quarterback.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Delaware
This spring, it all came together for the Blue Hens and they went unbeaten in the regular season and won two playoff games before falling in the semifinals to South Dakota State.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Villanova
Villanova has, in recent memory, battled two things: the injury bug and the ill-timed loss. They always have the talent to be one of the top teams in the CAA and FCS, but injuries derail them or they lose to a team they shouldn’t. They’ll need to avoid that this fall.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Richmond
Richmond was down for the last few seasons after the graduation of Kyle Lauletta. But if the spring is any indication, with a strong defense and capable quarterback, the Spiders should contend for a playoff berth all season.
2021 FCS Season Preview: New Hampshire
To lose at home is rare for the Wildcats. They’ve only lost seven total games on their home turf since 2015. That’s an advantage they will look to regain this year. They have two of the teams projected to finish above them in the standings – James Madison and Richmond – at home this year.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Maine
Maine was an uneven 2-2 in the spring but enter the fall season with hopes of returning to the playoffs.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Towson
Towson opted out of the spring season. When we last saw them, Towson had a high flying offense and an improving defense.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Albany
Albany struggled to a 1-3 record in the spring, but that doesn’t really tell the story of what kind of team they have.
2021 FCS Season Preview: William and Mary
William & Mary only played three games in the spring. But what we were able to see from Hollis Mathis showed a lot of potential for growth as we head into the fall.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Elon
Elon had a dreadful spring season going 1-5 with the lone win coming against non-scholarship Davidson by three points. To be fair, the Phoenix were riddled with injuries for the spring and never really had a chance.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Stony Brook
Stony Brook went 1-3 in the spring season before pulling the plug and cancelling their last two games. It was good for the Seawolves to get their players live reps.
2021 FCS Season Preview: Rhode Island
The Rams went 2-1 last spring with overtime road victories against Villanova and UAlbany before having its season cut short by COVID. The glimpse we got of the Rams before the shutdown showed a lot of potential for the fall season.
College Sports Journal Preseason FCS Top 25
The College Sports Journal staff has compiled the College Sports Journal’s Preseason Top 25.
A Look at the Top Ten Programs of the Last Decade of FCS Football
I thought it would be interesting to look back through FCS history to figure out the top teams of the last decade.
2021 Spring FCS Semifinals: James Madison at Sam Houston
With a matchup between two of the top teams in the FCS over the last decade, College Sports Journal went to its two writers who have covered these two teams closely all season.
Spring 2021 FCS Quarterfinal Playoff Preview: North Dakota at James Madison
These two teams both play a similar style. Both like to run the ball on offense to set up the pass.
Spring 2021 FCS Round 1 Playoff Preview: Sacred Heart vs. Delaware
This first round game features the champions of the NEC, Sacred Heart against the champions of the CAA, Delaware.
Spring 2021 FCS Round 1 Playoff Preview: Virginia Military Institute vs James Madison
This game features two teams at opposite ends of the historical FCS spectrum.
Jamie Williams’ FCS Legacy Awards Ballot
This season, I had the honor to be included by Craig Haley as one of the 40 voters in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 for the Spring. Along with the Top 25 vote comes the opportunity to vote for the FCS Legacy Awards: Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, Eddie Robinson and Jerry Rice.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25, Week of 4/11/2021
It was again calm at the top and crazy in the middle of the top 25 from last week. Selection Sunday is this weekend. The playoff field will be set and it will be time for the post season.
CAA Preview Week of 4/10/2021: Delaware at Delaware State
This week there is only one CAA team playing. The league has four teams vying for most likely two but potentially three playoff spots depending on what happens around the country.
College Sports Journal SoCon Preview Week of 4/10/2021
Before looking at the games this week, lets look at the playoff picture from a Southern Conference standpoint.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25 Week of 4/6/2021
It was pretty calm at the top of the Top 25 last week. Most teams didn’t play. But the middle, throw it in a blender. We have two weeks left before selection Sunday.
College Sports Journal SoCon Preview Week of 4/3/2021
VMI is now in the drivers seat for the Southern Conference title. With a win this week against East Tennessee State, they would clinch that berth – and avoid a boatload of potential tiebreaker headaches for the SoCon League office in terms of autobid determination.
College Sports Journal CAA Preview Week of 4/3/2021
James Madison/Richmond was postponed this week “due to CoVID protocols at Richmond”, according to James Madision’s official release, and Delaware/Albany was cancelled due to Albany suspending their spring season due to a very large number of injuries. This leaves two games on the CAA schedule this weekend.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25, Week of 3/28/2021
Another week, another round of upsets in the FCS. Jacksonville State and Chattanooga were both top 10 teams last week. Both lost. We nearly had a second straight week where our number one team lost, but Weber State got a 50 yard hail mary on the last play of the game to preserve the win. VMI has moved within one win of the Southern Conference title. Our eyes will be on them this weekend.
College Sports Journal Southern Conference Football Preview Week of 3/27/2021
The race for the SoCon title looks to be down to three teams, Chattanooga, VMI and East Tennessee State. ETSU only has one loss and still plays both of the unbeatens. As of now, VMI and Chattanooga do not play.
College Sports Journal CAA Preview Week of 3/28/2021
James Madison returns to action after a two week pause of their own, while a huge clash looms between Delaware and Rhode Island for first place in the CAA North.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25 Week of 3/21/2021
Our number one team from last week went down. North Dakota State dominated both sides of the trenches to beat North Dakota. Sam Houston continue to roll in the Southland. VMI and Chattanooga kept their unbeaten starts going by a combined 3 points. And in the CAA Rhode Island is 2-0 with two ranked wins, as everyone predicted (not exactly).
College Sports Journal CAA Preview Week of 3/21/2021
This week was shaping up to be a good week for the CAA. But both games between two ranked teams have been postponed due to Covid protocols: #23 Richmond at #1 James Madison and #12 Delaware at #20 New Hampshire.
College Sports Journal Southern Conference Preview Week of 3/2/2021
VMI and Chattanooga are the two remaining teams without a conference loss. Furman is waiting in the wings if they falter.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25 Week of 3/14/2021
It was another topsy turvy week in the FCS. 2 of our top five from last week lost. Things have been changing week by week and this week is no different. We have a new #1 team at College Sports Journal this week but only by one single vote..
College Sports Journal CAA Football Preview Week of 3/14/2021
William & Mary at James Madison is postponed this weekend, but there are still five games on the schedule to enjoy.
College Sports Journal SoCon Football Preview Week of 3/14/21
Last week was an excellent week of Southern Conference football with two games going to overtime and VMI continuing its hot start. Chattanooga was able to survive against The Citadel with a gutsy 2-point conversion shovel pass in over time. Furman fell behind 24-7 and 34-20 before saving their season with a touchdown and fumble recovery in overtime. With the games on tap this week, don’t be surprised to see more games come down to the final play.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25 Week of 3/7/2021
As chaotic as last week was, this week was as docile. The highest ranked team from last week’s College Sports Journal top 25 that lost was #13. We do have a new #1 team here at College Sports Journal this week.
College Sports Journal Southern Conference Football Preview Week of 3/6/21
Raise your hand if you had Chattanooga, VMI or East Tennessee State as the team that will be the last unbeaten remaining in the Southern Conference. Now put your hand down because you are lying.
College Sports Journal CAA Football Preview Week of 3/6/21
As we enter the third week of the Spring season, the full CAA will join the fun with five games this weekend.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25, Week of 3/1/2021
As expected there was a bunch of movement this week. The biggest shock is the one everyone has been talking about: North Dakota State not only lost, but lost big. It still remains to be seen how the Bison will wind up this Spring, but last week was their worst game in almost a decade.
College Sports Journal Southern Conference Football Preview Week of 2/27/21
The Southern Conference is playing an eight game conference only schedule this spring, meaning there are games every week with little room for error. Last week the two teams that everyone expects to battle it out for the conference title, Wofford and Furman, cruised to victory.
College Sports Journal Spring Top 25, Week of 2/21/2021
Here is this week’s College Sports Journal Top 25 as voted on by the staff.
