FCS Playoffs ‘Til I Die: Chuck’s Fearless Picks For the 2021 FCS Playoff Bracket
I ate my Thanksgiving turkey, I looked at all the stats, and I figured out who I think the 2021 FCS National Champions will be.
Round 1
Incarnate Word over Stephen F Austin: Cardinals more tested in the second half of the year.
Missouri State over UT Martin: Bears’ seeding snub will see Skyhawks as first victim.
Holy Cross over Sacred Heart: Crusaders defense biggest test Pioneer’s rushing attack has seen all year.
South Dakota State over UC Davis: Reversing a two-game slide to end the regular season on the road in Brookings isn’t a great path to the title.
Southeastern Louisiana over Florida A&M: SWAC, meet Cole Kelley.
Northern Iowa over Eastern Washington – Panthers will be the toughest team Eagles have faced all year.
Kennesaw State over Davidson – Owls peaking at right time.
South Dakota over Southern Illinois – Salukis lost three of last four, now need to go on road to face the Vermillon Miracles? Not ideal.
Round 2
Sam Houston over Incarnate Word: 1,000 points might be scored in this game, but Sam Houston will probably be able to stop the Lions once.
Missouri State over Montana State: Missouri State will be the toughest team Montana State have faced all season.
Villanova over Holy Cross: Wildcats are over their hiccup vs. William and Mary.
Sacramento State over South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits are the toughest team Sacramento State have faced all year, but the difference is South Dakota State won’t be able to stop Sacramento State.
James Madison over Southeastern Louisiana: Cole Kelley, meet freezing temperatures.
Montana over Northern Iowa: The Panther National Championship Bus runs out of gas in Missoula.
Kennesaw State over East Tennessee State: Could be the best game of the second round.
North Dakota State over South Dakota: Last week, the Bison beat the Coyotes 52-24 at home. I like their chances.
Quarterfinals
Missouri State over Sam Houston: Missouri State will be the toughest team Sam Houston have faced all season.
Villanova over Sacramento State: A tough road test for Villanova, and should be a very close game, but Wildcats barely eke it out.
Montana over James Madison: Thinking the Grizzlies might be the team that sends James Madison on their way to FBS.
North Dakota State over Kennesaw State: Owls say goodnight in the Fargodome.
Semifinals
Villanova over Missouri State: A dogfight won by the home team.
North Dakota State over Montana: On a neutral site, this game could go either way. In this FCS Playoff, where North Dakota State gets gifted their traditional semifinal home game, it’s another blowout.
National Championship
North Dakota State over Villanova: Dog bites man; politics heighten division; North Dakota State wins in Frisco in January. It’s just the way things are.
Chuck has been writing about Lehigh football since the dawn of the internet, or perhaps it only seems like it. He’s executive editor of the College Sports Journal and has also written a book, The Rivalry: How Two Schools Started the Most Played College Football Series.
Reach him at: this email or click below:
