An Epic Defensive FCS Playoff Battle Ends With Villanova Outlasting Lehigh 14-7
Two of the best defenses in all of FCS were in a showdown on a cold December day in front of a large invested crowd, and the result was a game that was one for the ages.
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Two of the best defenses in all of FCS were in a showdown on a cold December day in front of a large invested crowd, and the result was a game that was one for the ages.
This weekend at Murray Goodman Stadium, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (12-0) will be facing off against a foe that is familiar to them in the Villanova Wildcats (10-2).
An impressive display by the Idaho Vandals in all three phases of the game ended the Lehigh Mountain Hawks’ 2024 football season in a 34-13 defeat at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.
Lehigh’s (9-3) reward is to take a long flight to Moscow, Idaho, close to the Eastern Washington border, to face off against one of the best FCS teams in the nation in the Idaho Vandals (9-3).
Missing their starting left tackle and defensive captain, Lehigh (9-3) would overcome their absence and injuries to win a gritty, thrilling 20-16 game over Richmond (10-3) in the 1st round of the FCS Playoffs.
For the first time since 2017, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (8-3) will be returning to the FCS Playoffs, and their opponents they drew, the Richmond Spiders (10-2), couldn’t be a more interesting opponent.
The FCS regular season has concluded, and based on the GPI and based on the results of the final weekend of games, here is CSJ’s projected bracket for 2024.
Going into the final week of the regular season, the following would be the field of 24 teams for the 2024/25 Division I FCS Football Playoffs based on the College Sports Journal’s Gridiron Power Index (GPI) for the week of 11/21/2024.
The final autobids have been determined, and the final games have been played. At 12:30PM on ESPNU, FCS Nation will learn the official bracket for the 2023 FCS Playoffs, and about the only thing that can be said for sure is that there are going to be a lot of teams with uneasy sleeps tonight.
The final weekend is poised to have a lot of drama – more than most years. Only three out of the ten possible autobids have been positively determined and how those play out will determine how many spare at-large spots will be available.
Some of the picks will shock you.
We come up with a composite list of 24 teams – teams based on CSJ’s staff picks on who we think will be in the field, not based on a formula, but who we project comes away with it. With the caveat that there is still everything to play for, and plenty can (and will) change, this is the field that we think, collectively, will be the field in November.
We’re now officially a week away from Selection Sunday, and Samford, with their win over Chattanooga, is officially in the field. Other than that, it’s a big heaping helping of chaos that means a ton can still happen on the last day of the regular season!
Two weekends left to the FCS regular season, we’re even closer to knowing what the 2022 FCS Playoff field will look like. For a big number of teams, there’s a lot to play for – and for some, a lot to see what develops for those precious at-large bids.
Using the Sagarin rankings for this week of Nov. 7th, the following would be the field of 24 teams for the 2022/23 Division I FCS Football Playoffs. South Dakota State would be the top seed using the rankings for this week, while Sacramento State would be the second seed. North Dakota State is the #3,.
It’s time to really start thinking about what this November’s FCS Playoff field might look like.
Using the Sagarin rankings for this week of Oct. 23rd, the following would be the field of 24 teams for the 2022/23 Division I FCS Football Playoffs. Sacramento State right now would be the top seed, while South Dakota State would be the #2 seed. North Dakota State is the #3, while Weber State and.
Using the Sagarin rankings for this week of Oct. 15th, the following would be the field of 24 teams for the 2022/23 Division I FCS Football Playoffs. Sacramento State right now would be the top seed, while Big Sky Conference mate Weber State would be the #2 seed. South Dakota State is the #3, while.
Montana State has spent nearly half a century panning for another national title in football and it’s taken a graduate of North Dakota State to lead the Bobcats to the threshold of achieving that goal.
One last spin in the dryer.
First of all – if you haven’t seen “The Vermillion Miracle” – watch it. Now. It’s one of the most extraordinary things you’ll ever see this college football season, or any other.
With two weeks to go, no autobid has been determined for the upcoming FCS Playoffs, and without the FCS Playoff Committee releasing their working list of seeds, FCS fans have been left to the sift through the chaos as to what the heck the FCS Playoff bracket might look like.
If you weren’t following the key FCS Playoff matchups last week involving the playoffs, boy did you miss out!
Check out highlights of last week’s big games, and check out out CSJ composite playoff bracket, bubble team of the week, and playoff implication game of the week as well.
Last week was a real thriller with a lot of FCS Playoff implications. Montana State, Eastern Washington and North Dakota State had statement wins showing how they plan to be a part of these playoffs come Thanksgiving, while the SoCon’s title and autobid race seems as muddled as ever.
Using the Sagarin ranking this week, the following would be the field of 24 teams for the Division I FCS Football Playoffs. South Dakota State despite suffering their first loss of the season is predicted to be the top seed, followed by MVFC mate North Dakota State as the #2 seed. James Madison, who is.
Sam Houston State defeated South Dakota State 23-21 to complete a perfect season and National Championship win. After a long awaited FCS National Title game we finally have a winner to crown from this crazy season. The teams who made it to the playoffs suffered through opt outs, cancelled games, players going through numerous tests,.
The Sam Houston defensive line just keeps on coming. The offense came through in the second half, but the defensive front has lived behind the line of scrimmage all season long.
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.
This week, the Gang got together and talked about their big takeaways from the FCS quarterfinal games this past weekend.
These two Missouri Valley Football Conference foes have survived a tough conference schedule and the first round of the playoffs. Southern Illinois will be looking for the upset of the playoffs and revenge against the Jackrabbits for their 44-3 loss earlier in the year.
Find everything you need to know about this weekend’s FCS Playoff games and the SWAC Championship, including full previews, and our staff’s predictions on how the games are going to go.
These two teams both play a similar style. Both like to run the ball on offense to set up the pass.
This game may be for the birds, but it will certainly not be for the faint of heart and it certainly has all the earmarks of an instant classic.
North Dakota State is in the postseason for the 11th straight season dating back to 2010 when the Bison advanced to the FCS quarterfinals in their first appearance. Overall, NDSU has a 37-2 record in the FCS playoffs.
Find everything you need to know about this weekend’s FCS Playoff games, including full previews, and our staff’s predictions on how the games are going to go.
Holy Cross survived a season of long COVID pauses and a chaotic schedule the same place they were at the conclusion of the 2019 football season – Patriot League Champions. This time, however, they ended with a perfect 3-0 record.
This first round game features the champions of the NEC, Sacred Heart against the champions of the CAA, Delaware.
This game features two teams at opposite ends of the historical FCS spectrum.
This might the rarest of first round Division I FCS playoff games in the history of the event. While two teams from the same conference have played before (rule implemented if two conference mates had not played during the regular season), this game features two schools within the same conference that have never played each other as conference mates before.
The game will feature two of most explosive offenses in the FCS with the Hawks averaging 41.7 points per game which is fifth in the FCS and Sam Houston scoring 45.4 per contest just ahead of MU in fourth.
Jacksonville State, the No. 4 seed in this year’s playoffs, will play host to Davidson, the Pioneer League champion, in one of eight first-round games. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Gamecocks and Wildcats.
The Big Sky Conference earned two bids for the Football Championship Subdivision Playoff bracket. Eastern Washington will travel to Fargo, North Dakota to face the Bison and Weber State will play host to the Southern Illinois Salukis. Both Big Sky teams drew stiff Missouri Valley Conference competition that will provide sufficient challenges for being able.
The FCS Playoff bracket was announced this past Sunday at the conclusion of the historic spring football season. After the euphoria of realizing that the FCS actually made it to the finish line, despite lots of uncertainty, CSJ then proceeded to do what they do best – enter a spirited discussion on who really should have been in, out, seeded, or not.
After watching and following all spring, here’s my prediction of who’s in and who’s out of the FCS Playoff bracket this spring. The selection special is at 11:30 AM Sunday and will be unveiled on ESPNU.
North Dakota State cancellation, Chattanooga opting out – lots happened this past week, and CSJ’s staff writers mulled over the impacts as the dust settled.
The CSJ writing staff answer the questions many of us have about the beginning of this unprecedented FCS season.
I have five burning questions on the issue that might help to give clarity on what a spring season for the Patriot League might look like.
The Patriot League’s dilemmas, whether the rest of FCS admits it or not, is the FCS’ dilemmas. And as we inch closer to an alleged 2020 college football season, the NCAA needs to make some things very clear before a huge mess happens.
James Madison powered their way to Frisco and the FCS National Championship Game with a decisive 30-14 win at Bridgeforth Stadium this past Saturday.