SDSU QB Mark Gronowski has thrown for 49 TDs against only nine interceptions in his 28-game career. UND signal caller Tommy Schuster looks to wide receiver Bo Belquist, who has at least seven receptions in each of the Fighting Hawks’ three games (23 catches, 296 yards, two TDs).
Idaho jumps right from ending Sacramento State’s 19-game conference winning streak to a trip to EWU’s Inferno, where the Vandals have lost in all three visits since their return to the Big Sky. While starting nine wins the last two seasons, QB Gevani McCoy has a 72.2 completion percentage, 22 TD passes to only four picks, and a 190.6 passer rating. Against a difficult schedule this season, EWU has dropped last year’s defensive averages – 504.2 yards and 40.4 points per game – to 401.5 and 30.5, respectively.
Holy Cross is 2-0 in games at the home of the Worcester WooSox, the Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A team. The Crusaders beat Harvard 30-21 last season as part of their 19-game regular-season winning streak against FCS opponents, but the last loss was against the Crimson, 38-13 on Oct. 2, 2021. While QB Matthew Sluka is the most indispensable Crusader, RB Jordan Fuller leads the FCS in points per game (15) and LB Jacob Dobbs is No. 1 in tackles per game (15.8). Harvard RB Shane McLaughlin and QB Charles DePrima gained at least 95 rushing yards with one touchdown run in each of the first two games.
With a new episode each Wednesday, “FCS Delivered” goes inside the action and news across the subdivision. Two-time Super Bowl champion Gary Reasons and national FCS writer Craig Haley have plenty to talk about and debate, including the latest Top 25 poll, weekly awards winners, and key matchups. The show also features “FCS National Awards on Campus,” Reasons’ weekly visit and presentation with a national player or team of the week. FCS Delivered, presented by FedEx Ground, is available on TheAnalyst.com, YouTube and podcast platforms.
FCS ALL-IN is produced by Big Sky Conference staff in collaboration with communications directors and video managers at all FCS Conferences -- features Craig Haley (Stats Perform) and Sam Herder (HERO Sports) with host Alex Eschelman. It airs every Friday at 11 am CT (ESPN+) throughout the season.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE
- Two Trophies Given Out This Week -- Week 5 in the Big Sky will have two games that feature a rivalry trophy, as the UC Davis-Cal Poly and Idaho-Eastern Washington will hand out some much-deserved hardware. The 49th Battle of the Golden Horseshoe, pits UC Davis at Cal Poly as the Mustangs attempt to snap a six-game losing skid in the series. UC Davis leads the all-time series 26-20-2, with it first being played in 1939. UC Davis also leads the series 12-7 since the creation of the trophy in 2004, which highlights the two universities agricultural background. The rivalry game between Idaho and Eastern Washington will be a ranked matchup, as the No. 4 Vandals travel to the No. 19 Eagles on Saturday. Previously named the Governor’s Cup, Idaho head coach Jason Eck unofficially renamed the trophy the “Che-Scow Cup” in honor of the two towns that are homes to the universities. The series is tied at 3-3 since the Vandals returned to the Big Sky in 2018, but dates back to the 1940s.
- Homecoming Week 2023 -- This week's games will feature three that are Homecomings, with Cal Poly, Montana and Montana State hosting their Homecomings.
- Big Sky Slate Features 14 Ranked Games -- After Eastern Washington climbed into the Top 25 this past week, the Big Sky slate will feature a potential 14 ranked matchups this season between conference foes.
BIG SOUTH-OVC FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
- Tennessee State is looking for its second consecutive 2-0 start in conference games this weekend. UT Martin is looking to open 1-0 in league play for the third-straight season. The match-up is part of the Sgt. York Trophy series contested between the three Tennessee-based OVC schools … UT Martin has an Association-best 3-game win streak, and during that span, the Skyhawks are averaging 47.0 points, 566.33 yards of offense and 327.67 rushing yards, while allowing just 19.7 points and 372.33 offensive yards … UT Martin entered the Top 25 rankings following Week 4, and is currently No. 22 in the Stats Perform poll. The Big South-OVC has had a member ranked every week of the 2023 season (including preseason).
- UT Martin RB San Franklin is the national leader in rushing yards with 653 -- 130 yards ahead of his closest competitor, while his 163.2 rushing yards per contest is 32.4 ahead of second-place. He has rushed for more than 200 yards in two of the last three games (259 vs. Missouri State in Week 2 and 221 at North Alabama in Week 4). Franklin has an Association-best six rushing touchdowns, which have gone for a total of 313 yards ( =52.2 yard average). Five of Franklin’s six rushing scores have gone for 40-plus yards (81, 49, 46, 74 and 43). Meanwhile, Franklin has outrushed eight Big South-OVC squads to this point.
- Eastern Illinois RB MJ Flowers set Big South-OVC Association single-game records with his 37 rushing carries and 272 rushing yards this past Saturday against McNeese -- the highest singlegame effort by any NCAA player this season (FBS, FCS, D2, D3). The Association has three of the top fi ve single-game rushing outputs in the FCS this year, with UT Martin’s Franklin holding second-place (259) and fi fth (221) on the list.
- The Big South-OVC Association will play 11 non-conference games this season against “State”- named FCS schools, including three against Kennesaw State. The league is 4-2 thus far -- Eastern Illinois is 2-0 (Indiana State and Illinois State), while UT Martin (Missouri State) and Tennessee Tech (Kennesaw State) at 1-0. Robert Morris (Youngstown State) and Lindenwood (Illinois State) are 0-1. The remaining five meetings: Charleston Southern (Kennesaw State), Eastern Illinois (Northwestern State), Tennessee State (Kennesaw State, Norfolk State), Tennessee Tech (South Carolina State).
CAA FOOTBALL
- FIVE CAA GAMES ON WEEK 5 SCHEDULE: There are five conference games on the Week 5 schedule, with three of them featuring head-to-head matchups between teams that are unbeaten in CAA play. William & Mary visits Elon in a battle of 2-0 squads. The Tribe has won a school-record nine straight CAA games since last year's 35-31 setback to the Phoenix in which Elon rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit. UAlbany opens CAA play against 1-0 Villanova and Hampton starts CAA action with a trip to 1-0 Richmond. Also on the slate, New Hampshire hosts Towson, and Stony Brook travels to Maine.
- SIX CAA PLAYERS NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS: Six CAA student-athletes - New Hampshire quarterback Max Brosmer, Towson linebacker Jamal Gay, Delaware wide receiver Chandler Harvin, Stony Brook linebacker Aidan Kaler, Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler and William & Mary punter Will Whitehurst - were selected as semifinalists for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy by the National Football Foundation. The award recognizes the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The CAA's six semifinalists were the second-most of any FCS conference behind only the Ivy League's seven.
- DOMINANT DEFENSE: William & Mary is the only FCS team with a 4-0 record as one of seven unbeaten FCS teams nationally. The Tribe has relied on a suffocating defense, which hasn't allowed an offensive touchdown in the past three games and is limiting opponents to 123.6 yards per contest during that stretch. W&M ranks #1 in FCS in total defense (175.2 ypg) and scoring defense (10.0 ppg), #2 in pass defense (105.2 ypg) and #7 in rush defense (70.0 ypg).
IVY LEAGUE
- Ivy League football kicks off this weekend in front of a national audience with Columbia and Princeton squaring off on ESPNU at 7 p.m. on Friday. Dartmouth and Penn go head-to-head at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the only other league game this weekend. The No. 24 Harvard and No. 5 Holy Cross matchup at 5 p.m. on Saturday highlights the league’s non-conference slate.
- Both league games last weekend were decided by three or fewer points. Harvard outlasted Brown, 34-31, in first league game of the season, while Cornell used a 37-yard field goal as time expired to defeat Yale, 23-21. Last season, 16 of the 28 league games were decided by one possession.
- Five Ivies rank in the top 10 of the FCS in total defense: Princeton (2nd, 201.5 ypg), Dartmouth (3rd, 220.5), Penn (4th, 247.5), Cornell (8th, 270.0) and Columbia (9th, 279.5).
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
- Howard (1-2, 0-0 MEAC) returns to the gridiron this weekend following a bye week, and the Bison will look to get back in the win column after falling 35-34 to rival Hampton in the Truth & Service Classic back on Sept. 16. Robert Morris (2-2, 0-0 Big South/OVC) got back to .500 this past weekend after defeating Virginia University of Lynchburg 46-0 at home. Saturday’s contest will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams; the Colonials defeated Howard 22-16 back in 2021. University of Miami graduate and 1988 Orange Bowl MVP Bernard Clark, Jr. is in his sixth season at the helm at Robert Morris.
- Having lost another heartbreaker this past weekend, falling in double overtime to Albany, Morgan State (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) hits the road this Saturday to square off against Yale (0-2, 0-1 Ivy League). The Bulldogs are coming off a 23-21 loss to conference foe Cornell, and Yale comes into its third straight home game looking for its first win of the season. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Bears and the Bulldogs, and Yale is in its 11th season under head coach Tony Reno.
- Former MEAC rivals square off at Dick Price Stadium this Saturday, as Norfolk State (2-2, 0-0 MEAC) returns to Dick Price Stadium to take on North Carolina A&T State (0-3, 0-1 CAA). The Spartans are coming off a 21-14 loss at Towson last weekend, rushing for 350 yards in that contest, while the Aggies are looking for their first win of the season after a 27-3 loss to Elon in the Aggies’ conference opener. North Carolina A&T State leads the all-time series 34-9 and has won each of the last seven meetings between the two teams – including 49-24 in Greensboro, N.C. last season. The Aggies are in their first season under head coach Vincent Brown.
- No. 13/15 North Carolina Central got back in the win column this past weekend with a 45-3 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Circle City Classic, thanks to five touchdown passes from quarterback Walker Harris. Meanwhile, Campbell fell 28-24 to Elon in the Camels’ second home game of the season. This will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams, and the first in Durham, N.C., as Campbell won 48-18 last season. The Camels are currently in their 11th season under head coach Mike Minter, and they compete in the competitive CAA.
MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL
- When No. 1 SDSU and No. 11 North Dakota face one another on Sept. 30 it will mark the 219th time two ranked Missouri Valley Football Conference teams have played one another. In the 218 previous such meetings, the home team is 124-92 and the higher-ranked team has a 136-82 record. (Rankings are based on appearance in either the Stats Perform or AFCA poll; the numbers above also include two neutral site games.)
- Murray State becomes the eighth MVFC team to play its first Conference game after the league’s inaugural season (1985).
- North Dakota is looking to post the league’s 20th all-time win against a No. 1-ranked team when it faces top-ranked South Dakota State. League schools have a combined 8-14 record in non-league games against the nation’s top-ranked team. Eleven of the previous 19 MVFC wins against a No. 1 team have been league games.
- Ben McNaboe of North Dakota and Brock Mogensen of South Dakota have been selected as semifinalists for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced on Wednesday morning. They are two of 39 nominees from the FCS.
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
- The lone Northeast Conference matchups on Saturday’s slate both went down to the wire. Sacred Heart used a last-second field goal to defeat defending conference champion Saint Francis U and clinch its first league win of 2023, while Wagner’s defense stood tall on the goal line in the final moments to hold off Merrimack and improve to 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2016. Stonehill concluded the weekend’s slate — and a three-game road trip — by battling a nationally-ranked opponent for the second time this season in No. 22 Fordham.
- Conference play is in full swing in Week 5 with six of eight NEC teams competing. Merrimack and Saint Francis U look to get in the win column with road games at Sacred Heart and Stonehill, respectively, while Duquesne and LIU square off against each other to open their league slates. In other action, Central Connecticut heads to Brown for a non-conference tilt, while Wagner takes on FBS opponent Rutgers in the Garden State
- The NEC boasts two of the top running backs in the FCS through the first third of the 2023 campaign. Merrimack junior Tyvon Edmonds Jr. ranks third in the nation in rushing yards per game (129.8), while Stonehill senior Jermaine Corbett is 12th (112.0). In addition, Sacred Heart running back Malik Grant is on the brink of a major career milestone, as he looks to become the fourth active player in the FCS with 3,000-plus rushing yards. The graduate student enters the weekend with 2,984 yards on the ground.
PATRIOT LEAGUE
- HOLY CROSS RANKED NO. 5/6 AFTER LEAGUE WIN; FORDHAM MOVES TO NO. 15 IN COACHES POLL -- Holy Cross is ranked No. 5 in the FCS Coaches Poll, and No. 6 in the Stats Perform Top 25 Poll after a 47-7 victory over Colgate. The Crusaders opened the season at No. 5 in both polls, the highest a League team has ranked entering the season. Colgate opened the 2004 season ranked No. 5 by The Sports Network. Fordham moved up seven spots to No. 15 in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll. The Rams are receiving votes in the Stats Perform Top 25. Fordham defeated Stonehill 44-0 last week for their first shutout over an FCS opponent since 2008.
- Four Patriot League players are among the FCS top-30 rushing leaders headed into the season’s fifth week. Lafayette So. RB Jamar Curtis is fourth in the FCS, averaging 127.2 yards per game. Holy Cross Jr. RB Jordan Fuller (101.0 ypg) and Sr. QB Matthew Sluka (91.2 ypg) are 16th and 24th, respectively, to help the Crusaders rank sixth in rushing offense (260.8 ypg). Georgetown Gr. RB Joshua Stakely is 27th in the FCS with 88.5 yards per game, leading a Hoyas’ ground attack that is 17th in the nation (199.8 ypg), with the Leopards (199.5 ypg) placing 18th in the FCS.
- Holy Cross 5th LB Jacob Dobbs and Lafayette Sr. LB Marco Olivas are in the range of the Patriot League career total tackles record of 425, held by Lee Picariello (Lehigh) and David Streeter (Holy Cross). Dobbs leads the FCS with 15.8 tackles per game. The League’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year is eight tackles outside of the Patriot League career top 10 and second among the FCS active leaders. Olivas averages 7.3 tackles per game, up to 339 for his career, while currently ranking third among the FCS active leaders. Conway is two tackles away from 300 and ranked second in the League, averaging 10.0 tackles per game through four games. He is fourth among the active FCS leaders.
PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
- Three Pioneer Football League student-athletes were among a record 201 semifinalists for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, announced Wednesday by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. Butler offensive lineman Bryan Bystol, Dayton wide receiver Derek Willits, and Marist linebacker/long snapper Justin Iaccio were among the group of 39 NCAA FCS student-athletes named to the semifinalist group.
- Stetson alumnus Donald Parham caught two touchdown passes, and Marist alum Jason Myers connected on five field goals to highlight Week 3 of the NFL season for the Pioneer Football League’s seven alumni.
- After surviving a scare in its PFL opener, defending champion St. Thomas meets 12-time champion Dayton in the first-ever meeting between the teams. Meanwhile, a Davidson team that has represented the PFL in the last three FCS tournaments will host San Diego – the league’s other 12-time champion. Upstart Butler, which is off to a 3-1 start this season, hosts Presbyterian, which is seeking its first league win since officially joining the league in the 2021 season.
- Jyran Mitchell of Butler scored two touchdowns and amassed 209 rushing yards as Butler opened its PFL slate with a 28-18 victory at Stetson Saturday. His second touchdown – a 43-yard dash with 1:46 remaining – sealed the victory. Earlier in the game, his 58-yard touchdown run proved the game-winner as Butler built a 21-7 lead it would not relinquish. He closed the game with 155 yards on 16 carries in the second half.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
- Three SoCon teams appeared in this week’s AFCA Coaches’ Top 25 poll with Furman (7), Western Carolina (21) and Chattanooga (22) making the list. Furman (7) and Western Carolina (17) were also on the Stats Perform Top 25 poll. Chattanooga received votes in the Stats Perform poll. Mercer and Samford both received votes in each poll.
- ETSU is coming off a bye week ahead of its first SoCon game of the season as the Bucs look to even the all-time series with Samford. ETSU and Samford have split the last four games in the series. Samford looks for its first conference win after dropping its first two league games. Bulldogs quarterback Michael Hiers leads the SoCon in passing yards (1,130) and completion percentage (67.6%).
- After four weeks of play, Western Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the FCS in total offense (517.8yds/game). Catamount running back Desmond Reid has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last three games and is the only player in the league averaging over 100 rushing yards per game.
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
- Max Island -- With two interceptions in a near upset against Old Dominion, defensive back Max Epps of Texas A&M-Commerce was named the FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. Epps has at least one interception in all four games he’s played in and is tops in the nation with four total.
- Historic Husky Win -- The Houston Christian Huskies earned a historic win last Saturday as they rolled into Hammond and defeated Southeastern, 34-19. Behind a big day from quarterback Colby Suits, the Huskies amassed over 500 yards to earn their first win over the Lions in seven tries.
- Top of the Class -- Through four weeks, Pro Football Focus has graded numerous Southland football players highly for their performances thus far this season. Steven Parker of UIW is the highest graded edge defender at 90.6, while wide receiver Brandon Porter (87.9) of UIW and tight end Bauer Sharp (78.1) of Southeastern were third among their respective positions. Quarterback Zach Calzada (90.9) was graded out fourth by his position in the FCS.
- Stock Rising -- Senior edge rusher Jalyx Hunt of Houston Christian is reportedly continuing to create buzz in his NFL Draft stock with his performance thus far this season. Hunt, who is already on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List, came off a big week against Southeastern with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a blocked PAT.
- Cards Stay in Top 10 -- UIW remains in the Top 10 nationally as they check in at No. 8 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the Stats Perform FCS Poll. UIW continues to be one of the premier teams in FCS as they have been ranked in the Top 10 of the FCS polls for 13 straight weeks.
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
- Alabama A&M and Texas Southern will kickoff Homecoming season in the league as the Bulldogs get set to host Tuskegee on Sept. 30 at 2:00 pm CST live on HBCU GO while TSU will host Lincoln at 2:00 pm CST.
- Last week Florida A&M successfully defended its FCS second-longest home winning streak against Alabama State, winning 23-10, making it 17 wins in a row at Bragg.
- A total of four conference match-ups highlight week five action in league play, the two non-conference games feature Tuskegee at Alabama A&M and Lincoln at Texas Southern.
- The 2023 Cricket SWAC Football Championship will be carried live on ESPN2 on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3:00 pm CST.
- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has named Alabama A&M’s Quincy Casey and Zareon Hayes along with Prairie View A&M’s Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson State’s Irv Mulligan its SWAC Football Players of the Week for their impressive performances during games played this past weekend.
UNITED ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
- The most recent United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football Player of the Week award winners included a foursome of first time honorees. Central Arkansas' ShunDerrick Powell (Offense), Austin Peay's Cedarius Doss (Defense), EKU's Patrick Nations (Special Teams) and Aaron Sears (Freshman) from Stephen F. Austin were the recipients announced by the league office on Monday.
- Powell, a junior running back at UCA, notched his second straight 200+ rushing game, going for a career-high 256 yards on 23 carries (11.1 per carry) in UCA's 52-17 UAC opening win over ACU. He scored a pair of touchdowns, on a 14-yard pass and on a career-long 95-yard run from scrimmage. Powell is currently averaging 158.0 rushing yards per game and 11.3 yards per carry, both ranked second in the nation. The performance marked his sixth career 200+ rushing game (UCA and UNA).
- A redshirt senior defensive back, Doss collected a pair of interceptions in back-to-back possessions to spark Austin Peay to a second half comeback victory at SFA. His first INT was a pick-six for 20 yards and came with the Govs down 20-7 with 3:04 left in the third quarter. Doss then recorded another pick on the next drive for the Lumberjacks, setting up the APSU offense for the game-tying drive. He also tallied four tackles including two solo stops.
- Last week, Austin Peay and Central Arkansas both opened their United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football tenures with victories on Saturday night as part of five wins for league squads. EKU toppled a nationally-ranked opponent while Southern Utah and Tarleton each notched home wins.