It seems like just yesterday, I was rifling through team roster pages, various media publications, and player X pages (then known as Twitter), trying to dig up all the information I could on the Bucknell Bison 2023 football roster. That was where this year’s NCAA FCS Football season started for me. The excellent Pick Dundee (Colby Dant) and I started the year by previewing the Patriot League back in early July. Now, here we are. Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and football season is coming to an end.
Fans have one more full week of the FBS season before conference championships take place. After that, the playoff committee will select from the same group of about seven teams that we always get to watch play in the “Invitational” (as Dant calls it). It’s not all doom and gloom, though! FCS football has one last hoorah in store for the 2023 season, and if you’re not privy to what a real college football playoff looks like, then now is the time to tune in. The twenty-four teams have been selected, and the bracket is set. Let’s discuss the field and learn a little bit about the cast before the real fun begins.
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2023 FCS Playoff Betting Preview
The Seeded Teams
#1 South Dakota State Jackrabbits
2023 has been a wild ride in the FCS level of college football. There were massive amounts of parity in just about the entire landscape of the sport. That is, except at the very top of the standings. Last year’s champions, the Jackrabbits (awesome mascot and nickname), ran through their schedule this year with almost zero resistance. They achieved the one seed with an 11-0 record, and only two of those games were within one score (Montana State and Southern Illinois). All of this was accomplished while playing at the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which is arguably the best conference in the FCS.
Outside of their conference schedule, South Dakota State also took care of business against two fellow playoff participants. They won the Beef Bowl against the aforementioned Montana State Bobcats (20-16) and absolutely waxed the Drake Bulldogs (70-7). QB Mark Gronowski posted 2,359 yards passing, with 23 TDs to just 3 INTs. RB Isaiah Davis racked up over 1000 yards on the ground, on 6.6 yards/carry, and 11 TDs. Two other RBs (Amar Johnson & Angel Johnson) also averaged over 6.5 yards/carry. This team is loaded, and it’s difficult to picture anyone knocking them off in these playoffs. We will see the Jackrabbits next, on December 2nd, facing the winner of Gardner-Webb and Mercer.
#2 Montana Grizzles
Every now and then, a team catches fire, and it almost looks like they played two different seasons in one year. This was definitely the case for the Grizz, who I was quite hard on early in the season. Through the month of September, Montana beat D-2 Ferris State (who is no slouch) 17-10, lost outright to 5-6 Northern Arizona, and edged 3-8 Idaho State 28-20. I went on record, calling this team a pretender. Then, October hit, and the Grizzles made me feast on those words. After back-to-back road wins over quality Big Sky opponents UC Davis and Idaho, Montana bulldozed their remaining schedule. Their closest margin of victory in their final four games was 24 points.
The 24-point victory was over Sacramento State, while a 30-point victory over rival Montana State came a few weeks later in the Brawl of the Wild. Both of those teams are fellow playoff participants. Some of the reversal of this season can be attributed to a quarterback switch when Clifton McDowell (9 TDs, 1I INTs, 4.8 yards/carry) took over for Sam Vidlak following the loss to NAU. Running back Eli Gillman rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns, which were supplemented by Nick Ostmo, with 511 yards and 7 touchdowns. CB Trevin Gradney had 5 interceptions in 9 games, and LB Riley Wilson contributed 7.5 sacks. The Grizz will play next, on December 2nd, against the winner of Lafayette and Delaware.
#3 South Dakota Coyotes
I remember studying up on this Coyotes team as the 2023 season was just about to start. When the “FCS College Football Experience” covered the Missouri Valley Football Conference, neither Colby nor myself had this team making a ton of noise. I had them finishing a tad higher than Pick Dundee, but I can never claim that I thought the lesser South Dakota team would be sitting at the three-seed come playoff time. Here we are, though, and what a ride it’s been. The Coyotes’ non-conference schedule started them off 2-1, playing against teams with a combined record of 23-10. The lone loss in that stretch was to the 9-2 SEC Missouri Tigers of the FBS.
They ended the month of September with a 24-19 win in hostile territory against perennial bluebloods, North Dakota State. Add that resume to wins over fellow playoff participants, Youngstown State (go ‘Guins), Southern Illinois, and North Dakota, and there’s not much that can be disputed about South Dakota’s success this season. QB Aidan Bouman threw for more than 2,000 yards, with 12 TDs and just 4 INTs.The RB room boasts three rushers, who all averaged over 4.7 yards/carry (Travis Theis, Nate Thomas, & Charles Pierre). DL Brenden Webb had 9.0 sacks, anchoring the defense. The Coyotes await the winner of Sacramento State and North Dakota on December 2nd.
#4 Idaho Vandals
There was a lot of hype surrounding the 2023 Idaho Vandals and star QB Gevani McCoy (2,410 yards, 14 TDs). However, those who know FCS football know that the Big Sky conference is no joke. Let’s go one step further, though. I’ll see your Big Sky conference schedule and give you a non-conference slate that boasts TWO FBS schools. Idaho didn’t falter, though, as they beat FBS Nevada, 33-6. Pac-12 competitor Cal scored a 31-17 victory over Idaho but saw the Vandals jump out to a 17-0 lead to start the game. McCoy and the gang finished this season 8-3, with wins over playoff members Sacramento State and Montana State.
They only lost to the 10-1, two-seed Grizzles by two points. This team is for real and may honestly be the best football team in their state this year (I said what I said, Boise). WR Hayden Hatten is another player to watch this postseason after putting up just shy of 1,000 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. RB Anthony Woods added 987 yards on the ground and an additional 14 TDs. This is a fun, high-powered offense. Can they hold up in the playoffs, though, once they leave the comfort of their dome stadium? Their first test comes on December 2nd against the winner of Nicholls and Southern Illinois.
#5 Albany Great Danes
I’ll start this one off by letting everyone know I’m quite partial to this squad. QB Reese Poffenbarger (2,860 yards, 31 TDs, 9 INTs), is electric. Big Poppa Poff (nickname granted by yours truly) is the kind of player who can take a five seed and make them a prime candidate to make a lot more noise than most may expect. The Great Danes finished the season 9-3, playing an extra game because they drew Hawaii in their non-conference schedule. The Rainbow Warriors were one of two FBS schools that Albany drew this season. They only lost those two games by a combined total of 15 points.
Their biggest wins came against CAA conference champions Villanova and preseason playoff hopefuls William & Mary, Monmouth, and Rhode Island. The defense really kicked it up a notch in the second half of the season, only giving up more than 20 points twice from October 21st onward. LB Dylan Kelly (83 Tackles), DE Anton Juncaj (13 Sacks, 3 FFs), and DB Amir Hall (13 Passes Defended, 4 INTs) were a huge part of their defensive success. Big Poppa Poff and his Albany squad play the winner of NC Central and Richmond on December 2nd.
#6 Montana State Bobcats
Despite being a preseason playoff guarantee and now a six-seed, I am a bit more skeptical of this Bobcats squad than I expected to be. All the pieces are there, and an 8-3 record is nothing to sneeze at. However, the only playoff team that this unit beat in the 2023 season was a Sacramento State roster that went through heavy turnover in the offseason. Outside of that victory, Montana State took their three losses to South Dakota State (20-16), Idaho (24-21), and Montana (37-7). I’m not saying I do not think this is a dangerous team by any means.
QBs Tommy Mellott and Sean Chambers are both true dual-threat QBs. The RB room adds four additional players (Julius Davis, Jared White, Scottre Humphrey, and Elijah Elliot), who averaged 6.9 yards/carry or more, with Chambers and Mellott. The defense consists of stars like DE Brody Grebe (4 Sacks, 3FFs), who can reign havoc on opposing offenses. Their chance at scoring wins over high-end competition resumes December 2nd against the winner of Drake and North Dakota State.
#7 Furman Paladins
The first of three SoCon playoff contenders is the purple Paladins of Furman University. Bringing back close to twenty total starters definitely was a good look for this unit, coming into the 2023 season. That factor surely was the reason that Colby Dant selected this team to win the Southern Conference this preseason. That being said, September 23rd’s 38-14 win over a Mercer squad that was still gelling as a unit is really their only dominant showing.
Furman’s road warrior tendencies were impressive this season, though, as they scored victories over Samford, Western Carolina, and fellow playoff member Chattanooga, all off campus. I still think this is a squad that seems susceptible to an upset. Dual-threat QB Tyler Huff is the heartbeat of the offense, posting almost 1,500 yards through the air, with an additional 704 yards on the ground. The defense was anchored by CBs Cally Chizik (5 INTs), and Travis Blackshear (3 INTs). We will see if Furman can kick things up a notch on December 2nd against the winner of in-conference opponent Chattanooga and the UAC’s Austin Peay.
#8 Villanova Wildcats
The eighth-seeded team in the 2023 FCS Playoffs is Villanova of the CAA (Colonial always, Coastal never). Nova was a team that both Colby and myself saw getting back to their blueblood status after a disappointing 2022 campaign. Honestly, with wins over Delaware, New Hampshire, Elon, and Rhode Island, I feel like I can make a case for this team being a little higher in the seeding. It’s okay, though. The Wildcats’ lower seed may give us a chance to snag some favorable lines in the playoffs. Villanova posted a 9-2 record, only losing to five-seed Albany and FBS UCF.
QB Connor Watkins put up 2,332 yards through the air with 19 TDs. He added 8 TDs on the ground, as well. His primary target, WR Rayjuon Pringle, totaled 950 yards receiving, with 8 touchdowns. Running backs Jalen Jackson, DeeWil Barlee, and TD Ayo-Durojaiye all averaged more than 5.0 yards/carry. Despite being the last of the seeded teams, I think Nova has the potential to make some noise in these playoffs. We will see them first on December 2nd against the winner of CJ Sullivan’s Duquesne and my alma mater, Youngstown State.
The Rest of the Auto-Bids
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs
The team with quite possibly the coolest nickname in the playoffs won the Big South-OVC this year. This is an extremely fun team to watch, with more than a couple of questions that need to be answered. The Bulldogs ended the season at just 7-4, with their best wins being against Elon, Eastern Kentucky, and UT Martin. None of these teams made the playoffs, and all of these victories were by one score.
An additional frame of reference comes from their performance against higher levels of competition. They played two FBS teams, Appalachian State and ECU, losing to those two schools by a combined score of 89-24. Gardner-Webb played an FCS playoff team in Austin Peay, as well, losing to them 41-14. These scores against stiffer competition do not instill confidence as round one approaches against Mercer on November 25th.
Duquesne Dukes
CJ Sullivan’s Dukes almost blundered away their playoff bid when they lost 33-28 to the Stonehill Skyhawks on November 11th. They reconfirmed their auto-bid, however, after taking down Merrimack on the final game of the season. The talent gap between the NEC and the rest of the FCS will definitely be put to the test in these playoffs. We have already seen signs that may be telling as to how things will start off on November 25th against YSU.
Against their two FBS opponents, West Virginia and Coastal Carolina, the Dukes lost by a combined total of 122-24. They also lost 43-7 against fellow playoff member Delaware on October 7th. RBs Edward Robinson, Taj Butts, and JeMario Clements all averaged over 4.5 yards/carry. QB Darius Perrantes passed for 2,291 yards and 21 touchdowns but gave away 18 interceptions. Turnovers do not hold up well in the playoffs, and I feel like this Duquesne team has a lot to prove to be taken seriously here.
Nicholls Colonels
The sole playoff team from the Southland resides in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Nicholls may be a surprise to some here, who probably were expecting Incarnate Word to get this auto-bid due to their former FBS player-loaded roster. However, in this transfer portal day and age, Nicholls stands strong as proof that you cannot always count on twenty-some transfers to take you to the promised land. That being said, Incarnate Word stands as the Colonels’ loan win that really holds any weight to it.
Nicholls lost to Sacramento State, 38-24, to start the season. Combine that with a 41-6 loss to TCU and a 35-7 loss to Tulane, and it’s hard to imagine this team being overly competitive in the playoffs with their 6-4 record. RBs Collin Guggenheim and Jaylon Spears, who both had over 700 yards rushing this season, will be counted on to score a possible upset over Southern Illinois on November 25th.
Drake Bulldogs
Who would have thought we would be talking about postseason football for Drake after they lost to the NAIA Northwestern Red Raiders 27-24 on September 9th? By the way, Colby and I discussed that game being a huge risk for the Bulldogs in our Pioneer League preview back in July. Anyway, after starting the season 0-3, with additional losses to North Dakota (55-7), and South Dakota State (70-7), Drake turned a corner.
The Bulldogs rattled off eight consecutive wins and clinched an auto-bid for the 2023 playoffs. However, I think the scores I mentioned above may tell you their real odds of stirring the proverbial pot. With a load of close victories and only a 52-21 win over a St. Thomas team that was D-3 just a few years ago to point to as “good,” this season will most likely be extended by just one game. They are strolling into a buzzsaw on November 25th against the North Dakota State Bison.
Austin Peay Governors
Wow, was I wrong when I gave my initial thoughts of the “Govnas” back in August? I thought this was a team that lost way too much talent to the portal (Drae McCray) and graduation to make any real noise this season. Nine wins and a UAC title later, here we are. The Governors started off the season on the road, for two straight weeks, against Southern Illinois and (FBS) Tennessee. While the Southern Illinois game wasn’t a good-looking loss (49-23), Peay only trailed the Vols 13-6 at halftime before losing 30-13. Austin Peay then won out their schedule, beating some decent competition along the way.
AP’s only other playoff-caliber win was a dominant showing (41-14) against Gardener-Webb. However, being that I think the UAC was deserving of one, or possibly two, more teams in these playoffs, I’m counting wins over Southern Utah and Central Arkansas as solid showings as well. QB Mike DiLiello (3,057 yards, 27 TDs) and RB Jevon Jackson (1,189 yards 8 TDs) are going to give Chattanooga all they can handle on November 25th. Tune into this game. I expect it to be a good one.
Lafayette Leopards
Lance Leipold. Kalen DeBoer. Two examples of D3 coaches who parlayed their success at the lower levels into elite levels of coaching in the FBS. Is John Troxell the next name to join this list? After going 92-67 at Franklin & Marshall College, Troxell took the Leopards HC job in 2022 and went 4-7. One year later, he goes 9-2, winning the Patriot League and earning an auto-bid. I love this team and this coach. The 42-7 loss to Duke on September 9th is understandable. So, I’m counting the 37-34 loss to Colgate on November 4th as the lone questionable blemish on Lafayette’s 2023 season.
As far as strong wins, I’ll be honest, there aren’t many. However, Holy Cross was almost a playoff inevitability this year, and Lafayette was the nail in the coffin to Matthew Sluka and the Crusaders’ hopes for the season. That is definitely worth something. A win at Powers Field against the Princeton Tigers isn’t too shabby, either. Keep an eye on RB Jamar Curtis (1,332 yards, 12 TDs) vs Delaware on November 25th. If there is a Loyola (March Madness reference) caliber Cinderella story in these playoffs, the Leopards may be the horse to back.
The Rest of the Field
Mercer Bears
Our second Bear mascot in the playoffs! Here comes Mercer, who quietly went 8-3 this year, earning themselves an At-Large bid. They honestly drew a decent spot in the bracket, too, as their first game comes on November 25th against a questionable Gardener-Webb squad. I have questions about this team, to be sure. They lost 28-14 against Furman on September 23rd and 22-10 vs Chattanooga, on October 14th.
Those two teams, along with FBS Ole Miss, who housed the Bears 73-7 on September 2nd, stand as the main tests on Mercer’s 2023 schedule. Their most impressive win was against the Western Carolina Catamounts (shoutout to the Wheehawk minute), 45-38 on October 28th. WR Ty James (1,002 yards, 7 TDs) will be counted on heavily by QB Carter Peevy to at least get the Bears to a second-round matchup. Their reward for accomplishing that, though? A second round meeting with the Jackrabbits. Ouch.
Youngstown State Penguins
The Penguins win it all by a million. End of preview. Ok, OK, I’ll be more realistic. Can you blame me here, though? This is my Alma Mater! Not to mention the school with the toughest mascot in the entire playoff picture. You don’t mess with a penguin, dude. I like the draw for YSU here, though. The Guins begin the playoffs with a November 25th matchup against the Duquesne Dukes of the NEC. I like CJ Sullivan’s work for SGPN. That being said, I don’t think his Dukes fare well in that matchup. I also wouldn’t be entirely shocked if the Pens could pull an upset over Nova in the second round. LFG!
If I’m being honest, YSU’s lone impressive win this season was a 31-3 victory over Southern Illinois. Other than that, they lost close to Northern Iowa and South Dakota while getting dismantled 34-0 against South Dakota State. QB Mitch Davidson (2,485yds 19TDs 4INTs), RB Tyshon King (894 yards, 9 TDs), and DB Troy Jakubec (4 INTs) have a lot to prove, to be taken seriously. Take care of the Dukes, battle the Wildcats, and let’s run it back vs the Jackrabbits. Northeast Ohio loves football. Let’s do this.
North Carolina Central Eagles
There aren’t many times I’d say losing your conference is a blessing in disguise. This may be one of those instances, though. QB Davius Richard (1,915 yards, 20 TDs, 3 INTs, 579 yards rushing, 15 rushing TDs) is a baller. Now, instead of playing in the heralded Celebration Bowl (inevitably against FAMU), the late-season loss to Howard paved the way for his Eagles to play in the playoffs at 9-2. I’m sure winning the MEAC was the goal this season, but this is not a bad consolation prize. There honestly aren’t a lot of great wins to mention here. An October 7th, 34-23 victory at Elon headlines that list.
Throw all of that out, though. You have a veteran quarterback who is one of the most electric players in all of the FCS. November 25th brings a matchup against a still-growing Richmond team that clicked as the season progressed. I feel fairly bold here. NC Central pulls the upset, assuming CAA Richmond is the favorite, and has a date with Albany on December 2nd. Big Poppa Poff vs Davius Richard. Tune in for the fireworks!
Richmond Spiders
Head Coach Russ Huesman had a big hill to climb, with a lot of new pieces to work with, this season. After falling in the second round of the FCS playoffs last season, with a 9-4 total record for the year, there was a lot of turnover heading into 2023. That’s a big reason why all three of their losses came in September, with two of them being to Morgan State and Hampton. I can’t say that wins over Rhode Island, Elon, and William & Mary are stellar due to the fact that none of those teams are in the playoffs right now. However, we still have to give the Spiders their due.
Richmond went 7-1 in the CAA. That’s no small feat. QB Kyle Wickersham is a solid, dual-threat talent. Also, three of Richmond’s final five opponents were held under twenty points. DL Zander Barnett (6.5 Sacks) and LB Tristan Wheeler were huge parts of that success. As I said above, I’m still calling for NC Central to get the win in their November 25th matchup against the Spiders. That still takes nothing away from this program’s success, though, or from the fear that their eight-legged mascot inflicts on spectators.
Southern Illinois Salukis
This is the first team I don’t really embrace out of the At-Large bids. The Salukis had some impressive wins. Beating Austin Peay, 49-23, to start the season looks great now. Remember my breakdown of Austin Peay, though? A lot of roster turnover. Game one was a great time to catch them. Let’s be honest. The selection committee loves FBS wins. Southern Illinois took down FBS Northern Illinois, 14-11, on September 9th. I’m not trying to take away from that win by any means. Northern Illinois is just one of those teams, though, that can beat P5 teams or lose to FCS teams any given week. It’s kind of their thing.
As for their four losses in their 7-4 record? YSU (31-3), South Dakota State (17-10), South Dakota (14-7), and North Dakota State (34-10). It seems like as the season went on, they dropped all of their meaningful games. Don’t get me wrong, QB Nic Baker (2,375 yards, 15 TDs) is a gamer, and this defense can be nasty. I fully expect the Salukis (great mascot, great helmets) to beat Nicholls on November 25th and be a thorn in Idaho’s side on December 2nd. However, this was a team I was very surprised to see make the FCS bracket.
Sacramento State Hornets
Here is another 7-4 team that I’m not too wild about landing in the playoff landscape. Also, it’s another case of an FBS win scoring major points on selection Sunday. Sac State started off the season red-hot despite immense amounts of turnover from last season. This turnover included former head coach Troy Taylor, who departed for Stanford in the offseason. The Hornets scored a Win over Pac-12 Stanford on September 16th. If you want to throw a 6-4 playoff team, Nicholls, on the list of impressive wins for Sac St, fine. They beat the Colonels 38-24 to start the 2023 campaign.
Outside of those two wins, the Hornets lost to Idaho, Montana State, Montana, and UC Davis to round out the year. None of those losses posted one score outcome. QB Kaiden Bennett is a dual threat and damn near posted 2,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing. The defense, however, gave up 30 or more points in over half of the Hornets’ games. I don’t think that foreshadows a great outcome for these playoffs. They play North Dakota on November 25th in the first round.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Remember towards the beginning of this article when I said the Montana Grizzles seemed like they played two different seasons this year? I can say the same for North Dakota, except the opposite way. Their September 2nd win (55-7) over Drake seems pretty solid now that the Bulldogs are a playoff squad. Things really looked to be ramping up when the Fighting Hawks took down in-state rival, North Dakota State (49-24), on October 14th. It was kind of downhill from there, though. North Dakota followed their win over the Bison with a 27-0 loss to Northern Iowa. They only beat a lowly Indiana State team, 36-33, edged out Murray State (35-21), and finished off the season with a tight win over Illinois State (22-21).
I’m not sure what happened with this team, but hopefully, they figure it out fast. QB Tommy Shuster had a solid year (1,859 yards, 17 TDs) but is going to have to show up to get things back on track. I expect a three-point game against Sac State on November 25th. If the Fighting Hawks survive that, December 2nd would be an intriguing rematch against rival South Dakota, who they lost to (14-10) on November 11th.
North Dakota State Bison
8-3 typically sounds like a team that had a pretty damn good year. Is it a good season, though, for perennial bluebloods like the Bison? It almost feels like the whipping they took from South Dakota State last year made them lose a bit of who they are. The first crack in the armor showed against the South Dakota Coyotes on September 30th (24-19). I did NOT really see that loss coming. Just a few weeks later, they lost to their in-state little brother, North Dakota (49-24). On November 4th, they took another lashing from South Dakota State, 33-16. Now, it’s not all bad.
If you put their resume on a team like Youngstown State, for example, I’d be happy with it. The Bison whipped up on Southern Illinois (34-10), Northern Iowa (48-27), and Central Arkansas (49-31). Those are solid wins. This season was just not what we have come to expect from the dynasty that has been North Dakota State. QB Cam Miller statistically looks the part, with 2,048 yards, 14 TDs, 563 rushing yards, and 11 rushing TDs. However, he seems to hold the offense back when the Bison are trailing. I expect a bloodbath when the Bison play Drake on November 25th. The second-round matchup against Montana State may prove a LOT more challenging.
Chattanooga Mocs
Fresh off a 66-10 bloodbath at the hands of Nick Saban, our most recent memories of this Mocs team are not the greatest. At 7-4, this is definitely a squad with arguments about the validity of their appearance in these playoffs. Their biggest win came against Mercer on October 14th, 22-10. Outside of that, their 17-14 loss at the hands of Furman is their next most impressive showing. This isn’t to say that this team isn’t good. I find their November 25th matchup vs Austin Peay extremely intriguing. Expect that game to be within a score, one way or another.
This is just another team that may have been replaced by a few other programs. QB Chase Artopoeus (2,672 yards and 20 TDs) is a player to watch here. Stack him up against the Governors’ DiLiello, and we have the makings of a gunslinging competition. WR Jamoi Mayes (941 yards) and RB Gino Appleberry (631 yards) are other names to watch on this offense. The SoCon may have been a bit lucky to score three teams in this playoff. It’s going to be interesting to see how they all hold up against the rest of the field.
Delaware Blue Hens
Another blueblood program and another example of a team with questions to answer. There was a solid chunk of this season where I sang Delaware’s praises as if they were back on top of the FCS world. However, the 8-3 Blue Hens did not have the most convincing seasons. The New Hampshire (29-25) win seemed like it could have been a big deal on September 23rd. However, we now know that the New Hampshire team finished the season 6-5 and on the outside of the playoffs. Maybe there’s a shoutout due for the 43-17 dismantling of playoff member Duquesne?
Can we really give that much credit for waxing the NEC champs, though? The facts are that this team messed up the teams that it should have had throughout the 2023 season. They also lost games at home to Elon (33-27) and Villanova (35-7), which feels like the most telling outcome of all. QB Ryan O’Connor (1,907 yards and 17 TDs) is solid and doesn’t turn the ball over much. RB Marcus Yarns (847yds 14TDs) averaged 7.2yds/carry. There are pieces here on both sides of the ball. Most likely, Delaware crushed Lafayette’s dreams on November 25th. However, I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Cinderella story had some life in that matchup. Looking ahead, though, a December 2nd matchup against Montana does not feel like a matchup in which Delaware has a strong shot of scoring an upset.
Wrapping Up
There’s nothing left to do now but watch the show. I encourage you, if you’re reading this, to give these playoffs a shot. If you love NCAA football, The FCS is truly carrying the banner for what makes this sport great. As the FBS slowly turns into the NFL, with these super conferences, remember what you grew up loving. FCS football still does that, and it seems like the heart of college football will live on in the subdivisions. Support the FCS, and watch a REAL playoff. The fun is only just beginning.
