r/fcs • u/Seadragon1983 Washington • Iowa State • Sep 13 '26
Weekly Thread The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Week 2)
And we're back! It's time for your favorite recap of events around the FCS.
The Good
We have two more Super FCS Medals of Valor to give out this week. Illinois State and Montana State, the two teams in the National Championship game last season, have earned their medals with wins over FBS competition. Both were favorites over subpar FBS teams, but you know the rules here: A win is a win. So congrats to the juggernauts of the FCS. You've earned these medals.
We now know who runs the Patriot League, and it's Lehigh's world with everyone else in the conference living in it. In the only conference game of the week, the Mountain Hawks hammered William and Mary 44-20 in a game where the score really doesn't tell the whole story. This was in large part of Luke Yoder being... you know, Luke Yoder. They may not be challenged in the Patriot League until late in the season when Colgate (COLGATE!) comes calling for Senior Day on November 7th.
In everyone's favorite cluster fuck of a conference that is the Coastal, Rhode Island proved to be every bit the favorite by dropping Elon on their heads for a 31-10 victory thanks to a 4th quarter McPick Six. While it's still early, the Rams do have to play the other 1-0 teams (Albany, Bryant and Maine) down the road.
Congratulations to Chicago State. Not only did they win their first ever game, but they laid out Kentucky Christian to the tune of 78-7. Yes, it's an NAIA team... but the Knights have been recently knocking off higher level teams over the last season and a quarter. So for the Cougars to lay the lumber on them is a big deal.
In other 'Good' News: Colgate (COLGATE!) and Gardner-Webb have near misses; Alcorn State and UAPB deliver an Arena Ball Special; The awesome helmets that Eastern Washington and South Dakota wore.
The Bad
Uh, Mercer. What was that? You came off a week where you promptly got revenge for last season's disaster class against Presbyterian and followed it up with this?!? I hope the quarterback got an earful for the four picks he threw last night.
Staying in the SoCon... I know they're military men, but this can't be healthy for The Citadel. A week after a triple overtime victory over Charlotte, they go into double overtime with Charleston Southern in the Lowcountry Boil Bowl (Awesome name, BTW). This was also the game where the forward pass went to die... the teams combined for a paltry 11-for-30 in the air.
Time for the Chuck Norris Award for Biggest Ass Kicking. Chicago State was in the lead for most of the day... that was until Houston Christian came in and said, 'Hold my beer' (That they bought at the CVS next to the stadium) and destroyed NAIA member Arkansas Baptist 88-0. This isn't just a beating, this is the Huskies pissing on the smoldering remains of the Buffaloes. Runner-ups this week include Chicago State's 71 point decimation of Kentucky Christian and South Carolina State blasting Virginia State like they were Team Rocket (the Trojans are blasting off again... ding) to the tune of 66-0.
In other 'Bad' News: Wagner's punter getting a helmet to the yams; Robert Morris not capitalizing on the fumble on Akron's guest OC only drive; SE Missouri losing to Southern Illinois (Stupid Redhawks... You make me look bad!)
The Duquesne
It was really hard to find someone to get The Mushu Treatment this week, but I think I found our victim. Meet Duquesne. This school just got blanked by the Air Force last weekend to open the season. For their encore? Getting absolutely railed by Youngstown State (PENGUINS!!!). Beau Brungard, the defending Walter Payton Award winner, had 8 touchdowns in this game - 6 passing, 2 rushing - while the Dukes basically laid down and died. For that, they're getting the Mushu Treatment: Dishonor on your school, dishonor on your defense, dishonor to your team and major dishonor to the Yinzers!
The Ohio Valley had a bad weekend... when Charleston Southern is the only team in your conference winning a game, something has gone wrong.
In other 'Ugly' News: West Georgia looks like pre-2025 Presbyterian; Idaho loses to Lamar, gets called 'Drake' in the process; Montana State beats the spread, MDA vows revenge, gets it when Grizzlies fail to cover spread against Utah Tech; FloSports - The herpes of streaming services.
With that... the floor is open.
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u/Trojann2 /r/CFB Pint Glass Drinker Sep 13 '26 edited Sep 13 '26
Shoutout Bobcats and Redbirds on being favored on the road and making sure to follow through.
For fucks sake Nevada and NIU…I guess we will just have to teach them a lesson lol
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u/MontanaDrywall Sep 13 '26
NIU is shell of what that program used to be. Illinois State and SIU honestly have better teams year to year than them nowadays and embarrassingly for NIU end up sometimes outdrawing them in DeKalb (both schools have massive Chicago Alumni bases). Besides maybe the Chicago market for a TV deal I have no idea why the MWC added them. I would argue Illinois State or South Dakota State would’ve been better adds on the football side.
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u/Trojann2 /r/CFB Pint Glass Drinker Sep 13 '26
NIU paid $2m to join vs NDSU having to pay $12m
Take that as you will
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Sep 13 '26
SDSU doesn't seem 100% ready to move up and ISU certainly isn't ready. NIU is at least known for their Jordan Lynch era and BCS success. That said I do Think ISU could be a better FBS team if we can put together everything we want to.
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u/J0K3R2 Illinois State Redbirds • Marching Band Sep 13 '26
I've seen so many comments about ISU possibly moving up to FBS and I just don't want it, honestly, and I don't think the school does either.
Different level of competition and investment, and being G4/5/6 (whatever it is now) means you're getting raided hard by P4 programs in this day and age, and we just narrowly avoided that last year too. I'd also like to dominate FCS for a while before trying to jump into FBS territory. Sure, you could be a James Madison, or you could be a UMass. Or you could do what NIU has, and start strong and then...become what they have.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Sep 13 '26
I don't want it either. Our football budget was under $5 million last year and we went to the FCS championship. We'd probably need to triple it to be at the bottom of the FBS and a good year would end in a forgettable bowl game.
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota Sep 14 '26
And let's be real, you'd join the MAC. Do Redbird fans really want 1/3 of your games to be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays?
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Sep 14 '26
I don't. Some definitely don't care and just want FBS. It might not be the MAC though. It could be the CUSA or a surprise MWC or SBC.
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u/Riddler83843 Washington State Cougars Sep 13 '26
Idaho is absolute dogshit this year.
Team took leaps backwards with Ford in charge.
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u/Griz_and_Timbers Montana Grizzlies Sep 13 '26
I'll add another vote for Idaho in the bad. Their whole season is trending into the Ugly.
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u/Riddler83843 Washington State Cougars Sep 13 '26
I legitimately don’t see a win on the schedule at this point.
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u/Griz_and_Timbers Montana Grizzlies Sep 13 '26
It's so maddening, cause it's not like they don't have dudes who can play.
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u/Riddler83843 Washington State Cougars Sep 13 '26
I was at the game yesterday. The sideline vibe seems super off…. Definitely not the energy that was there under Eck.
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u/Born-Prior8579 Georgia Bulldogs • Idaho Vandals Sep 14 '26
Thomas Ford is awful. He only got the job because he kept a decent amount of Eck's recruits from decommiting. Couldn't even save half the roster we already had from following him to new mexico, but at least thats understandable. He's only ever been a HC once, and that was a high school where he never had a winning record. You can tell the team is not gelling with each other, and his game time decisions are not great.
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u/MontanaDrywall Sep 13 '26
Honorable Mention: One dude runs for 4 TD’s and throws for another to win a replica ship wheel.
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u/Seadragon1983 Washington • Iowa State Sep 13 '26
BOO! I wanted SE Missouri to win just to lick up those salty Saluki tears.
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u/cbblythe Youngstown State Penguins Sep 13 '26
Beau left the game halfway through the third or the stats would have been a bit better
That being said YSU still has no defense and will struggle against any complete team such as….SDSU
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Sep 14 '26
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u/cbblythe Youngstown State Penguins Sep 14 '26
YSU has allowed 23 points to partial scholarship teams
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u/bernie457 Montana Grizzlies Sep 13 '26
Why are we in the ugly? (/s)
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u/MontanaDrywall Sep 13 '26
Thanks Bernie457 we were happy to fix your drywall this morning and hope you will call us again soon
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u/Seadragon1983 Washington • Iowa State Sep 13 '26
Because Montana was supposed to blow out Utah Tech... the Drywall people are very happy that the Grizzlies didn't cover the spread.
They also paid me to say this.
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u/ZerkyXii Montana State Bobcats Sep 14 '26
Played a low tier fcs team and didnt stomp then Griz drop to at least 7 or 8 for me at this rate.
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u/TennisSilver4393 Sep 13 '26
Cal Poly played right with San Jose State for about 3 1/2 quarters then fell apart at the end.
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u/the_racing_goat Southeastern • Marching Band Sep 13 '26
The ugly: UNA players getting so pressed by schoolyard insults that one of them got ejected and flipped off the band
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u/ForgottenGeno Idaho State Bengals Sep 13 '26 edited Sep 13 '26
I know we have already given kudos to Idaho State last week but with their win over San Diego they now are 3-0. The last time ISU started the season 3-0 was 1983.
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u/Seadragon1983 Washington • Iowa State Sep 13 '26
Wasn't that the year they made the National Championship game?
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u/OfficerBatman Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Sep 13 '26
I feel like SFA getting a blowout win on the road against ACU was pretty good. Defense had 10 TFLs, 3 sacks, and forced 2 turnovers.
And SFA did it with several starters out with injury.
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u/Lee-HarveyTeabag Idaho State Bengals • Oklahoma Sooners Sep 13 '26
Are we in the good? I’m not sure what to do.
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u/montalaskan Montana State Bobcats Sep 13 '26
I think you're in the good. Definitely not bad or ugly.
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u/Stoehrst Rhode Island Rams Sep 14 '26
I know the final score looked good in the end, but that victory over Elon was anything but comprehensive. It was 3-3 at the half. I'm very, very worried about how the early part of this season is going to go if Devin Farrell doesn't get back in the lineup soon. Gotta credit the defense, though, they were stiff when they needed to be and got some takeaways.
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u/Jolly_Job_9852 Western Carolina • Silver Shako Sep 13 '26
Fucking Western Carolina and it's dogshit defense is both ugly and bad
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u/JKS41399 Western Carolina Catamounts Sep 13 '26
I’m giving us a pass this week since it was our money game. That said, our strength and conditioning needs work, to the point that I might have to start calling for that coach to be fired, just like everyone was doing for (Name Redacted) last year.
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u/Jolly_Job_9852 Western Carolina • Silver Shako Sep 13 '26
It's still unacceptable. Playing 10 yards off in a short yardage situation when a curl route for 5 gets free for 10+.
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u/Electromotivation James Madison Dukes Sep 13 '26
I thought yall would do well and get your coach poached this year.
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u/Rontheworm UIW • Penn State Sep 13 '26
The good: 606 yards of offense for UIW against a ranked team.
The ugly: Having that cancelled out by SIX turnovers and a missed FG.
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u/AgreeableRaspberry85 Richmond • Central Michigan Sep 13 '26
I'm in a huge minority but I like Flosports. They ay least try to stream smaller school stuff (mostly D2-D3), and they stream minor league hockey and hometown races on Friday and Saturday nights. It's expensive, but at least they're trying. You think ESPN is going to stream that stuff? Granted it's not gonna get a lot of eyeballs but I like it.
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Sep 13 '26
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u/Mid_Wester Sep 13 '26
Teams that have played since 1909 and used to take a boat across a river to play eachother, but yeah, other than that, no backstory or history
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota Sep 14 '26
Very bizarre there is no Wikipedia page for this rivalry? Would love to read more on it
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Sep 14 '26
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u/MontanaDrywall Sep 14 '26
I agree with you to an extent until the last part. SIU playing away at SEMO always drew a massive number of Saluki Fans. The big thing that’s changed recently is SEMO is actually a semi good program now. People very clearly get up for it now judging by the fact it’s the most well attended game either team hosts. In the past it wasn’t that big but now it’s typically a top 25 matchup year to year.
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u/RepresentativeOfnone South Dakota State • Nebraska Sep 13 '26
Tarleton in the bad. For a team that constantly is under review for being legit needing to walk off McNeese doesn’t help their case