Kind of had fun scanning around the FCS last week to grab a few games worth following. With 4 weeks to go in the season it's time for playoff contenders to separate from the pretenders. There's a lot of bubble teams that'll be fighting for their post season lives from here on out. Regardless, some games to just keep an eye on outside of the Griz game:
The two obvious ones #2 MSU vs #9 Idaho and #4 South Dakota vs #1 South Dakota State. Both MSU and SDSU have the inside track for the 1 and 2 seeds if they win out. USD has already upset NDSU and beat Youngstown. Idaho, if they lose, falls firmly on the bubble with 3 losses, however they have an easier final 3 games of the season.
#23 Northern Iowa vs Illinois State both teams are 4-3, UNI has a signature win shutting out North Dakota last week, while ISU does not. With a loss Illinois State is possibly out unless if they can run the table and beat UND to finish the season. UNI could withstand a loss here but they still also have NDSU on the schedule.
Monmouth @ #22 William & Mary - Monmouth is already on the wrong side of the equation at 3-4, meanwhile Bill and Mary can't slip up again at 4-3 and they still have another bubble team in currently 5-3 Richmond on the horizon.
Campbell @ Richmond - Richmond is 5-3 yet 3-1 in conference, while Campbell is 4-3 and 3-2 in conference. Campbell is all the way out with a loss... Richmond is probably out if they drop the game.
#8 Incarnate Word @ (rv) Lamar - Lamar is 4-3 while IW is 6-1... however both are undefeated in conference play. A Lamar upset turns that conference on it's head and gives them a legit shot to win the conference - however they will also still have to face undefeated in conference play Nicholls as well. IW also sees Nicholls next week and then will finish a game short due to NWState cancelling their season.
Mercer @ #10 Western Carolina - Mercer is 5-3 but 3-2 in conference while WCU is 5-2/3-1. If Mercer pulls the upset they finish the season with 2 games where they'll be favored and could have a good argument as an 8-3 team with a top 10 road win. WCU just lost to Furman so getting the autobid will need them to win out and Furman to drop 2 - however after this game they face off against 3 of the 4 worst teams in the conference. They could be playing for a possible 7 or 8 seed - if they win out and get some help.
(rv) Holy Cross @ (rv) Fordham - Holy Cross's loss to conference leader Lafayette knocked them all the way out of the stats top 25, they're still barely in the coaches. Both of these teams are receiving votes for the top 25 but presumably whoever loses this game is out of the playoffs. HC would sink to 4-4, if Fordam were to lose they'd be 5-3 but would be 2 games back from Lafayette... and... they play them still in 2 weeks.
Idaho State @ #6 Sacramento State - I would love to see ISU give Sac a game. I'm not entirely sure that'll happen but we'll have to see. ISU, by design, has one of the best pass attacks in the game (almost 350 per game on average). However their defense has remained bad - allowing almost 470/game. They've narrowly squeezed out a few wins too, and they really don't have a signature win on their resume. Meanwhile Sac is kind of an enigma, they're in the top 10 seemingly by virtue of their win against Stanford. Otherwise they're 2-2 in conference with wins against Northern Colorado by 8 and Northern Arizona by just 1. They've lost to two top-10 teams, Idaho by 9 (Idaho scooped and scored on the last play of the game), and MSU by 8. Sac looked extremely competitive in both losses, but then looked kind of poor in both wins. ISU needs a Cinderella-like win out run to even have a chance at the playoffs, Sac though might be feeling the heat. They're 5-2 right now and still have @Montana and @Davis on their schedule. A loss to ISU doesn't end their post-season hopes but puts every remaining game in must-win territory.
The two obvious ones #2 MSU vs #9 Idaho and #4 South Dakota vs #1 South Dakota State. Both MSU and SDSU have the inside track for the 1 and 2 seeds if they win out. USD has already upset NDSU and beat Youngstown. Idaho, if they lose, falls firmly on the bubble with 3 losses, however they have an easier final 3 games of the season.
#23 Northern Iowa vs Illinois State both teams are 4-3, UNI has a signature win shutting out North Dakota last week, while ISU does not. With a loss Illinois State is possibly out unless if they can run the table and beat UND to finish the season. UNI could withstand a loss here but they still also have NDSU on the schedule.
Monmouth @ #22 William & Mary - Monmouth is already on the wrong side of the equation at 3-4, meanwhile Bill and Mary can't slip up again at 4-3 and they still have another bubble team in currently 5-3 Richmond on the horizon.
Campbell @ Richmond - Richmond is 5-3 yet 3-1 in conference, while Campbell is 4-3 and 3-2 in conference. Campbell is all the way out with a loss... Richmond is probably out if they drop the game.
#8 Incarnate Word @ (rv) Lamar - Lamar is 4-3 while IW is 6-1... however both are undefeated in conference play. A Lamar upset turns that conference on it's head and gives them a legit shot to win the conference - however they will also still have to face undefeated in conference play Nicholls as well. IW also sees Nicholls next week and then will finish a game short due to NWState cancelling their season.
Mercer @ #10 Western Carolina - Mercer is 5-3 but 3-2 in conference while WCU is 5-2/3-1. If Mercer pulls the upset they finish the season with 2 games where they'll be favored and could have a good argument as an 8-3 team with a top 10 road win. WCU just lost to Furman so getting the autobid will need them to win out and Furman to drop 2 - however after this game they face off against 3 of the 4 worst teams in the conference. They could be playing for a possible 7 or 8 seed - if they win out and get some help.
(rv) Holy Cross @ (rv) Fordham - Holy Cross's loss to conference leader Lafayette knocked them all the way out of the stats top 25, they're still barely in the coaches. Both of these teams are receiving votes for the top 25 but presumably whoever loses this game is out of the playoffs. HC would sink to 4-4, if Fordam were to lose they'd be 5-3 but would be 2 games back from Lafayette... and... they play them still in 2 weeks.
Idaho State @ #6 Sacramento State - I would love to see ISU give Sac a game. I'm not entirely sure that'll happen but we'll have to see. ISU, by design, has one of the best pass attacks in the game (almost 350 per game on average). However their defense has remained bad - allowing almost 470/game. They've narrowly squeezed out a few wins too, and they really don't have a signature win on their resume. Meanwhile Sac is kind of an enigma, they're in the top 10 seemingly by virtue of their win against Stanford. Otherwise they're 2-2 in conference with wins against Northern Colorado by 8 and Northern Arizona by just 1. They've lost to two top-10 teams, Idaho by 9 (Idaho scooped and scored on the last play of the game), and MSU by 8. Sac looked extremely competitive in both losses, but then looked kind of poor in both wins. ISU needs a Cinderella-like win out run to even have a chance at the playoffs, Sac though might be feeling the heat. They're 5-2 right now and still have @Montana and @Davis on their schedule. A loss to ISU doesn't end their post-season hopes but puts every remaining game in must-win territory.
