While the nation will get to see the top team in FCS recognized on ESPN when "College GameDay" visits James Madison, the Missouri Valley Football Conference is home once again to the biggest game of the week. No. 2 North Dakota State goes to No. 8 Youngstown State. That matchup has big implications on the national scene. But there are several other storylines to watch out for.
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Does Easton Stick continue to progress into a top QB in the FCS?
It was two years ago, the last time NDSU visited YSU, when Bison quarterback Easton Stick had his first clutch performance. NDSU, who had two losses already and Carson Wentz sidelined, scored 17 fourth-quarter points and Stick ran in a touchdown with 35 seconds left as the Bison won 27-24. A loss would have given the Bison a high seed at best and a fifth straight national title would've been questionable.
Since then, Stick has continued to get better. He's been lights out to start this season, completing almost 74 percent of passes with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions. The competition stiffens up considerably now. But if Stick continues to stay hot, he should be considered one of the best quarterbacks in the FCS.
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Is YSU's defense good or great?
Two weeks ago, the Penguins put on one of the most impressive defensive effort in years. They shut down a dangerous South Dakota State passing attack featuring two future NFL Draft picks. The Jackrabbits had just 222 total yards and held the ball for less than 15 minutes. But last week, South Dakota had 468 total yards, including 360 through the air.
It's hard to imagine USD's passing attack being better than SDSU's. So the question is what defense shows up against NDSU? The Bison are a ball control team, but still lead the FCS with 51.6 points per game. USD is second with 45.2. YSU's defense is ranked 104th in the FCS in third down conversion percentage. That could spell trouble Saturday.
COMPARE: Youngstown vs. Any Team
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Does Northern Iowa save its season?
It's October. In other words, the Panthers are in playoff mode. Last year at this time we were calling them the best 2-4 team in the FCS. This year they're probably the best 2-3 football team. UNI is still solid with a salty defense. The problem is while the MVFC continues to get better, the Panthers stay about the same.
They head to SDSU with three losses. Next week is against YSU. Then it's at NDSU. Then it's against South Dakota. Missing the playoffs two seasons in a row is almost unheard of at UNI. And it's hard to see this year's team finishing with less than five losses.
COMPARE: Northern Iowa vs. Any Team
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How good is SDSU's offense exactly?
SDSU's offense looked back to its old form last week with 49 points. But it's that performance two weeks ago that still brings up questions. Just an off week? Or does a good defense now know a way to stop that passing attack? UNI is always talented on defense with an opportunistic secondary. The unit isn't as strong as YSU's. But if the Jacks can put up 30-40 points, it would still be an impressive performance.
COMPARE: Dallas Goedert vs. Any Tight End
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Does a ranked team get upset?
The Valley is always in for surprises. While the ranked matchups bring the most attention during the week, it seems a ranked team vs. an unranked team can be just as entertaining. No. 4 USD hosts Indiana State. No. 17 Western Illinois hosts Missouri State. And one game to watch for is No. 15 Illinois State going to Southern Illinois.
COMPARE: Illinois State vs. Southern Illinois
Is this the week where the Valley begins to beat up on each and some upsets begin to knock teams out of the playoff picture down the road?
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NEXT: History of GameDay on FCS Campuses Includes Stops in Fargo
