FCS non-conference games are key when it comes to the national picture.
Crossover games between solid teams give Top 25 voters a better gauge for the national pecking order, and they play an integral part in the playoff committee’s selection and seeding of the 24-team bracket.
Below are the most intriguing 2025 FCS vs. FCS non-conference games.
Best FCS Non-Conference Games
10. Harvard at Holy Cross (10/4)
For the first time ever, the Ivy League will send its champion to the FCS playoffs. Harvard is the preseason favorite after finishing 8-2 last year, returning its standout QB Jaden Craig, top rusher, three starting offensive linemen, and three of its top six tacklers. The Ivy League playing two fewer games than the rest of the FCS and not having the most challenging non-conference schedule will be a factor in its playoff positioning and whether it gets a Top 16 seed. Holy Cross is a solid gauge, though. The Crusaders should challenge atop the Patriot League standings after going 6-6 overall and 5-1 in league play.
9. No. 20 Southern Illinois at UT Martin (9/13)
Preseason ranked in the Top 10 entering last fall, SIU was hampered by injuries and fell to a 4-8 record. Many of those guys are back, including quarterback DJ Williams, tight end Aidan Quinn, and linebacker Colin Bohanek. The Salukis are getting a little Top 10 love again on some 2025 preseason ballots. A key road game a week after playing the Big Ten’s Purdue is at UT Martin. The Skyhawks have won four consecutive conference championships. And despite key losses and falling out of the preseason Top 25, they continually reload and are in the hunt for a playoff spot. This is a huge game for both when it comes to ascending the rankings early in the season.
8. Chattanooga at No. 10 Tarleton State (9/20)
The battle for who’s the No. 3 FCS conference is up for grabs between the CAA, SoCon, and UAC. The SoCon, which feels it isn’t getting the proper respect from the playoff committee, could boost its reputation by knocking off a top team in the UAC. Chattanooga, despite losing most of its production, was picked No. 2 in the SoCon preseason poll. Tarleton, meanwhile, looks to continue its quick ascent after a 10-4 season, returning most of its defense and an offense led by QB Victor Gabalis.
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7. North Dakota at No. 7 Montana (9/13)
UND’s 27-24 comeback win at home over No. 4 Montana threw a wrench in the Top 25 rankings last September. The Fighting Hawks couldn’t capitalize, though, stumbling to a 5-7 record and missing the playoffs. Montana finished 9-5, reaching the playoffs but exiting in the second round, a disappointing finish after its 2023 national title game appearance. There is some new juice and energy around the UND program under first-year head coach Eric Schmidt. The Hawks are getting some preseason Top 25 love from voters. For the Griz, a strong season is expected with its Top 10 ranking. The offense has a chance to be good, led by RB Eli Gillman, but QB remains an uncertainty, and the defense has a complete makeover. Although it isn’t a preseason ranked vs. ranked matchup, this is one of the more intriguing ones early in the season.
6. No. 23 Stephen F. Austin at No. 16 Abilene Christian (9/6)
Sam Vidlak vs. Stone Earle looks to be an entertaining QB matchup in this one. SFA narrowly missed the playoffs last year at 7-5. With an offense led by Vidlak, the No. 2 and 3 running backs returning, the top six WRs back led by All-American Kylon Harris, four starting OL, and 10 defensive players who logged 285 or more snaps in 2024, the Lumberjacks are poised for a big season. ACU loses most of its offensive production from last year’s 9-5 squad. The defense returns seven of its top 12 tacklers, though, led by two preseason All-Americans — linebacker Will Shaffer and defensive end Kaghen Roach. As the UAC and Southland eye multiple postseason bids, these kinds of non-conference games are big data points for the selection committee.
5. No. 16 Abilene Christian at No. 5 UIW (9/27)
Another UAC vs. Southland matchup here. ACU’s offensive losses and defensive returns are touched on above. The Wildcats have two big non-conference games to show they have reloaded. For UIW, it is a popular pick as a team that can crack into the usual suspects of FCS title contenders. The Cardinals finished 11-3 last year and reached the quarterfinals. The offense returns its All-American wide receiver Jalen Walthall, its No. 2 rusher, its top tight end, adds a former Southland Conference Player of the Year at RB in Jaylon Spears, and adds a former FCS All-American WR in Chedon James. UIW returns five of its top 11 tacklers and 11 of its 19 defenders who played 240 or more snaps in 2024. The defense also adds five FCS transfers who started at their previous school, including an All-American DB (Tyler Morton) and All-Conference LB (David Powers). UIW looks loaded for a deep playoff run.
4. No. 5 UIW at No. 19 Northern Arizona (9/20)
As mentioned above, UIW looks locked and loaded to be a threat in December. But a tough non-conference schedule can either vault the Cardinals into high playoff seed discussions or it can set them back. UIW faces two 2024 playoff teams, along with FBS UTSA and an Eastern Washington squad that can provide challenges to a defense. Some questioned NAU getting into the playoffs last year at 8-4 overall. And a 24-0 first-round loss at ACU exacerbated those questions. The Lumberjacks would silence some naysayers with a big non-conference victory. They bring back most of their production, including the 2024 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year at quarterback Ty Pennington, their top two running backs, No. 2 pass-catcher, three starting offensive linemen, and six of their top 11 tacklers.
3. No. 8 UC Davis vs. No. 11 Mercer (8/23)
The Week 0 FCS Kickoff has lacked compelling matchups, and a neutral site hasn’t helped. It’s still in Montgomery, AL, but it features two quarterfinal teams from last year. Both squads lose their starting quarterback, although Mercer’s DJ Smith is back after he started the first half of last season before being slowed by an injury. The Bears also return their No. 2 and 3 wide receivers and three offensive linemen who started at least six games last year. Defensively, they lose nine of their top 12 tacklers from last year’s unit but return All-American DE Andrew Zock. The Aggies return their leading wide receiver (Samuel Gbatu Jr.), All-Conference tight end (Winston Williams), and five OL who started at least eight games in 2024. Defensively, they return All-Americans Rex and Porter Connors while adding three FCS transfers who earned 2024 All-Conference honors and three FBS transfers with starting experience. As the SoCon eyes more respect from the playoff committee, a win over a Big Sky contender would be huge. And for UC Davis, it looks to prove it may be just as good as last year’s squad.
2. No. 15 Sacramento State at No. 3 South Dakota State (8/30)
You could argue this is No. 1 with the pure national fascination of both of these teams. Sac State has drawn national headlines with its public FBS push, which has been blocked for now, its transfer additions, and its high school commitments. Brennan Marion was an impressive head coaching hire. And the Hornets have brought in transfers like former four-star high school QB Jaden Rashada, FCS All-American RB Jamar Curtis, FBS running backs Savion Red and Rodney Hammond with significant experience, and wide receivers Jordan Anderson and Ernest Campbell, who were four-star recruits in the Class of 2024. SDSU, meanwhile, had a tumultuous offseason with the loss of its entire coaching staff and 20+ players transferring to the FBS. But SDSU still has a talented core coming back, including its heir apparent at QB Chase Mason, three offensive linemen with full-time starting experience, their No. 2 and 3 wide receivers from last year, a two-time First Team All-Conference FCS running back transfer, five defensive linemen who played at least 200 snaps last year, a standout group of young linebackers, and two D1 transfer defensive backs with starting experience. Any sort of final score in this one would not be a surprise. It’s as juicy a Week 1 matchup as it gets.
1. No. 3 South Dakota State at No. 2 Montana State (9/6)
SDSU and MSU are quite similar this offseason in their question marks. The casual fan may think both got gutted by graduation and the transfer portal. But that’s not the case. While both have unknowns in first-year starting quarterbacks (Stanford transfer Justin Lamson looks like the frontrunner at MSU) and question marks in a new-look secondary, SDSU and MSU will have two of the best offensive and defensive lines in the FCS, have known commodities at running back, have plenty of talent for pass-catchers, and expect to reload in strong fashion at linebacker. With that said, the player losses from last year are significant. While a strong nucleus is back for both, a tough first two games could really set either team back. MSU will likely be 0-1 entering this matchup after a trip to Oregon. And SDSU could certainly be facing a 0-1 record as well if Sac State delivers on its hype. Could one of these Top 3 teams start 0-2? While 1-1 records for both seem most likely, 0-2 is also a real possibility for either. A win here will be massive.
