Week 2 of the 2025 FCS season is here, and it features two ranked matchups and several more key games.
Let’s predict some scores. Our weekly predictions are for FCS vs. FCS games only.
Predictions Record:
2025 Record: 10-6
2024 Record: 126-40
FCS Week 2 Predictions
No. 2 South Dakota State at No. 3 Montana State Prediction
A tremendous non-conference matchup here. It’ll be an epic scene for MSU’s Gold Rush Game, an atmosphere I’m excited to experience as I’m in Bozeman for this one.
SDSU’s defense looked great in Week 1, shutting down Sac State’s hyped (overly-hyped?) Go-Go Offense. The front seven especially looked stout, led by an experienced and deep d-line and a new group of linebackers that looked every bit as good as past Jackrabbit LBs. It’s a good matchup going up against an MSU offensive line that returns four players with starting experience from last year. Center Burke Mastel missed last week’s game, though, causing a reshuffling of the lineup. He’s questionable for Saturday as of this writing. The Bobcats have a top RB duo in the FCS — Adam Jones and Julius Davis both have All-Big Sky accolades. Controlling the trenches is key here. SDSU also has an experienced offensive line in starts and reps from last fall. RB Julius Loughridge, an All-Conference FCS transfer from Fordham, rushed for 159 yards on 22 carries (7.2 yards per carry) in Week 1.
The Jacks looked good in their 20-3 win over ranked Sac State. They could have looked really good if not for some lack of execution and self-inflicted errors in the red zone. It easily could have been a 35-3 type of win. For MSU, a 59-13 loss at Oregon makes it a tough gauge. It does look like MSU will deploy more passing, using some quick-hitting, high-efficiency throws to complement its strong run game. New starting QB Justin Lamson finished 23/31 for 198 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions.
SDSU QB Chase Mason, meanwhile, showed why he was getting some NFL buzz this summer before even starting a game. His size, speed, and arm talent are combinations you don’t often see at the FCS level. Against Sac State, he went 17/23 for 190 yards and a touchdown. Mason also had 70 rushing yards before sacks, which was an area of concern as Sac State’s pressure got to SDSU’s o-line and Mason for seven sacks.
We don’t know how good Sac State will turn out to be. And it’s hard to put much stock in MSU’s performance at Oregon, an FBS title contender. So Saturday is a great gauge of both squads.
A 0-2 start wouldn’t necessarily be disastrous for MSU, considering the opponents. But it would really put the Cats up against it in the big picture when it comes to playoff seeds. Hosting throughout the postseason is crucial for national title hopes. Home-field advantage has been the difference several times in wins to advance to the natty.
And that home-field advantage will be the difference in this one. I think it’s evenly matched on paper, but the home crowd pushes MSU over the top as it seizes momentum in critical points of the game.
Prediction: Montana State 24-20
No. 25 SFA at No. 16 Abilene Christian Prediction
This is a big non-conference matchup for two playoff hopefuls looking to avoid 0-2 starts. SFA lost 27-0 at FBS Houston, and ACU lost 35-7 at FBS Tulsa.
SFA is loaded with experience after going 7-5 last year, returning All-Conference quarterback Sam Vidlak, All-American wide receiver Kylon Harris, its next five leading WRS, four starting offensive linemen, and 10 of its 17 defenders who played 285 or more snaps in 2024, a unit that ranked No. 9 in FCS scoring defense, allowing 17.8 points per game.
ACU has question marks offensively after losing most of its production. Stone Earle makes his return at QB, though, where he was a starter in 2021 before spending the last few seasons in the FBS. Defensively, LB Will Shaffer and DE Kaghen Roach are All-American-level players.
ACU’s FBS loss was a bit more concerning, considering it was a popular upset pick at Tulsa. But it’s hard to gauge either team based on Week 1. SFA looks like the more complete team on paper. It can be explosive on offense while also being one of the better defensive teams in the FCS last year. That defense will come up big for a road win.
Prediction: SFA 28-21
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
West Georgia at No. 22 Nicholls Prediction
As many other FCS followers and I ripped apart the polls this week and the positioning of Nicholls and UIW (UIW is 10 spots ahead of Nicholls despite Nicholls having the Week 0 head-to-head win and a more impressive Week 1 showing), I had a thought:
“It’d be kinda funny/ironic if Nicholls suffered a disappointing loss after all the fuss we made, putting us in a conundrum of where to rank the Colonels.”
Sometimes results happen like that in sports.
And then I saw this week’s matchup, and went:
“Hmmmmmm.”
West Georgia is an intriguing opponent. The Wolves are off to a 1-0 start, dominating Samford for a 34-3 road win. This program made its FCS debut last season and competed well, finishing 4-7 overall with four losses of 11 points or fewer.
On paper, I’d favor Nicholls. But sometimes you go the other way for no other reason than to call your shot and an upset. We’ve already had some upsets that no one saw coming. After facing a conference rival in UIW, and then going toe-to-toe with FBS Troy (leading 20-17 in the 4th before things unraveled after a big turnover and losing 38-20), perhaps Nicholls is due for a down performance. And West Georgia is good enough to pounce on that and spring an upset.
Prediction: West Georgia 28-27
Chattanooga at No. 17 Tennessee Tech Prediction
A future SoCon matchup here as TN Tech joins the league in 2026. This could have some playoff implications on resumes.
It was not a good Week 1 for the SoCon as its two ranked teams suffered bad losses. No. 18 Western Carolina blew a big lead and lost to Gardner-Webb 52-45. No. 11 Mercer lost 15-10 to non-scholarship Presbyterian, one of the bigger upsets in recent memory.
Chattanooga is 0-1, losing 45-10 at FBS Memphis. The Mocs finished 7-5 last year and lost most of their production on offense and defense. TN Tech TN is 1-0, dominating non-D1 Cumberland 65-0. After going 7-5 last fall, the Golden Eagles bring back an experienced roster in returners and impact transfers.
After ranking No. 2 in FCS rushing defense (82.9 YPG) and No. 26 in scoring defense (21.8 PPG), Tennessee Tech returns 11 of its top 15 tacklers. It also added five FCS transfers with 1,000 career snaps. The offense returns its top two wide receivers and three starting offensive linemen. Former EWU starting QB Kekoa Visperas now leads TN Tech. In Week 1, he went 17/26 for 250 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
TN Tech should be favored here at home.
Prediction: Tennessee Tech 31-21
No. 9 Rhode Island at Stony Brook Prediction
Rhody looks like the favorite in the CAA after going 11-3 in 2024 and returning its starting quarterback Devin Farrell, top two wide receivers led by All-CAA Marquis Buchanan, top four offensive linemen in snaps, and All-American LB A.J. Pena.
Interestingly, the Rams begin their season with two CAA games. They beat Campbell 31-20 last week after trailing 17-14 at halftime.
Stony Brook, who was left on the playoff bubble last season at 8-4, is currently 0-1 with a 42-0 loss at FBS San Diego State. The Seawolves return standout RB Roland Dempster, but a lack of explosiveness on offense could make an upset win here tough. Despite some new names for Rhody’s defense, the Rams looked good in Week 1. They allowed 148 passing yards on 36 attempts and 120 rushing yards on 32 attempts, allowing just 3.8 yards per carry.
Wild results happen in CAA play. An upset wouldn’t surprise me. But I think Rhody pulls away late for the win.
Prediction: Rhody 27-17
More FCS Predictions
Utah Tech at No. 19 Northern Arizona
Prediction: NAU 35-14
Holy Cross at New Hampshire
Prediction: UNH 24-21
Colgate at No. 13 Villanova
Prediction: Villanova 28-24
Portland State at No. 20 North Dakota
Prediction: UND 31-7
No. 4 South Dakota at Lamar
Prediction: USD 31-17
UTRGV at Prairie View A&M
Prediction: UTRGV 31-27
HCU at Eastern Kentucky
Prediction: EKU 35-24
Towson at Morgan State
Prediction: Towson 24-17
