Which FCS teams saw their stock rise and fall after Week 10 of action?
We break down three teams for each and where they go from here.
Stock Up
Western Carolina
The Catamounts got a playoff-hopes-saving win by beating No. 18 Chattanooga 38-34. WCU is now 5-4 and needs to win out to have a shot at the FCS playoffs. Another massive game hits this week as WCU heads to ETSU, who is also 5-4.
WCU trailed Chattanooga 14-0 and 21-10 at different points in the first half. The Catamounts clawed back behind the arm of backup quarterback Taron Dicken, who was filling in for injured standout Cole Gonzales. Dicken, a redshirt freshman, went 34/48 passing for 431 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception while rushing for 41 yards.
Mercer
Mercer, ranked No. 12 at the time, notched its fourth ranked win of the season, beating No. 23 ETSU 37-31. Controversy surrounded the final result with some questionable flags thrown on two late onside kicks that ETSU recovered.
Earlier in the game, the Bears scored two quick defensive touchdowns to erase a 14-3 deficit. They held ETSU to just 13 rushing yards on 30 attempts. ETSU did throw for 459 yards, 192 by Jaylen King and 267 by Gino English.
Mercer improves to 8-1 overall/vs. the FCS with four then-ranked wins and three victories over teams in the playoff picture. With FCS games coming at VMI and vs. Furman, plus a road trip to Alabama, the Bears could be in a spot for a Top 5 playoff seed if they beat the two FCS opponents and finish 10-1 vs. the FCS with a few quality wins.
UT Martin
UT Martin defeated No. 25 Tennessee State 28-21 to improve to 6-3 overall with two FCS losses (one-score games vs. ranked SEMO and Missouri State). The Skyhawks also have an FBS win over Kennesaw State.
With winnable games remaining at Charleston Southern, vs. Tennessee Tech, and vs. Lindenwood, UT Martin would be well-positioned for a playoff bid if it wins out and finishes 9-3 overall with an FBS win and a ranked win.
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Stock Down
Central Arkansas
UCA, ranked No. 11 on Saturday and once ranked in the Top 5 this year, lost 34-21 to Utah Tech. It was the first win of the season for the Trailblazers. Utah Tech’s Reggie Graff threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 90 yards and a score. UCA’s Will McElvain threw four interceptions, plus standout RB ShunDerrick Powell didn’t play.
Central Arkansas is now 6-3 overall and 6-2 vs. the FCS with one then-ranked win and no currently-ranked wins. Games remain against some of the better UAC teams — at EKU, vs. SUU, and at ranked Tarleton State. UCA has to win two of the last three to have a shot at the playoffs while winning out would likely get the Bears into the bracket and potentially the UAC auto-bid.
Tarleton State
Tarleton felt snubbed last week after it wasn’t ranked in the playoff committee’s Top 10. But it did itself no favors by losing to unranked EKU 17-13. Tarleton was ranked No. 7 in the media poll at the time, and now the Texans fall back to No. 14.
They are currently 7-2 overall and 7-1 vs. the FCS with no ranked wins. Tarleton goes to West Georgia this week before hosting ranked ACU and UCA. Winning out could potentially get the Texans back into the Top 10 seed discussion at 10-1 vs. the FCS with two ranked wins. But the EKU loss sets them back for now.
North Dakota
UND looked primed to reach the playoffs two weeks ago when the Fighting Hawks were ranked No. 7 in the country. Since then, they have lost back-to-back road games at Youngstown State (3-7) and Indiana State (4-5). They allowed 41 points at YSU and 35 points last weekend at Indiana State. UND now sits at 5-4 overall and 5-3 vs. the FCS with one ranked win. The Hawks are No. 21 in this week’s Media Poll.
The last three games feature three ranked opponents — vs. No. 3 SDSU, vs. No. 5 USD, and at No. 18 Illinois State. UND’s play at home compared to on the road is night and day, which makes the games against the South Dakota schools intriguing. The Hawks have to at least split these next two and then beat ISU on the road to finish 7-5 and have a shot at the playoffs.
