FCS: Several Conferences Got Revenge In First Round

The 2018 FCS Playoffs are here and we noticed some interesting trends in the first weekend. Below you can find a recap of these "trends" as well as recaps on all eight of the first-round games.

[divider]COMPARE: Any Two FCS Players | Any Two FCS Teams[divider]

BRACKET CONTEST: The Fan Leaderboard After The 1st Round

They've heard it for years: They're not as good. They don't deserve as many FCS Playoff spots. They can't match up with the MVFC, CAA and Big Sky — and not only will they not win, they'll get slaughtered.

Well, that's not exactly how it went — at least not this weekend.

The OVC's SEMO was supposed to get eliminated by its CAA foe, Stony Brook, many said. It didn't happen. The Southland's Lamar barely got into the playoff field and had zero chance, right? Even against a 6-win team like Northern Iowa out of the MVFC. Well, the game was tied in the fourth quarter before the hometown Panthers survived with a 16-13 win. And remember, UNI beat seeded South Dakota State by way worse than that in the same building a few weeks ago.

And Incarnate Word? The Southland team everybody said shouldn't even have been mentioned as a playoff team? For much of its game up in Bozeman, Mont., it gave Montana State fits. Oh, and Nicholls won big, and Jacksonville State also advanced. These are all teams that have had the cynics burning for weeks (years?). Next week will be tougher, but this weekend was solid.

And the NEC's Duquesne, matched up against Towson and Joe Flacco's little brother Tom? It wasn't even close as the Dukes dominated.

Look, there's a ton of postseason left — including the best two MVFC teams, the best three Big Sky teams and the usual gauntlet you face from the second round on — but it was a respectable showing from the conferences that as Rodney Dangerfield said better than anybody — " … get no respect".[divider]