TGIF! It's Week 7. Let's predict some scores.
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Week 7 of the FCS slate features games that are important in different ways than we initially anticipated. For games like Idaho State-UC Davis and Maine–Rhode Island, there's unexpected conference implications attached that no one saw coming in the preseason. For games like JMU–Villanova and Montana–North Dakota, there's a quiet desperation that we couldn't have predicted even two weeks ago.
Week 7 looked like it good be a lighter week on the schedule, but it's morphed into a mid-season referendum on some important teams in the national spotlight.
On to our six featured games!
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Game of the Week: Eastern Washington at Weber State
Chase: Eastern Washington 34, Weber 14
Eastern Washington's offense is quite good. Weber State's defense is quite good. I think the different here is that I believe Eastern's defense can stop Weber's anemic offense, while I'm not sure any Big Sky defense can really stop what Eastern is doing. Have to back the Eags here.
Sam: Eastern Washington 24, Weber State 14
It doesn't appear Gage Gubrud is likely to play, so Weber's defense could make this interesting. But the Eagles still have enough to get the road win.
Brian: Eastern Washington 28, Weber State 10
Earlier this week, Gage Gubrud still wasn't practicing because of injury. Then again, Eastern Washington trotted out young Eric Barriere last weekend and the Eags still posted 50+ points. This will be a harder game though, should EWU have to go without Gubrud. They will be tested on the road Saturday.
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Elon at Delaware
Chase: Elon 24, Delaware 20
Elon will start slow, but the Phoenix are the more talented team here. Delaware should be feisty at home, but I think Elon will persevere and find a way to win in Newark.
Sam: Elon 28, Delaware 17
Can a game be such a trap game that it makes it not a trap game? No question Elon has heard the outside talk of a letdown game after knocking off JMU. In that sense, I believe the Phoenix are going to be ready to go.
Brian: Delaware 24, Elon 21
This isn't disrespect to Elon, this just gives you an example of what I think is going on in the CAA this year. I think the Blue Hens are primed for a signature win. They're banging their heads against the wall for the turnover-laden, shell-shocked start to the North Dakota State game, a game that truly didn't represent this program (then shutting out the Bison the last 34 minutes). Elon is coming off a monster win at James Madison and we've seen the hangover effect this year in the FCS repeatedly. I think this is going to be a good game that could go either way, and true to CAA form — Delaware upsets the apple cart.
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Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T
Chase: Florida A&M 21, North Carolina A&T 20
Both teams appear to be trending in different directions. I won't be terribly surprised if the Aggies reverse course and re-establish itself as the premiere HBCU program of the moment, but until then, I'll back the hungrier team.
Sam: North Carolina A&T 30, Florida A&M 21
A&T has been underwhelming since its terrific start against JSU and ECU. FAMU is quickly on the rise, but the Aggies can make a statement here.
Brian: North Carolina A&T 17, Florida A&M 16
In a battle that could ultimately settle the MEAC and a Celebration Bowl berth this year, Florida A&M comes in red-hot after three straight wins and N.C. A&T's head-scratching loss to Morgan State is still resonating (though it didn't count in the MEAC standings – long story). FAMU could certainly pull this off. It should be a close game either way.
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East Tennessee State at The Citadel
Chase: Citadel 21, ETSU 12
East Tennessee State's days as the SoCon's first-place team are numbered. Is this the weekend the Bucs don't hang on? (Clearly, I think it is.)
Sam: ETSU 14, Citadel 10
ETSU still isn't getting a ton of national love for being 5-1. Its strength of schedule isn't the greatest, true. But I think this is a solid team that can get the job done against a tough Bulldogs team.
Brian: Citadel 27, ETSU 24
I'll go ahead and say The Citadel is the best 1-win FCS team as of October. The Bulldogs stormed back to tie Wofford, and the Terriers had to score late to escape with a win. Chattanooga needed overtime to dispose of The Citadel, and the other loss was to a playoff-bound CAA team, Towson. ETSU has been one of the best stories of the FCS this year and certainly is on par with The Citadel. The tiebreaker here, to me, is where it's being played.
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Idaho State at UC Davis
Chase: UC Davis 45, Idaho State 41
I actually like Idaho State's offense better than the UC Davis offense, but playing in a meaningful game — on the road, no less — is a new position for the Bengals. I'll take Davis in a close, high-scoring affair. If there is such a thing as a valuable loss, it could be here — win or lose, Idaho State can learn a lot from this moment.
Sam: UC Davis 49, Idaho State 42
I hope the scoreboard operator has an ice pack ready for their fingers after this game. Both offenses are elite. But at the end of the day, UC Davis is the better overall team.
Brian: UC Davis 35, Idaho State 24
The Aggies look more and more like a Big Sky title threat, and Idaho State has been one of the biggest surprises of the FCS at the midway point. I think UC Davis puts this one away and people begin talking about the UC Davis-Eastern Washington game looming later this year.
[divider]MORE BIG SKY: Every Big Sky Team's Chance to Make the Playoffs[divider]
Mercer at Yale
Chase: Yale 31, Mercer 24
I just can't see Yale dropping under .500 here.
Sam: Yale 28, Mercer 24
Yale's blowout loss was shocking last weekend against Dartmouth. I expect this team to bounce back and show it's a much better team than what it showed last week.
Brian: Mercer 28, Yale 17
I'm reversing what I thought we'd see in the preseason, primarily because Yale has proven to be beatable twice this year, which I wasn't anticipating. Mercer is a solid program looking to get firm footing and push for its first FCS Playoff spot since restarting the football program five years ago. The Bears need this win. At this point, an 8-win regular season looks possible (only clear "underdog" game after this weekend is at Wofford) … but 7 wins isn't a guarantee of anything in the crazy SoCon this year, so a win this weekend is more critical than most people realize.
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