The premier matchup in the FCS this week is Southeast Missouri State traveling to Montana State. Not only because SEMO is nationally-ranked at No. 12 and the Bobcats are right there at No. 13, but this is an early game that really strengthens a team's playoff resume.
Plus, it's cool to see the Ohio Valley Conference and the Big Sky Conference facing off on the gridiron. Eastern Washington and Jacksonville State are doing it later this month in another possible ranked matchup.
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SEMO and MSU both made the second round of the playoffs last season and expect to be back in the bracket. Looking at their 2019 nonconference games, this matchup is big for playoff positioning. MSU had a throwaway loss to FBS Texas Tech last week and then has two very winnable games against Western Illinois and Norfolk State. The Redhawks beat a below-average Southern Illinois team last week, then have a tough game at FBS Missouri before facing D2 West Virginia State.
How you measure up to quality FCS opponents is big in the eyes of the playoff committee, especially in the nonconference. Your record against other teams in consideration for the 24-team bracket is a big factor.
And on their conference schedules, both teams might not have a ton of chances to knock off teams that are in the playoff discussion. SEMO went 6-2 in the OVC, a two-bid league, last year. There's good reason to believe the Redhawks can improve that record even more. For the Bobcats, they play just one conference playoff team from 2018 and that's UC Davis right before the regular-season finale at home against bitter rival Montana.
On paper (there we go using that term again), SEMO and Montana State are set for impressive overall records. And who knows, at some point this season the winner of Saturday's game could be looked at as a potential seed if they go on to win the games they're favored to win.
But beating up on weaker conference opponents is one thing. Whoever wins this game can point to it on their playoff resume as a sign that they're for real in the national landscape of FCS football.
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NEXT: Top 15 Favorites To Win The National Title
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