I don't know what to make of the FCS today/tonight. On one hand I want to send it home to sleep it off, but on the other hand? Hey, parity is a wonderful thing, right? It's American. What a crazy day, and more than 20 percent of my poll ballot from last week? I just can't vote for these teams this week. That poll ballot piece will come on Sunday after I can fully absorb all these nutty results. Hell, where do you shift everybody?
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THE SUMMARY
I'll admit … after this week's craziness, I have to wonder what the NDSU diehards did on Saturday. You know they were watching. And the SDSU diehards … and Illinois State and Central Arkansas (how was that Hawaii trip, UCA?) and Sacramento State (just in time to become a national topic) and on and on and on. Hey, this weekend was a breather for some of the FCS monsters, right?
I can confirm to you that the NDSU diehards were watching. They were critiquing. They were judging. And hey? Why shouldn't they. Their chosen team has sculpted this whole thing for a decade and disposed of so many FBS teams that the coroner has lost count of the bodycount. It's an educated fan base, just like we sports fans always heard about Boston Red Sox baseball fans and Alabama football fans and Green Bay Packers fans, etc, etc, etc.
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Today? James Madison pummeled a rankable team that beat the Dukes last year (Elon). On Elon's home field. With Elon's 2018 head coach.
As Furman fans will remember from the 1980s — if you cannot beat a team, steal their coach (Dick Sheridan to NC State — paging FU's Clay Hendrix and MU's Bobby Lamb, they both beat NC State in the 1980s and also played for Sheridan). But hey, it makes sense, right? Coach Curt Cignetti is at JMU now, and the Dukes are good. If the 45-10 drubbing of a good Elon team doesn't convince some of you nationally that this is the No. 1 team in the country? OK. That's fine. But once again? My ballot won't be changing this week. Give the Dukes the No. 1 respect they deserve. And trust me, I don't even care who is No. 1 — beyond putting the correct team there.
On the flip side, NDSU's "big win" last week at home against UC Davis? Well, UC Davis got pummeled by another potential FCS monster in the next few years — Montana. That should spark some debate. The Griz went to UC Davis down in the Greater Sacramento/San Fran Bay area and destroyed the Aggies. The NDSU Bison hosted the Aggies last week and got all they wanted through 58 minutes. You tell me what this means.
Who else impressed? Honestly, I feel like I'm doing a disservice to Villanova by "burying the lede" this far down. 'Nova is the only 5-0 team left in the entire FCS. Al Davis would be proud, because coach Mark Ferrante and his staff are doing nothing but "just win baby" so far now that he's not chained to brutal injuries like the past few years … and today's win over a good Maine team was even more convincing than last week's tight one over Towson. The Wildcats are setting things up for a massive battle at James Madison in two weeks. Unless there is a hiccup this next week? This should be a battle of the titans at Bridgeforth, and HERO Sports will be on site to document it. Can't wait.
Don't worry, UM and MSU fans, we have your more specific shoutout below and it's well earned. And there's more where that came from …
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OTHER GAME BALLS
No. 1) The Montana Schools – Look you two, we know you hate each other more than dirt hates soap, but you both deserve major kudos today. Hey, for literal YEARS we've been saying these two FCS giants needed to come back into the fray. And it's been a tough couple of years. I mean, these two programs easily combine to bring 50K+ on any given big weekend. When they are winning? They can beat out a San Jose State or a Nevada or a UTEP for a recruit because these teams are winning, and why wouldn't you want to go to school in Montana (I wanted to, and I'm a Floridian). It is finally happening, it would seem. Am I 100-percent solid on these MT twins who hate each other? Not 100 percent. But it's the closest I've felt to it in five seasons of covering the FCS for HERO Sports. Today was a big step. Probably the biggest in a long time. MSU's comeback win was kind of scary, and UM never even took the boot off of UC Davis' throat.
No. 2) Weber State – Another Big Sky school? Um, yeah. Look, the Wildcats have now taken out an MVFC team that took ranked P5 Iowa State to OT, and the Wildcats to their own credit have come within a hair (six points apiece) of two FBS wins at San Diego State and Nevada. This WSU team is battle-tested and is beyond ready for Big Sky Conference play. It gave up 25 total points to two FBS teams and 17 to a tough-as-hell UNI program. Folks … this is the best defensive team in the Big Sky Conference and it will be a major, major factor this season.
No. 3) Houston Baptist & Tennessee Tech once again – Broken record on line one, right? HBU and Tennessee Tech are now a combined 8-2 with two FBS losses. This is really an easy weekly edit because the narrative stays the same — these two programs are in major, massive, contention mode. Will they be ranked this week? Maybe not just yet, but trust me … we're all going to watch as these two teams enter October conference play. If you're not paying attention to these two teams that went 2-20 combined last year with one combined FCS win, you're not paying attention to one of the top stories in the FCS. Kudos to HBU head coach Vic Shealy and TTech head coach Dewayne Alexander. It is clear you both have hit a nerve with your programs.
No. 4) Georgetown – Georgetown football is an interesting study. Back in the "old days" yes, this program produced NFL Draft picks from 1936 to 1953, and in 1940 it had a national ranking. But in the 1970s it decided it would go to the D-3 ranks. And that's how it was for years until coming into the Patriot League about 20 years ago. Well, Coach Rob Sgarlata and his staff aren't only turning that around, they're also recruiting some really special talent to G-town. Stuff is happening folks, so pay attention in the Patriot League. Oh, and they are winning … three points away from 4-0.
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SWING AND A B-MAC WHIFF
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Montana … I give you full credit. That was a monster win today and I honestly feel like it is the most definitive win for the Griz since you knocked off NDSU and Carson Wentz in the 2015 opener — which consequently? Well … it was my first story at HERO Sports and I actually wrote a column picking the "upset". My first column for HERO Sports stated that NDSU was vulnerable in 2015 and would fall in Missoula in the opener and wouldn't win the title game. Well … I got one half of it right, as Wentz became a monster (and Easton Stick didn't hurt things during Wentz's injury). My HERO Sports colleague Andy Coffaro and I debated this one on Aug. 28, 2015.
And today's win for the Griz? Easily the best win since 2015, I think.
And hey, we didn't pick the Delaware-Pitt game, but my apologies to the Blue Hens for being a doubter. In the past few years, I've been an advocate because of my respect for what Danny Rocco did at Richmond. When UD didn't make the playoffs in 2017? We ridiculed that mistaken decision. Last year? We stuck up for this program that sometimes couldn't find its offense.
But anybody who knows the FCS' history realized that along with the Griz and Montana State … Delaware is a sleeping giant at this level and it's only a matter of time if it finds the right person to lead it … which UD has. This is a rebuilding Delaware team and it went to P5 Pittsburgh on the Three Rivers and gave the Panthers every single bit of piss and vinegar it could possibly want. It's mind-boggling that it takes a P5 loss, and not 3 FCS wins, to convince me this team is legit (at least through 5 games), but today was a signature performance. And yes, NDSU fans, this makes your blowout win over the Blue Hens look considerably better. You happy now?
And as usual, sorry Texas State … I don't apologize to FBS schools with considerably more scholarships than FCS schools. Yep, I thought Nicholls would give you hell … and the Colonels did through 2.5 quarters before former FCS QB Gresch Jensen (of Montana fame) helped push Texas State past Nicholls.
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