While there were some exciting matchups this past week with CFP implications for Georgia, Tennessee, BYU and many others, the real college football playoffs aren’t getting enough attention.
Of course, I am talking about the FCS Playoffs.
The FCS, for those who don’t know, is the Football Championship Series, it is practically Division IB to the FBS’ Division IA.
The FCS has been doing the whole playoffs thing since its inception in 1978 and the FBS is just now catching up on this genius concept. The FCS playoffs are even bigger, though, with 24 teams making the playoffs and the top eight seeds receiving first-round byes.
24 teams!
So I thought I’d shine a light on the “real” playoffs, which aren’t getting nearly enough attention, and what teams are gearing up for a national championship push.
Montana State
The Bozeman-based university has one of the most beautiful venues in all of college football, with the mountains of Montana shining around the bleachers of Bobcat Stadium, and the team that plays there lives up to the majestic setting.
Last season, the Bobcats were bounced earlier than expected in the playoffs, falling 35-34 to perennial FCS contenders North Dakota State in the second round.
This season, Montana State is back for vengeance, currently sitting at No. 2 in the most recent FCS rankings with an 11-0 record.
The Bobcats have played a legit schedule as well, starting off week one with a 35-31 victory over FBS-side New Mexico, who just this past week knocked off No. 25 Washington State. On top of that, Montana State is dominating the Big Sky, beating conference opponents by an average of 25.3 points over the past seven games.
Montana State’s ground offense has powered this locomotive of a team, sitting first in the FCS in rushing yards with 3,489 and the team is averaging 7.01 yards per carry.
The Bobcats are looking toward revenge this year, and they look damn good.
The State of South Dakota
Unsurprisingly, North and South Dakota State are still dominant in the FCS. The pair have combined to win six of the last seven FCS Championships, with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits winning in 2022 and 2023.
To put it in non-college football sicko terms, they are basically the Alabama and Georgia of the FCS.
North Dakota State has entered a new era under Tim Polasek, who assumed the head coach role this year when Matt Entz left to coach for USC, but the Bison have not skipped a beat.
NDSU sits at No. 1 in the FCS, suffering its only loss to CFP contender Colorado to give the Bison a 10-1 record on the season. They’ve looked fantastic, dominating the Missouri Valley Conference. One of those wins was extra sweet, coming against eternal rival South Dakota State in a game that classical Big Ten fans would’ve been proud of, as the Bison came out on top 13-9.
But the aforementioned South Dakota State hasn’t been vanquished, with the Jackrabbits currently No. 3 in the FCS Standings at a record of 9-2.
They possess the fifth-best total defense and the No. 1 scoring defense in the FCS, allowing just under 13 points per game (the University of South Dakota has the second-best scoring defense in the FCS — must be something about Mt. Rushmore and great defenses).
Don’t be surprised if these two powerhouses meet again for the FCS Championship.
UC Davis
The Aggies got blown out by Cal in Week One, but have looked rock-solid since then, dominating the Big Sky. At least until this past week, when they fell just short of dethroning Montana State atop the conference.
A dominant passing attack led by senior quarterback Miles Hastings has spearheaded UC Davis’ success, with Hasting currently ranking fourth in the FCS in passing yards with 3,347 this season. On top of that, his 29 passing touchdowns are the second-most in the country.
The Aggies’ run game is also impressive, as senior running back Lan Larison is top 10 in the country in rushing yards with 1,173 yards to go along with 11 touchdowns. Additionally, Larison leads UC Davis in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns. Some (me) are calling him the Christian McCaffrey of the Big Sky.
The Aggies’ defense is nothing special, but their potent offense can keep up with the likes of Montana State, and proves that they’re ready for a deep playoff run after missing the final 24 last season.
While the FBS is fun and garners the most attention because that’s where the best talent plays, we shouldn’t forget about the originators of the college football playoff format. Make sure to tune in to the FCS tournament, because the league offers a massively underrated and exciting brand of college football.