It’s Showdown Saturday in the FCS, as a lot of key matchups involve top-25 teams. With several top-10 upsets taking place last weekend, many teams are in a precarious situation. Teams like Villanova, Southern Illinois and South Dakota State need wins despite strong résumés because the field is so deep.
At the same time, teams like UT-Martin, Kennesaw State and Southeastern Louisiana have to further distance themselves from those nipping at their heels in their respective conference standings.
Making things even more interesting is that some teams in and around the cutoff point of the top 25 will play huge roles in the FCS playoff picture moving forward.
Here’s how the FCS Power Poll looks heading into Week 10 …
1. Sam Houston (7-0): I wonder if the Bearkats still know what a loss feels like? They haven’t lost a game since 2019.
2. Montana State (7-1): I’ve been high on the Bobcats all season long. This weekend, they get to prove just how good they are as they face Eastern Washington.
3. North Dakota State (8-0): Stacking wins on top of wins, the Bison just keep moving the ball down the field as effectively as any team in the FCS.
4. James Madison (7-1): It appears the Dukes have one foot in the FCS and another in the Sun Belt Conference. Either way, they’ve rebounded nicely since their one-point loss against Villanova three weeks ago.
5. Eastern Washington (7-1): The Eagles defense has played well enough, but that unit is still looking for its respect as it takes on Montana State.
6. Southeastern Louisiana (7-1): There’s just something — or someone — about this SLU team that leads me to believe it’ll be a problem come playoff time … and he stands at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds and plays quarterback. Cole Kelley is the real deal.
7. UC Davis (7-1): UC Davis’ only blemish is an ugly loss to Idaho State. We shouldn’t count the Aggies out as potential contenders in the playoffs.
8. Villanova (6-2): Arguably the most shocking upset of Week 10 was the Wildcats’ 31-18 loss to William & Mary. We’ll see how they’ll respond the rest of the way.
9. UT-Martin (7-1): The Skyhawks can all but lock up the Ohio Valley Conference this weekend if they are able to defeat a surging Tennessee State.
10. South Dakota State (6-2): It’s been a war of attrition for the Jackrabbits. Despite some of their losses, they still are a formidable team the rest of the way. It’ll be a huge boost for them if they are able to knock off North Dakota State this weekend.
11. Jackson State (7-1): Tigers keep Tiger’n along while coach Deion Sanders is on the mend. Shoutout to interim coach Gary “Flea” Harrell for keeping the ship afloat over the last two weeks.
12. Southern Illinois (6-2): Flying too close to the sun ended up costing the Salukis. They will have to learn how to put teams away if they want to go far in the postseason.
13. Montana (6-2): The Griz have won two in a row and should be able to build some momentum over the next few weeks as well.
14. East Tennessee State (7-1): The Bucs had their one slip up against Chattanooga 21-16 and can’t afford any more with VMI and Mercer left to play. Those three games could unclog the logjam in the Southern Conference.
15. Eastern Kentucky (6-2): I like how this Colonels team is playing ball right now. They’ve won five in a row and have two huge games coming up against Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin.
16. Sacramento State (6-2): The Hornets are one of five potential playoff participants in the Big Sky Conference. However, they hope to enter the playoffs as conference champs.
17. Kennesaw State (7-1): It looks like it’s going to come down to Kennesaw State and Monmouth for the Big South title.
18. Incarnate Word (6-2): UIW can get a leg up on the Southland Conference title race if it can knock off Southeastern Louisiana.
19. Northern Iowa (5-3): The Panthers have knocked off Sacramento State, South Dakota State and Southern Illinois. It’s safe to say their spot in the playoffs is secured … as long as they don’t crumble down the stretch.
20. William & Mary (6-2): Head Coach Mike London’s squad is looking good in terms of a potential at-large bid coming off of a huge upset last weekend over Villanova.
21. Princeton (7-0): The Tigers are looking to put some significant distance between themselves and the rest of the Ivy League contenders with a critical game against Dartmouth.
22. Missouri State (5-3): The Bears can’t afford to look ahead on the schedule, but they are most definitely eyeing that matchup against Northern Iowa in two weeks.
23. VMI (6-2): The Keydets still have a chance to take the SoCon with a game against ETSU this weekend. It could also be a game that decides if the SoCon is a one-bid or two-bid league.
24. Prairie View A&M (6-1): The Panthers are back in action this week facing an Alabama State squad that fired coach Donald Hill-Eley earlier this week.
25. Mercer (6-2): Welcome back Mercer. The Bears find themselves in a three-way tie in the SoCon standings with VMI and ETSU. They are off this week before wrapping up their season with games against Chattanooga and ETSU.
Just Missed the Cut: Holy Cross, South Dakota, Fordham, Norfolk State, FAMU, Dartmouth
The Czar’s Games of the Week
Montana State at Eastern Washington: A huge game in the Big Sky Conference is a battle between top-five teams. This is the game I personally have been waiting for because I feel like Montana State hasn’t garnered enough respect nationally. This will be a strength-vs-strength battle. The Bobcats have the excellent defense and Eastern Washington’s offense is a legitimate point-a-minute type that averages 51 points per game. Both teams will want to dictate the pace of the game: Montana State wants to play it slow, while EWU wants to make it a track meet. I believe the winner will definitely be a final-four team in the playoffs, but in this matchup, I will side with linebacker Troy Andersen and the Bobcats defense to get key stops. Pick: Montana State 24, Eastern Washington 21
Tennessee State at UT-Martin: First year coach Eddie George has his Tigers riding a four-game winning streak, and they’re winners of five of their last six games. The key for them has been a stout defense and finally figuring out their QB situation with Geremy Hickbottom. UT-Martin was down 16-0 last weekend to Austin Peay in the first half, only to soar back and win 17-16. This is another tricky game in terms of the FCS playoffs. A Tigers win would put them in the driver’s seat for the Ohio Valley Conference title and leave UT-Martin hoping for an at-large bid. While UTM’s résumé is strong enough to secure one, you don’t want to leave it up to chance. The Skyhawks offense is more likely to get off to a faster start, which should be enough to sneak them over the top. Pick: UT-Martin 19, Tennessee State 16
Southeastern Louisiana at Incarnate Word: Two of the best QBs in the FCS take the field in this game. Kelley, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner, and Cameron Ward, the reigning Jerry Rice Award winner, will light up the scoreboard. The playoff implications are why this is a vital game. The winner has the inside track to the Southland Conference title and auto-bid to the playoffs, while the other has to hope for an at-large bid. Experience matters in games like this, and right now you have to trust what the Lions are bringing to the table. Pick: SLU 42, UIW 37
The Czar’s Upset Pick of the Week
St. Thomas (MN) at Davidson: The Tommies would be right in the mix for the Pioneer League title — and an auto-bid — if they were eligible. What an impressive debut season they’ve had after making the jump from Division III to Division I. Davidson has the most consistently explosive offense in the conference, but I worry about their defense in this game. St. Thomas can run the ball well, and most importantly, play excellent defense. Pick: St. Thomas (MN) 23, Davidson 20
The Czar’s SportsLine Lock of the Week
Princeton at Dartmouth: Over the last two weeks, we’ve seen the Princeton defense get back to its dominating ways. At the same time, Dartmouth’s passing game has started to find its rhythm. Will the Big Green’s newfound balance be enough to overtake the Tigers? You can find my pick for that game, along with all my Week 10 picks, on Sportsline.
