(STATS) – Some FCS teams may look back in late November and feel as though they had a “playoff” game this weekend.
It sounds confusing, of course, but there are some key games in the top FCS conferences that carry significant playoff implications. The losing team may find it’s on a long road back with a number of tough conference games upcoming as well.
On Saturday, keep a close eye on these four games (all times ET):
Missouri Valley: Western Illinois (2-2, 1-0) at No. 15 Illinois State (3-1, 0-1), 3 p.m.
Western Illinois has momentum with consecutive wins over Montana and Youngstown State, but all four of its Missouri Valley opponents in October are currently in the STATS FCS Top 25, so the Leathernecks can’t start the stretch with a loss (especially with No. 1 North Dakota State coming to Macomb next Saturday). Illinois State’s FBS win at Colorado State two weeks ago was much-needed because their season-opening shutout of NAIA St. Xavier isn’t going to help their playoff resume when the selection committee is counting Division I wins of teams.
CAA Football: No. 19 Villanova (3-2, 0-2) at No. 25 Maine (2-2, 1-0), 3:30 p.m.
Both teams have gone backward since posting a 2-0 start with an FBS win and another one over a 2017 playoff team. Villanova has a tougher remaining conference schedule than Maine, but four of the Black Bears’ final six games are on the road. Regardless, the moment is now because neither team can afford to suffer another loss when their rugged conference has the most ranked teams (seven) in the FCS.
Big Sky: No. 6 Weber State (3-1, 1-0) at Northern Arizona (2-3, 1-1), 5:30 p.m.
Most would say it’s a stretch to include Weber State, the 2017 Big Sky co-champ, in a “playoff” game, but this is one the Wildcats shouldn’t let slip past them. Their national ranking probably exceeds their early season play, and among the five Big Sky teams without a conference loss (three of them are 2-0), they have the toughest remaining schedule. Northern Arizona is in must-win mode at 2-3, but it owns an FBS win (UTEP), which is always good for a playoff resume, and its remaining schedule is manageable in the largest FCS conference.
Missouri Valley: No. 24 Missouri State (3-1, 1-0) at South Dakota (2-2, 1-0), 3 p.m.
The DakotaDome is sold out for this matchup. Missouri State has posted back-to-back wins over Top 25 opponents – Northern Arizona and Illinois State – for the first time since 1989. Like Illinois State, the Bears have a sub-FCS win, so beating some conference opponents on the road is imperative. Under fourth-year coach Dave Steckel, they’re 3-16 away from Springfield. In the preseason, this game appeared to be one of the easier ones on South Dakota’s schedule. It’s isn’t, but it’s a must-have, especially with a November schedule of South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Northern Iowa on the horizon.
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