FCS vs. FBS in the Early Weeks of the 2014 Season
Several interesting FCS vs. FBS matchups kick off this weekend where the Davids will attempt to slay the Goliaths. Some FCS schools, obviously, have a more realistic shot of doing just that than others do.
Remember Appalachian State?
It’s difficult to believe that Appalachian State’s monumental upset at Michigan came seven years ago, and ironically, the two will meet again Saturday as the Mountaineers themselves are now a FBS school.
Some of Week 1’s matchups include: No. 23 Eastern Illinois at Minnesota, No. 9 Chattanooga at Central Michigan, No. 6 Villanova at Syracuse, No. 11 Jacksonville State at Michigan State, No. 3 North Dakota State at Iowa State, No. 7 Northern Iowa at Iowa, No. 10 South Dakota State at Missouri, No. 19 William & Mary at Virginia Tech, No. 5 Montana at Wyoming, No. 4 New Hampshire at Toledo, No. 24 Northern Arizona at San Diego State and No. 22 Delaware at Pitt.
But what about Week 2?
It’s nice to get the notoriety and the chance to test your mettle against the “big” schools, and it’s nice to get that fat paycheck, too, but an expected loss in Week 1 followed by another one in Week 2, well, a team’s season could unravel quickly.
And a few FCS schools have tough early schedules. Consider:
* Chattanooga faces Jacksonville State next weekend when both schools could be 0-1 after Week 1. Both are among the top teams in the FCS ranks, so that September 6th contest looms large.
* Villanova started last season 0-2, and it doesn’t want a repeat but after its opener against Syracuse, the Wildcats face pesky Fordham on September 6th. The Rams knocked off Villanova last year.
* Although Northern Iowa has an open week next weekend, it travels to Hawaii the following week. With Iowa this weekend, that’s a tough two-game start.
* New Hampshire has a tough early slate. After Toledo, the Wildcats get a bye, then host Lehigh and visit Richmond. The Wildcats are loaded, but that’s a real challenge.
So keep your eyes on these teams and see how they fare in the early going.
