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AP: Five must-see games in FCS college football this weekend
Posted on 2/18/21 at 8:21 am
Posted on 2/18/21 at 8:21 am
quote:
This weekend, a number of FCS schools will jump into the unusual season, although the original schedule has shrunk due to COVID-19 and weather reasons. The Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule particularly stands out.
Following are five must-see games on the FCS schedule between Feb. 19-21 (all times ET):
South Dakota State at Northern Iowa, 8 p.m. Friday (MyUTV/CW/Panther SN/ESPN+)
This is the FCS Game of the Week. UNI eliminated South Dakota State, 13-10, in the second round of the 2019 playoffs just three weeks after getting hammered by the Jackrabbits, 38-7. Panthers coach Mark Farley is on the doorstep of a milestone with 99 all-time Missouri Valley wins - already the conference record. He's hoping for a revival of the run game after the 2019 season marked the Farley era low in rushing yards per game (110.9), with the previous two the next-lowest of his 19 seasons. Conversely, SDSU junior Pierre Strong Jr. eats up rushing yards: Since his arrival in 2018, he ranks second in the FCS in rushing average (8.2 on 260 carries) among players with 100 or more carries.
Southern Illinois at North Dakota, 1 p.m. Saturday (Midco Sports Network/ESPN+)
UND is glad to be inside the Alerus Center for its first game as a Missouri Valley member. The Fighting Hawks have won 33 straight home openers (the active high among FCS programs) as well as their last seven home games since 2018, an excellent 24-9 overall in the friendly confines under seventh-year coach Bubba Schweigert. SIU sophomore Javon Williams Jr. is working on four straight games over 100 rushing yards, including 135 in a Top 25 win over Southeast Missouri in October, and has accounted for a touchdown on a run, reception or pass in 12 of his last 14 games - 23 overall in that span.
Edward Waters at Jackson State, 2 p.m. Sunday (ESPN3)
It's been Prime Time all the time at Jackson State since the SWAC school hired Deion Sanders as head coach in September. As he makes his debut against a Division II opponent, the Tigers are seeking to reverse a run of six straight seasons without a winning record (it includes a 5-5 mark in 2018). SWAC opponents surely took notice in the preseason when linebacker Keonte Hampton, the conference's 2019 defensive player of the year, told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, "I honestly think we should dominate every opponent we play, and we should go undefeated."
Austin Peay at Tennessee Tech, 2:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPN+)
Austin Peay's C.J. Evans opened the college football season in August with a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage in the FCS Kickoff game, but it basically then went downhill for the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference co-champ (0-3), which later hired 31-year-old Scotty Walden as the youngest head coach in Division I. Wide receivers DeAngelo Wilson and Baniko Harley had a hand in 27 touchdowns in 2019, but were shut out this past fall. The Govs will be hard-pressed to shut down TTU quarterback Bailey Fisher, who as a sophomore set numerous school records, including total offensive yards (3,132) and total touchdowns (32) in a season.
Youngstown State at North Dakota State, 3:30 p.m. Sunday (NBC North Dakota/ESPN+)
Youngstown State first-year coach Doug Phillips wasn't exactly given a cupcake for his debut. It may be more his Penguins trying to avoid getting devoured inside the Fargodome. The three-time defending FCS champion Bison have won 29 straight home games, including 24 by an average of 27.5 points during their FCS-record 38-game winning streak. Zeb Noland, who once threw for 360 yards against Oklahoma as Iowa State's quarterback, will make his first start as a Bison, and he can dish to wide receiver Christian Watson, whose 21.5-yard average on 34 receptions in 2019 is the high during NDSU's Division I era (since 2004).
This post was edited on 2/18/21 at 8:29 am
Posted on 2/18/21 at 8:24 am to paperwasp
Why not put these on ESPN2 or ESPNU? I bet you'd get higher ratings from FCS football than some no-name colleges playing basketball.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 8:26 am to crispyUGA
No shite. I would be watching all of these games if they were put on network television. I'm sure as hell not gonna give ESPN any more money to watch FCS football though. They get too much of my money as it is.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:00 am to paperwasp
Wait
We have football on this weekend? How am I just hearing about this.
We have football on this weekend? How am I just hearing about this.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:06 am to crispyUGA
quote:
Why not put these on ESPN2 or ESPNU? I bet you'd get higher ratings from FCS football than some no-name colleges playing basketball.
Agree completely. Football doldrums are tough and I would think lots of people would tune in for some games.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:12 am to crispyUGA
quote:
Why not put these on ESPN2 or ESPNU? I bet you'd get higher ratings from FCS football than some no-name colleges playing basketball
Probably contractual obligations between ESPN and the Conferences
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:22 am to paperwasp
I may go to the Austin Peay - TN Tech game. Should be good.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 9:53 am to paperwasp
"In a normal season you get a warm-up game with a Big 12 school. So it's tough with a conference only schedule, but we are just happy to be back on the field and will make the most of it." said Matt Entz, head coach of the North Dakota State Bison program.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 10:31 am to Wildcat1996
quote:
In a normal season you get a warm-up game with a Big 12 school
Posted on 2/18/21 at 11:56 am to paperwasp
My FCS team, Sam Houston State, had their season opener rescheduled to April. Now they open with Southeastern next Saturday. This southland spring season is gonna be fun. I’d love to see ESPN get these games aired and promote them somewhat like they would for FBS season. There is a lot of good football played at the FCS level and many casual fans do not notice it.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 12:00 pm to paperwasp
FCS and must-see do not go together. Sorry.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 12:15 pm to crispyUGA
quote:
Why not put these on ESPN2 or ESPNU? I bet you'd get higher ratings from FCS football than some no-name colleges playing basketball.
Why does ESPN not offer a streaming service that doesn't require a cable sub with all their content?
Posted on 2/18/21 at 12:19 pm to paperwasp
The good thing about ESPN+ is you always get the prelim UFC fights and sometimes the main even as well. That to me is worth it.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 12:19 pm to SCgamecock2988
quote:I dunno about that.
FCS and must-see do not go together. Sorry.
Frozen football is always great to watch, and it will be interesting to see the season go in reverse- by the end of the season it should be warm, and high-powered offenses should thrive.
And being off-season, it's easier to watch someone other than "your" team. Anyone adopting a program yet? Or are we waiting to see who looks good?
Posted on 2/18/21 at 12:26 pm to paperwasp
I’d love to see sec teams schedule their spring games against each other
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:30 pm to TomRollTideRitter
quote:
Why does ESPN not offer a streaming service that doesn't require a cable sub with all their content?
ESPN+ doesn’t have this?
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:35 pm to geauxnavybeatbama
quote:
I’d love to see sec teams schedule their spring games against each other
Oh hell yeah, get a good ol' SEC jamboree going!
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:50 pm to turnpiketiger
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ESPN+ doesn’t have this?
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe ESPN+ only gets you stuff exclusive to ESPN+.
I don’t think you can livestream ESPN or ESPN2 if all you have is ESPN+. I’ve always signed in with my cable provider.
Posted on 2/18/21 at 2:54 pm to TomRollTideRitter
Why doesn't the B1G and Pac 12 jump in? They could actually try to finish the second half of their season.
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