NOCO 7-27 EWU UMT 63-17 PORTST
IDA 20-23 SAC
WEB 3-31 IDST
CP 27-35 NAU
UCD 17-38 MTST
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 23-24
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 19-9
Best Performance: (#2) Montana St. 38, (#9) UC Davis 17 - Bobcat SS Caden Dowler (Taco’s twin brother) had a monster game, putting up 12 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup, and 2 interceptions returned for a total of 116 yards (1 TD).
Worst Performance: Weber St. 3, Idaho St. 31 - Not only was this the first time Weber had lost consecutive games to Idaho State since 1983-84, this was also the first time the Bengals had allowed single digits to a DI opponent since they shut out Weber 23 years ago.
Most Surprising Result: (none)
Southland
HCU 32-37 ETAMU
LAM 15-26 SFA SELU 10-7 UIW UTRGV 28-13 MCNSE
NWST 21-26 NICH
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 16-24
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 10-10
Best Performance: (#11) Stephen F. Austin 26, (#19) Lamar 15 - With QB Sam Vidlak mostly absent due to injury, the Lumberjacks still clinched the Southland title thanks to a strong defensive performance that included 17 QB hurries.
Worst Performance: Houston Christian 32, East Texas A&M 37 - The Huskies won turnovers 3-1 and narrowly won yardage and still couldn’t come away with a victory.
Most Surprising Result: Northwestern St. 21, Nicholls St. 26 - This was the Demons’ 23rd. straight conference loss (18th. if you don’t count the 2023 forfeits), but playing a not-horrible team close might be a positive sign of improvement.
Missouri Valley
UNI 16-48 NDSU ILST 35-21 SDKST SDK 53-51 SIU (5OT)
INST 29-48 YSU UND 35-17 MUR
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 24-15
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 22-6
Best Performance: (#14) Illinois St. 35, (#20) South Dakota St. 21 - Not scoring any points over the last 40 minutes of the game wasn’t nearly enough to prevent the Redbirds from winning their 4th. in a row.
Worst Performance: (#20) South Dakota St. 21, (#14) Illinois St. 35 - Falling to a third-string QB can derail even the best of teams as Jackrabbit third stringer Jack Henry—who has played the bulk of SDSU’s 4-game losing streak—has a lousy 101.3 passing-efficiency rating (52/89, 471 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs).
Most Surprising Result: (#23) Southern Illinois 51, (#17) South Dakota 53 (5OT) - The Salukis blew a 17-point second-half lead and allowed their playoff hopes to come down to a two-point-conversion crapshoot.
United
UCA 21-28 SUU
UNA 0-61 TARL
UTU 0-23 UWG ACU 17-10 EKU
SAM 16-30 AP
NConf Record: 1-0 Overall: 17-18
vs. FCS: 1-0 Overall: 14-11
Best Performance: (#6) Tarleton St. 61, North Alabama 0 - The Texans continue to dominate as they outgain the Lions 500-150 and force 6 turnovers.
Worst Performance: Utah Tech 0, West Georgia 23 - The Blazers are shut out by an opponent that peaked in September.
Most Surprising Result: (none)
Pioneer
BUT 7-29 USD PRESBY 23-9 STTHOM
STET 31-32 VALPO(OT) DRAKE 14-6 DAY
DVDSN 10-37 MARIST
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 20-21
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 8-19
Best Performance: Presbyterian 23, St. Thomas 9 - Collin Hurst’s return at QB certainly helped, but the real story was a Blue Hose defense that forced 3 turnovers and held the Tommies to 179 total yards.
Worst Performance: Stetson 31, Valparaiso 32 (OT) - The Hatters blow a 24-0 lead and end Valpo’s 9-game losing streak.
Most Surprising Result: Drake 14, Dayton 6 - Our hopes for Pioneer League chaos are ruined as Morehead State is now the only thing standing between the Bulldogs and an outright PFL title.
HC 37-20 BUCK LEH 27-7 COLG
FORD 0-14 GTOWN LAF 35-28 RICH
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 18-20
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 18-13
Best Performance: (#4) Lehigh 27, Colgate 7 - The Mountain Hawks cruise to victory as they move to 11-0 for the first time since 2001.
Worst Performance: Bucknell 20, Holy Cross 37 - The Bison are outrushed 276-40 by a team that was averaging just 101.7 rushing yards-per-game coming in.
Most Surprising Result: Holy Cross 37, Bucknell 20 - Sam Cantee puts up 10 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles to help the Crusaders win their 7th. straight over Bucknell.
Ivy League
BROWN 32-29 COLUM
COR 14-24 DART
PENN 43-45 HARV YALE 13-10 PRINCE
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 16-8
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 16-8
Best Performance: Dartmouth 24, Cornell 14 - Big Green RB D.J. Crowther ran for 2 TDs and 197 yards, which was more than 4 times as many rushing yards as the entire Cornell team.
Worst Performance: Columbia 29, Brown 32 - The home team has now lost 4 straight and 6 of the last 7 in this series.
Most Surprising Result: (#7) Harvard 45, Penn 43 - This is only the 2nd. time the Crimson have allowed more than 14 points this season (they beat Holy Cross 59-24).
Best Performance: Duquesne 38, Central Connecticut St. 33 - Duke RB Taj Butts destroyed the Blue Devils by running for 254 yards and 3 TDs on just 14 carries including a 59-yard game winner with 3:19 to go.
Worst Performance: Robert Morris 13, Mercyhurst 27 - The Colonials are averaging a paltry 15 points-per-game this season (tied for 6th. worst nationally), and they haven’t cracked 30 points in any game this season (not even the DII game).
Most Surprising Result: Duquesne 38, Central Connecticut St. 33 - This could’ve been the de facto NEC championship game if the Dukes hadn’t decided to mail in their previous two contests.
CAA
SBU 27-30 NOVA(OT) TOW 36-19 ALB URI 45-13 MAINE UNH 42-14 BRY W&M 55-14 HAMP MONM 63-19 NCAT ELON 31-24 CAMP
NConf Record: 0-0 Overall: 21-32
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 18-17
Best Performance: (#12) Rhode Island 45, Maine 13 - Antwain Littleton, Jr., runs for 202 yards and 2 TDs as the Rams get a statement win over a team that had won 6 in a row.
Worst Performance: Hampton 14, William & Mary 55 - The Pirates allow 2 more TD passes (5) than incompletions (3) as they lose their 11th. consecutive CAA contest.
Most Surprising Result: (#12) Rhode Island 45, Maine 13 - Since their stunning loss to Brown, Rhody has won 5 straight by an average margin of 25.4 points-per-game.
Best Performance: Lindenwood 42, Eastern Illinois 12 - Nate Glantz threw for 280 yards on just 13 completions (21.5 yards-per-catch) as the Lions got their most lopsided conference win since moving up.
Worst Performance: Eastern Illinois 12, Lindenwood 42 - The Panthers have now had 6+ game losing streaks in 5 of their last 7 seasons (5 out of 6 regular fall seasons).
Most Surprising Result: (none)
SoCon
ETSU 52-35 WCU
VMI 14-32 FUR WOFF 16-14 CIT
UTC 17-63 MER
SAM 16-30 AP
NConf Record: 0-1 Overall: 9-22
vs. FCS: 0-1 Overall: 7-15
Best Performance: (#8) Mercer 63, Tennessee-Chattanooga 17 - The Bears win yardage 540-198 and first downs 32-12 in easily getting their 9th. consecutive win.
Worst Performance: VMI 14, Furman 32 - The Keydets lose for the 13th. straight time to DI competition and for the 17th. straight time to Furman in Greenville.
Most Surprising Result: (#22) Western Carolina 35, East Tennessee St. 52 - Catamount QB Taron Dickens had yet another efficient performance—33/48, 426 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs—but he was outdone by two Buccaneer QBs who combined to go 22/37 for 394 yards and 6 TDs (0 INTs).
Best Performance: South Carolina St. 34, NC Central 27 - The Bulldogs convert 57% of their third downs and set up a winner-take-all showdown with Delaware State for the MEAC title and a Celebration Bowl berth.
Worst Performance: Norfolk St. 28, Morgan St. 35 - The Spartans lose despite getting two 100-yard rushers and clinch at least a share of last place in the MEAC.
Best Performance: Alcorn St. 27, Grambling 16 - The Braves win their 4th. in a row after a 1-6 start (0-6 against DI).
Worst Performance: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9, Prairie View A&M 56 - The Panthers gain 644 yards on just 67 offensive plays and beat Pine Bluff at home for the 7th. straight time.
Most Surprising Result: Alcorn St. 27, Grambling 16 - Alcorn has 4 wins over Grambling in the last 5 years, which is as many wins as they got against the Tigers over the previous 17 years (Alcorn was forced to vacate the 2012 & 2013 wins).
Independents
MERR 37-42 SACHRT
Non-Ind. Record: 0-0 Overall: 10-10
vs. FCS: 0-0 Overall: 8-8
Best Performance: Sacred Heart 42, Merrimack 37 - The Pioneers get three 100-yard rushers, led by QB Jack Snyder’s 163 yards and 2 TDs, as they win their 2nd. straight over fellow independent Merrimack.
Worst Performance: Merrimack 37, Sacred Heart 42 - The Warriors run for 329 yards, their highest total of the season by far, and still can’t avoid their 5th. consecutive loss.
