EWU 23-41 SDK UND 47-23 PORTST
CP 20-30 SJSU
UCD 10-56 SMU LAM 23-17 IDA
USD 17-59 IDST
SUU 24-58 CSU
WEB 21-52 CU
UIW 28-38 NAU
UTU 14-35 UMT MTST 20-7 NEV
NOCO 13-21 WYO
NConf Record: 3-8 Overall: 10-13
vs. FCS: 2-3 Overall: 7-4
Best Performance: (#1) Montana St. 20, (FBS) Nevada 7 - Aided by a QB injury on the other side, the Bobcats won turnovers 4-0 and shut out a long-ago conference rival for the first 48 minutes.
Worst Performance: Eastern Washington 23, (#9) South Dakota 41 - The final score here is misleading because the Eagles fell behind 31-3 and were never remotely in the game.
Most Surprising Result: Idaho 17, (#19) Lamar 23 - The Vandals are now 0-3 when most people expected them to be 2-1 at this point.
Southland
NWST 14-38 ETAMU
arkbap 0-88 HCU SFA 26-7 ACU LAM 23-17 IDA
UIW 28-38 NAU
UNA 25-30 SELU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
UTRGV 28-31 NICH
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 9-10
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: (#10) Stephen F. Austin 26, (#22) Abilene Christian 7 - The Lumberjacks win rushing 216-33 and rack up 10 tackles-for-loss as they smother an in-state rival.
Worst Performance: Northwestern St. 14, East Texas A&M 38 - The Demons gain just 189 yards and lose handily in what may have been the battle for last place in the Southland.
Most Surprising Result: McNeese St. 24, (#3) Tarleton St. 27 - The Cowboys look like they could be potentially be playoff contenders after 2 close losses to top-10 opponents.
Best Performance: (#5) Illinois St. 28, (FBS) Northern Illinois 24 - The Redbirds take back the lead in their overall series with NIU after beating the Huskies for the first time since 1980.
Worst Performance: Murray St. 27, Valparaiso 18 - Nobody in the MVFC lost this week, but the Racers definitely had the weakest win as they struggled to get past a Pioneer League team that went 2-10 last year.
Most Surprising Result: (#11) Youngstown St. 70, Duquesne 13 - Defending Payton winner Beau Brungard puts up 401 yards of total offense and 8 total touchdowns as his Penguins eviscerate a supposed NEC contender.
United
SFA 26-7 ACU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
uco 20-59 UCA
UWG 7-52 ARKST
UNA 25-30 SELU
UTC 17-22 EKU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-3 Overall: 10-11
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 8-5
Best Performance: Eastern Kentucky 22, Tennessee-Chattanooga 17 - The Colonels regroup from a rough start to the season by outrushing Chattanooga 274-119.
Worst Performance: North Alabama 25, Southeastern Louisiana 30 - A 16-0 third quarter does in the Lions as they lose their 12th. straight road game.
Most Surprising Result: (#3) Tarleton St. 27, McNeese St. 24 - A couple of fourth-quarter chip shots from Alejandro De La Poza saves the Texans from a post-scalp letdown.
Pioneer
USD 17-59 IDST
nmu 14-56 STTHOM
DRAKE 14-56 UNI
VALPO 18-27 MUR
frank 0-52 BUT
tmu 7-30 DAY
MARIST 9-13 LAF
dickpa 14-28 DVDSN
STET 18-43 BCU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-6 Overall: 12-17
vs. FCS: 0-6 Overall: 0-14
Best Performance: Marist 9, Lafayette 13 - 4 fourth-down failures prevent the Red Foxes from knocking off a team that went 8-4 last year.
Worst Performance: Stetson 18, Bethune-Cookman 43 - It was another bad week for the PFL overall, but the Hatters’ lopsided defeat to a middling SWAC squad was probably the worst of a lousy lot.
EWU 23-41 SDK UND 47-23 PORTST
CP 20-30 SJSU
UCD 10-56 SMU LAM 23-17 IDA
USD 17-59 IDST
SUU 24-58 CSU
WEB 21-52 CU
UIW 28-38 NAU
UTU 14-35 UMT MTST 20-7 NEV
NOCO 13-21 WYO
NConf Record: 3-8 Overall: 10-13
vs. FCS: 2-3 Overall: 7-4
Best Performance: (#1) Montana St. 20, (FBS) Nevada 7 - Aided by a QB injury on the other side, the Bobcats won turnovers 4-0 and shut out a long-ago conference rival for the first 48 minutes.
Worst Performance: Eastern Washington 23, (#9) South Dakota 41 - The final score here is misleading because the Eagles fell behind 31-3 and were never remotely in the game.
Most Surprising Result: Idaho 17, (#19) Lamar 23 - The Vandals are now 0-3 when most people expected them to be 2-1 at this point.
Southland
NWST 14-38 ETAMU
arkbap 0-88 HCU SFA 26-7 ACU LAM 23-17 IDA
UIW 28-38 NAU
UNA 25-30 SELU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
UTRGV 28-31 NICH
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 9-10
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: (#10) Stephen F. Austin 26, (#22) Abilene Christian 7 - The Lumberjacks win rushing 216-33 and rack up 10 tackles-for-loss as they smother an in-state rival.
Worst Performance: Northwestern St. 14, East Texas A&M 38 - The Demons gain just 189 yards and lose handily in what may have been the battle for last place in the Southland.
Most Surprising Result: McNeese St. 24, (#3) Tarleton St. 27 - The Cowboys look like they could be potentially be playoff contenders after 2 close losses to top-10 opponents.
Best Performance: (#5) Illinois St. 28, (FBS) Northern Illinois 24 - The Redbirds take back the lead in their overall series with NIU after beating the Huskies for the first time since 1980.
Worst Performance: Murray St. 27, Valparaiso 18 - Nobody in the MVFC lost this week, but the Racers definitely had the weakest win as they struggled to get past a Pioneer League team that went 2-10 last year.
Most Surprising Result: (#11) Youngstown St. 70, Duquesne 13 - Defending Payton winner Beau Brungard puts up 401 yards of total offense and 8 total touchdowns as his Penguins eviscerate a supposed NEC contender.
United
SFA 26-7 ACU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
uco 20-59 UCA
UWG 7-52 ARKST
UNA 25-30 SELU
UTC 17-22 EKU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-3 Overall: 10-11
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 8-5
Best Performance: Eastern Kentucky 22, Tennessee-Chattanooga 17 - The Colonels regroup from a rough start to the season by outrushing Chattanooga 274-119.
Worst Performance: North Alabama 25, Southeastern Louisiana 30 - A 16-0 third quarter does in the Lions as they lose their 12th. straight road game.
Most Surprising Result: (#3) Tarleton St. 27, McNeese St. 24 - A couple of fourth-quarter chip shots from Alejandro De La Poza saves the Texans from a post-scalp letdown.
Pioneer
USD 17-59 IDST
nmu 14-56 STTHOM
DRAKE 14-56 UNI
VALPO 18-27 MUR
frank 0-52 BUT
tmu 7-30 DAY
MARIST 9-13 LAF
dickpa 14-28 DVDSN
STET 18-43 BCU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-6 Overall: 12-17
vs. FCS: 0-6 Overall: 0-14
Best Performance: Marist 9, Lafayette 13 - 4 fourth-down failures prevent the Red Foxes from knocking off a team that went 8-4 last year.
Worst Performance: Stetson 18, Bethune-Cookman 43 - It was another bad week for the PFL overall, but the Hatters’ lopsided defeat to a middling SWAC squad was probably the worst of a lousy lot.
Most Surprising Result: (none)
Tomorrow: the rest of the playoff conferences.
Nevada in the BSC brings back memories of driving from Cheney through the high lonesome desert of eastern Oregon to Reno for away games.
Eastern has upgraded its talent level and size and can compete with most teams in the FCS but the Yote’s were impressive. Pierre is a home run hitter, the young QB was solid and the D kept Bell in front of them all gain. I think they have the size upfront to win prototypical Valley slugfests and their offense is going g to be tough to contain for 4 quarters. They could have a really solid season.
kalm wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2026 6:37 pm
Nevada in the BSC brings back memories of driving from Cheney through the high lonesome desert of eastern Oregon to Reno for away games.
Eastern has upgraded its talent level and size and can compete with most teams in the FCS but the Yote’s were impressive. Pierre is a home run hitter, the young QB was solid and the D kept Bell in front of them all gain. I think they have the size upfront to win prototypical Valley slugfests and their offense is going g to be tough to contain for 4 quarters. They could have a really solid season.
South Dakota State is still the MVFC favorite, I think, but the Coyotes and others will make it tough for them. I seriously doubt any of them runs the table.
NOVA 13-59 UL
W&M 20-44 LEH
MARIST 9-13 LAF BUCK 14-3 VMI
COLG 10-13 CMU
FORD 7-45 CCU
HC 7-45 MIAMIU
RICH 0-73 NCSU
NConf Record: 2-5 Overall: 4-7
vs. FCS: 2-0 Overall: 4-0
Best Performance: (#8) Lehigh 44, (#16) William & Mary 20 - The Mountain Hawks run for 366 yards, 169 of those yards and 3 TDs coming from Luke Yoder, as they firmly take early control of the conference-title race.
Worst Performance: Fordham 7, (FBS) Coastal Carolina 45 - The Rams handily lose their 18th. straight road game to an opponent picked in the bottom half of the Sun Belt.
Most Surprising Result: (#8) Lehigh 44, (#16) William & Mary 20 - This matchup was not as close as the final score (it was 37-7 after three quarters), so it seems Lehigh is by far the best team in the Patriot League right now.
Best Performance: Stonehill 35, New Hampshire 42 - Skyhawk QB Jack O’Connell shredded the Wildcat defense with 433 yards of total offense and 4 passing TDs, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome his team allowing 2 special-teams touchdowns.
Worst Performance: Duquesne 13, (#11) Youngstown St. 70 - The 70 points allowed here was the most in the history of the Dukes’ program (source)
Most Surprising Result: (none)
CAA
ALB 35-13 LIU
SBU 17-41 BALL
SHILL 35-42 UNH MERR 23-14 MAINE
ELON 10-31 URI
SACHRT 10-37 UMASS
MONM 14-49 WMU
TOW 9-45 SCAR BRY 31-3 HAMP
NCAT 22-30 NCCEN
CAMP 3-52 UF
NConf Record: 2-7 Overall: 10-18
vs. FCS: 1-2 Overall: 7-5
Best Performance: (#13) Rhode Island 31, Elon 10 - The Rams break open a 3-3 game by getting 3 interceptions—1 returned for a touchdown by Mitchell Garner—in the fourth quarter.
Worst Performance: Hampton 3, Bryant 31 - The Pirates fail to score on their last 8 drives as they make that last-place prediction in the CAA preseason poll look very prescient.
Most Surprising Result: Maine 14, Merrimack 23 - The Black Bears allow 2 non-offensive touchdowns, run for just 53 yards, and suffer a puzzling loss as a double-digit favorite.
Best Performance: Gardner-Webb 23, (FBS) Liberty 24 - A late Liberty touchdown did them in, but the Bulldog defense controlled most of this game with 4 sacks, 2 fourth-down stops, and 2 fumble recoveries (1 returned for a TD).
Worst Performance: Tennessee St. 3, Alabama A&M 30 - The Tigers have now lost 8 in a row while scoring less than 20 points in 7 of those losses.
Most Surprising Result: Gardner-Webb 23, (FBS) Liberty 24 - The Bulldogs have now lost 3 of their last 4 FBS contests by one score.
SoCon
BUCK 14-3 VMI
WCU 10-62 CIN
WOFF 15-36 KENT CHSO 26-20 CIT (2OT) FUR 20-13 MER
ETSU 3-35 UNC
UTC 17-22 EKU
SAM 19-45 TTU
NConf Record: 0-6 Overall: 9-13
vs. FCS: 0-3 Overall: 6-8
Best Performance: Furman 20, (#14) Mercer 13 - The Paladins pick off 4 passes, 2 grabbed by Caleb Easterling, as they knock off the SoCon favorites.
Worst Performance: VMI 3, Bucknell 14 - The Keydets lose their 13th. straight overall game and their 4th. straight to Bucknell.
Most Surprising Result: (#14) Mercer 13, Furman 20 - The Bears looked great in their revenge beatdown of Presbyterian, but they haven’t looked good at all in their other 2 contests.
kalm wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2026 6:37 pm
Nevada in the BSC brings back memories of driving from Cheney through the high lonesome desert of eastern Oregon to Reno for away games.
Eastern has upgraded its talent level and size and can compete with most teams in the FCS but the Yote’s were impressive. Pierre is a home run hitter, the young QB was solid and the D kept Bell in front of them all gain. I think they have the size upfront to win prototypical Valley slugfests and their offense is going g to be tough to contain for 4 quarters. They could have a really solid season.
South Dakota State is still the MVFC favorite, I think, but the Coyotes and others will make it tough for them. I seriously doubt any of them runs the table.
bow 6-21 DSU
vul 0-55 MORG
HOW 0-55 IU
NFOLK 3-59 UVA
NCAT 22-30 NCCEN
vsu 0-66 SCSU
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 11-7
vs. FCS: 1-0 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: South Carolina St. 66, (DII) Virginia St. 0 - A 524-114 yardage advantage plus a 5-0 turnover advantage is an obvious recipe for a massacre.
Worst Performance: Delaware St. 21, (DII) Bowie St. 6 - Fueled by a 12-3 penalty disadvantage, the Hornets put up a surprisingly lackluster effort against a bad DII.
Most Surprising Result: Delaware St. 21, (DII) Bowie St. 6 - The transitive score “property” suggests SCSU should beat Delaware State by 95 points (Bowie lost to Virginia State 42-13), but the Hornets also played William & Mary tough so…
Best Performance: Alabama A&M 30, Tennessee St. 3 - Jarel Williams caught 8 balls for 175 yards and a touchdown while the Bulldog defense forced Tiger QB Daylin Lee into an awful day (19/41, 187 yards, 2 INTs) in a surprisingly dominant victory.
Worst Performance: Mississippi Valley St. 31, (DII) Lincoln (PA) 20 - The Delta Devils struggle to put away a DII that has now lost 14 straight games.
Most Surprising Result: Alabama A&M 30, Tennessee St. 3 - Both of AAMU’s DI non-conference wins over the last 5 seasons have come against Tennessee State.
Independents
kcu 7-78 CHIST MERR 23-14 MAINE
Non-Ind. Record: 2-0 Overall: 2-4
vs. FCS: 1-0 Overall: 1-2
Best Performance: Merrimack 23, Maine 14 - The Warriors get their first win over Maine in 4 tries and their first win over a CAA opponent since moving up to FCS.
Worst Performance: (none)
Most Surprising Result: Merrimack 23, Maine 14 - Merrimack pulled off this upset despite scoring only 7 offensive points.
bow 6-21 DSU
vul 0-55 MORG
HOW 0-55 IU
NFOLK 3-59 UVA
NCAT 22-30 NCCEN
vsu 0-66 SCSU
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 11-7
vs. FCS: 1-0 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: South Carolina St. 66, (DII) Virginia St. 0 - A 524-114 yardage advantage plus a 5-0 turnover advantage is an obvious recipe for a massacre.
Worst Performance: Delaware St. 21, (DII) Bowie St. 6 - Fueled by a 12-3 penalty disadvantage, the Hornets put up a surprisingly lackluster effort against a bad DII.
Most Surprising Result: Delaware St. 21, (DII) Bowie St. 6 - The transitive score “property” suggests SCSU should beat Delaware State by 95 points (Bowie lost to Virginia State 42-13), but the Hornets also played William & Mary tough so…
Best Performance: Alabama A&M 30, Tennessee St. 3 - Jarel Williams caught 8 balls for 175 yards and a touchdown while the Bulldog defense forced Tiger QB Daylin Lee into an awful day (19/41, 187 yards, 2 INTs) in a surprisingly dominant victory.
Worst Performance: Mississippi Valley St. 31, (DII) Lincoln (PA) 20 - The Delta Devils struggle to put away a DII that has now lost 14 straight games.
Most Surprising Result: Alabama A&M 30, Tennessee St. 3 - Both of AAMU’s DI non-conference wins over the last 5 seasons have come against Tennessee State.
Independents
kcu 7-78 CHIST MERR 23-14 MAINE
Non-Ind. Record: 2-0 Overall: 2-4
vs. FCS: 1-0 Overall: 1-2
Best Performance: Merrimack 23, Maine 14 - The Warriors get their first win over Maine in 4 tries and their first win over a CAA opponent since moving up to FCS.
Worst Performance: (none)
Most Surprising Result: Merrimack 23, Maine 14 - Merrimack pulled off this upset despite scoring only 7 offensive points.
EWU 23-41 SDK UND 47-23 PORTST
CP 20-30 SJSU
UCD 10-56 SMU LAM 23-17 IDA
USD 17-59 IDST
SUU 24-58 CSU
WEB 21-52 CU
UIW 28-38 NAU
UTU 14-35 UMT MTST 20-7 NEV
NOCO 13-21 WYO
NConf Record: 3-8 Overall: 10-13
vs. FCS: 2-3 Overall: 7-4
Best Performance: (#1) Montana St. 20, (FBS) Nevada 7 - Aided by a QB injury on the other side, the Bobcats won turnovers 4-0 and shut out a long-ago conference rival for the first 48 minutes.
Worst Performance: Eastern Washington 23, (#9) South Dakota 41 - The final score here is misleading because the Eagles fell behind 31-3 and were never remotely in the game.
Most Surprising Result: Idaho 17, (#19) Lamar 23 - The Vandals are now 0-3 when most people expected them to be 2-1 at this point.
Southland
NWST 14-38 ETAMU
arkbap 0-88 HCU SFA 26-7 ACU LAM 23-17 IDA
UIW 28-38 NAU
UNA 25-30 SELU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
UTRGV 28-31 NICH
NConf Record: 4-2 Overall: 9-10
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 5-3
Best Performance: (#10) Stephen F. Austin 26, (#22) Abilene Christian 7 - The Lumberjacks win rushing 216-33 and rack up 10 tackles-for-loss as they smother an in-state rival.
Worst Performance: Northwestern St. 14, East Texas A&M 38 - The Demons gain just 189 yards and lose handily in what may have been the battle for last place in the Southland.
Most Surprising Result: McNeese St. 24, (#3) Tarleton St. 27 - The Cowboys look like they could be potentially be playoff contenders after 2 close losses to top-10 opponents.
Best Performance: (#5) Illinois St. 28, (FBS) Northern Illinois 24 - The Redbirds take back the lead in their overall series with NIU after beating the Huskies for the first time since 1980.
Worst Performance: Murray St. 27, Valparaiso 18 - Nobody in the MVFC lost this week, but the Racers definitely had the weakest win as they struggled to get past a Pioneer League team that went 2-10 last year.
Most Surprising Result: (#11) Youngstown St. 70, Duquesne 13 - Defending Payton winner Beau Brungard puts up 401 yards of total offense and 8 total touchdowns as his Penguins eviscerate a supposed NEC contender.
United
SFA 26-7 ACU TARL 27-24 MCNSE
uco 20-59 UCA
UWG 7-52 ARKST
UNA 25-30 SELU
UTC 17-22 EKU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-3 Overall: 10-11
vs. FCS: 3-2 Overall: 8-5
Best Performance: Eastern Kentucky 22, Tennessee-Chattanooga 17 - The Colonels regroup from a rough start to the season by outrushing Chattanooga 274-119.
Worst Performance: North Alabama 25, Southeastern Louisiana 30 - A 16-0 third quarter does in the Lions as they lose their 12th. straight road game.
Most Surprising Result: (#3) Tarleton St. 27, McNeese St. 24 - A couple of fourth-quarter chip shots from Alejandro De La Poza saves the Texans from a post-scalp letdown.
Pioneer
USD 17-59 IDST
nmu 14-56 STTHOM
DRAKE 14-56 UNI
VALPO 18-27 MUR
frank 0-52 BUT
tmu 7-30 DAY
MARIST 9-13 LAF
dickpa 14-28 DVDSN
STET 18-43 BCU
MHEAD 7-63 AP
NConf Record: 4-6 Overall: 12-17
vs. FCS: 0-6 Overall: 0-14
Best Performance: Marist 9, Lafayette 13 - 4 fourth-down failures prevent the Red Foxes from knocking off a team that went 8-4 last year.
Worst Performance: Stetson 18, Bethune-Cookman 43 - It was another bad week for the PFL overall, but the Hatters’ lopsided defeat to a middling SWAC squad was probably the worst of a lousy lot.
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