FCS playoffs: Second round matchups are set
Nov. 27—SIOUX FALLS — The FCS playoffs have reached the Sweet 16, and the Missouri Valley Football Conference went 3-1 in the first round of games. Only North Dakota's 42-35 home loss to Sacramento State prevented the league from going unbeaten, and while that lessens the conference's bragging rights, the USD Coyotes and their fans were probably happy to see it.
The Coyotes just beat the Fighting Hawks 14-10 at the DakotaDome a couple weeks prior, and not only was that something of a teeth-pulling win for USD, one that might be difficult to repeat in a short time frame, it's just more fun to play someone new in the playoffs.
So the first round was something of a win-win for the Valley teams. The Yotes will face Sacramento State on Saturday. Southern Illinois routed Nicholls 35-0 to earn a trip to the Kibbie Dome to face 4th-seeded Idaho, where Vandals coach and former SDSU offensive coordinator Jason Eck will be familiar with them.
Youngstown State, after barely sneaking into the tournament, walloped Duquesne 40-7 and will head to Philadelphia to take on 8th-seeded Villanova.
And NDSU pounded Drake, the playoffs' non-scholarship entry, 66-3. Their reward is a trip to Bozeman to face Montana State in a rematch of the 2021 national championship.
That's four games involving Valley teams this Saturday that should all be fantastic. Sac State should give the Coyotes all they want, and there's obviously some extra intrigue with former USD QB1 Carson Camp returning to Vermillion as the Hornets' backup signal-caller. Idaho and Villanova deserve to be favorites against SIU and the Penguins, but neither of those are slam dunks. And the Bison's return to Bobcat Stadium is a must-watch.
That leaves the Jackrabbits, who also get to play a fresh face, with Mercer coming to Brookings after defeating Gardner-Webb 17-7 for the program's first-ever playoff win. The Jacks will obviously be heavy favorites in that one.
There were a couple Donnybrooks in the first round — Delaware edged Lafayette 36-34 after coming back from a 15-point deficit, while Chattanooga used a field goal as time expired to beat Austin Peay 24-21 after the Mocs had blown a 14-point lead. Chattanooga now takes on 7th-seeded Furman in what should be an evenly-matched second round game. Delaware heads to Missoula to face 2nd-seeded Montana.
The last second round game is 5th-seeded Albany hosting Richmond. The Spiders earned that trip by beating North Carolina Central 49-27.
It's well known this is not the best collection of playoff teams the FCS has ever assembled, but the remaining 16 is as good as it could hope to be. Time to cut down to the Elite Eight.
FCS playoffs first round scores
Sacramento State 42, North Dakota 35
North Dakota State 66, Drake 3
Youngtown State 40, Duquesne 7
Southern Illinois 35, Nicholls 0
Richmond 49, North Carolina Central 27
Delaware 36, Lafayette 34
Chattanooga 24, Austin Peay 21
Mercer 17, Gardner-Webb 7
Second round
(All games Saturday)
Mercer at South Dakota State
Delaware at Montana
Sacramento State at South Dakota
Southern Illinois at Idaho
Richmond at Albany
North Dakota State at Montana State
Chattanooga at Furman
Youngstown State at Villanova
