FCS Football Recap: Week 12 Takeaways

Zachary McKinnell | Nov 18, 2024

Montana State tight end Rohan Jones / Montana State Athletics

Montana State Clinches Big Sky Title With Win Over UC Davis

No. 2 Montana State clinched the auto-bid for the Big Sky, winning at least a share of the Big Sky title for the second time in the past three seasons. The Bobcats held off a late comeback from No. 4 UC Davis, in which the Aggies scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

After UC Davis scored on its second possession, Montana State scored 30 unanswered points until the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tommy Mellott had another outstanding performance, completing 18-of-25 attempts for 174 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. The Bobcats were held to a season-low 159 rushing yards, but Julius Davis led the team with 91 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Linebacker McCade O'Reilly made the play of the game, intercepting Miles Hastings on a two-point conversion with 34 seconds remaining. UC Davis had two crucial turnovers, leading to Montana State scoring drives, including Dru Polidore's interception in the first quarter. UC Davis running back Lan Larison led the Aggies with 112 rushing yards and one touchdown while recording eight receptions for 109 receiving yards.

Abilene Christian Makes History With Win Over Tarleton State

No. 14 Abilene Christian secured its first conference title in the Division I era on Saturday night with a win over No. 13 Tarleton State. The Wildcats will make their first appearance in the FCS Playoffs and their first postseason appearance since making the Division II playoffs in 2011.

Quarterback Maverick McIvor led a 12-play, 75-yard game-winning touchdown drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Sam Hicks. McIvor completed 35-of-55 attempts for 391 passing yards and three touchdowns. Hicks led the rushing attack with 137 yards and one touchdown, averaging over 5.5 yards per carry.

Despite allowing 486 total yards, Abilene Christian's defense held Tarleton State to a field goal with 1:48 remaining inside its 10-yard line. That became the difference in the game as the Wildcats scored on their final three drives. Tarleton State wide receiver Darius Cooper led the Texans with six receptions for 140 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Abilene Christian will have a chance to earn a Top 8 seed with a win over Stephen F. Austin next weekend. Tarleton State has lost two of its last three games, increasing the need for a victory over Central Arkansas to end the season. The Texans will likely earn an at-large bid at 8-4, but a win will firmly put this team into conversations for a Top 16 seed.

Jackson State, Southern Secure Spot In SWAC Championship Game

Aron Smith (Jackson State Athletics)

The 2024 SWAC Championship is set for Dec. 7 and will feature a rematch between Jackson State and Southern. The Tigers defeated Southern 33-15 on Sep. 14 and have won five consecutive games against the Jaguars, including the 2022 SWAC Championship game.

No. 23 Jackson State defeated Alabama State 16-10, improving to 9-2 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The Tigers held the Hornets to only four passing yards and recorded nine tackles for loss, led by Robert McDaniel with three and Phillip Webb with two. The Tigers struggled to run the ball, but JaCobian Morgan finished the game with 120 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Southern defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-9, extending its win streak to three games. The Jaguars dominated on the ground, rushing for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with three players recording 60 or more rushing yards. Defensive lineman Ckelby Givens led the Jaguars with three tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. Defensive tackle Willie Miles made the play of the game with a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery with 1:25 remaining.

Who Will Surive The Chaos In The Big South-OVC?

It was another chaotic weekend in the Big South-OVC, headlined by a stunning upset by Tennessee Tech over No. 18 UT Martin. There is a possibility for a four-way tie in the conference, as Tennessee State, SEMO, UT Martin, and Tennessee Tech all can finish 6-2 in conference play.

The Golden Eagles won a defensive battle, holding UT Martin to 185 yards of total offense and 2.9 yards per play. Defensive lineman Daniel Rickert led the defense with nine total tackles, four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. The Skyhawks failed to find any success on the ground, averaging 1.4 yards per carry, while Tennessee Tech posted 129 rushing yards behind Jalen Mitchell's impressive performance.

No. 12 SEMO rebounded with a 54-45 win over Western Illinois, led by another impressive performance from quarterback Paxton DeLaurent. DeLaurent completed 25-of-40 passes for 375 passing yards and five total touchdowns. Brandon Epton Jr. helped the rushing attack get back on track with 126 rushing yards and one touchdown. The Redhawks can clinch the auto-bid with a win over Tennessee State in Week 13.

Tennessee State kept its postseason hopes alive with a win over Gardner-Webb. Quarterback Draylen Ellis led the Tigers with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Karate Brenson continued his stellar season with eight receptions for 82 receiving yards. The Tigers must defeat SEMO next weekend to have a shot at their first postseason appearance since 2013.

Incarnate Word, Richmond Secure Automatic Bids To FCS Playoffs

Ashley Monjaras (UIW Athletics)

No. 6 Incarnate Word secured at least a share of the Southland Conference title for the third time in the past four seasons. The Cardinals defeated Stephen F. Austin to improve to 9-2 (6-0 SLC), keeping their hopes for a Top 8 seed alive.

Incarnate Word's defense recorded 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, and forced three turnovers in Saturday's victory. Dune Smith led the defense with 12 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Darius Sanders had a breakout performance with two interceptions in the fourth quarter.

No. 11 Richmond secured its second consecutive conference title with a 24-21 win over Hampton. The Spiders have won nine straight games since a 0-2 start and have a chance to earn a Top 8 seed in the postseason.

Running back Zach Palmer-Smith led the Spiders with 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Linebacker Carter Glassmyer posted 15 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack for the Spiders. Hampton failed to score on three drives inside Richmond territory and had two costly turnovers, which allowed the Spiders to escape with the victory.

Other Key Storylines Around The FCS:

• No. 1 North Dakota State dominated Missouri State in a 59-21 blowout victory, earning another quality win for its playoff resume. The Bison recorded 364 rushing yards and averaged 9.6 yards per carry, led by 100-yard performances from Barika Kpeenu and CharMar Brown. Quarterback Cam Miller had another impressive performance, completing 17-of-24 passes for 155 yards and four touchdowns. The Bison have a chance to secure the No. 1 overall seed with a win over South Dakota in Week 13.

• It was another weekend filled with chaos in the CAA, headlined by Monmouth shocking No. 9 Villanova in an upset win. It was the fourth victory over a Top 10 opponent in program history and the first win over a ranked opponent since 2022. Quarterback Derek Robertson completed 22-of-23 attempts for 358 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Running back Sone Ntoh set the single-season program record with his 23rd rushing touchdown, finishing with three total touchdowns against the Wildcats.

• Multiple SoCon contenders suffered upset losses in Week 12, putting the conference's chances at multiple bids in jeopardy entering the final week of the season. No. 19 Chattanooga fell to Samford as the Bulldogs held the Mocs to 177 yards of total offense and recorded 12 tackles for loss. Freshman Trey Hedden led Furman to an upset victory over No. 21 ETSU, throwing for 210 passing yards and two touchdowns. Both teams fall to 6-5 overall and appear to be eliminated from postseason contention, which could leave Mercer as the only team in the conference to make the FCS Playoffs.

• Southern Utah remains on the playoff bubble following a win over No. 24 Central Arkansas. Running back Targhee Lambson led the Thunderbirds with 161 rushing yards and one touchdown. The Thunderbirds improve to 6-5 overall and 5-4 against the FCS with an FBS win over UTEP. They have quality wins over Central Arkansas and Eastern Kentucky, while losing three games to ranked opponents by a combined seven points.

• New Hampshire extended its winning streak to three games with an upset over No. 16 Stony Brook. The Wildcats trailed 30-10 early in the fourth quarter, but scored 21 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes to stun the Seawolves. Defensive end Flex Ruiz led the Wildcats with three tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble. The Wildcats improve to 7-4 overall and 7-3 against the FCS, which has positioned them to make a run for one of the last four spots in the FCS Playoffs.

• Despite not having any national implications, Eastern Washington made headlines due to its explosive rushing attack in a win over Idaho State. The Eagles rushed for 478 yards, 10 touchdowns, and averaged 9.2 yards per carry in a 77-42 win. Jared Taylor led the Eagles with 160 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Michael Wortham had 109 yards on only five carries, averaging 21.8 yards per carry.

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