FCS Football Recap: Week 7 Takeaways

It was an exciting weekend of college football in Week 7. We recap all the FCS football action from Week 7 here.

Week 7 of the FCS football season separated the true contenders and the pretenders as multiple teams fell short of expectations.

Montana silenced all the doubters with another huge ranked win, while North Dakota shocked the Bison for the first time since 2003.

Below are some major takeaways from all the Week 7 FCS football action.

No. 15 North Dakota Routs No. 6 North Dakota State

North Dakota returned the opening kickoff 100 yards and never looked back in a dominant win over North Dakota State. It was the first win over the Bison since 2003 and the first at the Division I level. 

Running back Gaven Ziebarth exploded for 156 rushing yards (8.7 YPC) and three rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Tommy Schuster was efficient, completing 9-of-12 attempts for 113 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Running back Luke Skokna had a career game with three total touchdowns, including the opening kickoff return for a touchdown.

Cornerback CJ Siegel had a massive game for the Hawks with four tackles, one interception, and two pass breakups. The Hawks held the Bison rushing attack in check, allowing less than 4.0 yards per carry and only 150 rushing yards. 

No. 16 Montana Makes Statement In Upset vs. No. 3 Idaho

Montana picked up one of the biggest wins of the season as the Grizzlies stunned Idaho in the battle for the Little Brown Stein. The Grizzlies have been one of the most criticized teams in the country, but now have back-to-back ranked wins on the road.

Quarterback Clifton McDowell has solved the quarterback question mark, finishing with 176 passing yards, one passing touchdown, 38 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Junior Bergen continues to shine, leading Montana with five receptions for 118 receiving yards and one touchdown. 

The defense suffocated the Idaho rushing attack, holding the Vandals to 58 rushing yards and 1.8 yards per carry. Gevani McCoy was sacked six times and the Grizzlies forced three crucial turnovers, including a fumble on the final possession of the game. Ryder Meyer led the Grizzlies with eight total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and one interception.

Idaho State Shocks No. 21 Eastern Washington In Comeback Win

Eastern Washington held a 41-14 lead over Idaho State with 1:48 remaining in the third quarter, but the Bengals scored 28 unanswered points to shock the Eagles for a massive upset win. 

The Bengals torched the Eastern Washington secondary for 523 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Quarterback Jordan Cooke led the offense with 389 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Hunter Hays contributed 134 passing yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Chedon James had a career game with 15 receptions for 206 receiving yards and one touchdown. 

Despite allowing 35 first-half points, the Idaho State defense held the Eagles scoreless over the final 16 minutes of the game. Calvin Pitcher led the Bengals with 11 total tackles, while Mason Young finished the game with nine total tackles and one pass breakup. 

No. 19 Harvard Continues To Impress vs. Howard

Some experts are still not sold on Harvard's ceiling this season, but the Crimson continue to dominate on the field. The Crimson built a 48-0 lead and held Howard scoreless until late in the fourth quarter.

Running back Isaiah Abbey led the Crimson with 120 yards rushing (7.5 YPC) and three rushing touchdowns. The Harvard rushing attack rolled up 341 yards and averaged over 7.0 yards per carry. Quarterback Charles DePrima continues to emerge as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.

The Crimson defense was dominant against the Bison, allowing only 274 total yards and 4.4 yards per play. Howard's explosive rushing attack struggled against a physical Harvard front seven as the Bison only averaged 3.9 yards per carry.

SWAC Chaos Continues With Multiple Homecoming Upsets

Jackson State and Grambling State both entered the weekend firmly in the conference championship race but suffered shocking upset losses on homecoming to a pair of schools from Alabama. 

Alabama State stunned Jackson State as the Hornets escaped with a 24-19 win over the Tigers. The Hornets finished the game with only 241 total yards but scored on two clutch fourth-quarter drives to seal the win. Jackson State's special teams struggled and set the Hornets up with short fields in crucial moments. Linebacker Colton Adams had a massive game with 14 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. 

Alabama A&M spoiled Grambling State's homecoming with a 45-24 victory over the Tigers. The Bulldogs exploded for 336 rushing yards (7.5 YPC) and five rushing touchdowns, led by quarterback Xavier Lankford with 193 rushing yards (12.1 YPC) and two touchdowns. Grambling State finished the game with three turnovers, including two costly turnovers in Alabama A&M territory. Kaleb Dawson led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups.

Other Notable Scores:

No. 1 South Dakota State 41, Northern Iowa 6
No. 2 Montana State 59, Cal Poly 19
No. 4 Sacramento State 21, Northern Colorado 13
No. 5 Furman 27, Samford 21
No. 7 Incarnate Word 28, Texas A&M-Commerce 11
No. 8 Delaware 21, North Carolina A&T 6
No. 10 South Dakota 34, No. 23 Youngstown State 31
No. 13 Southern Illinois 27, Murray State 6
No. 20 Central Arkansas 24, Stephen F. Austin 21
UC Davis 17, No. 22 Weber State 16
New Hampshire 38, No. 24 UAlbany 31
No. 25 Chattanooga 22, Mercer 10
Villanova 21, Elon 0
Richmond 24, Rhode Island 17
Austin Peay 41, Gardner-Webb 14
Eastern Kentucky 41, Tarleton State 35 (2OT)
Portland State 45, Northern Arizona 21
Tennessee State 24, Norfolk State 17
Houston Christian 30, Prairie View A&M 0
Drake 52, St. Thomas (MN) 21
Monmouth 61, Hampton 10
Yale 31, Sacred Heart 3