FCS Football Recap: Week 4 Takeaways

Zachary McKinnell | 2 Hours Ago

Monmouth Athletics

Below are some major takeaways from all the Week 4 FCS football action.

Montana Erase 17-Point Deficit In Win Over Western Carolina

Tommy Martino (Montana Athletics)

No. 9 Montana erased an early 17-point deficit to defeat No. 24 Western Carolina, giving the Grizzlies their first win over a ranked opponent this season. The Grizzlies outscored the Catamounts 25-8 in the second half, capped by Nick Ostmo's game-sealing touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

Montana's rushing attack was dominant, rolling up 349 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Eli Gillman had another electric performance, leading the team with 175 rushing yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat made history, becoming the first quarterback in program history to rush for four touchdowns in a game. The Grizzlies produced ten rushes of at least ten yards, which sparked the comeback win.

Western Carolina dominated in the first quarter, scoring on three of their four drives to open the game. Quarterback Cole Gonzales led the Catamounts with 340 passing yards and two touchdowns. Montana's defense held the Catamounts to only 115 passing yards in the second half, including Trevin Gardney's interception that led to a key touchdown drive. Jaxon Lee led the Grizzlies with 11 total tackles, while Hayden Harris recorded one sack and one forced fumble.

SEMO Upsets Southern Illinois In The War For The Wheel

No. 21 SEMO defeated No. 7 Southern Illinois in the War for the Wheel, giving the Redhawks their fourth win in the rivalry since 2018.

The Redhawks were dominant offensively, recording over 440 total yards and avergaing almost 7.0 yards per play. Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent had another impressive performance with 301 passing yards and four touchdowns. After rushing for -11 yards against UT Martin, the SEMO rushing attack rebounded with 148 rushing yards behind Payton Brown, who averaged 6.9 yards per carry. Wide receiver Dorian Anderson has emerged as a breakout star, leading the Redhawks with 111 receiving yards on eight receptions with two touchdowns.

Southern Illinois struggled to run the ball, which added more pressure to backup quarterback Hunter Simmons. The Salukis only averaged 2.1 yards per attempt and allowed seven tackles for loss. Linebacker Bryce Norman led the Redhawks with 12 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, while McCoy Casey had a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Idaho Continues To Impress With Win Over Abilene Christian

No. 4 Idaho continued to shine with another ranked win over No. 19 Abilene Christian. It was the second win over a ranked opponent for the Vandals, who also have one of the only FBS wins of the season.

Idaho's offense had its best performance of the season, led by quarterback Jack Wagner with 253 passing yards and two touchdowns. Wide receivers Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper combined for eight receptions for 172 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Idaho finished the game with over 420 total yards and averaged over 6.1 yards per play.

The Vandals built a 27-3 lead until Abilene Christian scored 21 unanswered points to win the game. Idaho's defense forced three turnovers, including the game-sealing forced fumble by defensive lineman Zach Krotzer. Keyshawn James-Newby had another impressive game with seven total tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and four quarterback hurries.

Monmouth Makes History With FBS Upset Over FIU

Monmouth quarterback Derek Robertson / Monmouth Athletics

It was a historic night for Monmouth as the Hawks recorded the first FBS win in program history. Kicker Michael Calton Jr. hit the game-winning field goal with less than two minutes remaining, while defensive back Deuce Lee forced a fumble on the goal line to seal the victory.

Monmouth's defense allowed over 475 total yards and 8.2 yards per play, but forced two key turnovers on Florida International's final two drives. Lee led the Hawks with eight total tackles, including the game-sealing forced fumble. The Hawks also held the Panthers to 1-for-8 on third down attempts, while FIU was penalized 12 times for over 100 yards.

Quarterback Derek Robertson surpassed 350 passing yards for the fourth consecutive game, leading the Hawks with 361 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Sone Ntoh led the Hawks with three rushing touchdowns, while Rodney Nelson had a breakout performance with 117 rushing yards.

Columbia Opens Ivy League Season With Upset Over Lafayette

Columbia kicked off the Jon Poppe era with an upset over No. 18 Lafayette. It was the Lions' first win over a ranked opponent since 2019.

The Lions averaged 7.0 yards per play, led by a dominant rushing attack that rolled up over 200 yards. Running backs Joey Giorgi and Malcolm Terry II combined for 158 rushing yards, while quarterback Chase Freeman made some key plays with his legs. Bryson Canty recorded six receptions for 95 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Despite another impressive game from Jamar Curtis, Lafayette struggled to run the ball effectively and only averaged 3.3 yards per carry. Columbia's defense made multiple key stops, including Carter McFadden's interception that helped the Lions extend their lead to 17-6. Defensive back Hayden McDonald led the Lions with ten total tackles, while CJ Brown recorded five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Other Key Storylines Around The FCS:

• Grambling State made a statement with an impressive win over Jackson State. The Tigers forced five turnovers, which led to 24 points and kept Jackson State's offense from finding any rhythm. Linebacker Andrew Jones led Grambling with 11 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Grambling State leads the nation with 15 forced turnovers and has forced 11 in the past two games. Ke'Travion Hargrove had a stellar performance, recording 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

• After a winless 2023 season, Stony Brook recorded its third consecutive win as the Seawolves defeated Campbell. The Seawolves leaned on an explosive rushing attack, led by Roland Dempster with 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Stony Brook controlled the game with over 36 minutes of possession time while being efficient on third downs, converting 12-of-21 attempts.

• No. 16 Tarleton State defeated North Alabama behind a record-setting performance from running back Kayvon Britten. Britten set the new single-game rushing record with 273 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He accounted for 81.7% of Tarleton State's offensive production against the Lions on Saturday night. Quarterback Victor Gabalis struggled in his return, only completing 6-of-13 attempts for 50 passing yards.

• No. 1 South Dakota State continued to dominate as the Jackrabbits rolled up over 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns against Southeastern Louisiana. Freshman Kirby Vorhees led the Jackrabbits with 179 rushing yards and three touchdowns on only five carries. South Dakota State's defense suffocated Southeastern Louisiana's offense, allowing only 186 total yards and less than 3.0 yards per play. All-American cornerback Dalys Beanum made his impact on special teams with 102 punt return yards, including an 88-yard touchdown return.

• No. 12 William & Mary notched its third win over a SoCon opponent as the Tribe defeated Furman. The Tribe recorded 384 rushing yards and averaged over 7.1 yards per carry, led by Bronson Yoder with 166 yards. Quarterback Darius Wilson only completed ten passes for 98 yards but had a massive day on the ground with 155 rushing yards. Defensively, the Tribe forced three turnovers and held the Paladins to only 2.8 yards per carry.

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Week 4 FCS Football Preview & Predictions
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FCS Football Top 25: Zach McKinnell's Week 4 Ballot

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