FCS Football Recap: Week 2 Takeaways

Zachary McKinnell | Sep 8, 2024

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Week 2 of the FCS football season is in the books. Five ranked teams suffered FCS losses that should alter Monday's FCS Stats Perform Top 25 Poll. Three FCS programs defeated FBS opponents, avenging Week 1's struggles against FBS competition.

Below are some major takeaways from all the Week 2 FCS football action.

South Dakota State Rebounds With Top 15 Win Over UIW

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

South Dakota State rebounded from a Week 1 loss to Oklahoma State with an impressive home victory over Incarnate Word. The Jackrabbits have now won 29 consecutive FCS games and 22 straight home games, the longest active streak in the FCS.

The Jackrabbits scored 14 unanswered points to end the game, capped by a 25-yard pass from Mark Gronowski to Griffin Wilde. Gronowski completed 21-of-32 attempts for 285 passing yards and four touchdowns. He helped the Jacks record over 500 yards of total offense and average 7.0 yards per play. Wide receiver Griffin Wilde continued his breakout season with 10 receptions for 106 receiving yards and two touchdowns while running back Amar Johnson led the Jacks with 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Despite the loss, Incarnate Word still showed flashes of being one of the best teams in the nation. The Cardinals recorded over 400 yards of total offense, led by quarterback Zach Calzada with 351 passing yards and three touchdowns. South Dakota State suffocated the UIW rushing attack, holding the Cardinals to only 68 yards and 3.4 yards per carry. Linebacker Adam Bock led the Jacks with nine total tackles and three tackles for loss.

North Dakota Stuns Montana, Extends Historic Winning Streak

North Dakota's upset win over Montana extended the nation's longest home-opening winning streak to 38 games. The Hawks have also won 26 of their last 29 games at the Alerus Center.

The Hawks scored 20 unanswered points in the second half after trailing 24-7 at halftime. Running back Gaven Ziebarth led the Hawks with 88 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Quarterback Simon Romfo struggled through the air, completing 11-of-24 passes for 97 yards and an interception, but made some crucial plays with his legs. North Dakota also dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for over 37 minutes, compared to only 22 minutes for the Grizzlies.

After allowing 24 points in the first half, North Dakota's defense suffocated Montana's offense in the second half. The Hawks held Montana to only 34 total yards and limited the Grizzlies to less than six minutes of possession time. Linebackers Wyatt Pedigo and Josh Navratil combined for 13 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four sacks, and one forced fumble. The Hawks also dominated the line of scrimmage, finishing the game with six sacks.

Campbell Makes History With Top 25 Upset Over Western Carolina

Campbell wide receiver Sincere Brown / Campbell Athletics

Campbell made history this weekend as the Camels defeated No. 17 Western Carolina for the first ranked win in program history. It also served as the first win for first-year head coach Braxton Harris at Campbell.

The Camels forced five turnovers, including four interceptions from quarterback Cole Gonzales. Linebacker Jalen Brooks led the Camels with 12 total tackles, one interception, and one pass breakup. Campbell's defense held an explosive Western Carolina offense to only 4.3 yards per play.

Offensively, quarterback Chad Mascoe completed 18-of-29 attempts for 306 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. Freshman All-American VJ Wilkins had another electric performance with five receptions for 68 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Idaho, Southern Utah, Saint Francis Record FBS Upsets

After going winless against FBS competition in Week 1, the FCS recorded three FBS upsets in Week 2. In one of the most shocking games of the weekend, Saint Francis held onto a 17-0 first-half lead to stun Kent State. The Red Flash fell to Dayton in Week 1 but held the Golden Flashes to only 280 yards of offense. Wide receiver Gavin Thompson led the Red Flash with 124 receiving yards on five receptions.

Idaho had No. 3 Oregon on upset alert in Week 1, but many experts overlooked the Vandals against Wyoming after starting quarterback Jack Layne was injured against the Ducks. The Vandals held the Cowboys to only three points over the final three quarters, pulling off FBS upsets in back-to-back seasons. Defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby led the Vandals with three sacks and three tackles for loss.

Southern Utah ended Week 2 with a massive upset over UTEP and former Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden. After trailing 17-6 at halftime, the Thunderbirds scored 18 unanswered points to take the game to overtime. UTEP kicker Buzz Flabiano missed the game-tying 32-yard field goal in overtime to secure the win for Southern Utah. Running back Targhee Lambson exploded for 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries for the Thunderbirds.

Other Key Storylines Around The FCS:

• Charleston Southern defeated No. 16 Furman for the first win over a ranked opponent since 2016. The Buccaneers forced four turnovers and held the Paladins to only 2.7 yards per carry. Quarterback Rob McCoy passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Noah Jennings led the Bucs with seven receptions for 97 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

• After struggling in close games over the past two seasons, SEMO found a way to win an overtime battle against UT Martin. The Redhawks trailed 35-21 in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Paxton DeLaurent led back-to-back scoring drives in the final nine minutes of the game. DeLaurent set the single-game program record with six passing touchdowns against the Skyhawks.

• Elon made a statement with a dominant 41-19 win over North Carolina Central. Running back TJ Thomas Jr. had a breakout performance with 163 rushing yards and one touchdown, averaging over 14.0 yards per carry. The Phoenix defense forced three interceptions, including a pick-six from defensive back Jesse Powell II. Elon leaned on its rushing attack, recording over 200 yards on the ground and dominating the time of possession.

• Lafayette avoided an upset loss against Monmouth, scoring 14 points in the final 53 seconds to secure the win. Quarterback Dean Denobile completed 31-of-45 passes for 394 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Wide receiver Elijah Steward had a career-high 244 receiving yards on 15 receptions and one touchdown.

• Wofford pulled off the upset against No. 14 Richmond, scoring 16 unanswered points in the second half until a Richmond touchdown with less than four minutes remaining. The Terriers forced four interceptions, leading to three offensive scores that sealed the game. Quarterback Amari Odom completed 16-of-28 passes for 219 passing yards and two touchdowns. Defensive back Amir Annoor led the Terriers with two interceptions.

• The Pioneer League picked up two impressive wins against teams from the two best conferences in the FCS. Drake escaped with an overtime win over Eastern Washington behind Luke Bailey's touchdown pass to Trey Radocha. Bailey led the Bulldogs with 380 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Butler scored nine points in the fourth quarter to stun Murray State in a 19-17 win over the Racers. The Bulldogs held Murray State to 239 total yards, including only 41 passing yards on 15 attempts.

More FCS Football News

Week 2 FCS Football Top 25 Scoreboard
Week 2 FCS Football Preview & Predictions
Walter Payton Award Power Ranking (Post-Week 1)
Behind The Numbers: Week 1 FCS Football Review

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