FCS Football Recap: Week 8 Takeaways

It was an exciting weekend of college football in Week 8. We recap all the FCS football action from Week 8 here.

Week 8 saw plenty of upsets and three national championship favorites making statements in important ranked matchups on the road.

Below are some major takeaways from all the Week 8 FCS football action.

No. 4 Furman Rolls Against No. 8 Western Carolina

Furman seized control of the SoCon championship race with an impressive road win over Western Carolina. The Paladins will have a tough test in two weeks against Chattanooga but should be able to clinch a Top-8 seed over the next four weeks.

The Paladins established the line of scrimmage and rolled up 334 rushing yards against the Catamounts. Running back Dominic Roberto led the team with 154 rushing yards and one touchdown, while quarterback Tyler Huff sealed the game with a 53-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Furman's defensive line suffocated the explosive Western Carolina offense and held the Catamounts to a season-low (vs. FCS) 353 total yards. The Paladins sacked quarterback Cole Gonzales three times and held the Catamounts to only 84 rushing yards. Linebacker Evan DiMaggio led the Paladins with 10 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks.

No. 1 South Dakota State Passes Another Tough Test vs. No. 12 Southern Illinois

South Dakota State passed another difficult conference test with flying colors as the Jackrabbits defeated Southern Illinois. The Jackrabbits have now won 21 straight games and will be put to the test against three consecutive ranked opponents.

The defenses set the tone on Saturday as each team only totaled 308 yards offensively. South Dakota State forced two timely turnovers, including forcing a fumble late in the third quarter inside the red zone. Linebackers Jason Freeman and Cale Reeder led the Jacks with 10 total tackles, while cornerback Dalys Beanum recorded the crucial interception. 

Running back Isaiah Davis had a solid game, totaling 91 rushing yards and one touchdown. The Jacks rushed for 147 yards but averaged 4.6 yards per carry compared to only 2.6 yards per carry for the Salukis. Wide receiver Griffin Wilde continues to emerge as an explosive playmaker for the Jackrabbits.

No. 2 Montana State Rushing Attack Steals Show vs. No. 3 Sacramento State

Montana State exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats picked up a huge road win over Sacramento State. The Bobcats continue to solidify their spot as one of the best teams in the country with South Dakota State.

Montana State had another dominant performance on the ground, rolling up 328 rushing yards (6.7 YPC) and four rushing touchdowns. Running back Julius Davis had one of his best performances of the season with 110 rushing yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Tommy Mellott finished the game with 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his first action since his injury.

The defense allowed over 434 total yards but forced two huge turnovers that changed the game for the Bobcats. Jon Johnson tied the game early in the second quarter with a pick-six and Rylan Ortt's interception helped the Bobcats extend the lead in the third quarter. Linebacker Nolan Askelson led the Bobcats with 11 total tackles. 

Northern Iowa Dominates No. 11 North Dakota In Shutout Win

Only a week after North Dakota's huge upset win over North Dakota State, the Fighting Hawks were held scoreless against Northern Iowa. The Panthers now have a chance to fight for an at-large bid for the FCS playoffs after a disappointing loss to South Dakota State last weekend.

Northern Iowa's defense dominated North Dakota, holding the offense to only 187 total yards and 3.6 yards per play. The Panthers sacked Tommy Schuster four times and Corry Thomas Jr. had a massive fourth-quarter interception. Northern Iowa held a potent North Dakota rushing attack to only 15 rushing yards and 0.7 yards per carry. 

Running back Amauri Pesek-Hickson was the star of the game, exploding for 180 rushing yards (5.8 YPC) and one rushing touchdown. Quarterback Theo Day completed 13-of-22 attempts for 239 passing yards and touchdowns. 

Lafayette Shocks No. 15 Holy Cross, Takes Control Of Patriot League

Holy Cross has won four consecutive Patriot League titles, but that streak may have come to an end on Saturday. Lafayette shocked No. 15 Holy Cross as the Leopards took full control of the Patriot League with an impressive win.

Running back Jamar Curtis led the Leopards with 229 rushing yards (7.6 YPC) and two rushing touchdowns. The Lafayette offense averaged over 8.3 yards per play and scored on seven of their 10 drives against the Crusaders. Quarterback Dean Denobile was efficient, completing 12-of-17 attempts for 262 passing yards and three total touchdowns.

Despite the Leopards allowing Holy Cross to score on all four second-hal;f drives, the defense held the Crusaders to only seven points in the first half. Linebacker Billy Shaeffer had an impressive game with seven total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Holy Cross quarterback Matthew Sluka set an FCS single-game record with 330 rushing yards, but the Crusaders were not able to overcome an early 24-7 deficit. 

Other Notable Scores:

No. 5 Incarnate Word 35, McNeese 24
No. 6 South Dakota 17, Indiana State 3
No. 7 Delaware 47, Hampton 3
Towson 34, No. 13 William & Mary 24
No. 14 North Dakota State 52, Western Illinois 7
No. 16 North Carolina Central 16, Morgan State 10
No. 17 UT Martin 17, Charleston Southern 0
Princeton 21, No. 18 Harvard 14
No. 19 Florida A&M 31, Texas Southern 21
No. 21 Chattanooga 34, ETSU 3
No. 24 Austin Peay 48, Southern Utah 45 (2OT)
No. 25 Youngstown State 41, Illinois State 38
New Hampshire 45, Stony Brook 14
UAlbany 35, Rhode Island 10
Eastern Washington 31, Weber State 23
Gardner-Webb 35, Eastern Kentucky 32
Campbell 34, Maine 28
Drake 25, San Diego 20
Howard 27, Norfolk State 23
Richmond 33, North Carolina A&T 10
Jackson State 21, Mississippi Valley State 6
Eastern Illinois 25, Bryant 24