FCS College Football

After an exciting Week 1 for FCS teams, there were high hopes for Week 2. The Football Championship Subdivision did not disappoint. Let's take a look at what went on with the FCS teams around the country in the second week of the season.

Taking Down The Big Boys, Part 2

The FBS teams were put on notice last weekend, as eight FCS teams notched wins over their upper-level foes. That trend continued in Week 2 with three more FCS teams taking down FBS opponents.

Maine traveled to Foxborough, Massachusetts for a showdown with former CAA rival UMass. Although the Minutemen are the ones in college football's top division, it was the Black Bears who came away with the 24-14 victory.

Maine came out with a balanced offense, and it worked beautifully. The team had 267 yards passing and 247 yards rushing, for a nice total of 514 yards. The rushing game was especially effective, as quarterback Marcus Wasilewski and running backs Rickey Stevens, Zedric Joseph and Nigel Jones combined for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 43 carries, with each of the four players rushing for at least 45 yards individually. 

It was the Black Bear defense that really shined, though. Maine limited UMass to only 265 yards total. That included a dominant run defense that held the Minutemen to only 64 yards and no rushing touchdowns.

A surprising upset came from Southland team Nicholls State, which was demolished by Oregon last week, 66-3. The Colonels got revenge for that thrashing by taking down MAC team Western Michigan 27-23 on the road.

Like Maine, Nicholls State used a balanced rushing attack to take down an FBS opponent. QBs Kalen Henderson and Tuskani Figaro and running back Marcus Washington combined for 224 yards and three touchdowns on 39 carries. Each of them gained at least 65 yards individually.

The Colonels defense let up nearly 500 yards, but came up big when it counted. They intercepted WMU QB Tyler Van Tubbergen twice, including a pick on the goal line by defensive back Josh Dewey with less than a minute left that clinched the upset.

The largest margin of victory by an FCS team over an FBS team came from SoCon team Chattanooga, who took down transitioning Sun Belt team Georgia State 42-14.

The Mocs racked up 401 yards on the ground, with five different players gaining at least 40 yards. They were led by hometown running back Keon Williams, who rushed 20 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. UTC also got a very balanced performance out of dual-threat QB Jacob Huesman, who had 84 passing yards, 84 rushing yards and two touchdowns passing and rushing apiece.

Close, But No Cigar

While three FCS teams actually took down FBS opponents, there were several more who came just short of doing so.

Montana State led for all but 12 seconds of their game against SMU. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, those 12 seconds were at the end of the game. A 4-yard touchdown pass from Mustang QB Garrett Gilbert to WR Darius Joseph with under 15 seconds left in the game forced MSU to accept a one-point loss in a game that they were mostly in control of.

Fellow Big Sky team Portland State nearly pulled off a monumental upset against Pac-12 team Cal. After taking a 30-27 lead over the Golden Bears with about 11 minutes left in the game, the Vikings were unable to hold on and lost 37-30.

The New Hampshire Wildcats nearly dealt another of the directional Michigan schools a loss against an FCS opponent, but in the end fell 24-21 to Central Michigan after allowing 17 straight unanswered points to the Chippewas in the fourth quarter.

James Madison had a chance to tie up the game against Akron after scoring a touchdown with just over five minutes left in the game, but the two-point conversion failed and the Zips held on for a 35-33 win after time expired with the Dukes at Akron's 27-yard line.

Fellow CAA team Richmond was leading NC State with less than a minute to go, but the Spiders surrendered a 48-yard field goal with 33 seconds left that sent them home with a bitter 23-21 loss.

Indiana State had a chance to knock off Purdue, but Sycamore QB Mike Perish was picked off at the Boilermakers' 30-yard line with 19 seconds left.

Feeling the Agony of Losing to the Little Guys

Five FCS teams felt what it was like to get knocked off by a Division II opponent.

Northern Colorado had plenty of offense, but poorly-timed turnovers led to getting upset by the nearby Colorado State Pueblo ThunderWolves, who were playing their first-ever game against an FCS opponent. The Bears fell 36-41 to a CSUP team that forced three turnovers, including two pick-sixes.

Meanwhile, Pioneer League team Valparaiso couldn't hold on against fellow Indiana team St. Joseph's, losing 34-31. The Crusaders were simply unable to stop Puma QB Billy VandeMerkt, who threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns.

Fellow Pioneer League team Stetson was unable to get the offense going, falling to Florida Tech 20-13 with a total of only 182 yards.

Mississippi Valley State decided to take on nearby Division II power Delta State. That proved to be a poor decision for the Delta Devils, who fell to the Statesmen 24-14 despite forcing four turnovers.

Wagner put up 41 points, but that was one too few against Merrimack who scored the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left, giving the Warriors the 42-41 win over the Seahawks.

FCS Upset

There was also a major upset involving two FCS teams. Traditional powerhouse Appalachian State is preparing to transition to the FBS, but on Saturday couldn't take care of business against one of the MEAC's lesser-known teams, falling to North Carolina A&T 24-21 at home.

The Aggies used solid special teams and defense to take down the Mountaineers, with both a kickoff return and interception return for touchdowns.

5 Standout Individual Performances

Zach Zenner, South Dakota State RB (35-28 W vs. North Dakota): 37 carries, 295 yards, 3 touchdowns; 2 receptions, 31 yards, 1 touchdown

Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington QB (43-14 W vs. Western Oregon): 18-24, 298 yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; 7 carries, 45 yards

Rob Jones, Delaware WR (42-21 W vs. Delaware State): 3 receptions, 43 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 carry, 6 yards; 1 kickoff return, 18 yards; 1 punt return, 62 yards, 1 touchdown

Omar Osbourne, Albany RB (37-34 W vs. Colgate): 35 carries, 252 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 reception, 8 yards

Lee Kurfis, Lehigh WR (51-44 2OT W. vs. Central Connecticut): 7 receptions, 222 yards, 2 touchdowns

Way-too-early Top 10

1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Georgia Southern
4. Montana
5. Northern Iowa
6. Sam Houston State
7. Eastern Illinois
8. Montana State
9. Towson
10. South Dakota State

Post-Week 2 Payton Award Favorites

1. Vernon Adams, EWU QB
2. Jordan Johnson, Montana QB
3. Zach Zenner, SDSU RB
4. David Johnson, UNI RB
5. Terrance West, Towson RB

Boise State will try to bounce back from their most lopsided defeat in the Chris Petersen era as they host Tennessee-Martin on Saturday. 

In Week 1, the Broncos made the trip to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies and were dismantled 38-6. The Broncos must now lick their wounds and quickly try to get back to playing elite football. 

They should have few problems doing that in this matchup. Tennessee-Martin doesn't have the talent to match Boise State. However, the Skyhawks did post a 31-21 win in their opener over Chatanooga. 

When: Saturday, September 7 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho

Live Stream: ESPN 3

Spread: Boise State -35 (According to Covers.com)

Tennessee-Martin Injuries (via USA Today)

Not Available

Boise State Injuries (via USA Today)

Tutulupeatau Mataele, DE, Questionable, (Academics)

Jonathan Brown, NT, Out (Knee)

Kyle Sosnowski, TE, Out (Knee)

Chanceller James, S, Out for Season (Leg)

Key Storyline: Can Boise State's Secondary Turn It Around? 

For the past two seasons, the Broncos secondary has been the glue of this team. However, after losing cornerbacks Jamar Taylor and Jerrell Gavins, the Broncos were full of holes against the Huskies.

In that game, the Broncos secondary was slashed as Keith Price threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns. While this does not bode well for the Broncos' secondary, it's not the end of the world.  

Price is a supremely talented quarterback and Boise State's secondary should make strides as that group gets more game time together. 

However, if that secondary is victimized in this game, it will be time to start worrying. 

Prediction: Boise State 31, Tennessee-Martin 13

The Skyhawks might be nearly as upset about Boise State's blowout loss in the opener as the Broncos themselves. 

Tennessee-Martin is now going to face a grumpy group of Broncos looking to take out their frustrations on a lesser opponent. That is bad news for the Skyhawks. 

The college football season has finally arrived, and the first week of play certainly did not disappoint. 

It wasn't just the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) that had an exciting opening week. The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) also saw its fair share of great football action. Let's take an in-depth look at what went on with the FCS teams in Week One.

Taking Down the Big Boys

Many FCS teams start off their seasons by accepting large paychecks from FBS teams to be that school's home opener, as the FBS teams can get their fans excited for the season by starting off with a big win over one of the "little guys."  Sometimes, however, the little guys fight back, with the FCS team taking away both a large paycheck and a victory from the game. On opening week, an astounding eight FCS teams knocked off an FBS opponent.

The biggest giant-slayer of opening week was Eastern Washington. 

The Eagles traveled six-and-a-half hours to Corvallis, Oregon and knocked off No. 25 Oregon State. Sophomore quarterback Vernon Adams was simply unstoppable, racking up 411 yards and four touchdowns passing and another 107 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Adams had a combined 518 yards, just nine yards less than Oregon State's total yards for the game.

The game was a shootout until the very end, but EWU scored the go-ahead touchdown with just 18 seconds left, giving the Eagles a signature 49-46 victory over the Beavers.

Fellow Big Sky Conference team Southern Utah also notched up an upset, taking down South Alabama 22-21 on a 28-yard Colton Cook field goal as time expired. Cook, one of the best kickers in the country at any level of college football, was clutch throughout the game, going three-for-three on field goals.

There were questions going into the season about whether the Thunderbirds would be able to find an adequate replacement for graduated three-year-starter Brad Sorensen, but JUCO transfer Aaron Cantu appears to be an adequate replacement, as he went 13-24 for 183 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

True freshman running back Raysean Martin appears to give the T-birds a major rushing threat now, as he had 107 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Two-time defending FCS National Champions North Dakota State once again took down an FBS team, and have now gone four for four against FBS teams in the last four seasons.

After having beaten Kansas, Minnesota and Colorado State, the Bison took down their staunchest opponent yet, defeating defending Big-12 co-champions Kansas State 24-21 on Friday night. NDSU's always dependable QB Brock Jensen scored on a one-yard run with 28 seconds left in the game, capping an efficient night that saw him go 21-30 for 165 yards and two touchdowns, with only one interception.  The Bison running game racked up an impressive 215 rushing yards, led by Sam Ojuri's 127 yards on only ten carries.  The powerhouse Bison defense did the rest, holding Kansas State to just 321 total yards and intercepting QB Jake Waters twice.

The largest margin of victory went to the Southland's own McNeese State.

The Cowboys dominated USF from start to finish, leaving Tampa with a 53-21 victory. McNeese relied on a balanced offensive attack, combining 244 passing yards with 180 passing yards, for an impressive 424 total yards.  Junior tight end Nic Jacobs had a breakout game, catching five passes for a whopping 122 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Cowboy defense wasn't too shabby either, as they forced three turnovers, two interceptions and a fumble. One of those interceptions was returned 76 yards by senior CB Guy Morgan for a touchdown.

The first upset of the season came from the CAA's Towson, who took down UConn 33-18 on Thursday night.

Junior RB Terrance West, who came to the Tigers from nearby Baltimore, was just too much for the Huskies to handle.  His 156 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries dictated the pace of the game, and allowed the Tigers to dominate time of possession, with Towson having the ball for 36:23 as opposed to UConn's 23:37 of possession.

Northern Iowa stayed in-state in order to knock off Big-12 team Iowa State.

The Panthers took down the Cyclones 28-20. Homegrown running back David Johnson, from Clinton, Iowa had the game of his life.

He rushed for 199 yards on 23 carries, an impressive 8.7 yards per carry. That included two rushing touchdowns. He wasn't just a ground threat, however, as he also had four receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns.

He single-handedly accounted for every one of UNI's scores, and outscored the Cyclones by himself.

Although not an upset of a full FBS member, Samford did beat transitioning Sun Belt Conference team Georgia State 31-21 in Atlanta. Senior Bulldogs RB Fabian Truss had two rushing touchdowns to lead his team over the Panthers.

Perhaps the most surprising upset of an FBS team came from Eastern Illinois, who thrashed defending Mountain West co-champs San Diego State 40-19.

The Panthers dominated on both sides of the ball, racking up 533 yards of offense while forcing five turnovers on defense. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had 361 yards and three touchdowns through the air.  However, 140 of those yards and one of those touchdowns came from sophomore WR Keiondre Gober. With this performance, EIU announced themselves as a major contender in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.

Major FCS Matchups

Some top FCS teams chose to also test themselves in the first week of the season, but instead of an FBS school, they decided to prove themselves against another top FCS team. These were the marquee all-FCS matchups of week one.

The biggest FCS game of the opening week took place in Missoula, Montana on Saturday night.

The Montana Grizzlies and Appalachian State Mountaineers, two of the most powerful programs year in and year out at the FCS level, chose to meet one last time as FCS foes before App. State moves up to the FBS. In front of over 26,000 fans in an absolutely deafening WaGriz Stadium, Montana showed that it's still one of the elite FCS teams, crushing the Mountaineers 30-6.

QB Jordan Johnson showed that he still has it in his first game back after missing all of last season.  He went 19 of 23 for 251 yards and two touchdowns. He never really needed to showcase the running side of his skill set, as the two-headed monster of running backs Travon Van and Jordan Canada combined for 230 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Griz defense was stifling, holding App. State to only two field goals.

The other major matchup of strong FCS teams came between Bethune-Cookman and Tennessee State, both of which spent time in the FCS top 25 poll last season.

The Wildcats and Tigers wound up engaging in a defensive struggle, as both teams were held to under 275 yards of offense each. In the end, Wildcat QB Jackie Wilson's six-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Murphy with about five minutes left in the game was enough to give Bethune-Cookman a 12-9 victory.

5 Standout Individual Performances

Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington QB (49-46 W vs. Oregon State): 23-30, 411 yards, 4 TD's. 16 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD's

David Johnson, Northern Iowa RB (28-20 W vs. Iowa State): 23 carries, 199 yards, 2 TD's. 4 receptions, 41 yards, 2 TD's

Kade Bell, Jacksonville QB (35-51 L vs. Delaware): 18-34, 261 yards, 4 TD's, 1 interception

Michael Nebrich, Fordham QB (51-26 W vs. Rhode Island): 17-25, 267 yards, 4 TD's. 13 carries, 31 yards, 1 TD

Kristaan Ivory, Cal Poly RB (38-16 W vs. San Diego): 14 carries, 185 yards, 3 TD's

Way-too-early Top 10

1. North Dakota State

2. Eastern Washington

3. Montana

4. Sam Houston State

5. Georgia Southern

6. Northern Iowa

7. Eastern Illinois

8. Montana State

9. Eastern Kentucky

10. Villanova

Post- Week 1 Payton Award Favorites

1. Vernon Adams, EWU QB

2. Jordan Johnson, Montana QB

3. Sam Ojuri, NDSU RB

4. Denarius McGhee, Montana State QB

5. Andrew Pierce, Delaware RB

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The 2013 Southern Conference Media Day is in the books, and the head coaches and media have projected Georgia Southern to win the Southern Conference title.

With their eventual move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2013, both Georgia Southern and Appalachian State are ineligible to win the 2013 Southern Conference title.

Georgia Southern is coming off a 2013 season that saw them make a third consecutive trip to the FCS semifinals last season. They bowed out for a second straight season to the eventual national champions with a 23-20 loss to North Dakota State. The Eagles posted a 10-4 overall record and were 6-2 in Southern Conference play last season, claiming a share of the league title along with Appalachian State and Wofford last fall. 

The Eagles amassed 57 points in the preseason coaches poll, while receiving six of the eight first-place votes by the league's head coaches. In the media poll, the Eagles were 16 points clear of Wofford, who was picked second, with 210 points and 15 first-place votes. 

The Eagles have 15 starters back from a team that claimed the 2012 Southern Conference title, including starting quarterback Jerick McKinnon and All-SoCon running back Dominique Swope on the offensive side of the football, while on the defensive side of the ball, All-SoCon defensive back Lavelle Westbrooks.

Appalachian State, who is also headed into uncharted waters next season by making the jump to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference, was selected to finish second in the Southern Conference race, according to both the league's coaches, while the league's media penned the Mountaineers third among the league's hierarchy heading into 2013. 

The Mountaineers were also recognized with some impressive individual accolades going into the 2013 season, with senior quarterback Jamal Londry-Jackson having been selected as the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Jackson was sensational last season, passing for 3,278 yards and 21 TDs.

Appalachian was knocked out of the postseason in the second round of the FCS playoffs, with a 38-37 setback to Illinois State at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Appalachian State finished 8-4 overall and 6-2 in league play, claiming their seventh title in the past eight seasons, and league standard tying 12 conference crown overall since joining the SoCon in 1972. 

The Mountaineers amassed 51 points and received a couple of first-place votes by head coaches in the preseason coaches poll while racking up 190 points and six first-place votes in the Southern Conference media poll. 

Chattanooga was selected third in the preseason poll. The Mocs are coming off a 6-5 season, and a 5-3 mark in Southern Conference play, finishing tied for fourth in the league's standings.

Chattanooga has claimed four Southern Conference titles in its history and has made one FCS playoff appearance in its history, but the Mocs haven't tasted championship success since 1984 haven't made it into the FCS postseason since 1986.    

The Mocs have a league-high 19 starters returning for the 2013 season and placed nine players on the Southern Conference preseason All-SoCon teams.

Five of those nine players selected to one of the two All-SoCon teams by the coaches were members of the Southern Conference First-Team defense, including Davis Tull, who is the preseason co-SoCon Defensive Player of the Year along with Samford defensive back Jaquiski Tartt.

Tull was sensational last season for the Mocs, registering a league-high 19 TFLs and 12.5 sacks, and heads into the season as a member of the Buck Buchanan Award candidate. The Mocs ranked among the nation's top defensive units last season, ranking 10th nationally in total defense (307.9 YPG). Ten starters return from that unit that put up those impressive numbers last fall.

The Mocs amassed 47 points in the preseason coaches poll—including one first-place vote—while posting 176 points in the league's media poll—including two first-place votes.

Samford has been a school that has been on the brink of breaking through to the top tier of the league the past couple of seasons, and many consider the Bulldogs a dark horse for the 2013 Southern Conference title.

The Bulldogs return 15 starters from a team that posted a 7-4 record last fall, and finished fourth according to the voting by the league's coaches while being selected fifth by the league's media.

Samford joined the Southern Conference in 2008 and has grown accustomed to exceeding expectations as the Bulldogs finished fourth in their first season as a league member after having been picked eighth.

Among the 15 starters returning for the 2013 season, the Bulldogs have an experienced quarterback in senior Andy Summerlin, who gained an extra year of eligibility after an appeal to the NCAA after the completion of the 2012 season. The Bulldogs will also return running back Fabian Truss and wideout Kelsey Pope, who both garnered preseason All-SoCon status.

Truss has led the SoCon each of the past two seasons in terms of all-purpose yards, and he finished the 2012 season with 1,063 all-purpose yards. Pope is one of the most accomplished receivers in school history, entering his senior season as a Bulldog with 1,402 receiving yards on 130 receptions, including seven TD catches.

On the defensive side of the football, it will be a very green linebacking corps, with three new starters this fall. However, the Bulldogs have a player in the secondary considered to be one of the best in the nation in preseason Co-Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Jaquiski Tartt.

Tartt was one of the most electrifying defensive players in all of FCS football last season, registering 94 tackles, 10 pass break-ups, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pair of TDs. He will also enter the campaign as a Buck Buchanan Award candidate. 

The Bulldogs were selected to finish fourth in the SoCon preseason coaches poll with 43 points while ranking fifth in the SoCon media poll, amassing 149 points. 

Wofford has claimed a share of two of the past three Southern Conference regular-season crowns, but massive losses on the offensive side of the ball—including two-time Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year Eric Breitenstein and quarterback Brian Kass, who has transferred to Coastal Carolina—has the dean of Southern Conference coaches, Mike Ayers, facing one of his tougher assignments.

However, despite the challenges before the Old Gold and Black heading into the 2013 season, it did not deter the media from selecting Ayers' Terriers to finish second in the SoCon, including receiving four first-place votes. The coaches picked the Terriers fifth in the preseason league balloting. Wofford totaled 194 points to go along with those four first-place votes in the media poll, while amassing 40 points in the league's coaches preseason poll.

The Terriers return 14 starters, but just five on the offensive side of the football heading into the 2013 season. The Terriers completed the 2012 season with a 9-4 overall mark, including a 6-2 league mark to tie for the SoCon title.

Wofford won their second-round FCS playoff game over New Hampshire (24-7) before getting knocked out in a hard-fought contest with eventual FCS national champion North Dakota State in the FCS semifinals, with a 14-7 setback in the FCS Quarterfinals. 

Seven Terrier players made their mark on one of the preseason All-SoCon teams, with three landing on the First Team while four were selected to the Second Team. Terrier linebacker Alvin Scioneaux is maybe the most recognizable name on that list, as he is coming off a season that saw him lead the team in sacks (7.0) and tackles for loss (14.0).

The player with the unenviable task of trying to replace Breitenstein, Donovan Johnson, was a Second-Team All-SoCon selection heading into the season after rushing for 473 yards last fall. 

The Citadel, which was another team that finished with a 7-4 overall mark, which was just their second seven-win season since 1992, is another team knocking at the door of the league's title-contending hierarchy. The Bulldogs' 5-3 conference mark saw them finish tied for fourth in the league's standings. 

Wins over a pair of Top 10 foes last season and with 17 starters returning, the expectations are as high as ever in the Port City. The Bulldogs were selected sixth in both the coaches and media polls, amassing 33 points in the coaches poll and 126 points in the media poll. 

Head coach Kevin Higgins enters his ninth season at the helm with a veteran signal-caller returning in senior Ben Dupree, who helped lead the triple-option for a fourth-straight season. Dupree's rushing offense was ranked fourth in the nation last fall, averaging right at about 300 yards per game on the ground.

Leading that ground attack will be All-Southern Conference running back Darien Robinson who became the first 1,000-yard rusher for the Bulldogs since Tory Cooper in 2007, rushing for 1,007 yards last fall.

Like The Citadel, Furman was selected to finish the same place in both the coaches and media preseason polls, with the Paladins registering 107 points in the media poll and posting 25 points in the league's preseason coaches poll.

Head coach Bruce Fowler heads into his third season at the helm with a young contingent of returnees on both sides of the ball as he tries to right the ship after a 3-8, 2-6 season last fall, accounting for the worst season for Furman since 1994 when the Paladins sported an identical record at season's end.

Three Paladins were selected to the preseason all-league team, including preseason All-America selection Dakota Dozier, who has been instrumental in helping the Paladins produce a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the past two seasons.

Dozier, a first-team selection, was joined by defensive end Gary Wilkins and kicker Ray Early on the two Southern Conference preseason teams. Wilkins, who led the Paladins with 92 tackles last season, makes the move from middle linebacker to defensive end this fall. Furman returns 15 starters for the 2013 campaign.

Elon and Western Carolina were selected eighth and ninth, respectively, to round out the 2013 preseason Southern Conference media and coaches polls.

The Phoenix, who are coming off a 3-8, 1-7 season must find a way to replace quarterback Thomas Wilson and one of the best wide receivers in the history of the Southern Conference, Aaron Mellette. The Phoenix have led the SoCon in passing offense in each of the past seven seasons. 

The Phoenix had three All-SoCon selections in the preseason, including two second-teamers on the offensive side of the ball, offensive lineman Clay Johnson and wide receiver Kierre Brown, who looks to follow in the footsteps of Mellette and Terrell Hudgins before him.

Mark Speir enters his second season as the head coach of Western Carolina, and the Catamounts struggled to a 1-10, 0-8 mark last fall. Though it did not show in their overall record, strides were made in Speir's inaugural season in Catamount country. Speir will look to put an end to the Purple and Gold's futility, which has seen Western Carolina drop 22-straight Southern Conference games, dating back to an Oct. 2010 win at The Citadel. 

2013 Southern Conference Football
Preseason All-Conference Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Jamal Londry-Jackson, Sr., QB, Appalachian State
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Jaquiski Tartt, Jr., DB, Samford;

First-Team Offense

QB Jamal Londry-Jackson, Sr.	Appalachian State
RB Dominique Swope, Jr.	Georgia Southern
RB Fabian Truss, Sr.	Samford
OL Kendall Lamm, Jr.	Appalachian State
OL Dakota Dozier, Sr.	Furman
OL Dorian Byrd, Sr.	Georgia Southern
OL Ty Gregory, Sr.	Wofford
OL Jared Singleton, Sr.	Wofford
TE Faysal Shafaat, Jr.	Chattanooga
WR Andrew Peacock, Sr.	Appalachian State
WR  Sean Price, So.	Appalachian State
WR (tie) Kelsey Pope, Sr.	Samford

First-Team Defense

DL Ronald Blair, Jr.	Appalachian State
DL Derek Douglas, Sr.	The Citadel
DL Derrick Lott, Sr.	Chattanooga
DL Davis Tull, Jr.	Chattanooga
LB Jonathan Spain, Jr.	Elon
LB Wes Dothard, Sr.	Chattanooga
LB Alvin Scioneaux, Sr.	Wofford
DB Lavelle Westbrooks, Sr.	Georgia Southern
DB Jaquiski Tartt, Jr.	Samford
DB D.J. Key, Sr.	Chattanooga
DB Kadeem Wise, Sr.	Chattanooga

First-Team Specialists

PK Ray Earley, Sr.	Furman
P Ray Earley, Sr.	Furman
RS Tony Washington, Sr	Appalachian State

Second-Team Offense

QB Jacob Huesman, So.	Chattanooga
RB Darien Robinson, Sr.	The Citadel
RB Donovan Johnson, Sr.	Wofford
OL Cullen Brown, Sr.	The Citadel
OL Clay Johnson, Sr.	Elon
OL Garrett Frye, Jr.	Georgia Southern
OL Kasey Morrison, Sr.	Samford
OL Kevin Revis, Sr.	Chattanooga
TE Zeke Walters, Sr.	Samford
WR Kierre Brown, Jr.	Elon
WR Terrell Robinson, Jr.	Chattanooga

Second-Team Defense

DL Gary Wilkins, Jr.	Furman
DL Javon Mention, Sr.	Georgia Southern
DL Jerry Mathis, Jr.	Samford
DL Tarek Odom, Jr.	Wofford
LB Carson Smith, Jr.	The Citadel
LB Justin Shade, Sr.	Samford
LB Mike McCrimon, Sr.	Wofford
DB Joel Ross, Jr.	Appalachian State
DB Brandon McCladdie, Sr.	The Citadel
DB Chandler Wrightenberry, Sr.	Elon
DB Ace Clark, Jr.	Western Carolina
DB (tie) James Zotto, Sr.	Wofford

Second-Team Specialists

PK Drew Stewart, Sr.	Appalachian State
P Clark Sechrest, Sr.	Western Carolina
RS Fabian Truss, Sr.	Samford

2013 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll

School	First-place votes	Points
Georgia Southern	6	57
Appalachian State	2	51
Chattanooga	1	47
Samford	-	43
Wofford	-	40
The Citadel	-	33
Furman	-	25
Elon	-	16
Western Carolina	-	12

2013 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll  

School	First-place votes	Points
Georgia Southern	15	210
Wofford	4	194
Appalachian State	6	190
Chattanooga	2	176
Samford	-	149
The Citadel	-	126
Furman	1	107
Elon	-	61
Western Carolina	-	47

                  

The University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens are a storied football program.  Since moving up to what is now the FCS of college football in 1981, UD has won a national championship, lost in the championship game three other times and made it to at least the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs a total of 12 times.

Legendary head coach Tubby Raymond amassed 300 wins in his 36 seasons as the head coach of the Blue Hens and was inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame in 2003.  Just two seasons after Raymond's 2001 retirement, his replacement, K.C. Keeler, guided the Blue Hens to a national championship. 

The fanbase was a force to be reckoned with, too. Delaware was the only FCS team to average more than 20,000 fans per home game each season for the 10-year period between 1999 and 2009.

In 2009, the team's hometown, Newark, was listed in the top 200 of The Sporting News' 400 Best Sports Cities, earning that ranking almost entirely on the strength of the UD Football fanbase.

The Blue Hens made the FCS Championship game as recently as the 2010 season, experiencing a heartbreaking 20-19 loss to Eastern Washington.

Since that 2010 season, however, UD has taken a bit of a step back.  First came a 7-4 2011 season that saw the Blue Hens miss the playoffs.  Then came a 5-6 record last season, culminating in the firing of Keeler, the only head coach the team had known since Raymond's retirement.

The team hasn't fared so well recently in the Battle of the Blue against hated rival Villanova, either.  UD has won the game only once in the past seven seasons, which is unacceptable to most fans.

The fanbase hasn't been quite as formidable either.  The last season in which the team averaged at least 20,000 fans per home game was the 2009 season. Delaware was barely able to crack the top 5 of FCS attendance, despite having a stadium capacity and tradition that usually put them right near the top.

New head coach Dave Brock has no prior connection to the school, so his hiring hasn't exactly been greeted with excitement by most of the fanbase.  The mystique surrounding the whole program isn't currently what it used to be.

Which begs the question: Can Delaware still be considered an FCS powerhouse?

For the first time in a long time, there is major uncertainty surrounding Delaware football.  The Blue Hens just missed the playoffs for a second year in a row, fired their championship-winning head coach and hired an outsider who hasn't been met with open arms by the fans. 

From that perspective, it seems like "powerhouse" might not be the most accurate title. 

On the other hand, things might not actually be as bad as they seem. 

Between winning the 2003 national championship and making a title game appearance in 2010, Keeler's teams missed the playoffs four times and twice posted losing seasons.  That means that Delaware's status as an FCS powerhouse never came from year-in-year-out excellence.  It came from sporadic greatness every few years.  There's no reason to believe that the current two-year downturn isn't just part of that pattern.

The attendance figures can also be explained by student unhappiness with strict policies related to game security and a feeling that the University's administration doesn't value the football program or the fanbase properly.  Changes to make game day more student-friendly would most likely result in a return to higher attendance.

Also, it is important to note that while attendance figures are down by UD standards, the team still posted the fifth-best attendance in all of FCS football last year, despite a losing season.  The attendance may be disappointing by the program's traditional standards, but it still beats out almost all of the other schools in the Blue Hens' subdivision.

The conference schedule will also be getting a little easier for Delaware, as recent formidable team Old Dominion leaves the CAA to transition to the FBS ranks.  One less difficult game on the schedule makes a return to glory that much easier.

Another good sign for the Blue Hens is the return of running back Andrew Pierce, who saw his production last season cut short by injury. The four-year starter is one of the top backs in the nation at the FCS level, totaling over 3,500 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in what were essentially two and a half seasons of play.

So the potential for UD to have a great season this year is still very much there.

Is Delaware still an FCS powerhouse?  It all depends on how you look at it.

Absolutely, it is.

Unless, of course, it actually isn't.

Yes, and no, are the appropriate answer here because "worth it" is such a remarkably relative term. There is a very palpable "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" feel to these situations. Thus, as the Sun Belt adds FCS and SoCon stalwarts Appalachian State and Georgia Southern to their FBS ranks, both the yes and no boxes were checked.

Some folks looked at the move and immediately called it stupid. Others were thrilled that the Mountaineers and the Eagles would be moving up in the ranks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBaS5BhiZ8

The truth, with respect to whether or not the move is worth it, is centered on what is important to you.

If title talk and being highly ranked are what drive you, then no, this is certainly not worth it. The move is going to be stressful on their win totals and moving into the Sun Belt is like hopping into the fringe of college football.

The fringe is not a term bashing the quality of football, and the athletes, in the Sun Belt. Rather, it refers to the conference existing on the outside of the major radar in college football. Teams in the Sun Belt don't finish highly ranked. Teams in the Sun Belt do not get the benefit of the doubt. Teams in the Sun Belt, even going 10-3 with a bowl win, don't end the season ranked in the Top 25.

Thus, it stands to reason, that not only will the sledding get tougher on the field, but even if the wins come, don't expect the respect to come with them. Such is the plight of the outsiders, with the exception of Boise State, when it comes to getting opportunities to rise in the ranks.

However, if getting more cash and chasing the dream is the goal, then making the step up is no doubt "worth it" to people. While student fees, and perhaps ticket prices, may go up, so will the cash flowing into the program. Between the television deal, donations and bowl money, the immediate opportunity for an increase is strong.

Throw in the higher payout through the coming playoff, and the increased asking costs for one-off games against bigger schools, and the athletic department will be getting a true shot in the arm. The type of shot that can help with facilities, non-revenue sports and increase travel and recruiting budgets.

While the move does not ensure a rising net profit, it does mean more revenue will be pumped into Boone and Statesboro via the football programs. In addition to the tangible pluses of money, there is the fire that drives many schools into these decisions: pursuit of the dream.

Not the dream of supplanting college football's power-brokers in the pantheon of history, but rather running down that goal of being recognized at the highest level. Until now, most of the success garnered by the Mountaineers and the Eagles came with the "at their own level" caveat.

Sure, beating Michigan earned Appalachian State the spotlight for a bit. Yes, winning titles in bulk brought both App State and Georgia Southern some recognition in their areas. But, nothing like what success at the sport's highest level would do for them. Win here, at FBS, and there is no way for the masses to discount what you've done. The chip on the shoulder for being a "lesser division" is replaced with pats of the back, because you're one of the guys now.

That is everyone's goal; from UTSA and South Alabama, to the Mountaineers and Eagles, chasing down that dream provides considerable motivation. It also makes it worth it (for them) to make that jump to the next level.

Your reference point is what determines whether these moves are worth it. What's more important than assessing worth, is going to be watching how folks motivated by chasing the dream remain motivated as their expectations are forced to be adjusted.

Although they often do not receive the same hype as prospects from FBS schools and usually get drafted in the later rounds, players from FCS schools provide teams with hidden gems in the draft every year, and often these guys can prove to be just as critical for a team’s success as Day One or Day Two prospects.

Players from FCS schools are prominent on many NFL teams. For example, last year’s Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Flacco went to Delaware, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo went to Eastern Illinois and Vikings All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen attended Idaho St.

Here are three prospects from FCS schools to keep an eye during next month's NFL draft.

Brad Sorensen, QB, Southern Utah

Sorensen is the top quarterback prospect from an FCS school in 2013. He is a tall pocket-passer with a strong arm.

His weakness could be his lack of mobility. He was clocked at 4.97 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. But for what he lacks in speed and mobility, he makes up for with arm strength and precision passing.

Sorensen was the Big Sky Player of the Year in 2012. He threw for 3,139 yards with 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and he also had a 62.2 completion percentage. In fact, Sorensen threw for over 3,000 yards in all three of his seasons at Southern Utah and never had more than 11 interceptions in any one of them.

Many experts are projecting Sorensen to go in the late rounds, and he will be viewed as project for most teams. He will not come in and take the league by storm in his rookie year like Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck, but if he gets in the right system where his skills can be further developed, he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL down the road.

Aaron Mellette, WR, Elon

Mellette is one of the top wide receiver prospects from an FCS school in the 2013 draft class. During his senior year with the Phoenix, he caught 97 passes for 1,408 yards and 18 touchdowns.

At 6'4", 212 lbs., Mellete has the size to be an NFL receiver.

His season was highlighted by a huge game against Appalachian State, where he caught 13 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

The question for any FCS player, though, is how will they perform against better competition. Elon played against two FBS opponents when Mellette had significant playing time. Last season, he struggled against North Carolina and only caught two passes.

However, in the first game of his junior year, Elon faced Vanderbilt and Mellette had 180 yards receiving against SEC competition.

In the modern NFL, there is a major focus on the passing game and there will always be a demand for wide receivers. Like Sorensen, Mellette is expected to go in one of the later rounds, but if he can get drafted in the right system, he could contribute to a NFL team right away.

Washaun Ealey, RB, Jacksonville State

Ealey began his collegiate career at Georgia, but had to leave after breaking team rules. He transferred to Jacksonville State before the 2011 season, and he was one of the best FCS running backs in 2012.

At 5'11", 215 lbs., Ealey has the size to be an NFL running back. He had 1,082 yards rushing last season and, during his time at Georgia, he proved that he can play against elite competition.

The major question with Ealey is character. His dismissal from Georgia raised major red flags, but if he can stay out of trouble, Ealey could have the most successful NFL career of any FCS player from the draft class of 2013.

Every NFL draft scout in the nation will be watching on Jan. 7 when Notre Dame plays Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, but two days earlier, the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision will hold its own national title game to determine its champion.

While the North Dakota State Bison and Sam Houston State Bearkats do not have any prospects that can compare to Notre Dame middle linebacker Manti Te’o or Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner, there are a few potential future NFL players worth watching in that contest as well.

Darnell Taylor, SS, Sam Houston State

The most likely 2013 NFL draftee playing in the FCS National Championship is Sam Houston State senior strong safety Darnell Taylor. Taylor is a tackling machine who can make plays from the secondary up to the line of scrimmage, and as a result he is an FCS All-American this season and is a two-time Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Even with all of his productivity and accolades, Taylor is still on the outside looking in when it comes to being drafted, as he is undersized for a safety at just 6'0" and 195 pounds, and he is not great in coverage. His ability to make tackles anywhere on the field is a huge positive, however, and he is a good athlete who has the talent to stick on an NFL roster if he can make an impact on special teams.

Robert Shaw, CB/S, Sam Houston State

 Another playmaker in the Sam Houston State secondary who should catch the eyes of NFL scouts is defensive back Robert Shaw. Shaw, who has played both cornerback and safety for the Bearkats this season, is an athletic playmaker who does a good job tracking the ball in coverage, and is a solid tackler as well.

Shaw is a sound cover corner with good speed and ball skills, and he most recently showed his big-play ability with a 37-yard interception return touchdown in the Bearkats’ win over Eastern Washington in the FCS semifinals. While he lacks the size to play safety at the next level, he is a solid tackler as well.

Like Taylor, Shaw is a long shot to be drafted, but if he finishes his collegiate career strong in the national championship game and tests well at Sam Houston State’s pro day, NFL scouts will take notice. If he can make plays on special teams, he may be able to make a roster at the next level.

Marcus Williams, CB, North Dakota State (Jr.)

Although the Bison were the No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs and are playing for their second consecutive national championship, they do not have any likely selections in the 2013 NFL draft. Junior cornerback Marcus Williams, however, has bright prospects for the 2014 NFL draft.

Williams is a shutdown cornerback who locks down opposing receivers, and he is a very good athlete with great speed. As a result, he has big-play potential: Williams has recorded 15 interceptions through three seasons, and had 98-yard returns on both an interception and a kickoff this past season.

Williams was recognized as an FCS All-American for the second consecutive season this year, and is certainly building himself a great résumé looking ahead to the 2014 NFL draft. He must improve as an open-field tackler to succeed at the next level, but his consistent lockdown coverage, athleticism and ball skills will keep him firmly on the NFL radar next season.

Tim Flanders, RB, Sam Houston State (Jr.)

Junior running back Tim Flanders will easily be the most explosive player on either offense in the FCS title game. Flanders has been tremendously productive at Sam Houston State—he is a two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year award winner, and has rushed for more than 4,000 yards in three seasons—and it’s not hard to see why when watching him play.

Flanders is small in stature at only 5’9”, but he is a big-play runner. He accelerates well and has good speed, and supplements that speed with effective cuts that make him a dangerous open-field runner. At 210 pounds, Flanders also does a good job of running through contact and has very good leg drive.

While it’s important to realize that the level of athletes on the FCS defenses that Flanders is gashing is not nearly that of the NFL level, Flanders has the overall game to make it as an NFL back. With a good combination of moves, strength, quickness and toughness, Flanders should be an intriguing Day 3 running back prospect in the 2014 NFL draft.

Dan Hope is an NFL draft Featured Columnist and the New England Patriots game-day correspondent for Bleacher Report. Follow @Dan_Hope

WHO: No. 5 Georgia Southern (10-3, 6-2 SoCon) at No. 1 North Dakota State (12-1, 7-1 MVFC)

WHAT: 2012 FCS SEMIFINALS

WHEN: Dec. 14, 2012, 8 p.m.

WHERE: FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, FARGODOME (18,700)

INTRODUCTION: 

 For the third-straight season, Georgia Southern finds itself in the FCS semifinals and for the second-straight campaign, the Eagles will have get past North Dakota State to reach the national title game.

When head coach Jeff Monken arrived in Statesboro in 2010, he took the Eagles to an improbable FCS Semifinal run only to see the Eagles' postseason run end in Newark, DE, with a 27-10 loss to the Blue Hens.

Last season, the Eagles were back in the semifinal round of the playoffs, and once again on the road, dropping a 35-7 decision to eventual national champion North Dakota State.

The Eagles, who have won  six national titles, come into Friday night's contest trying to end a string of four-straight semifinal setbacks, having also suffered losses to Western Kentucky (31-28) in 2002 and Furman (24-17) in 2001, with both of those results coming on the friendly home turf at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.

Georgia Southern was able to get a 49-35 shootout win over No. 3 Old Dominion in Norfolk last week, while North Dakota State disposed of the Southern Conference's other member school alive, in Wofford, taking down the gritty Mike Ayers-coached club with a 14-7 win on Saturday at the Fargo Dome.

For the 12th time in the past 15 seasons, the Southern Conference has at least one league member alive in the FCS Final Four.

The Missouri Valley Conference is already 2-0 in the FCS postseason against the SoCon, with the Bison win last week over Wofford and Illinois State's 38-37 win at Appalachian State in the Second Round.

Georgia Southern has now won 10 or more games in a third-straight campaign.

QUICK REVIEW OF 2011 MEETING—NORTH DAKOTA STATE VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN 35-7

FARGO, N.D—It was a dominating performance on both sides of the football, as North Dakota State racked up 451 yards of total offense, while limiting a powerful Georgia Southern offense to just 333 yards, including just 186 yards on the ground, en route to a 35-7 FCS semifinal victory.

The game would see the Eagles hang tough through three quarters, trailing by just 13 points (20-7) entering the final quarter of play.

But costly turnovers, and a North Dakota State offense that turned the tables on the Eagles, playing keep-away with its ground attack, which featured quarterback Brock Jensen (6 RUSH, 94 YDS, 1 TD) and running backs D.J. McNorton (13 CAR, 94 YDS) and Sam Ojuri (16 CAR, 100 YDS, 1 TD), ended the day with better than 300 yards on the ground (314 RUSH).

After Georgia Southern's Dominique Swope scored on a 23-yard run with just under four minutes to play in the opening half (3:58), it appeared the Eagles would at least go to the locker room tied with the Bison.

However, the Bison would respond and got into the end zone just 2:20 later, when Warren Holloway hauled in a 17-yard pass from Jensen, giving all the momentum to the home-standing Bison heading into the locker room, but more importantly, a 14-7 lead.

It would be the start of 28 unanswered points for the Bison to close out the game, with 21 of those points coming in the second half.

It marked the first time the Eagles had been shutout in a half all season.

Georgia Southern ended the day led by the freshman Swope, who did most of the work on the ground for GSU, rushing for 96 yards and a TD on 23 carries, while senior quarterback Jaybo Shaw finished out his career connecting on 11-of-18 passes for 134 yards.

Saturday's matchup against North Dakota State will mark the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with North Dakota State leading the all-time series, 2-0.

PREVIEWING GEORGIA SOUTHERN'S OFFENSE:

 The Georgia Southern offense has come to life over the second half of the season, and with quarterback Jerick McKinnon (18-of-44 passing, 506 YDS, 6 TDs, 3 INTs/238 RUSH ATT, 1,649 YDS, 19 TDs, 6.9 YPC) now fully comfortable in his leadership role in the offense, the Eagles are clicking on all cylinders offensive at just the right time.

McKinnon leads a Georgia Southern offense that enters Friday night's showdown with North Dakota State that ranking eighth nationally in total offense (469.6 YPG), ninth in scoring offense (35.6 PPG), first in rushing offense (490.2 YPG) and 120th in passing offense (60.4 YPG).

The Eagles are now playing with type of big plays that many predicted they would have coming into the season, and with an element that was sometimes lacking in Monken's first two seasons as head coach with Jaybo Shaw leading the offense under center. With McKinnon under center, the Eagles have a potency that is downright dangerous.

When McKinnon is hitting on all cylinders, he can be a supreme running threat—just ask Central Arkansas's defense, who was on the other end of McKinnon's 316-yard rushing performance in the Eagles' 24-16 win a couple of weeks ago.

For much of the first half of the season, the Eagle offense failed to realize its full potential, and turnovers were a major concern. McKinnon has even shown the threat as a passer in the first postseason game against Central Arkansas a couple of weeks ago.

In the win over the Bears, McKinnon connected on 2-of-7 passes for 79 yards, with a TD and an INT.

In the 49-35 win at Old Dominion last Saturday, McKinnon presided over an offense that amassed 632 yards of total offense, including 602 yards on the ground.  

McKinnon's speed and vision make him a threat to take it the distance every time he has a crease.

McKinnon isn't the threat that Shaw was throwing the football against the Bison defense last season, but as evidenced by the Central Arkansas win, he does have the potential to make the big play in the passing game.

His 316-yard rushing performance against the Bears highlights what a threat McKinnon and his speed can be.

Such effort is the most by a quarterback in the history of FCS football, previously eclipsing the previous mark of 313 yards set by Appalachian State's Armanti Edwards in the 2007 FCS semifinals against Richmond. 

In the win over Old Dominion last Saturday, McKinnon rushed for 171 yards and four TDs on 29 rush attempts.

Another huge threat in that vaunted offensive backfield the Eagles bring into the FargoDome to take on North Dakota State on Friday night will be fullback Dominique Swope (190 RUSH ATT, 1,169 YDS, 16 TDs, 6.2 YPC).

Swope is a big, physical running back that proved to be the Eagles' most effective ground option in last year's semifinal game against the Bison, finishing that contest with 96 yards rushing and the lone GSU TD.

Towards the end of the season, Swope missed some action as a result of an injury, but appears to be back to 100 percent in the postseason. Swope missed games against Appalachian State and Chattanooga during the regular-season.

Swope enters Saturday afternoon's contest having rushed for 1,000 yards in his first two seasons as the starting fullback for the Eagles, and for the third-straight season, the Eagles have had a running back rush for 1,000 or more yards in a campaign as a result of his 1,169 yards on the ground this season.

In two seasons for the Eagles, the All-SoCon running back has rushed for 2,199 yards and 23-career TDs.  

Swope has certainly enjoyed some big performances in his sophomore campaign with the GSU offense, including enjoying his top performance of the 2012 season in last week's 49-35 win over the Monarchs, as he rushed for 186 yards and a couple of TDs on 22 rush attempts.

He has five 100-yard rushing performances this season for GSU.

Swope also has a very capable backup in the backfield, in Will Banks (71 rush ATT, 439 YDS, 4 TDs, 6.2 YPC), who has logged a couple of starts this season in relief on the injured Swope and he performed superbly in those starts.

Banks enjoyed his best game of the season in one of those starts, which came in the 31-28 loss to Appalachian State, as he rushed for 129 yards and three scores on 19 rush attempts in that contest.

The two slotbacks set to start for the Eagles on Friday night are Darreion Robinson (82 RUSH ATT , 483 YDS, 4 TDs, 5.9 YPC/4 rec, 99 yds, 1 TD, 2.8 YPC) and Jonathan Bryant (53 RUSH ATT, 500 YDS, 2 TDs, 9.4 YPC/6 catches, 155 YDS, 25.8 YPR).

As has been the case in past seasons with the Georgia Southern slotbacks, both Robinson and Bryant are speed merchants at their respective positions.

Bryant is averaging nearly a first-down every time he touches the football this season, and both of his scores this season have come in excess of 40 yards, as he had a 42-yard scamper in a 38-17 win over Furman and a 78-yard jaunt in a 26-23 win over Elon.

Robinson is also a threat with his speed, and can make a defense pay for concentrating too much on either Swope or McKinnon. He will also handle the punt return duties for the Eagles on Saturday, and he has averaged 6.5 yards-per-return on 20 attempts this season.

Not only are Robinson and Bryant threats on the edge, they can also burn teams on the deep ball out of the backfield, as both come in averaging 25 yards per catch.

It will be imperative the Bison not loose sight of either Bryant or Robinson on Saturday, as either could prove to be the "X" factor in the big play Eagle offense. Robinson also completed a 15-yard pass against Old Dominion last week.

The main starting wideout for the Eagles on Saturday will be "Z" receiver Zach Walker (8 REC, 303 YDS, 37.9 YPR), who comes into Saturday's contest as the Eagles' leading wideout and has made some acrobatic catches this season, including a couple of one-handed grabs against Appalachian State and Chattanooga earlier this season.

Walker has excellent speed, as evidenced by the fact that all of his three scoring catches this season have been 25 or more yards, including a 75-yard scoring catch in a win at Furman.

He is averaging a whopping 37.9 yards-per-reception this season.

Also contributing in the passing game for Georgia Southern this season as receiving options have been Kentrellis Showers (8 rec, 102 YDS, 2 TDs, 12.8 YPR/2 RUSH ATT , 49 YDS), who will  play the "X" receiver position, while Tyler Sumner (3 REC, 57 YDS, 1 TD) will play the tight end position when the Eagles decide to go in their power formation.

If North Dakota State faced the top offensive line in the Southern Conference and one of the best in the FCS last week in Wofford, then the Eagles' offensive front is probably 1B.

The Georgia Southern offensive front had had a couple of offensive linemen garner All-America honors recently, selected by The Sports Network and College Sports Madness.

Earning All-America citation by the organization were offensive tackles Garrett Frye and Dorian Byrd.

Frye, a sophomore right tackle garnered Third-Team All-America honors, according to The Sports Network, while Byrd was a Third Team All-America selection for College Sports Madness.

Frye and Byrd will be joined up front by center Manrey Saint-Amour, and guards Logan Daves (RG) and Trevor McBurnett (LG).

Daves was a Second-Team All-SoCon selection at his left guard this postseason.

The five starters along the offensive front for the Eagles this season have molded themselves to one of the top units in school history, as the duo has helped the Eagles post two 1,000-yard ground gainers for the first time since 2005, and the 409.2 yards the Eagles average on the ground per game ranks first nationally.

That yardage average also currently ranks as the second best rushing average per game in school history.

Only the 1999 team, which averaged 419.0 YPG ranks higher in rushing yards per contest.

PREVIEWING NORTH DAKOTA STATE'S DEFENSE:

While Georgia Southern brings one of its best ground attacks into the FargoDome on Friday night, the North Dakota State Bison counter with one of the best defenses in the history of FCS (formerly Division I-AA) football, at least in a statistical sense.

North Dakota State comes into Saturday afternoon's contest continuing to rank No. 1 in every major defensive statistical category.

The Bison yield an average of 207.3 YPG in total defense, while allowing just 10.7 PPG, 128.8 pass yards per game and just 78.5 rush yards per contest.

The Bison had a physical game against the Terriers last week, and come into Saturday's contest with some bumps and bruises on the defensive side of the football, but should be in pretty good shape on the defensive side of the football for Friday night's FCS semifinal matchup.

The Bison utilize a basic 4-3 base formation, and have one of the more solid front seven units in FCS football, and is one of the main reasons the Bison find themselves as a major national title contender for a second-straight season.

Leading the Bison up front this season has been All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Teamer Cole Jirik (47 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 9 QBHs).

Jirik comes into Friday night's showdown with the Eagles continuing to be tied for lead the Bison in tackles-for-loss, while leading the team in sacks this season.

Jirik enjoyed his most impressive campaign, and his season was highlighted by a couple of superlative performances.

In the final regular-season game of the season in a 38-20 win over No. 17 Illinois State, Jirik registered eight tackles and three sacks, garnering Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in the win over the nationally-ranked Redbirds.  

Jirik recorded three stops in the win over Wofford last week.

The trio rounding out the starters along the defensive front for the Green and Gold heading into Friday night's contest will be Kyle Emanuel (45 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 FR, 5 QBHs), Danny Luecke (16 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) and Ryan Drevlow (25 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 blkd kick).

Emanuel will start at one of the defensive end positions opposite Jirik, while Luecke and Drevlow will start inside at the two defensive tackle positions, with Drevlow starting at the nose guard position. All three are sound defensively, having put up solid numbers this season.

The Bison have one of the top middle linebackers in the nation anchoring the linebacking unit coming into Friday night's semifinal contest, as Grant Olson (137 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR) enters the contest coming off one of the performances of his career, having posted an astounding 29 tackles in the win.

Simply put, Olson is one of the best defensive players in FCS football and he plays the entire field. Olson comes into Friday's game against the Eagles leading the club in tackles this season, and has posted four double-digit tackle performances this season.  

Olson was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of the Week after his performance in week eight in a win over South Dakota State, collecting eight tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Teaming with Olson at linebacker for the Bison on Friday night will be Travis Beck (78 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 4 FFs) and Carlton Littlejohn (68 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT, 3 FFs, 3 FRs), who will start at the weakside and strong side linebacker positions, respectively.

Beck and Littlejohn have been in some big football games over the past couple of seasons, and both are fundamentally sound players.

Beck was outstanding against the Terriers last week, completing the contest with 11 tackles, a tackle-for-loss and forced a fumble.

North Dakota State has maybe the top secondary in FCS football, and the reason for that success is Buck Buchanan Award candidate Marcus Williams (27 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 5 INTs, 4 PBUs).

Williams has been called by some as the best player in FCS football and the player with the most potential at the next level.

His speed and ability to break on the football have left many opposing quarterbacks forfeiting one side of the field to him this season, and have stayed away from throwing the football in his general vicinity.

Williams was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year and is the first Bison player to be named a finalist for the award since current Denver Broncos linebacker Joe Mays in 2007.

Williams has seven career TDs, with four INT returns for scores, a pair of kick returns and a lateral return for a score.

In a win over Youngstown State in mid-October, Harris returned an INT 98 yards for a score. He recorded his 16th-career INT last week in the win over South Dakota State, tying the school record in that category.

Joining Williams in the secondary for Friday night's contest will be fellow cornerback Andre Martin, Jr. (40 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 5 PBUs, 1 FR, 1 FF), while the two safeties will be Bobby Ollman (38 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FR) and Christian Dudzik (43 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 FRs, 3 PBUs, 1.0 TFL).

Dudzik was the North Dakota State's third-leading tackler on Saturday, completing the contest with eight tackles and a tackle-for-loss. Williams is responsible for picking off five of the teams nine passes this season.

Bryan Shepherd, the starting free safety who has been injured over the latter half of the season, is slated to return to the lineup on Saturday,

PREVIEWING GEORGIA SOUTHERN'S DEFENSE

Georgia Southern comes into Saturday afternoon's contest ranking 41st nationally in total defense (349.3 YPG), 35th in scoring defense (21.9 PPG), 31st in rushing defense (130.08 YPG) and 68th in pass defense (219.2 YPG).

For the second-straight week, the Eagles will offer the Bison offense a very physical defensive unit, as both Wofford and Georgia Southern are two of the most physical defenses in the Southern Conference and likely FCS football, too.

The Eagles have faced some of the nation's premier offensive units over the past few weeks of the season, having faced Georgia, Appalachian State and Old Dominion over the latter portion of the season, as the Eagles have gone from ranking in the Top Three nationally in defense to a Top 50 national defense.

The Eagles utilize a 4-2-5 defensive base, which is designed to slow down the spread offense, but will face a unique pro style type offense employed by the North Dakota State Bison.

Georgia Southern has a solid defensive front led by All-America defensive tackle Brent Russell (39 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 blkd kick).

Russell is an All-America defensive tackle, and during the latter portion of the season, Russell made the move from nose guard. Russell's 24-career sacks tie him for the school's all-time career mark, along with Edward Thomas (1993-96).

Russell is the kind of player that occupies the attention of the opposing offensive staff because he has such an effect on blocking schemes with his sheer strength and power along the defensive front for the Eagles.

He has seen mostly double teams in his senior season, and was effective in GSU's 35-7 loss to the Bison last season, posting six tackles and 1.5 TFL.

Joining Russell along the defensive front as starters along the defensive front on Friday night will be Blake Riley (42 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 PBU), while Dion DuBose (47 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 2 FRs) and Josh Gebhardt (21 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 QBHs) are slated to start at the respective defensive end positions.

Riley is solid on the interior and has started 25 of the 27 games for the Eagles over the past couple of seasons.

The real area where the Eagles have excelled this season has been at the two defensive end positions, where DuBose, Gebhardt and Javon Mention have become three of the most-feared pass-rushers in the Southern Conference this season.

They helped put Old Dominion's Taylor Heinicke under constant pressure last week in the 14-point road win for the Eagles. 

Both Dubose and Mention were All-SoCon selections this season, with DuBose garnering First-Team All-SoCon honors according to the league's head coaches, while he was a Second Team All-SoCon selection pick by the league's media.

Mention garnered Second-Team recognition according to the league's media. Mention and DuBose combined for 12 of the Eagles' 30 sacks this season.

Set to start at the two linebacker positions on Friday night against the Bison will be John Stevenson (99 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 2 FRs, 5 PBUs) and Kyle Oehlbeck (51 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1.0 sack).

Stevenson leads the team in tackles and he is coming off a strong performance last Saturday in the win over Old Dominion, and though he didn't record big tackle numbers, he was getting hits on Heinicke or pressure on him nearly every time he dropped back to pass last week.

Stevenson is the fastest player on defensive side of the ball for the Eagles, running a sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash. His five pass breakups shows that he has been effective in pass coverage this season.

With the graduation of LaRon Scott, many wondered how the Eagles' secondary would adjust this season, and the unit has performed better and better as it has matured.

The Eagles have given up an inordinate amount of pass interference penalties in the first couple of playoff games this season.

The Eagles have been especially young at the two cornerback positions, with Valdon Cooper (31 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 6 PBUs, 2 INTs) and Nic Wright (29 tackles, 3 PBUs) sharing duties on one side, while Lavelle Westbrooks (38 tackles, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs) who started in the secondary for the Eagles last season, holds down the other cornerback position heading into Friday night's showdown.

Cooper and Westbrooks both have INT returns for scores this season, with Cooper taking one back 60 yards in the season-opening win over Jacksonville, while Westbrooks returned an INT 72 yards in a Southern Conference win over Samford.

The experience in the secondary for the Eagles comes from its three safeties, in Darius Eubanks (68 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT, 7 PBUs, 1 FR), J.J. Wilcox (84 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs) and Deion Stanley (39 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 5 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR).

Wilcox and Eubanks have been vital components of the GSU secondary this season, and both have the intangibles and athleticism to make plays in the run game and the passing game.

Wilcox, who played slotback in this game for the Eagles last season, will this season start at the strong safety position on Friday night for the Eagles.

He was a recent selection to the Senior Bowl for the Eagles and is one of the best athletes on the defensive side of the football. Wilcox's interception against Old Dominion last week clinched the win for the Eagles.

PREVIEWING THE NORTH DAKOTA STATE OFFENSE:

 North Dakota State has a balanced offensive attack, which most resembles a pro-style offense. The Eagles have seen a similar offenses this season, in Furman and Elon, but the Bison offense will offer some wrinkles the Eagles have not seen as of yet this season.

Coming into Friday night's showdown with the Eagles at the FargoDome, the Bison rank 56th nationally in total offense (372.0 YPG), 20th in scoring offense (33.3 PPG), 26th in rushing offense (196.3 YPG) and 85th in passing offense (175.6 YPG).

Leading that offense for a second-straight season has been savvy senior quarterback Brock Jensen (189-of-303 passing, 2,140 passing yds, 17 TDs, 8 INTs/93 rush att, 255 yds, 8 TDs, 2.7 YPC). Jensen is the kind of leader that is disciplined and is a true personification of the term "field general."

Jensen was a Second-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference performer in 2012, and is an extremely good decision-maker under center for the Bison, having thrown only seven INTs in 12 previous games this season. Jensen ranks second in program history in completions (467) and passing yards (5,614 yds).

In the win over Wofford last week, Jensen was able to connect on 13-of-18 passes for 95 yards, with a TD and an INT. His 16-yard completion to wideout Zach Vraa just before the half would prove to be the game-winning score for the Bison.

In the 35-7 win over Georgia Southern last season, Jensen did some good things for the Bison offense, as he made good on 10-of-15 passes for 137 yards and a TD, while rushing for 97 yards and a score on just six rush attempts.

While D.J. McNorton is no longer in the backfield for the Bison, the other half of that running tandem that helped the Bison account for better than 300 yards rushing against that Georgia Southern defense last season is, in Sam Ojuri (195 att, 884 yds, 9 TDs, 4.5 YPC/9 rec, 95 yds, 1 TD).

Ojuri is a veteran, powerful running back that has been instrumental to the success for the North Dakota State offense over the past couple of seasons.

In the semifinal win over the Eagles last season, Ojuri rushed the ball 16 times for 100 yards and a TD, as he led the Green and Gold in rushing on that afternoon.  

That semifinal performance against Georgia Southern a year ago was one of seven-career 100-yard rushing efforts for the junior halfback. Two of Ojuri's 100-yard rushing efforts have come this season.

While the Bison might have lost McNorton to graduation, they have replaced him with one of the league's best newcomers on the offensive side of the ball, in sophomore John Crockett (170 rush att, 896 yds, 8 TDs, 5.3 YPC/5 rec, 30 yds).

The two-time all-state performer out of Minneapolis, Minn., has been sensational in his first season, giving the Bison a nice one-two punch at the halfback position, having split the carries with Ojuri this season.

Crockett enters the game with the Eagles on Friday night as the team's leading rusher, and is a back that possesses great vision and speed. 

Crockett has three 100-yard rushing efforts this season. The Missouri Valley All-Newcomer Team selection enjoyed his best performance to date in the 33-21 win over Northern Iowa, garnering Missouri Valley Newcomer of the Week honors by rushing for 122 yards and a couple of TDs on 19 carries.

Rounding out the ground options for the Bison on Saturday will be Andrew Grothmann and Andrew Bonnett, who comprise the Bison two-deep at the fullback position.

Both are excellent lead blockers for Ojuri and Crockett, and Bonnett, a red shirt freshman from Council Bluffs, IA., earned Missouri Valley All-Newcomer honors this season for his production as a part of the North Dakota State offense.

He has especially proven to be an effective receiving option coming out of the Bison backfield, with 11 catches for 93 yards and a receiving score this season.

The Eagles also won't have to deal with stopping the explosive Warren Holloway at wideout this season, as he had a pretty effective afternoon against Georgia Southern last season, hauling in five passes for 68 yards and a TD, while also posting 17 yards rushing.

What the Eagles will have to deal with are two solid, great route-running wideouts, in Zach Vraa (41 rec, 556 yds, 4 TDs, 13.6 YPR) and Ryan Smith (43 rec, 490 yds, 4 TDs, 1.4 YPR).

Both Vraa and Smith have been excellent receiving options for Jensen this season, with Vraa possessing the speed to stretch an opposing secondary, while Smith brings a little bit of everything to the table and is probably the team's best all-around receiving option.

Vraa was the leading option catching the football in the win over Wofford last week, hauling in five passes for 49 yards, including the game-winning 16-yard scoring catch just before the half.

Smith is reliable, and has deceptive speed. He has come up with plenty of clutch catches in his career, and after only having played in nine games this season, he was able to garner Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.

Smith had six catches for 88 yards in a win over Southern Illinois, while hauling in seven passes for 82 yards and a TD in a win over Youngstown State.

Williams, who is also dangerous as a punt return threat, also had a 76-yard punt return for a score against the Penguins. He had two catches for 31 yards against the Eagles last season.

Tight end Garrett Bruhn (3 rec, 44 yds, 2 TDs) rounds out the receiving options for the Bison on Friday night, and he has started all seven games he's seen action in this season. Trevor Gebhart (32 rec, 343 yds, 1 TD, 10.7 YPR), who's the team's third-leading receiver, is the top reserve pass-catcher for the Bison and he comes into Friday night's contest ranking third on the team in receiving this season.

Like Georgia Southern, or any team that runs the football team with some success, it usually can be measured by solid performers along the offensive line, and like the Eagles, the Bison have one of the nation's top units.

Leading that talented offensive front this season has been All-America (The Sports Network) left tackle Billy Turner. Turner was one of two First-Team All-America selections for the Bison this season, with Marcus Williams being the other.

Turner, a 6-6, 300-pound junior from Shoreview, Minn., has started all 13 games for the Bison at left tackle this season, and he is one of the main reasons the Bison have ran the ball with such success once again this season and lead the nation in time-of-possession (35:16) entering Friday night's semifinal contest.

 Joining Turner in the starting quintet for the Bison along the offensive front on Friday night will be First-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selections Joe Lund (C), Tyler Gimmestad (RG), All-MVFC newcomer Josh Colville (LG) and Joe Haeg (RT).

The unit allowed 21 sacks this season, and helped the Bison average 5.5 yards-per-play and 4.5 yards-per-rush this season in what was a direct offensive attack for North Dakota State.

FINAL PREDICTION 

 This game has been hard for me to gauge, and given the fact that the Bison completely dominated the second half of last season's game, folks may wonder I would be hesitant to pick the Bison to repeat the feat this season. If you would have asked me prior to the Bison game with Wofford last Saturday, it would have been a slam dunk for me to pick NDSU over Georgia Southern.

However, I believe that last week's Wofford team was very similar to the 2011 Georgia Southern team, which featured Jaybo Shaw at quarterback.

The reason the Bison were able to have such success in that game was because they figured out that Shaw was not an option to beat them running the football. On Friday night, Jerick McKinnon will be.

The key for North Dakota State will be stopping McKinnon and if his speed gives NDSU trouble early, it will be a long night for NDSU.

If the Bison can slow play McKinnon and stop Dominique Swope on the fullback dive and the variety of inside traps GSU utilizes offensively, then it will be a second-straight loss for the Eagles in the FargoDome.

However, it's hard for me believe that North Dakota State will be able to go through the two best teams the SoCon has to offer, and I think the Eagles also benefit from having the Bison play a physical game against Wofford last week.

With that being said, I think Georgia Southern comes out of Fargo with a close win and returns to the national title game for the first time in 12 years, ending a streak of four-straight semifinal losses for the Eagles, dating back to a 24-17 setback to Furman at Paulson Stadium in 2001.

Final Score Predicition: Georgia Southern 20, North Dakota State 17