FCS Football Recap: Week 7 Takeaways

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

NDSU Dominates Southern Illinois In Top 25 Win

What else can be said about North Dakota State? The Bison won their third consecutive ranked game, defeating No. 8 Southern Illinois 45-17 on Saturday. NDSU improved to 6-0 (3-0 MVFC), winning every game by 17 points or more.

After back-to-back punts, the Bison scored on their next six drives, which featured five touchdowns. Cole Payton was locked in once again, completing 13-of-16 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown. He added another 48 yards and two scores on the ground. Bryce Lance opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown run. He also led the team with four receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown.

North Dakota State's defense forced two critical turnovers in the second half, both led to scoring drives that helped extend the lead. The Bison sacked DJ Williams four times, led by Keenan Wilson with 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Outside of Williams, the Salukis only had 82 rushing yards. The box score doesn't tell the full story, but Williams was one of the only bright spots for Southern Illinois. He completed 15-of-29 passes for 190 yards and one interception. He led the team with 41 rushing yards and one touchdown.

how lucky are we to get to watch Cole Payton play football

31-10, Bison over No. 8 Southern Illinois. pic.twitter.com/vtmG0zl6lF
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) October 11, 2025

Jackson State Takes Control Of SWAC East Race

In what was dubbed the SWAC Game of the Year, No. 15 Jackson State escaped with a 38-34 win over Alabama State. The Tigers stopped the Hornets on the 1-yard line as time expired, giving them full control of the SWAC East race. Jackson State improved to 5-1 overall (3-0 SWAC) and is the heavy favorite to win its fourth conference title in the past five seasons.

Offensively, the Tigers got everything they wanted against ASU's defense. Jackson State did not punt this weekend, gaining 30 or more yards on eight of its nine drives. It started with the rushing attack, which rolled up 257 yards on 5.7 yards per carry. The Tigers leaned on the run game to move the ball, but it was quarterback JaCobian Morgan who put the ball in the end zone. Morgan finished with 191 passing yards and five passing touchdowns, while also posting 66 rushing yards on only seven carries.

Jackson State defensive lineman Quincy Ivory and defensive back Shamar Hawkins — Jackson State defensive lineman Quincy Ivory (6) and defensive back Shamar Hawkins (5) | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Quarterback Andrew Body carried the Alabama State offense, accounting for 442 total yards. He had a season-high 349 passing yards and one touchdown, along with a team-high 93 rushing yards on 14 carries. The Jackson State defense made crucial plays when it mattered most, including a massive interception from Quincy Ivory in the fourth quarter. They also held the Hornets to a field goal inside the JSU 20-yard line twice in the first half. Ivory led the Tigers with 12 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and one interception.

UC Davis Picks Up Top 25 Win Over NAU

No. 6 UC Davis picked up its first Top 25 win of the season with a 45-24 victory over No. 14 Northern Arizona. The Aggies improved to 5-1 overall, but sit at 5-0 against FCS opponents after Saturday's win. We also may have a new favorite for the Jerry Rice Award after this game.

There are plenty of storylines to hit in this game, but it was the performance by quarterback Caden Pinnick that turned heads. The redshirt freshman completed 25-of-29 passes for 348 yards and five touchdowns. He set new career highs for completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns. He's also the first UC Davis player to record five passing touchdowns since 2018. He solidified himself as the early favorite for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the top freshman at the FCS level.

Wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr. had an excellent game, posting a team-high seven catches for 114 receiving yards and two scores. Running back Jordan Fisher continued his breakout season with 104 rushing yards and one touchdown on 14 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per carry.

There were multiple key injuries that impacted the UC Davis defense, but the Aggies got major contributions from rising stars. Sophomore linebacker Jackson Sievers led the team with nine tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack. Jacob Psyk continued to shine, posting six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. The defense forced two fumbles and a turnover on downs over NAU's last three drives, securing the win for the Aggies.

2nd of the day for Gbatu Jr. 😉

📺 ESPN+ #GoAgs pic.twitter.com/n1KjHxzF3h
— UC Davis Football (@UCDfootball) October 12, 2025

Northern Colorado Stuns No. 11 Idaho

Northern Colorado pulled off a huge upset over No. 11 Idaho, defeating the Vandals 49-33 in the Kibbie Dome. The Vandals were without quarterback Joshua Wood, but it was the Idaho defense that allowed nearly 500 yards of total offense and 35 first-half points. The Bears only won one game over the past two years, but improved to 3-3 with the win on Saturday, making this one of the biggest wins in the Ed Lamb era.

Quarterback Eric Gibson Jr. was outstanding, completing 22-of-34 passes for 350 passing yards and two touchdowns. He has two of the most underrated weapons in the country with Brayden Munroe and Carver Cheeks. The duo combined for 14 catches, 271 receiving yards, and one touchdown. After a slow start to the second half, the Bears put together back-to-back scoring drives to end the game, securing the win over the Vandals.

The defense was excellent, finishing with three sacks and seven tackles for loss. The Bears also forced three turnovers, leading to 10 points, while safety Cam Chapa sealed the game with his interception in the fourth quarter. Chapa posted a team-high 10 tackles, while Hudson Voggesser added eight tackles, one for loss, and one sack.

Other Key Storylines Around The FCS:

Eastern Kentucky stunned No. 16 Austin Peay in one of the most unusual games of the season. The Colonels only had 68 total yards in the first half, but posted over 270 yards after halftime. Special teams and defense kept Eastern Kentucky in this game, allowing for the second-half turnaround. T.J. Mitchell had a 100-yard kick return touchdown, while Vito Tisdale tied the game at 17 before halftime with a 19-yard pick-six. The win extended EKU's home-winning streak to 10 games.

No. 13 North Dakota impressed in a 35-17 win over Youngstown State in a huge MVFC matchup. Jerry Kaminski had another solid outing, throwing for 146 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Sawyer Seidl led the Hawks with 114 rushing yards as UND finished with over 225 yards on the ground. The defense was excellent, led by linebacker Malachi McNeal, who recorded 10 tackles, one for loss, and one sack. North Dakota improved to 4-1 against the FCS, with their only loss coming against Montana in a one-point game.

Despite missing multiple starters, No. 3 Tarleton State didn't miss a beat with a 41-23 win over Utah Tech. James Paige entered the season as a quarterback, but stepped into the starting running back role and delivered an outstanding performance. He led the Texans with 114 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, and a passing touchdown. The Texans are now 7-0 with an FBS win, positioning themselves to make a run at one of the Top 2 overall seeds.

No. 19 Abilene Christian picked up its third Top 25 win of the season, defeating No. 21 West Georgia. Quarterback Stone Earle had a solid performance, completing 21-of-32 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. The ACU defense suffocated West Georgia's rushing attack, holding the Wolves to 35 yards on 16 carries for an abysmal 2.2 yards per carry. The Wildcats put the game away with a 19-play drive, spanning 94 yards, which lasted over 10 minutes. It was another impressive performance for Abilene Christian, which improved to 4-1 vs. the FCS.

Things were uncomfortable at halftime, but No. 4 Montana scored 28 unanswered points in the second half in a 28-9 win over Cal Poly. Kenzel Lawler's 21-yard pick-six started the comeback as Montana's defense forced four interceptions. Eli Gillman was special once again, leading the team with 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Keali'i Ah Yat struggled in the first half, but still ended with 257 passing yards and one touchdown.

Western Carolina made a statement with a 52-7 win over Furman in a massive SoCon battle. The Catamounts rolled up over 522 yards of total offense, averaging 7.6 yards per play. Taron Dickens was solid, throwing for 220 yards and four touchdowns, but it was the rushing attack that stole the headlines. WCU finished with 302 rushing yards on 6.7 yards per carry, led by Patrick Boyd with 68 yards. Cornerback Hasaan Sykes posted six tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception.

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