Week 2 FCS Football Preview & Predictions

As I've done over the past few years, I'll preview the biggest games of the weekend and give my official predictions. Let's keep this season going and preview the biggest Week 2 games from across the FCS landscape.

2026 Prediction Record: 27-8
2022-25 Prediction Record: 540-175 (75.5%)

No. 1 Montana State at Nevada

Kickoff: 10:30 pm ET (The CW)

Storylines To Watch: Where's the real ceiling for this year's Montana State team? We haven't seen the Bobcats tested this season, as they've dispatched two overmatched opponents, outscoring Utah Tech and Butler by a combined score of 105-24. The Bobcats have just handled business this season, but this will be the first real measuring stick for how good this team can be after winning it all in Nashville last season.

Nevada looked much better than most experts predicted in Week 1. The Wolfpack defeated Western Kentucky in a 49-14 rout, but it's only one data point. Is this team really that improved? Or was it just a good matchup to start the year? We'll find out on Saturday night when the Bobcats roll into Reno. There are also headlines surrounding Jeff Choate playing his former team. He led the Bobcats to back-to-back FCS Playoff appearances and four wins over Montana in the Brawl of the Wild.

Matchup To Watch: Nevada's Rushing Attack vs. Montana State's Defense

The Wolfpack overwhelmed WKU with their rushing attack last weekend. They finished the game with over 320 rushing yards and 5 TDs, averaging 7.7 yards per carry as a team. It starts with Dominic Kelley, who had a breakout performance with a team-high 152 yards on only 11 carries. I don't think Carter Jones was very effective throwing the ball at quarterback, which means it's very likely that the Wolfpack are going to lean on the run game.

Montana State has been solid against the run, holding opponents to 2.3 yards per carry, but they haven't seen a rushing attack like this. This will be a very big test for this defensive line, which features multiple new starters. This linebacker room is elite, especially with the return of Cole Taylor and Bryce Grebe. They helped Montana State finish with a Top 20 rushing defense last season. If the Bobcats can slow down the run and put the game on Carter Jones' arm, I really like Montana State's chances to win this game.

X-Factor: Justin Lamson (Montana State, QB)

The main reason I'm rolling with the Bobcats is my trust in quarterback Justin Lamson to deliver in the biggest moments. Whether it was winning on the road in Missoula or making the game-winning throw to Taco Dowler on 4th-and-10 in Nashville, Lamson was clutch for the Bobcats last season. This is a game that's made for Lamson to once again deliver for Montana State.

He's been solid this season, completing 74% of his passes for 499 yards, 4 passing TDs, 0 INTs, and 3 rushing TDs. Lamson's ability to make plays outside the pocket, along with being a huge threat in the red zone, makes him a key player to watch. If the Bobcats are going to win this game, they are going to need Lamson to make a handful of important throws, while also not turning the football over. I expect him to deliver as he did throughout Montana State's run to Nashville last season.

Prediction: Montana State (38-34)

No. 14 Lamar at Idaho

Kickoff: 4 pm ET (ESPN+)

Storylines To Watch: It sounds crazy to say that a team has a must-win game in Week 2, but the Vandals have no room for error after an 0-2 start. The Vandals host Lamar this weekend, Abilene Christian in Week 3, then enjoy a bye week before Montana State rolls into Moscow. If the Vandals can't get it done, there's a strong possibility they could be 0-5 going into mid-October.

This is also a big opportunity for Lamar to get another signature win on its resume for the postseason. The Cardinals already hold a win over Abilene Christian, and now can add a road win over a Big Sky opponent to their resume before we even get to Week 3. Pete Rossomando has done an excellent job building this program into a contender. This is the next step for the Cardinals, but it won't be easy to go into the Kibbie Dome and knock off a desperate Idaho team.

Matchup To Watch: Idaho QB Joshua Wood vs. Lamar's Defense

The clearest path to victory for Idaho is to turn this game into a shootout. There are questions about Lamar's offensive effectiveness, which means that if the Vandals can get to 30+ points, they are going to have an excellent shot to win this game. That starts with the playmaking ability of quarterback Joshua Wood. He's been the whole offense for Idaho, throwing for 474 yards and 2 TDs, while also leading the team with 83 rushing yards and another score.

Wood is going to need to protect the football this weekend, because Lamar's defense has already forced 5 INTs in only two games. Despite recording only 1 sack, the Cardinals have done an excellent job of making the opposing quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket. I don't think Lamar has seen an athlete like Wood, but it's going to be interesting to see if they can force Wood into mistakes, which would give the Cardinals a big advantage in this game.

X-Factor: Tony Harste (Idaho, WR)

The most dangerous offensive weapon on the field will be Idaho wide receiver Tony Harste. He's caught 100% (11-of-11) of his targets this season, including a career-high 9 receptions for 180 yards and 2 TDs against Cal Poly in Week 0. He can be a threat in the slot and on the outside, while leading the team in yards per route run by over a full yard. This Lamar secondary has been very good this year, making this a very interesting battle to watch on Saturday afternoon.

Prediction: Lamar (26-20)

No. 12 Stephen F. Austin at No. 23 Abilene Christian

Kickoff: 8 pm ET (ESPN+)

Storylines To Watch: This is a must-win game for the Wildcats. Sitting at 0-2, Abilene Christian can't afford to fall to 0-3 with a sneaky road trip to Idaho on the horizon next weekend. That doesn't include a tough non-conference schedule that includes road trips to Tarleton State and Austin Peay, along with games against West Florida and Mercer.

These teams also played twice last season, splitting the matchups, but the Lumberjacks got the best of the Wildcats in the second round of the playoffs. This game could have a major impact on seeding and a possible at-large bid if either of these teams ends up on the bubble, depending on how the season plays out.

Matchup To Watch: SFA Defensive Line vs ACU Offensive Line

Stephen F. Austin's defensive line has been dominant over the first two weeks of the season. The Lumberjacks rank 4th nationally with 8 sacks, plus have also recorded 14 TFLs against two conference opponents. There were a ton of questions about this revamped defensive line, but the four highest-graded defensive players on this team are defensive linemen. This unit is long, athletic, and physical, which could create issues for Abilene Christian's offensive line.

Abilene Christian's offensive line struggled in the first half against Lamar, but has looked much improved since halftime in that game. The Wildcats are averaging 3.9 yards per carry, but that includes a game against Texas Tech. It'll be extremely important for the Wildcats to keep John David Black clean in the pocket, while also limiting negative plays in the run game.

X-Factor: Lowote Jurkin (Stephen F. Austin, EDGE)

The success of Stephen F. Austin's defensive line starts with Lowote Jurkin, who is having a breakout year for the Lumberjacks. He was named the SLC Defensive Player of the Week against East Texas A&M plus is one of the highest-graded defensive players in the FCS. In only 50 pass-rush snaps, he's generated 13 pressures, including 10 QB hurries, 3.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks. He's going to be a key piece for this SFA pass rush on Saturday night.

Prediction: Stephen F. Austin (31-28)

No. 16 William & Mary at No. 9 Lehigh

Kickoff: 2 pm ET (ESPN+)

Storylines To Watch: Is William & Mary a real contender in the Patriot League? This may seem like an insane storyline, but the Tribe have been outplayed for two straight weeks and still found a way to escape with a win. The offense has looked abysmal at times, while the defense is allowing nearly 6.0 yards per play. This weekend will go a long way in determining how real of a threat the Tribe are this season, or if the first two wins of the year were fool's gold.

Matchup To Watch: William & Mary's Defense vs. Lehigh's Rushing Attack

If the Tribe cannot stop the Mountain Hawks from running the ball, this one will get out of hand very quickly. Lehigh ranks 5th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 291.5 yards per game. It all starts with Luke Yoder, who has been one of the best running backs in the FCS over the past two years. Aidan Mayfield looks to be the clear No. 2 option behind Yoder, while Hayden Johnson is also a threat with his legs outside the pocket. William & Mary's defense ranks 7th in the Patriot League in rushing defense, allowing 5.3 yards per carry.

I also wanted to touch on another important matchup. I mentioned earlier that the Tribe offense has been very bad at times, including their 187-yard performance last week against Delaware State. A lot of this is due to negative plays. William & Mary has allowed 25 TFLs and 10 sacks over its first two games. If Lehigh establishes the run plus wins the line of scrimmage battle defensively, I don't think this game will be very competitive.

X-Factor: Turnovers

Usually this section is reserved for X-factor players, but this has been the secret recipe for William & Mary over the past two games. The Tribe lead the country in turnovers gained (10) and turnover margin (8). The next closest team is Western Carolina with a +5 turnover margin, showing how stingy William & Mary's defense has been this year. 4 different players have recorded an interception, while the secondary has also done a great job with 14 pass breakups.

Hayden Johnson has not thrown an interception this season, which makes this such an important thing to watch. I don't think William & Mary is going to be very good offensively, but the Tribe can keep this one close and have a chance for an upset if they can force Johnson and this Lehigh offense into mistakes.

Prediction: Lehigh (31-10)

Quick-Hit Week 2 Predictions:

No. 8 Rhode Island 34, Elon 13

Another weekend without starting quarterback Devin Farrell, which is slightly concerning since we still don't know an official timetable for his return. Luckily, Tyler Budge has played well over the first two weeks, plus adds a level of athleticism in the plus-one run game that can be dangerous when paired with BJ Barrow. I'm still unsure of how good Elon really is after playing two overmatched teams to start the year. I think Rhode Island's defense is the biggest factor in this matchup, especially with some of the inconsistency we've seen from Elon quarterback Brady Stober.

No. 11 South Dakota 41, Eastern Washington 24

One of the best quarterback battles of the weekend will take place in Vermillion. Austyn Modrzewski has been spectacular for the Coyotes, while Nate Bell leads the Eagles in both passing and rushing through two games. Bell is going to need to have a special game if the Eagles are going to pull off this upset. My biggest question will be whether Eastern Washington can find any success on the ground, outside of Bell's athleticism when escaping the pocket. I think this one will be close early, but Modrzewski and South Dakota's explosive rushing attack will be too much in the second half.

Furman 26, No. 18 Mercer 23

Another matchup where we don't know a lot about either team. Furman opened the season against a Division II opponent and played Tennessee last weekend, while Mercer played East Texas A&M and an overmatched Presbyterian team. I still have questions about both quarterback situations, which makes this game a complete toss-up in my opinion.

I'm going to trust the continuity for Furman defensively, making this my upset pick of the week. I love what I've seen from Eli Lipscomb, who will need to make quarterback Jaylen King uncomfortable on Saturday if the Paladins are going to escape with an upset win on the road.

No. 24 Northern Arizona 24, Incarnate Word 21

I've said all week that this is the biggest 50-50 game of the weekend. Incarnate Word had a Week 1 bye week after playing Oklahoma Panhandle State to start the year, while NAU got a big Week 0 win over Eastern Washington, then played Arizona.

NAU's offense has been a bit shaky over the first two games, which is a bit of a concern, but the Lumberjacks had a ton of new pieces on both sides of the ball. Incarnate Word also had a ton of turnovers, but we still haven't seen this team against a real opponent yet. In a game this evenly matched, I'm always going to lean towards the home team, especially in Flagstaff, plus Ty Pennington always seems to step up in these moments, which is why I'm going with the Lumberjacks in a very close game.

Other Notable Week 2 Predictions:

No. 6 North Dakota 38, Portland State 21

No. 12 Tennessee Tech 38, Samford 7

The Citadel 21, Charleston Southern 20

UTRGV 37, Nicholls 23

Alcorn State 30, UAPB 20

Southern Illinois 27, SEMO 21

North Carolina Central 28, North Carolina A&T 17

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