Week 6 FCS Football Preview & Predictions

As we do every week, we will preview the biggest games of the weekend and give our official predictions.

Let's take a look at the biggest games of the Week 6 slate.

2025 Prediction Record: 60-14
2022-24 Record: 382-122

No. 16 West Georgia at No. 22 Austin Peay

Kickoff: 3 pm CT (ESPN+)

West Georgia just keeps finding ways to win, moving to 5-0 with a road victory over Southern Utah. The Wolves might not be playoff-eligible, but they will be a major factor in the UAC race. Austin Peay sits at 3-2, which includes a 20-point FBS win over Middle Tennessee State. The Governors face a must-win situation after losing their UAC opener to Abilene Christian two weeks ago.

Everything in this game starts with defense. Both teams have been elite this season, ranking Top 15 nationally in total defense. West Georgia has held opponents to 16 points and 278.6 yards per game, headlined by a rushing defense that's allowing only 2.9 yards per carry. Defensive end David Hoage has been a star, recording 26 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and three sacks. Linebacker Jay Carter has posted a team-high 34 tackles, along with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

The Govs are allowing only 287 yards per game, which includes the No. 7 rushing defense nationally with 85.2 yards per game allowed. Removing the Georgia game, that average drops to 59 yards per game. Safety Ellis Ellis Jr. leads the team with 27 tackles and five pass breakups. Defensive linemen Charles Crews III and Davion Hood have combined for 24 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and nine quarterback hurries.

The ground game has been the biggest key to West Georgia's success, averaging 214 yards per game. Latrelle Murrell leads the Wolves with 501 yards on 5.8 yards per carry, while TJ Lester and quarterback Davin Wydner have both topped the 200-yard mark this year. Four different players have rushed for 120 or more yards for the Govs, led by quarterback Chris Parson with 210 and four touchdowns.

Both defenses are going to make things hard on the ground, which means this game will probably come down to which quarterback makes the most plays. Parson has been excellent for Austin Peay, throwing for 1,026 yards, seven touchdowns, and only one interception. Wydner is a dynamic weapon for West Georgia, but has struggled with turnovers, throwing seven interceptions, but has avoided turning the ball over in the past two games.

Both of these teams are expected to be contenders in the UAC, but I'm going to lean toward the team with the more consistent quarterback. Despite being on the wrong side of multiple West Georgia picks, I think this is a tough matchup on the road against a talented Austin Peay team. Austin Peay's defense and Chris Parson will make enough plays to win this game on Saturday.

Prediction: Austin Peay (28-24)

No. 2 South Dakota State at No. 24 Youngstown State

Kickoff: 5 pm CT (ESPN+)

Not many people expected Youngstown State to break into the Top 25 this season. The Penguins improved to 3-1 with a solid win over Towson in Week 4, ahead of a bye week. South Dakota State has continued to roll after a signature win over Montana State, defeating Mercyhurst and Drake to move to 4-0 overall.

Everybody knows what the game plan is for the South Dakota State defense. The Jacks will have to find a way to contain Beau Brungard, who leads Youngstown State with 526 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He's topped the 100-yard mark in all three FCS games, averaging 7.5 yards per carry. Through the air, he's completing 66.1% of his passes for 755 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.

South Dakota State has been stout against the run, holding opponents to 99 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry. The Jacks have one of the most athletic linebacker rooms in the nation, headlined by Chase Van Tol, Joe Ollman, and Cullen McShane. The trio has combined for 67 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. Add that to a talented defensive tackle duo in Kobe Clayborne and Logan Green, and it's going to be difficult for the Penguins to find much success on the ground.

On the other side, Youngstown State has been good against the run, holding opponents to 92.8 yards per game. The issue has been the secondary, which is allowing 264.5 yards per game, including 285+ against Towson and Mercyhurst. South Dakota State quarterback Chase Mason has exceeded expectations, throwing for 910 yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

Youngstown State has impressed me this season, but I don't think this is a good matchup for the Penguins. South Dakota State's defense has the athleticism to take the run away, which will create issues for YSU offensively. Add that to Mason playing his best football right now, along with Loughridge in the run game, I think the Jacks win this game decisively.

Prediction: South Dakota State (34-17)

No. 5 Montana State at No. 13 Northern Arizona

Kickoff: 4 pm CT (ESPN+)

Montana State has found its rhythm after an overtime loss to South Dakota State, including a dominant 54-point win over Eastern Washington. The Bobcats sit at 3-2 overall and have a chance to bolster their resume with a ranked win this weekend. Northern Arizona is 4-1 overall (4-0 vs FCS), including an impressive win over Incarnate Word. The Lumberjacks have won nine consecutive home games, their last loss dating back to 2023. There's a lot on the line this weekend in Flagstaff.

The Bobcats are known for their offense, but the defense has stolen the headlines this season. Montana State leads the Big Sky in total defense (296.4) and rushing defense (115.4), while ranking No. 2 in scoring defense (19.8) and passing defense (181). Linebacker Cole Taylor is having a breakout season, posting a team-high 32 tackles, along with 4.5 tackles for loss.

Northern Arizona's offensive attack runs through quarterback Ty Pennington, who has thrown for 1,347 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception. He was the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year last season, but has taken his game to the next level this season. He's a playmaker who's not afraid to take risks and can make plays outside the pocket. Kolbe Katsis is his No. 1 target, leading the team with 23 catches for 444 yards and four touchdowns.

My biggest concern in this game will be Northern Arizona's rushing defense. The Lumberjacks are allowing 160.5 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry this season. Montana State is averaging 200 yards per game, but hasn't been as explosive on the ground. A lot of that has been tied to the slow start for Adam Jones (3.9 YPC), but this could be a matchup the Bobcats exploit with Jones and Julius Davis, who leads the team with 254 rushing yards.

Justin Lamson is also starting to look comfortable at quarterback for Montana State. He has completed 72.9% of his passes for 1,005 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, adding 179 yards and two scores with his legs. Taco Dowler is also a player to watch, leading the Bobcats with 30 catches for 332 yards and three scores.

Northern Arizona has enough talent to pull off the upset if the Bobcats don't play a complete game. My concern is that the Lumberjacks will not be able to get enough stops defensively. This is the perfect game for Montana State to generate some explosive plays on the ground, while the defense is able to contain Pennington to secure the win on the road.

Prediction: Montana State (31-21)

No. 1 North Dakota at No. 6 Illinois State

Kickoff: 6 pm CT (ESPN+)

North Dakota State continued its dominance last week, dismantling South Dakota in a 51-13 blowout victory. The Bison have won their first four games by an average of 39.7 points, outscoring opponents 189-30. Illinois State is currently 3-0 against the FCS, but hasn't looked as dominant as some people expected against North Alabama and Eastern Illinois. This is an opportunity for the Redbirds to establish themselves as national contenders, while also securing their first win over NDSU since 2010.

The Redbirds have been balanced offensively, but the rushing attack will be the key in this game. Wenkers Wright leads the team with 309 yards and four scores, while Victor Dawson has emerged as a key weapon with 202 yards. Can the Redbirds find success on the ground? It won't be easy against an NDSU defense that allows only 81.5 yards per game. The Bison have suffocated opposing offenses, holding them to 2.5 yards per carry.

Illinois State's offense still runs through quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse. In four games, he's passed for 652 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception. He's also the team's third-leading rusher with 159 yards, averaging eight yards per carry. Daniel Sobkowicz is also a playmaker on the outside, posting 23 receptions for 329 yards and five touchdowns. It'll be a matchup to watch against the NDSU defense that ranks No. 1 nationally in passing defense (111 YPG Allowed).

Where this matchup gets difficult for Illinois State is defensively, particularly in the secondary. The Redbirds are allowing over 300 yards per game through the air, which is a recipe for disaster against the Bison. Cole Payton has 979 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions, while completing 72.6% of his passes. The Bison also feature one of the best wide receivers in the nation in Bryce Lance, who leads the team with 15 receptions for 337 yards and two scores. Shadwel Nkuba II (4 INTs) has been the lone bright spot for Illinois State's secondary.

It's another game where I think Illinois State is talented, but this may be the worst possible matchup for the Redbirds. North Dakota State has been the most complete team all season, and I don't see Illinois State's secondary having any answers for Payton. I'll take the Bison in another dominant win on Saturday night.

Prediction: North Dakota State (42-20)

Other Week 6 Predictions:

No. 3 Tarleton State 41, Southern Utah 24

No. 4 Montana 45, Idaho State 28

No. 7 UC Davis 38, Cal Poly 24

No. 9 Lehigh 24, Yale 21

No. 11 Tennessee Tech 45, Western Illinois 20

No. 14 Monmouth 52, Delaware State 28

No. 18 Villanova 24, New Hampshire 20

No. 25 Harvard 34, Holy Cross 17

Incarnate Word 27, Stephen F. Austin 24

ETSU 28, Furman 21

Follow FCS Football Central on social media for ongoing coverage of FCS football, including on X, Facebook, and YouTube.