Week 1 FCS Football Preview & Predictions

As we do every year, we will preview the biggest games of the weekend and give our official predictions. After a fun Week 0 slate, let's get it going once again with a loaded Week 1 schedule.

2025 Prediction Record: 2-1
2022-24 Record: 382-122

New Hampshire at North Carolina Central

Kickoff: 5 pm CT (ESPN+)

It's the Battle of Durham on Saturday afternoon. In the last meeting, North Carolina Central upset New Hampshire on its way to the first Celebration Bowl win in program history. Both of these teams could possibly be in the FCS Playoff picture once again, and this game offers an opportunity to earn a signature out-of-conference win.

NCCU looked dominant last weekend against Southern, defeating the Jaguars 31-14 in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Running back Chris Mosley had a breakout performance, leading the team with 182 rushing yards and one touchdown. New Hampshire's defense will feature several new faces at linebacker and along the defensive line. It'll be important for the Wildcats to find a way to stop the NCCU rushing attack, which may be easier said than actually done.

The biggest question in this game will be New Hampshire's offense, which finished No. 116 nationally in yards per play (YPP). There will be a new quarterback for the Wildcats, but they'll have plenty of weapons, including wide receiver Caleb Burke. NCCU's defense was outstanding in the second half, but allowed two explosive plays that put them down early. If the Eagles can limit explosive plays, New Hampshire could find trouble moving the ball down-to-down.

I've been bullish on North Carolina Central all offseason, and last week's dominant win further solidified my opinion. New Hampshire's offensive inconsistency worries me, while NCCU's offense was extremely efficient in its Week 0 performance. Give me the Eagle here as head coach Trei Oliver picks up another impressive out-of-conference win.

Prediction: North Carolina Central (34-20)

No. 1 North Dakota State at The Citadel

Kickoff: 11 am CT (ESPN+)

The defending national champions will have a new starting quarterback in Cole Payton, who has been a key backup over the past three seasons. He's a freak athlete and has rushed for over 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns. Payton has drawn rave reviews throughout fall camp, but he enters the season with only 58 career passing attempts. Luckily, he will be supported by an extremely talented wide receiver unit that's led by FCS All-American Bryce Lance.

The Citadel made a massive improvement last season, going from 0-11 to 5-7 under head coach Maurice Drayton. The Bulldogs have 11 significant contributors returning from last season's defense, making them a potential dark horse in the SoCon. There will be a new quarterback, but the offensive line unit also returns four offensive linemen who played over 300 snaps. Air Force transfer Quentin Hayes is someone to watch if he gets the start at quarterback.

Despite the improvement from The Citadel, NDSU has a ton of returning talent defensively from last season's unit. The secondary could be special with the return of cornerbacks Anthony Chideme-Alfaro and Jailen Duffie. The Bulldogs are going to have to win the line of scrimmage battle to have a chance, but Toby Anene, Jaxon Duttenhefer, and Keenan Wilson will anchor the NDSU defensive line.

I do think The Citadel could potentially make some waves in conference play, but this looks like it could be a mismatch due to North Dakota State's continuity in multiple key positions. It may be close early due to Week 1 mistakes, but the Bison should win this one comfortably.

Prediction: North Dakota State (38-7)

Eastern Washington at No. 5 Incarnate Word

Kickoff: 6 pm CT (ESPN+)

It seems odd to say that a Week 1 game is a must-win, but Incarnate Word finds itself in that situation after a stunning upset loss in Week 0. The next four games feature three ranked FCS matchups and an FBS game against UTSA. A loss this weekend could potentially eliminate UIW from the postseason race unless a massive change is made.

Eastern Washington has always had outstanding offensive talent, and this year won't be any different. Quarterback Jared Taylor showed flashes in limited action, rushing for 708 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, while completing 75% of his passes for 320 yards and another six touchdowns. There's also never a shortage of talented wide receivers, but keep an eye on redshirt freshman Jaxon Branch, who may be a breakout star for the Eagles.

There were plenty of concerns for Incarnate Word last weekend, most notably pass protection and turnovers. The Eagles ranked No. 126 nationally in defensive YPP last year, so we should find out if Nicholls' defense was just that good or if UIW has major offensive concerns that need to be addressed. It'll be interesting to see if the Cardinals move to EJ Colson if Richard Torres struggles once again.

Offensive struggles overshadowed the impressive defensive performance from UIW. This is where I think this is a bad matchup for Eastern Washington. The Eagles will be extremely young and inexperienced along the offensive line, creating an opportunity for the UIW defensive line to be aggressive and generate negative plays. Watch out for Declan Williams, Michael Pleas, and John Mathis this weekend.

I expect UIW to bounce back with a win at home, but be aware of Eastern Washington's offense early in this game. The Eagles should be able to keep it close early, but the Cardinals will be locked in and know they need to make a statement after last week's upset loss.

Prediction: Incarnate Word (35-20)

No. 25 Richmond at No. 14 Lehigh

Kickoff: 11 am CT (ESPN+)

The stakes couldn't be any higher in this Patriot League matchup. Lehigh is looking to repeat as the conference champions, while Richmond is making its conference debut after leaving the CAA. Lehigh stunned Richmond in an upset win in the first round of the FCS Playoffs last year, adding another wrinkle to this game.

Lehigh's defense ranked No. 10 nationally in defensive YPP and returns 15 significant contributors. The experienced defense is led by a talented defensive line, featuring an All-American in Matt Spatny, who had 11.5 sacks in 2024. TJ Burke and Tyler Ochojski are also back, while the linebacker room features three players who played over 480 snaps last year.

This is going to put pressure on Kyle Wickersham to make plays for the Richmond offense, which is replacing a significant amount of production at running back and wide receiver. Ja'Vion Griffin is the only returning wide receiver who played over 200 snaps, while there will be an entirely new running back room. Wickersham missed most of last season with an injury, but struggled early last year, most notably in a loss to Wofford. Can Wickersham revert back into the guy we saw in 2023? That may be the key for the Spiders.

The x-factor may be the development of quarterback Hayden Johnson, who had a solid freshman season at Lehigh. Johnson is surrounded by plenty of talent, including running backs Jaden Green and Luke Yoder. It'll be important for Richmond's defensive line to put some pressure on Johnson. Luckily, the Spiders return Camden Byrd and Matei Fitz on the defensive line, and All-American linebacker Carter Glassmyer also returns.

I think Richmond can still make a push for an at-large bid, but I just can't overlook the continuity for Lehigh. The Hawks should be primed for another run to the FCS Playoffs. I expect this defense to be potentially special once again. Give me the Hawks in a competitive Patriot League battle.

Prediction: Lehigh (27-20)

No. 15 Sacramento State at No. 3 South Dakota State

Kickoff: 6 pm CT (ESPN+)

There may not be a more intriguing FCS out-of-conference game this season. Not only do you have the head coaching debut for Dan Jackson and Brennan Marion, but we also finally get to see the No. 1 FCS transfer portal class in action against one of the best teams in the country. We've seen an insane amount of hype for Sacramento State, and the Hornets will finally have the chance to prove it was justified.

Former Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada is set to start for the Hornets. He was a highly-touted four-star prospect who ranked among the top 100 prospects nationally. He's joined by former FCS All-American Jamar Curtis and two notable FBS additions in Savion Red and Rodney Hammond. Former four-star Jordan Anderson and St. Francis transfer Gavin Thompson will lead the wide receiver unit.

The interesting question is how South Dakota State's defense will defend the Go-Go offense, which presents defenses with a unique look through odd formations and eye candy. Being disciplined and making open-field tackles will be crucial for South Dakota State's defense, which only returns one starter. Despite the lack of starting experience, 10 of the 11 starters were on last year's roster, giving the Jackrabbits more consistency than people think. There's plenty of excitement surrounding linebackers Joe Ollman and Chase Van Tol, who may be two of the most important players to watch this weekend.

Did Sacramento State improve across the defensive line? That's a massive question this weekend, because South Dakota State is going to try and establish its rushing attack behind All-American transfer Julius Loughridge. The Jackrabbits may also have the best offensive line in the FCS, anchored by returning starters Quinten Christensen and Sam Hagen. You also have to account for the legs of Chase Mason, who rushed for 464 yards and six touchdowns last season.

I find it hard to believe this will be a blowout, but South Dakota State's rushing attack will likely be the difference. The Jackrabbits should dominate the time of possession and wear down the Hornets' defense. Sacramento State's offense will make plays, but the Jackrabbits find a way to hold on late with a key defensive stop.

Prediction: South Dakota State (31-24)

Other Week 1 Predictions:

No. 8 UC Davis 42, Utah Tech 14

No. 9 Rhode Island 28, Campbell 20

No. 17 Jackson State 31, Hampton 14

No. 18 Western Carolina 30, Gardner-Webb 17

Southern Utah 26, Idaho State 23

ETSU 27, Murray State 10

Prairie View A&M 27, Texas Southern 23

Furman 21, William & Mary 17

South Carolina State 24, Wofford 14

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