FCS Football: FCS Teams That Exceeded Expectations In 2023
The 2023 college football season has officially come to a close and the focus has shifted to the NFL Draft and preparation for spring practices. Before flipping the page to the offseason and projecting next season, we take a look at some of the biggest overachieving teams from last season.
These teams were overlooked in the preseason rankings and projections but ended the season with plenty of success on the field. Below are seven FCS teams that exceeded expectations during the 2023 season.
UAlbany (11-4, 7-1 CAA)
UAlbany LB Brian Abraham
UAlbany Athletics
The Great Danes were projected to finish 11th in the CAA entering the 2023 season but immediately exceeded expectations with an impressive Week 0 win over Fordham. UAlbany would win the first CAA championship in school history and set a new program record with 11 wins.
Eight players received FCS All-American or Freshman All-American honors, led by Buck Buchanan Award finalist Dylan Kelly. The defense had a record-setting season, including leading the nation in sacks. Defensive ends Anton Juncaj (15 Sacks) and AJ Simon (12.5 Sacks) were two of the best pass rushers in the nation.
South Dakota (10-3, 7-1 MVFC)
South Dakota WR Carter Bell (14) & Cole Rhoden (4) Celebrate Touchdown Against North Dakota State
South Dakota Athletics
The expectations for South Dakota were low after a disappointing 3-8 season, but the Coyotes finished No. 4 in the Stats Perform Top 25 after a run to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. The Coyotes jumped onto the national radar after a huge road win over North Dakota State, the first of five ranked wins this season.
South Dakota was led by one of the best defenses in the nation, including MVFC Defensive Player of the Year Brock Mogensen. Cornerback Myles Harden, Mogensen, and defensive end Brendan Webb all earned All-American honors. The offense was extremely efficient behind sophomore quarterback Aidan Bouman.
Lafayette (9-3, 5-1 Patriot)
Lafayette RB Jamar Curtis
George Varkanis (Lafayette Athletics)
Lafayette was projected to finish 4th in the Patriot League but won the first conference title since 2013 after a historic season. The Leopards won nine games for the first time since 1981 and recorded the first winning season since 2013. An upset win over Holy Cross ended an 18-game conference winning streak for the Crusaders and helped Lafayette secure its first FCS Playoff appearance in a decade.
The Leopards were led by All-American running back Jamar Curtis, who finished the season with 1,460 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. Linebacker Billy Shaeffer was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, while defensive tackle Jaylon Joseph earned Freshman All-American honors. Safety Saiku White had a breakout All-American season, leading the Leopards with four interceptions.
Western Carolina (7-4, 5-3 SoCon)
Western Carolina RB Branson Adams (22) Celebrates Touchdown Against Chattanooga
Mark Haskett (Western Carolina Athletics)
Western Carolina entered the season as a dark horse in the SoCon and made an immediate impact with an impressive 5-1 start, including ranked wins over Samford and Chattanooga. Injuries slowed down the momentum of the Catamounts but the team finished with seven wins for the first time since 2017.
An explosive offense was the identity of this team, leading the nation in total offense (504.1 YPG). Quarterback Cole Gonzales set a new program record with 28 passing touchdowns and was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year. Despite missing multiple games with an injury, running back Desmond Reid led the conference with 112.1 yards per game.
Eastern Illinois (8-3, 4-2 Big South-OVC)
Eastern Illinois DB Blake Ruffin
Eastern Illinois Athletics
Eastern Illinois was projected to finish 8th in the Big South-OVC after a 2-9 season in 2022, but the Panthers had a massive turnaround under head coach Chris Wilkerson. The Panthers ended the season with the most wins (8) since 2013 and were one of the last four teams on the bubble for the FCS Playoffs. Wilkerson was named the Big South-OVC Coach of the Year and the program finished No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
Running back MJ Flowers earned Freshman All-American honors after leading the team with 854 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The defense made a huge improvement, allowing less than 20 points per game after allowing over 30 points per game last season. The secondary was led by Blake Ruffin (4 INTs) and Russell Dandy (18 PBUs), who both earned FCS All-American honors.
Montana (13-2, 7-1 Big Sky)
Montana WR Junior Bergen
Montana Athletics
Montana received zero first-place votes and finished No. 6 in the Preseason Big Sky Poll. The Grizzlies also faced early adversity with an early loss to Northern Arizona but won 10 consecutive games on their way to the FCS National Championship game. Montana clinched the Big Sky title with a dominant win over Montana State and head coach Bobby Hauck became the all-time winningest coach in conference history during the season.
The Grizzlies led the conference in scoring defense (14.5 PPG Allowed) and No. 2 in total defense (306.0 YPG Allowed). Defensive tackle Alex Gubner was a consensus FCS All-American, while linebacker Braxton Hill, cornerback Trevin Gradney, and linebacker Riley Wilson all earned All-American honors from various outlets. Running back Eli Gillman earned Freshman All-American honors, while wide receiver Junior Bergen established himself as one of the best return specialists in the country. Clifton McDowell was one of the breakout stars of the offense and was 11-1 as the starting quarterback.
Nicholls State (6-5, 6-0 Southland)
Nicholls State WR Terry Matthews
Zach McKinnell
Nicholls State entered the season with low expectations after a 3-8 campaign in 2022. The Colonels finished with an undefeated conference record for the first time since joining the conference in 1991. It was the first conference title and appearance in the FCS Playoffs since 2019.
The Colonels were led by Southland Offensive Player of the Year and FCS All-American Jaylon Spears. Spears finished the season with over 1,300 all-purpose yards and nine total touchdowns. The defense ranked eighth nationally in interceptions, led by All-American defensive back Tyler Morton.
