Behind The Numbers: Week 6 FCS Football Review
The 2023 FCS football season is in full swing as Week 6 has come to a close. Each week we will go behind the numbers on some of the biggest games across the FCS landscape.
We take a look behind the numbers from this weekend’s biggest Week 6 FCS football action below.
No. 11 Western Carolina 52, No. 24 Chattanooga 50
How Did Western Carolina win?
Western Carolina won this game with one of the most explosive offenses in the FCS. The Catamounts were able to score 52 points despite only having the ball for 18 minutes and running only 48 total plays. The Catamounts posted a 47% success rate, which was the worst rate of the year for the offense. Chattanooga's defense held Western Carolina to only 7 points with five minutes remaining in the second quarter, but running back Desmond Reid offered a spark. Reid broke off a 70-yard touchdown and the Catamounts finished the game averaging a season-best 11.5 yards per play.
Chattanooga’s offense had its own great moments in this game. Quarterback Chase Artopoeus threw for 399 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Javin Whatley had a career day with 11 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns. The Western Carolina secondary could not do anything to slow down Whatley. Despite the excellence through the air, the Mocs struggled to run the ball consistently and Artopoeus threw two interceptions, including a pick-six late in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Cole Gonzales continues to develop into one of the best clutch quarterbacks in the nation. The sophomore led a game-winning drive against Eastern Kentucky earlier this season and orchestrated another game-winning drive Saturday with only 52 seconds remaining. Gonzales found wide receiver AJ Colombo on three consecutive plays to put Richard McCollum in position for a game-winning field goal.
What’s next for Chattanooga?
Chattanooga will look to rebound from a disappointing homecoming loss as the Mocs travel to Mercer next week. This team still has a chance to stay in the SoCon race with a win next week. Chattanooga will need to get a win over Mercer or Furman to secure an at-large bid for the FCS playoffs. The Mocs boast one of the best passing offenses in the FCS and have three receivers in Sam Phillips, Jamoi Mayes, and Javin Whatley who have all shown the ability to create explosive plays. The defense now ranks 95th in the nation in yards per play and will need to improve if this team expects to win a conference title.
What’s next for Western Carolina?
Western Carolina gets to enjoy the thrilling win at Chattanooga for an extra week as it heads into a much-needed bye week. The key this week for the Catamounts will be to get healthy, including running back Desmond Reid. The star sophomore injured his hamstring on his 58-yard touchdown early in the third quarter and did not return. Reid is having an incredible season and should be one of the frontrunners for the Walter Payton Award. Backup running back Branson Adams had a great performance in limited action after Reid's injury. He averaged 10.2 yards per carry, including a late 37-yard touchdown. The bye week is also crucial ahead of a huge top-ten matchup with Furman. The winner of next week's matchup will have a huge advantage for the SoCon title and be one step closer to earning a seed for the FCS playoffs.
No. 19 Florida A&M 26, Southern 19
How did Florida A&M win?
Florida A&M defeated Southern in a tightly contested SWAC matchup over Southern despite some sloppy play at times. The Rattlers had several drops from receivers, could not run the ball very well, and committed ten penalties for 100 yards. Southern outgained FAMU, averaging 5.8 yards per play to 5.1 yards per play. The Rattlers showed the toughness championship teams need to gut out an impressive road win. Quarterback Jeremy Moussa might not have had the most efficient game, but he made the most important throws in key moments, including a touchdown to Jamari Gassett to take the lead late in the game. Moussa ended the game with 325 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers.
The defense also stepped up in the biggest moments all night long. The Rattlers held Southern to 2-for-11 on third downs and on the final drive of the game, Anthony Dunn Jr. sealed the win with a clutch sack. Southern running back Gary Quarles Jr. had a couple of long runs and Harold Blood completed a 72-yard touchdown to Chandler Whitfield, but lacked any consistency on the offensive side of the ball for most of the game.
What’s next for Southern?
Southern missed a big opportunity on Saturday night to take control of the SWAC West division. While this loss will be disappointing, the SWAC West will be decided by the final four games of the year as Grambling State, Prairie View A&M, Alcorn State, and Southern all still have a chance to win the division. Southern will play Lincoln University on Saturday before preparing for five consecutive SWAC games to end the season.
What’s next for Florida A&M?
Florida A&M’s win brings this team one step closer to the first SWAC championship game appearance in school history. With a head-to-head win over Jackson State, the Rattlers just need to win two of the last four conference games on the schedule to clinch the division. The defense continues to be elite and despite the criticism, Jeremy Moussa is playing like a top quarterback in the conference. The rushing attack has been disappointing and the offensive line seems to be struggling to get much of a push. Florida A&M has an off week and will travel to Texas Southern in two weeks.
No. 17 Montana 31, No. 20 UC Davis 23
How did Montana win?
Montana picked up an impressive road win on Saturday despite plenty of criticism over the first few weeks of the season. Both teams had the ball for about 30 minutes, ran a similar number of plays, and averaged exactly six yards per play. The difference was Montana being able to generate some key explosive plays, including quarterback Clifton McDowell completing a 41-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Fontes and Eli Gillman with an 85-yard run near the end of the third quarter. The Montana defense also stepped up in a big way and held UC Davis to only three points in the first half. Montana was more efficient on third down, converting 9-of-19 attempts.
What’s next for UC Davis?
UC Davis fell short again in a big conference game at home and without running back Lan Larison the offense does not look in sync. Quarterback Miles Hastings and the passing game have not been able to reach the same efficiency as a year ago. The Aggies are running out of opportunities on the schedule for quality wins to build a resume for an at-large playoff bid. Weber State continues to fall apart and despite Northern Arizona’s recent success, the Lumberjacks will not be a playoff team. It looks like the Aggies will have to win the final game against Sacramento State to have a chance at the playoffs. However, it starts with a must-win next week when the Aggies travel to play Weber State.
What’s next for Montana?
Montana took a big step forward this week and will need that momentum as the Grizzlies travel to Idaho next Saturday. Quarterback Clifton McDowell seems to have found his rhythm in the offense. McDowell needs to continue to improve if Montana is going to have enough offense to win at Idaho this weekend. The Grizzlies will need the defense to continue to dominate and force a couple of turnovers against the Vandals. The Kibbie Dome is a tough place to win, but a win over the Vandals would give Montana a signature win for a strong playoff resume.
