Leatherneck Nation

The season is over and the playoffs are set. Here's a bit of what's going on with the playoffs. As usual, it's a 24-team playoff. The top 16 are seeded, top 8 get first-round byes, 9-16 get to host in the first round.
The OVC has Tennessee Tech as their representative. At #13, they will host North Dakota, and the winner will play at #4 Tarleton State.
In the MVFC, there is North Dakota, who I just mentioned, but also playing:
Illinois State at #16 Southeastern Louisiana, winner plays at #1 North Dakota State
Yale plays at #15 Youngstown State, winner plays at #2 Montana State
Drake plays at #11 South Dakota, winner plays at #6 Mercer
New Hampshire plays at #14 South Dakota State, winner plays at #3 Montana

Also of note, this is the first year that the Ivy League is participating in the playoffs. Yale was the conference champion, and Harvard (9-1) received an at-large bid and will play at #12 Villanova with the winner playing at #5 Lehigh: https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... s-playoffs

Full bracket is available here: https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/fcs/2025

All of the playoff games are on Saturday, with all starting at 11 AM or 12 PM and all on ESPN+. Here's the full schedule of FCS games this next weekend: https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... _/group/81
 

In the FCS playoffs last weekend, all but one of the MVFC teams won and the lone OVC team was knocked out.
Illinois State beat SE Louisiana, 21-3
North Dakota beat Tennessee Tech, 31-6
South Dakota State beat New Hampshire, 41-3
South Dakota beat Drake, 38-17
And probably the wildest game of the day...Yale, who was down 35-7 at halftime and at one point had a 0.2% chance of victory, stormed back in the second half, putting up 29 unanswered points in the late 3rd quarter and 4th quarter to win 43-42.

In the second round:
11 AM - #12 Villanova at #5 Lehigh, ESPN+
11 AM - #11 South Dakota at #6 Mercer, ESPN+
12 PM - Illinois State at #1 North Dakota, ESPN+
12 PM - #10 Abilene Christian at #7 Stephen F. Austin, ESPN+
12 PM - North Dakota at #4 Tarleton State, ESPN+
1 PM - Yale at #2 Montana State, ESPN+
1 PM - #14 South Dakota State at #3 Montana, ESPN+
9 PM - #9 Rhode Island at #8 UC Davis, ESPN2
 

Congrats to ISU on the upset 

Man who would have thought North Dakota St and South Dakota St are both out of the playoffs. Big upset by Illinois St.

As was mentioned, Illinois State knocked off #1 North Dakota State, 29-28.
Other MVFC teams had a rough time, as #4 Tarleton State beat North Dakota, 31-13, and #3 Montana beat #14 South Dakota State, 50-29.
That means that the only MVFC teams left are Illinois State, and #11 South Dakota, who crushed #6 Mercer 47-0.
It also means that for the first time since 2016, there will not be a XDSU team in the championship game (and only the second time since 2011).

Games in the Quarterfinals next weekend are:
Friday, 12/12 at 8 PM - #7 Stephen F. Austin at #2 Montana State, ESPN
Saturday, 12/13 at 11 AM - #12 Villanova at #4 Tarleton State, ESPN
12/13 at 2:30 PM - #11 South Dakota at #3 Montana, ABC
12/13 at 4 PM - Illinois State at #8 UC Davis, ESPN+

Illinois State is the only non-seeded (17th-24th spots) team left in the playoffs.

#2 Montana State beat #7 Stephen F Austin 44-28.  Attendance at Montana State = 19,807
 

Montana vs Montana State final???? That's what I'm guessing.

rocki wrote: Sat Dec 13, 2025 12:18 pm Montana vs Montana State final???? That's what I'm guessing.

 

There on the same side of the bracket 

Oops.

#12 Villanova beat #4 Tarleton State 26-21.  Attendance at Tarleton State = 19,126

#3 Montana beat #11 South Dakota 52-22.  Attendance at Montana = 22,725

Illinois State beat #8 UC-Davis 42-31.  Attendance at UC-Davis = 9,216