2026 Around the FCS - Week 2

[ST_Lawson]

OVC Games (all games listed are on Saturday, September 12)
12 PM - UT Martin (1-1) at FBS West Virginia (1-0), ESPN+
5 PM - Charleston Southern (0-2) at The Citadel (1-1, including beating FBS Charlotte last weekend), ESPN+
5 PM - Gardner-Webb (0-2) at FBS Liberty (0-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Indiana State (0-2) at Eastern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Southeast Missouri State (1-1) at Southern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+ (The "War for the Wheel" rivalry game)
6 PM - Tennessee State (0-2) at Alabama A&M (1-1)
6 PM - Lindenwood (1-1) at FBS Missouri State (0-1), ESPN+

Other local/regional/games of interest:
1 PM - Drake (0-2) at Northern Iowa (0-1), ESPN+
4 PM - Morehead State (1-1) at Austin Peay (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Illinois State (2-0) at Northern Illinois (0-1), MW+ (ISU is actually favored in this game by a little bit)
6 PM - Valparaiso (1-0) at Murray State (0-2), ESPN+ (the battle to see which MVC school has the worst football team)

[meganeck]

OVC Games (all games listed are on Saturday, September 12)
12 PM - UT Martin (1-1) at FBS West Virginia (1-0), ESPN+
5 PM - Charleston Southern (0-2) at The Citadel (1-1, including beating FBS Charlotte last weekend), ESPN+
5 PM - Gardner-Webb (0-2) at FBS Liberty (0-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Indiana State (0-2) at Eastern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Southeast Missouri State (1-1) at Southern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+ (The "War for the Wheel" rivalry game)
6 PM - Tennessee State (0-2) at Alabama A&M (1-1)
6 PM - Lindenwood (1-1) at FBS Missouri State (0-1), ESPN+

Other local/regional/games of interest:
1 PM - Drake (0-2) at Northern Iowa (0-1), ESPN+
4 PM - Morehead State (1-1) at Austin Peay (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Illinois State (2-0) at Northern Illinois (0-1), MW+ (ISU is actually favored in this game by a little bit)
6 PM - Valparaiso (1-0) at Murray State (0-2), ESPN+ (the battle to see which MVC school has the worst football team)

 

I watched Northen Illinois play last week and they didn't look good on offense or defense. Any idea what Northern is paying ISU for this game.
 

[ST_Lawson]

OVC Games (all games listed are on Saturday, September 12)
12 PM - UT Martin (1-1) at FBS West Virginia (1-0), ESPN+
5 PM - Charleston Southern (0-2) at The Citadel (1-1, including beating FBS Charlotte last weekend), ESPN+
5 PM - Gardner-Webb (0-2) at FBS Liberty (0-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Indiana State (0-2) at Eastern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Southeast Missouri State (1-1) at Southern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+ (The "War for the Wheel" rivalry game)
6 PM - Tennessee State (0-2) at Alabama A&M (1-1)
6 PM - Lindenwood (1-1) at FBS Missouri State (0-1), ESPN+

Other local/regional/games of interest:
1 PM - Drake (0-2) at Northern Iowa (0-1), ESPN+
4 PM - Morehead State (1-1) at Austin Peay (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Illinois State (2-0) at Northern Illinois (0-1), MW+ (ISU is actually favored in this game by a little bit)
6 PM - Valparaiso (1-0) at Murray State (0-2), ESPN+ (the battle to see which MVC school has the worst football team)

 

I watched Northen Illinois play last week and they didn't look good on offense or defense. Any idea what Northern is paying ISU for this game.

Yeah, they did ok in 2024 (when they beat Notre Dame and won a bowl game), but 2025 they only won 3 games (one against an FCS team), and they weren't able to even muster a FG against an (admittedly pretty good) Iowa team last weekend. Looks like they're paying ISU $350k to play there this season: https://northernstar.info/134484/sports ... all-games/

[meganeck]

OVC Games (all games listed are on Saturday, September 12)
12 PM - UT Martin (1-1) at FBS West Virginia (1-0), ESPN+
5 PM - Charleston Southern (0-2) at The Citadel (1-1, including beating FBS Charlotte last weekend), ESPN+
5 PM - Gardner-Webb (0-2) at FBS Liberty (0-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Indiana State (0-2) at Eastern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Southeast Missouri State (1-1) at Southern Illinois (1-1), ESPN+ (The "War for the Wheel" rivalry game)
6 PM - Tennessee State (0-2) at Alabama A&M (1-1)
6 PM - Lindenwood (1-1) at FBS Missouri State (0-1), ESPN+

Other local/regional/games of interest:
1 PM - Drake (0-2) at Northern Iowa (0-1), ESPN+
4 PM - Morehead State (1-1) at Austin Peay (1-1), ESPN+
6 PM - Illinois State (2-0) at Northern Illinois (0-1), MW+ (ISU is actually favored in this game by a little bit)
6 PM - Valparaiso (1-0) at Murray State (0-2), ESPN+ (the battle to see which MVC school has the worst football team)


 

I watched Northen Illinois play last week and they didn't look good on offense or defense. Any idea what Northern is paying ISU for this game.

Yeah, they did ok in 2024 (when they beat Notre Dame and won a bowl game), but 2025 they only won 3 games (one against an FCS team), and they weren't able to even muster a FG against an (admittedly pretty good) Iowa team last weekend. Looks like they're paying ISU $350k to play there this season: https://northernstar.info/134484/sports ... all-games/

 

Thanks Scott, NIU has an interim coach and I think they have a lot of new players this season so it will probably be a rough season for them.
 

[wiu712]

Illinois State beat Northern Illinois 28-24.  Attendance at Northern Illinois = 17,582.

 
 

[ST_Lawson]

In the OVC
Gardner-Webb very nearly came away with a win over FBS Liberty, but Liberty got a TD with 2:34 remaining in the game to win 24-23
West Virginia lambasted UT Martin to the tune of 52-7
Charleston Southern took down The Citadel, 26-20 (the same Citadel that picked up a FBS win over Charlotte the previous week)
Eastern Illinois fell to Indiana State, 42-35
Southern Illinois secured the "wheel" in their rivalry against SEMO, winning 34-20
Alabama A&M won over Tennessee State, 30-3
FBS Missouri State beat Lindenwood, 48-14

Other games of interest
As previously mentioned, Illinois State got an FBS scalp, winning over Northern Illinois, 28-24
Northern Iowa steamrolled Drake, 56-14
Murray State actually got a win...over Valpo, 27-18
Our opponent this coming weekend, Morehead State, was crushed by Austin Peay, 63-7

Also, if you are a fan of FCS teams doing well against FBS teams...Montana State beat FBS Nevada, 20-7; FBS San Jose State had to come from behind to beat Cal Poly; and even longtime Big Sky "cellar dweller" Northern Colorado was leading FBS Wyoming until under 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter, but ultimately fell 21-13. As badly as the transfer portal has hit FCS teams, it seems like it's hitting the G6 teams just as bad, if not worse.