FCS Football: Biggest Winners, Losers In Week 4

Loser: Incarnate Word

After being one of the most hyped teams of the offseason, things have not been smooth for Incarnate Word. The Cardinals fell to 1-3 overall after losing to No. 17 Northern Arizona in Week 4. It was another missed opportunity as UIW had multiple chances to secure the win, but the difference was a Hail Mary touchdown right before halftime by NAU, giving the Lumberjacks an 11-point lead.

The positive is that starting quarterback EJ Colson looked much more comfortable than Richard Torres. Colson completed 28-of-36 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading the team with 59 rushing yards. The next two weeks will be must-win situations for UIW, including a crucial conference matchup against Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 4. If the Cardinals lose both games, their playoff hopes could be over before their bye week in mid-October.

Winner: Abilene Christian

In another ranked matchup, Abilene Christian started UAC play with an impressive win over Austin Peay. The Wildcats stormed out to a 31-3 lead early in the third quarter, which, despite a late comeback effort by the Govs, ended in a 45-31 win for Abilene Christian. It was the second Top 25 win for the Wildcats, following a Week 2 win over Stephen F. Austin.

Quarterback Stone Earle was excellent, completing 30-of-42 passes for 354 yards and four passing touchdowns. He also led the team on the ground with 45 yards and two scores. The defense forced three first-half turnovers, all fumble recoveries by Rashon Myles Jr, which helped the Wildcats put this one away early. Last season was historic, as Abilene Christian won its first outright conference title of the Division I era. The momentum has continued with a hot start to the 2025 season.

Winner: Taron Dickens

After missing the first three games due to a reported off-field issue, Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens wasted no time reintroducing himself to the FCS. The redshirt sophomore set a new career high with 582 passing yards and tied the single-game program record with six passing touchdowns. He did all this while completing 76.1% (35-of-46) of his passes and led the Catamounts to their first win of the season. This team was a popular pick to win the SoCon, and with Dickens returning, I expect the Catamounts to have a say in the race for the autobid.

Loser: Princeton

The Ivy League had a solid weekend with some impressive wins, but Princeton did not find the same success in its season opener. Princeton fell 42-35 to San Diego, giving the Toreros another impressive out-of-conference win. The Tigers blew a 21-0 first-quarter lead, allowing 28 unanswered points, including 21 in the fourth quarter. It's another blow for a program that finished 3-7 last year and has not won a share of the Ivy League since 2021. There will be plenty of questions about head coach Bob Surace if things do not turn around throughout conference play.

Winner: Kaleb Proctor

We all know that performances in FBS games are one of the biggest factors in getting FCS prospects on the radar for the NFL Draft. Southeastern Louisiana defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor took full advantage of his opportunity against LSU on Saturday. The senior posted five total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. There was already buzz surrounding Proctor from NFL scouts, but this weekend showed he may be the top defensive FCS prospect in this year's draft class.

Loser: Samford

There was a ton of turnover on both sides of the ball for Samford, which has led to a 0-4 start for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs have been outscored 166-58 in their first four games, with all four losses coming by 15 or more points. After trailing by only one point at halftime, the Bulldogs allowed 29 points in the third quarter, resulting in a 50-35 loss to Western Carolina on Saturday. The road doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs. Samford still has games against Furman, Mercer, Chattanooga, ETSU, and Austin Peay on the schedule. It could be a long season for the Bulldogs.

Winner: Howard

Howard made a statement with a 34-7 win over Hampton, ending an eight-game winning streak for the Pirates in the rivalry. The Bison lead was 34-0 until a late touchdown by Hampton with less than seven minutes left. Hampton's offense only generated 215 total yards, including an abysmal 71 passing yards. Linebacker Jaquavion Smith led the stout defensive effort with seven tackles, three for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. Travis Kerney spearheaded Howard's rushing attack that rolled up over 270 rushing yards and four scores.

Loser: North Carolina A&T

It's been a long two years for North Carolina A&T, but things reached an all-time low on Saturday in the Aggie-Eagle Classic. The Aggies allowed 745 yards of total offense in a 62-20 loss to North Carolina Central, in a game where the score could have been even worse. The rushing attack was non-existent, averaging just 1.2 yards per carry, but a pregame incident really epitomized how bad this weekend was for the Aggies.

Before the game, one North Carolina A&T player squirted North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver with a water bottle, leading to his dismissal from the team. Head coach Shawn Gibbs discussed changing the culture of the program during Monday's press conference, noting that the incident had turned a bad day into a worse one. Overall, it was a tough weekend for North Carolina A&T, which fell to 1-3 overall.