FCS Football Recap: Week 5 Takeaways

Below are the biggest takeaways from all the Week 5 FCS football action.

Montana Handles Business In 41-30 Win Over Idaho

No. 5 Montana picked up its second Top 25 win of the season, defeating No. 8 Idaho in impressive fashion on Saturday night. The final score may lead you to believe this game was close, but the Grizzlies were in full control the entire game. As soon as Idaho made it a 9-point game, Montana responded with two scoring drives to secure the win.

Montana's offense has found a new gear this season, putting up over 400 total yards and averaging 6.2 yards per play. A lot of the success can be attributed to the development of Keali'i Ah Yat, who completed 17-of-23 passes for 223 yards and two total touchdowns. The wide receiver room may even be improved from last year, with Drew Deck and Brooks Davis leading the way. The Grizzlies also have the ultimate weapon in Michael Wortham, who had five catches for 55 yards and two total touchdowns.

Running back Eli Gillman was impressive again, leading the Griz with 142 yards and two touchdowns. It's time he gets the respect he deserves as the best running back in the FCS. He often doesn't get the same amount of touches as a lot of backs in the subdivision, but continues to be as impactful as any running back at this level. In four games, he's rushed for 542 yards and eight scores. He also leads the country in yards per game (135.5), while ranked No. 5 nationally in yards per carry (7.63).

The keys to the game for Idaho were to control the clock and let Wood make plays with his legs, which didn't really happen until this game was out of hand. Also, field goals in the red zone get you beat, which was the story once again this weekend as the Vandals settled for two first-half field goals inside the 25-yard line. Wood played well down the stretch, finishing with 294 total yards and three rushing touchdowns.

North Dakota State Continues To Roll Against South Dakota

There hasn't been a more dominant team in college football this season than No. 1 North Dakota State. The Bison continued to roll with a 51-13 win over No. 17 South Dakota on Saturday. In their first four games, NDSU has outscored its opponents 189-30, with an average margin of victory of 39.7 points.

The Bison could have won this game by as many points as they wanted. Before benching the starters, they led 51-3 and scored on their first seven drives, including five straight touchdowns in the first half. Cole Payton continues to be spectacular, completing 14-of-18 passes for 273 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also led the rushing attack with 102 yards and one score, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Bryce Lance was his No. 1 target, posting four catches for 98 yards and one score.

The box score is misleading because North Dakota State's defense absolutely suffocated South Dakota's offense. The Coyotes had 42 total yards on their first four drives and started the second half with 12 total yards on their first two drives, one of which ended in a pick-six from linebacker Nathaniel Staehling. The defensive line didn't post gaudy stats, but they were constantly in the backfield, creating havoc. Keenan Wilson and Jaxon Duttenhefer are outstanding on the interior defensive line, while Toby Anene is a force off the edge.

It was another disappointing performance for South Dakota, which has failed to meet lofty preseason expectations. The losses across the offensive and defensive lines have crippled this team, leading to struggles at other key positions, including quarterback, despite the return of Aidan Bouman. The Coyotes couldn't find any success on the ground, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. With games against Illinois State, North Dakota, South Dakota State, and Southern Illinois left on the schedule... I'm not sure if this is a playoff team right now.

Incarnate Word Stuns No. 12 Abilene Christian

It's been a tough start for the Cardinals, but we finally got to see the full potential of this team on Saturday. Incarnate Word dominated No. 12 Abilene Christian in a 38-7 upset win, extending its home winning streak to nine games.

UIW failed to find its rushing attack in the first four games, but that wasn't an issue against the Wildcats. The Cardinals exploded for 301 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. Lontrell Turner led the team with 118 yards, but it was quarterback EJ Colson who was the real playmaker. Colson only threw for 122 yards and one touchdown, but had over 100 yards and two scores on the ground. UIW also dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for over 40 minutes compared to 19:44 for Abilene Christian.

The defense also delivered an outstanding performance, holding Abilene Christian to 84 total yards on six second-half drives. The Cardinals forced two key interceptions, including one in the red zone by Michael Pleas. Declan Williams had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception. After allowing a 66-yard run early in the game, UIW's defense held the Wildcats to 41 rushing yards.

Other Key Storylines Around The FCS:

• No. 25 Presbyterian looked dominant in its Pioneer League opener, moving to 5-0 with a win over Morehead State. The Blue Hose ran for over 300 yards and four touchdowns on 9.5 yards per carry. Zach Switzer led the attack with 158 yards on only six carries, while Justin Montgomery also topped the 100-yard mark. A team from the Pioneer has not won an FCS playoff game since 2017. With two wins over the SoCon, could Presbyterian end the streak?

• After a season-opening loss to Presbyterian, Mercer has been a different team with three straight wins over SoCon opponents. The Bears trailed by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, but scored 14 points to escape with a 38-34 win over ETSU. Running back Micah Bell helped spark the offense with 172 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Braden Atkinson also continued to play well, throwing for three touchdowns. The defense forced three key turnovers in the second half, leading to 14 points.

• Cal Poly pulled off the upset against No. 21 Sacramento State, holding the Hornets to only three second-half points in a 32-24 win. Quarterback Bo Kelly was excellent, completing 17-of-27 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Tyrei Washington had a breakout performance with 113 yards on 22 carries and one score. The Mustangs forced three interceptions, including a 23-yard pick-six from Brian Dukes, who had two interceptions.

• Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens continues to be one of the hottest players in college football. He led the Catamounts to a 42-35 win over Campbell, moving to 2-3 overall, but 2-0 with Dickens as the starter. In only two games, Dickens has completed 71% of his passes for 1,009 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Catamounts appear to be a real factor in the SoCon race.

• No. 4 Montana State faced some questions about its lack of dominance last weekend, but the Bobcats left no doubt in a 57-3 win over Eastern Washington. The Bobcats rolled up over 580 yards of total offense, including 270 passing yards from quarterback Justin Lamson. 11 different players recorded a rushing attempt, helping the offense put up nearly 300 rushing yards and five scores. The defense also played well, holding Eastern Washington to 207 total yards and 3.1 yards per play.

• It might not always be perfect, but No. 18 West Georgia continues to find ways to win, moving to 5-0 with a win over Southern Utah. The Wolves held a 24-3 lead in the third quarter, but allowed 21 unanswered points from the Thunderbirds in the second half. Tommy Holden hit a game-winning 46-yard field goal with one second remaining to secure the win for the Wolves. The defense held an explosive Southern Utah offense to 296 total yards. David Hoage continues to shine, leading the team with six tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack.