Week 13 FCS Football Preview & Predictions

As we do every week, we preview the biggest games of the weekend and make our official predictions.

Let's take a look at the biggest games of the Week 13 slate.

2025 Prediction Record: 136-37
2022-24 Record: 382-122

No. 8 Harvard at Yale

Kickoff: 11 am CT (ESPNU)

The first-ever Ivy League auto bid will come down to The Game on Saturday. It's just another historic moment in one of college football's longest rivalries.

Harvard is searching for its first perfect season since 2014. The Crimson could secure a Top 8 seed with a win, but will likely be a lock for the field even with a loss. Yale enters this game 7-2 overall (5-1 Ivy), needing a win to secure its spot in the postseason. It's a must-win game for the Bulldogs, who don't have the resume to make the field as an at-large bid.

Yale is going to have to find success on the ground. Joshua Pitsenberger leads the Ivy League with 1,095 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He's averaging over 120 yards per game, but faces a stout Harvard run defense that's holding opponents to just 98.1 rushing yards per game. Keep an eye on linebacker Sean Line, who leads the Crimson with 67 total tackles.

Jaden Craig has been excellent this season, completing 64% of his passes for 2,456 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He likes to spread the ball around as Harvard features six players with over 200 receiving yards, led by Brady Blackburn with 648 yards and four touchdowns. Yale's defense ranks 3rd in the conference in passing defense, but has allowed only 8 passing touchdowns in nine games.

Yale has won the past three matchups and six of the last eight meetings. This series has always been extremely competitive when both teams are good, and I expect this one to come down to the final few drives. I'm going to go with Harvard in a close one, but the Crimson look to be the more complete team, and I expect Jaden Craig to make a play to win it.

Prediction: Harvard (23-20)

No. 4 Lehigh at Lafayette

Kickoff: 11:30 am CT (ESPN+)

The most-played rivalry in college football will add another chapter to its already storied history. Saturday's winner will secure the Patriot League auto bid to the FCS Playoffs, making this the 8th winner-take-all game between these two programs.

Lafayette faces a must-win situation, needing a victory to secure a spot in the field. The Leopards are 8-3 overall (8-1 vs FCS), but will likely be on the outside looking in with a loss. Lehigh is currently 11-0 overall and could lock in one of the Top 4 seeds with a win. Even with a loss, the Mountain Hawks will likely still get one of the Top 8 seeds.

Lehigh has been dominant all season, winning 10 of its 11 games by 14 or more points. It all starts with an impressive defense, which leads the Patriot League in scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense. The Mountain Hawks rank No. 4 nationally in total defense, holding opponents to 268.6 yards per game.

The most important matchup on Saturday will be Lafayette's rushing attack against Lehigh's defense. Kente Edwards has been electric for Lafayette this season, leading the conference with 1,297 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Don't sleep on Ethan Weber, who has posted over 500 yards and eight touchdowns behind Edwards.

Only two teams have surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground against Lehigh this year, neither of which was a conference opponent. In conference play, Lehigh has held opponents to 65.3 yards per game and has only allowed three rushing scores. The Mountain Hawks have gotten excellent linebacker play from Brycen Edwards and Tyler Ochojski. The duo has combined for 21 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks.

The Mountain Hawks also feature their own dynamic duo at running back. Luke Yoder and Jaden Green have combined for over 1,700 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Lehigh leads the Patriot League in rushing offense, averaging over 225 yards per game on the ground.

Both teams have underrated weapons on the outside. Even with the loss of Elijah Steward, Carson Persing has been excellent for the Leopards, posting 639 yards and four scores. For Lehigh, Geoffrey Jamiel is an elite receiver, leading the team with 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Lafayette will find some success offensively, but I question if the Leopards can sustain it for all four quarters. I trust Lehigh's defense to make some key second-half stops. Give me Lehigh on the road, securing an undefeated regular season.

Prediction: Lehigh (31-21)

No. 22 South Dakota State at No. 13 North Dakota

Kickoff: 1 pm CT (ESPN+)

If you want a must-win situation, it may not get any bigger than this matchup. Both teams are currently 7-4 overall and need a win to secure a spot in the FCS Playoffs. Each team would have an argument to make the field despite a loss, but it would be an uncomfortable Selection Sunday.

South Dakota State is desperate for a win, losing four consecutive games as injuries have continued to pile up. The Jacks are 7-4 overall with key wins over Montana State and Youngstown State, but it's hard to imagine the committee will want a team on a five-game losing streak in the field. The committee also considers injuries, which means Chase Mason's availability could keep the Jacks on the outside looking in.

North Dakota has found every possible way to lose key games this year, falling to Montana, Kansas State, South Dakota, and NDSU by a combined 14 points. Wins over Southern Illinois and Youngstown State keep them alive with a loss this weekend, but the Hawks will need to hope the bubble doesn't shrink with any unexpected upsets.

If Mason is still unavailable, it'll be redshirt freshman Jack Henry who will get the start for the Jacks. He's recorded 471 passing yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions this season. He'll need to have a big game against a North Dakota secondary, which is expected to be without its top two cornerbacks.

North Dakota's defense has been outstanding this season, holding opponents to only 296.9 yards per game. The Hawks also lead the MVFC in rushing defense, allowing 97 yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry. The Jacks have struggled to run the ball all season, last in the MVFC with 3.6 yards per carry in conference play.

The other worrisome matchup here is North Dakota's pass rush against SDSU's offensive line. The Jacks have allowed the second-most sacks in conference play, while North Dakota leads the MVFC with 23 sacks in seven conference games. Are the Jacks going to be able to keep Henry clean in the pocket? Lance Rucker and Kaden Vig have been great at creating negative plays, combining for 16.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.

On the other side, Jerry Kaminski has had a solid season, but this offense only goes as far as the rushing game takes them. Sawyer Seidl leads the team with 814 rushing yards and 11 scores. The Hawks have averaged 203.1 rushing yards per game through conference play, but the Jacks have been solid against the run, outside of outliers vs NDSU and Montana State.

As I've said for the past few weeks, SDSU's injuries have made these games extremely hard to predict. I'm going to assume we won't see Mason, and I don't see how the Jacks will find any success on the ground. That's too much pressure to put on a freshman quarterback on the road, so I'm going with North Dakota to get the win in a low-scoring, defensive battle.

Prediction: North Dakota (21-17)

No. 3 Montana State at No. 2 Montana

Kickoff: 1 pm CT (ESPN+)

This year's Brawl of the Wild will decide the Big Sky championship, as well as the No. 2 overall seed in the FCS Playoffs. Montana enters this weekend 11-0 overall with 10 Division I wins, while Montana State is 9-2 overall (9-1 vs the FCS). The loser will still be a lock for a Top 8 seed, but will they remain the No. 3 seed or drop further?

The home team has won five straight games in this rivalry, all by 19 points or more. The Bobcats have won six of the past eight meetings, including four in a row from 2016-19. Even with the recent history, I find it hard to believe that this game is a blowout either way. These teams match up extremely well and have shown flashes of being true national title contenders.

The Grizzlies may have an All-American running back in Eli Gillman, but they have been electric through the air this season. Keali'i Ah Yat is having a breakout season, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. This will be his toughest test this season, as the Bobcats rank No. 1 in the Big Sky in passing defense, holding opponents to 197.5 yards per game.

Ah Yat's ability to protect the ball may be the most crucial aspect of this game. After throwing four interceptions in the first two games, he's only turned the ball over three times in the past nine games. Montana State's defense has forced nine interceptions over the past six games, which is something to watch on Saturday. Both teams rank Top 10 nationally in turnover margin this season.

There's also the X-factor for this Montana offense. Michael Wortham is a game-changer, leading the Big Sky in all-purpose yards per game (155.4). He's an electric wide receiver, leading the Grizzlies with 822 yards and seven scores, while also offering production as a runner and on special teams.

On the other side, everything starts with Montana State's ability to establish the run. The Bobcats utilize the run game to set up their RPO passing attack with Justin Lamson. Julius Davis leads the Bobcats with 779 rushing yards and seven scores, while Adams Jones has added another 647 yards and nine touchdowns. Lamson is a red zone threat, posting a team-high 10 rushing touchdowns.

Montana has been stout against the run in Big Sky play, allowing only 103 rushing yards per game, which leads the Big Sky. One player to watch is linebacker Peyton Wing, who has been a versatile defensive weapon this season with 55 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions.

When the Bobcats have put the ball in Lamson's hands, he's been extremely efficient. He's completing 70.9% of his passes for 2,170 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only one interception. Interestingly, Montana's passing defense ranks last in the Big Sky during conference play, allowing over 300 yards per game. Despite this, Montana ranks No. 2 in passing defense efficiency. They also led the Big Sky with 14 interceptions in only seven conference games.

I've probably flipped my pick nearly every day since Sunday. The more I look at this game, the more uncertain I become about the outcome. I'm going to lean towards the more consistent defense, which is Montana State. The Bobcats can't afford a slow start, especially on the road, but I think this defense makes a key play to secure the win in an instant classic.

Prediction: Montana State (34-31)

Other Week 13 Predictions:

No. 5 Tarleton State 45, Austin Peay 31

No. 6 Tennessee Tech 30, UT Martin 24

No. 11 Illinois State 35, No. 24 Southern Illinois 31

No. 15 UC Davis 28, Sacramento State 24

No. 17 Abilene Christian 31, Central Arkansas 27

No. 18 Youngstown State 38, Northern Iowa 14

No. 20 Jackson State 31, Alcorn State 17

No. 25 New Hampshire 23, Maine 16

Delaware State 31, South Carolina State 28

Central Connecticut State 27, Mercyhurst 13

Dartmouth 27, Brown 17