Week 8 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 8 slate.

2025 Prediction Record: 85-18
2022-24 Record: 382-122

Youngstown State at No. 10 Illinois State

Kickoff: 2 pm CT (ESPN+)

This is a must-win for Youngstown State, which has lost back-to-back games against Top 10 opponents. The Penguins are 0-2 in conference play, but 3-3 overall, needing a win to remain firmly in the FCS Playoff picture. Illinois State fell to NDSU two weeks ago, but rebounded with a win over Murray State. The Redbirds are 4-2 (1-1 MVFC), but lack a signature win, which could change this weekend.

Quarterback Beau Brungard is known for his athleticism, rushing for a team-high 727 yards and nine touchdowns, but his arm will be the focal point on Saturday. Illinois State ranks last in the MVFC in passing defense, allowing 282.8 yards per game, which is something to watch against a YSU offense that's found success through the air. Max Tomczak is a playmaker, leading the Penguins with 477 yards and four touchdowns.

Youngstown State's defense will have a tough matchup, dealing with another dual-threat quarterback in Tommy Rittenhouse. He's thrown for 1,181 yards, 13 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. They also feature one of the best wide receivers in the FCS in Daniel Sobkowicz. He leads the team with 38 receptions, 566 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.

Illinois State will have the advantage in the backfield, featuring a dynamic 1-2 punch with Wenkers Wright and Victor Dawson. Wright leads the Redbirds with 422 yards and five scores, while Dawson has added 341 yards on 67 carries. The Penguins held their first three FCS opponents to under 100 rushing yards, but has allowed 200+ on the ground in back-to-back games.

This should be one of the best games of the weekend. I usually side with the home team in these toss-up games, but there's something missing when I watch this Illinois State team. Give me Youngstown State to pull off the upset behind another stellar performance from Beau Brungard.

Prediction: Youngstown State (34-31)

No. 8 Tennessee Tech at Lindenwood

Kickoff: 1 pm CT (ESPN+)

Tennessee Tech has been one of the most dominant teams in the country, outscoring its opponents 310-72. The Golden Eagles are 6-0 (3-0 OVC-Big South) and found their way into the FCS Playoff committee's initial Top 10 ranking. Lindenwood has emerged as a dark horse in the conference, winning its first two conference games, including a 30-14 win over UT Martin two weeks ago.

The matchup to watch is Tennessee Tech's rushing defense against Lindenwood's offense. The Golden Eagles lead the nation in rushing defense, allowing 51.2 yards per game and 1.7 yards per carry. This is could be a massive problem for a Lindenwood offense that is only averaging 107.5 yards per game on the ground, ranking No. 8 in the OVC-Big South. The Lions have to find success on the ground if they are going to pull off the upset.

Lindenwood quarterback Nate Glantz has been solid, throwing for 1,344 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions. He's added 206 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He's going to be the x-factor in this game. It won't be easy as Tennessee Tech also leads the conference in passing defense, limiting opponents to 191.8 yards per game.

The Golden Eagles are averaging a conference-high 251.7 yards per game, headlined by Quintell Quinn with 409 yards and six touchdowns on 8.3 yards per carry. Q'Daryius Jennings is also averaging over 8.0 yards per carry, recording 336 yards and six touchdowns on only 42 rushes.

One underrated aspect of this Tennessee Tech defense has been its redzone defense. The Golden Eagles have only allowed four touchdowns on 12 redzone drives. If Lindenwood is able to get the ball into the redzone, the Lions are going to have to score touchdowns on Saturday.

Tennessee Tech is the most complete team in the OVC-Big South. I'm not sure if Lindenwood has the firepower necessary to pull off the upset. I expect the Golden Eagles to suffocate Lindenwood's rushing attack, which is going to put a ton of pressure on Glantz to win this game with his arm. I'm going to go with Tennessee Tech to continue its dominance this weekend.

Prediction: Tennessee Tech (45-17)

West Georgia at No. 3 Tarleton State

Kickoff: 6 pm CT (ESPN+)

After a 5-0 start, West Georgia has dropped back-to-back games, both to ranked opponents, but needs a win here to swing the momentum back in the right direction. Tarleton State keeps finding ways to win despite losing multiple key starters to injury. The Texans are 7-0 (3-0 UAC) and found themselves as the No. 3 team in the FCS Playoff committee's Top 10 ranking earlier this week.

Tarleton State's offense has continued to roll behind Daniel Greek, who replaced an injured Victor Gabalis. Greek has completed 66% of his passes for 677 yards and six touchdowns. He's formed a dangerous connection with wide receiver Peyton Kramer, who leads the team with 515 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

West Georgia also lost its starting quarterback two weeks ago, as Davin Wydner went down in a loss to Austin Peay. Wydner's status is still unknown this weekend, but Colton Fitzgerald found his rhythm last week with 279 passing yards and one touchdown. This offense still isn't the same without Wydner. If he doesn't play, the pressure will be on Fitzgerald to make plays against a talented Tarleton secondary. The Texans have only allowed three passing touchdowns, while forcing a UAC-high 11 interceptions.

Both of these teams lean on their rushing attack, which could something to watch as Tarleton State ranks No. 8 in the UAC in rushing defense, allowing 183.6 yards per game. Latrelle Murrell and TJ Lester have been a dynamic duo, combining for 920 yards and seven touchdowns. The Texans were without Tre Page III and Caleb Lewis last week, which should be something to monitor on Saturday.

West Georgia has been through a gauntlet with this being its third consecutive ranked matchup. The Texans have been an elite offense, showing the ability to win games through the air and on the ground. I don't see West Georgia's offense having enough explosiveness to compete in a shootout, especially without Wydner. I like the Texans to win comfortably at home.

Prediction: Tarleton State (42-24)

No. 9 North Dakota at No. 12 Southern Illinois

Kickoff: 2 pm CT (ESPN+)

Southern Illinois dropped its first FCS game last week, falling to NDSU on the road, but the Salukis have a chance to rebound with their first Top 25 win of the year. North Dakota has exceeded preseason expectations, improving to 4-2 last week with an impressive, ranked win over Youngstown State.

No player will have a bigger impact Saturday than Southern Illinois quarterback DJ Williams. Everything runs through him, but he's handled it well, throwing for 1,404 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also leads the Salukis with 427 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. His athleticism will be a test for North Dakota's defense, which ranks No. 3 in the MVFC in total defense.

The Hawks have their own emerging star at quarterback in Jerry Kaminski, who has thrown for 1,217 yards and 17 touchdowns with only one turnover. His connection with B.J. Fleming continues to grow as he leads the team with 442 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Southern Illinois' defense has not been dominant, but the Salukis have been solid against the pass. They've only allowed six passing touchdowns, while forcing six interceptions.

One major matchup to watch is North Dakota's defensive line against SIU's offensive line. The Hawks have been excellent at getting to the quarterback, posting 16 sacks in six games. Lance Rucker has posted a team-high seven tackles for loss and four sacks. This is also a big game for linebacker Malachi McNeal, who will be tasked with limiting Williams when he leaves the pocket. The Salukis only allowed 1 sack in their first three FCS games, but allowed four in last week's loss to NDSU.

North Dakota ranks fourth in the MVFC in rushing offense, averaging 201.3 yards per game. Sawyer Seidl leads the Hawks with 336 yards and three touchdowns, while Gaven Ziebarth has posted 266 yards and three scores. The Salukis have struggled against the run, allowing over 186 yards per game.

This is another 50-50 game and should be one of the most exciting games of the weekend. Both teams could use this win to keep pace in a competitive MVFC race. My gut instinct is to go with the more balanced team, but something tells me DJ Williams is due for a big performance after last week's second-half collapse. North Dakota has also historically struggled away from the Alerus Center, which is why I'm going to take the Salukis in an upset on Saturday.

Prediction: Southern Illinois (35-31)

Other Week 8 Predictions:

No. 4 Montana 41, Sacred Heart 13

No. 11 Monmouth 41, Stony Brook 30

No. 13 Abilene Christian 42, Southern Utah 31

No. 15 Villanova 35, Hampton 17

No. 17 Lamar 28, UTRGV 24

No. 25 Stephen F. Austin 30, Nicholls 13

Sacramento State 31, Northern Colorado 27

Western Carolina 31, The Citadel 17

Gardner-Webb 35, UT Martin 28

Duquesne 28, Mercyhurst 24