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FCS vs. FBS games are back in 2022. After 12 FCS teams landed FBS upsets last year, what teams could be next? Here are nine potential FCS over FBS upsets for the 2022 college football season.
FIU finished 1-11 last year, with its one win coming against LIU, a school that Bryant beat by 45 points. In 2022, Bryant returns quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, a signal-caller entering his second season who can lead the Bulldogs to the upset.
FCS-FBS: Here is every FCS vs FBS game scheduled for 2022
UConn lost to Holy Cross last year and since 2018 has beat FCS opponents by an average of only 5.3 points. That’s a good sign for a Central Connecticut State team that most recently won the NEC title in 2019.
The last time Iowa lost to an FCS opponent was in 2016. The Hawkeyes were ranked No. 13 when they lost to MVFC powerhouse North Dakota State. Fast forward to 2022 and another MVFC powerhouse, South Dakota State, heads to Iowa. This time, the Hawkeyes are unranked.
Cal finished 2021 with a 5-7 record. UC Davis finished 2021 in the FCS playoffs. Led by one of FCS football’s premier running backs in Ulonzo Gilliam Jr., UC Davis proved it has what it takes to shock the Golden Bears last year when they landed the first FCS-over-FBS upset of the season.
UPSETS: See every FCS-over-FBS upset
Holy Cross is the three-time defending Patriot League champion, led by a dominant defense and a returning quarterback in Matthew Sluka Jr. The Crusaders visit a Buffalo team that finished 4-8 last year, losing to teams like Nebraska. This game screams upset.
Oregon State finished with its first winning season in eight years in 2021. The Beavers host FCS runner-up Montana State in Week 3, a team that consistently ranks among the best in the subdivision. We’ll find out if Oregon State’s 2021 success was a sign of progress or a flash in the pan quickly when the Bobcats come to town.
Arizona was 1-11 in 2021, finishing as one of the worst teams in the FBS. North Dakota State finished as the best team in the FCS, winning its ninth title in 11 years. The last time the Bison played an FBS opponent, they upset a ranked team. Not a good sign if you’re a Wildcat fan hoping for an easy win.
RANKED: Here’s the FCS blueprint to beating a ranked FBS team
Illinois finished 2021 with a 5-7 record, but three of its wins were by one possession. Meanwhile, Chattanooga is the predicted favorite in the SoCon, coming off a 6-5 season. With All-Americans on the offensive and defensive lines, the Mocs have the size to match up and compete with the Illini and potentially land the upset.
Colorado State lost by 19 points to an FCS opponent in 2021 en route to a 3-9 season. Sacramento State is the reigning Big Sky champion. These are two teams heading in opposite directions entering the season. Week 4 has all the makings of an upset.
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Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as an FCS, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he covered the 2021 Celebration Bowl. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
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