In the FCS Huddle: Bison likely to be new top-ranked team
By Sean Shapiro, FCS Assistant
Philadelphia, Pa (Sports Network) - And then there were two.
With top-ranked Georgia Southern's loss to Appalachian State, North Dakota State and Sam Houston State remain as the lone unbeaten teams in the FCS.
For North Dakota State, that mark of perfection seems even more impressive after its 27-19 win against No. 2 Northern Iowa.
While Sam Houston State rolled to a 66-0 shellacking of Lamar, North Dakota State played a well-rounded contest to knock off the Panthers.
Picking off a pair of Northern Iowa passes - the first two of the season - and only allowing 53 rushing yards, the Bison defense was impressive.
North Dakota State, which trailed only briefly against Northern Iowa, should be the new top-ranked team in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 on Monday.
Sam Houston State may get some first-place votes, but it's also unlikely the Bearkats will finish ahead of Appalachian State or Montana State.
MONARCHS ON CUSP OF PLAYOFFS
In its first season in CAA Football, Old Dominion (7-2) is on the cusp of making the FCS playoffs after a 23-20 upset against No. 9 James Madison in the Oyster Bowl.
While the Monarchs deserve credit for the second-half comeback, it's hard to ignore the injuries suffered by the Dukes' offensive line. Losing three starters on the line, two in the first half and one early in the second, the Dukes' offense managed only 68 yards in the second half.
In the first half, with a mostly healthy line, the Dukes had amassed 266 total yards and all 20 of their points.
Already with seven victories, it appears that Old Dominion is in good shape for the playoffs. However, at least splitting its last two games with Richmond and William & Mary could improve Old Dominion's seeding.
For James Madison (5-3, 3-2 CAA), making the playoffs comes down to winning two of its final three games. It's a tough test because the Dukes must travel to New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
SNOW SUBDUES FANS, KICKS
While the biggest games of the week were played in comfortable conditions, many teams in the Northeast dealt with an odd case of October snow.
Maine-Villanova, Albany-Wagner, Marist-Drake, Bucknell-Lafayette and Yale- Columbia were among a number of games that felt the negative effects of the storm. Not only did the weather lower attendance numbers, but it also factored in a missed field goal or extra point in all five contests.
There was also heavy, constant snow at the Harvard-Dartmouth game, but it didn't lead to any missed kicks.
STREAK OVER
It wasn't snow, but rain fell hard in Providence, R.I., as Brown ended Penn's 18-game Ivy League winning streak. Brown won 6-0, getting a pair of field goals from Alex Norocea (39 and 42 yards) and limited the Quakers to just 151 yards of total offense.
It was also the first time since 1997 that the Quakers were shut out, ending the second-longest scoring streak in Ivy League history at 136 games.
Brown currently holds the record of 155 straight games with at least a point.
THE DREAM IS OVER
While Eastern Washington played in much nicer conditions than some teams on the East Coast, the defending FCS champion Eagles' dream of making the playoffs again are over. Falling to Portland State, 43-26 at home, the Eagles fell to 4-5 and will not get an at-large bid, even if they win their final two games.
After starting the season at 0-4, Eastern Washington had stormed back to even its record. However, a 338 to minus-one advantage in rushing yards for Portland State and an inability by Eastern Washington to convert on third downs (3 of 13) will leave the defending champs at home for the playoffs.
STAT OF THE WEEK
Northern Colorado receiver Patrick Walker caught 10 passes for 315 yards, breaking both the school and Big Sky records for receiving yards in a contest. He also caught a pair of long touchdowns - 80- and 88-yarders - but Northern Colorado fell to North Dakota, 27-25.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
North Dakota State: The Bison will be the new top-ranked team in the country. Simple as that.
PARTING SHOTS
Look out for Youngstown State, The Penguins defeated Western Illinois ,56-14, for their third straight win. They face Northern Iowa and North Dakota State in the next two weeks .. Ugly overtime: Campbell defeated Davidson, 26-20, in triple overtime. However, both teams struggled to score in the extra period, managing a combined nine points ... Lehigh defeated Colgate, 45-25, but quarterback Chris Lum failed to pass for 300 yards for the first time this season ... Morgan State defeated Delaware State, 12-0, in a rain-soaked contest. It was the Bears' first shutout since Oct. 7, 2006 ... Meanwhile, MEAC leader Norfolk State bounced back from a loss in Week 8 with a 14-10 win against North Carolina A&T ... Wofford took out any frustrations it had from being upset by Furman against Elon. Rushing for 465 yards and six touchdowns, the Terriers won, 48-28 ... Despite its 3-0 start in non-conference play, Richmond has yet to win a CAA Football contest. This weekend, the Spiders fell to 0-5 in the conference with a 28-7 loss to Massachusetts ... Four different players rushed for touchdowns, leading New Hampshire to a 31-24 win against Rhode Island ... A Murray State missed extra point with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter helped Eastern Kentucky hold on, 34-33 ... Gardner-Webb's defense set a school-record with seven sacks in a 14-7 win against Charleston Southern ... Montana erased the demons of last year's loss to Weber State and came away with a convincing 45-10 victory .... Rodrick Rumble became the Idaho State single-season leader for receptions and yards, hauling in 13 passes for 145 yards in a 54-13 loss to Montana State. Rumble also has the Big Sky record for receptions in a season with 98 ... Liberty got its first test of the Big South schedule, but still came away unscathed after defeating Presbyterian, 27-20, in overtime ... Stephen F. Austin's defense had a big day, recording nine sacks in a 37-17 win against McNeese State ... Nathan Dick passed for 299 yards and five touchdowns, leading Central Arkansas to a 55-29 win against Southeastern Louisiana.
