2024 NCAA D-I FCS Football Playoffs

[CrunchGriz]

Montana would not have won without Junior Bergen. He housed two punts Saturday.

Three amazing NCAA Division I special teams facts:

1. Career leaders in punt returns for TD are: Rashad Penny, San Diego State (9 - FBS) and Junior Bergen, Montana (8 - FCS [tied]). Special teams coach for both of them: Montana Head Coach Bobby Hauck.

2. Montana has now scored TDs on 2 kick returns in one playoff game in each of the last 3 years (2022, vs. SEMO: Junior, punt return, and Malik Flowers, kick return; 2023, vs. Furman: Junior, both kick and punt return; and 2024, vs. Tennessee State: Junior, two punt returns.

3. Junior has only been able to return 10 punts this season, because teams are reaaaally trying to kick away from him. Result: He’s housed 3 of the 10, and leads FCS in average punt return yardage by nearly 6 yards per return (he’s averaging 24 yards per return this year) and returns for TDs—so he has the equivalent of a .300 batting average in walk-off grand slams.

Kick to him, SDSU. We dare you. (It's probably the only shot we have of staying in the game....)

[dal4018]

Montana would not have won without Junior Bergen. He housed two punts Saturday.

Three amazing NCAA Division I special teams facts:

1. Career leaders in punt returns for TD are: Rashad Penny, San Diego State (9 - FBS) and Junior Bergen, Montana (8 - FCS [tied]). Special teams coach for both of them: Montana Head Coach Bobby Hauck.

2. Montana has now scored TDs on 2 kick returns in one playoff game in each of the last 3 years (2022, vs. SEMO: Junior, punt return, and Malik Flowers, kick return; 2023, vs. Furman: Junior, both kick and punt return; and 2024, vs. Tennessee State: Junior, two punt returns.

3. Junior has only been able to return 10 punts this season, because teams are reaaaally trying to kick away from him. Result: He’s housed 3 of the 10, and leads FCS in average punt return yardage by nearly 6 yards per return (he’s averaging 24 yards per return this year) and returns for TDs—so he has the equivalent of a .300 batting average in walk-off grand slams.

Kick to him, SDSU. We dare you. (It's probably the only shot we have of staying in the game....)

I think they are going to take the dare

[CrunchGriz]

I think they're probably not going to have to punt very often, so it may be a moot point, but one can hope.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Spread - Bobcats by 16.5
Sagarin - Bobcats by 17
Massey - Bobcats by 17


Spread - Vandals by 14.5
Sagarin - Vandals by 11
Massey - Vandals by 21


Spread - Aggies by 10.5
Sagarin - Aggies by 6
Massey - Aggies by 7


Spread - Coyotes by 16.5
Sagarin - Coyotes by 18
Massey - Coyotes by 20


Spread - Jackrabbits by 21.5
Sagarin - Jackrabbits by 22
Massey - Jackrabbits by 24


Spread - Cardinals by 11.5
Sagarin - Cardinals by 8
Massey - Cardinals by 4


Spread - Bears by 9
Sagarin - Bears by 9
Massey - Bears by 11


Spread - Bison by 23.5
Sagarin - Bison by 25
Massey - Bison by 26

[Mvemjsunpx]

SDSU leads Montana 21-3 at the half

Mercer leads Rhody 7-3 at the half

UIW/Villanova tied 3-3, late-2Q

MSU leads Martin 7-0, mid-1Q

ACU leads NoDak State 7-3, late-1Q

Tarleton leads SoDak 7-0, late-1Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

ACU leads NoDak State 7-3, late-1Q

Now 14-3 after a 90-yard TD run by Sam Hicks.

[Mvemjsunpx]

SDSU still leads 21-3, end-3Q (Jackrabbits inside the UM 5)

Mercer still leads Rhody 7-3, late-3Q

UIW/Nova still 3-3, mid-3Q

MSU leads UTM 21-0, mid-2Q

ACU leads NDSU 17-13, late-2Q

Tarleton/SoDak tied 14-14, late-2Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Tarleton leads SoDak 21-14 at the half

Rhody now leads Mercer 10-7, late-3Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Rhody now leads Mercer 10-7, late-3Q

And just like that Mercer answers to go up 14-10, early-4Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Montana gets 2 garbage TDs to only lose 35-18

Mercer leads Rhody 17-10, <2:00 to go (Mercer ball)

UIW leads Nova 10-6, 4:19 4Q

MSU leads Martin 28-10, early-3Q

NDSU leads ACU 27-17, early-3Q

Tarleton/SoDak tied 21-21, mid-3Q

Davis leads Illinois State 21-7 after trailing 7-0, mid-2Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Mercer leads Rhody 17-10, <2:00 to go (Mercer ball)

Now a final.

[Mvemjsunpx]

UIW runs for a first down on 3rd. & 16 to ice it (kneeling it out inside the Nova 10).

UIW beats Villanova in the rain 13-6

[Mvemjsunpx]

SoDak/Tarleton tied again 28-28, early-4Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

Tarleton makes a chip shot to retake the lead…

31-28 Texans, early-4Q

[Mvemjsunpx]

SoDak takes their first lead on a reverse to Bell

35-31 Coyotes, 9:36 4Q

[Vidav]

Montana has the worst offensive play calling of all time and the defense is terrible. Hoping for new coordinaters next year.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Adams scores on a 70-yard reverse to probably put it away for SoDak.

42-31 Coyotes, 5:13 4Q


Davis leads ISU 28-10 at the half

[Mvemjsunpx]

Montana State beats UTM 49-17

SoDak beats Tarleton 42-31

NDSU beats ACU 51-31

[kalm]

CAA has fallen to the 5th or 6th best conference. And they lose two of their better programs next year.

[Mvemjsunpx]

CAA has fallen to the 5th or 6th best conference. And they lose two of their better programs next year.

One of them to Patriot League, oddly enough.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Davis rolls Illinois State 42-10

[SuperHornet]

First Round
SAT 30 NOV 24

TN-Martin (9-4, 6-2 Big South/Ohio Valley) d. 16 New Hampshire (8-5, 6-2 Coastal Athletic) 41-10
Lehigh (PA) (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) d. 9 Richmond (VA) (10-3, 8-0 Coastal Athletic) 20-16
12 IL State (10-3, 6-2 Missouri Valley) d. SE MO State (9-4, 6-2 Big South/Ohio Valley) 35-27
13 Tarleton State (TX) (10-3, 6-2 United Athletic) d. Drake (IA) (8-3, 7-1 Pioneer) 43-29
14 Montana (9-4, 5-3 Big Sky) d. TN State (9-4, 6-2 Big South/Ohio Valley) 41-27
11 Villanova (PA) (10-3, 6-2 Coastal Athletic) d. E. Kentucky (8-5, 6-2 United Athletic) 22-17
10 Rhode Island (11-2, 7-1 Coastal Athletic) d. C. CT State (7-6, 5-1 Northeast) 21-17
15 Abilene Christian (TX) (9-4, 7-1 United Athletic) d. N. Arizona (8-5, 6-2 Big Sky) 24-0

Second Round
SAT 07 DEC 24
ESPN+

1 MT State (13-0, 8-0 Big Sky) d. TN-Martin (9-5, 6-2 Big South/Ohio Valley) 49-17
Lehigh (PA) (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) at 8 Idaho (9-3, 6-2 Big Sky) 1800 PST
5 CA-Davis (11-2, 7-2 Big Sky) d. 12 IL State (10-4, 6-2 Missouri Valley) 42-10
4 South Dakota (10-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley) d. 13 Tarleton State (TX) (10-4, 6-2 United Athletic) 42-31
3 SD State (11-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley) d. 14 Montana (9-5, 5-3 Big Sky) 35-18
6 Incarnate Word (TX) (11-2, 7-0 Southland) d. 11 Villanova (PA) (10-4, 6-2 Coastal Athletic) 13-6
7 Mercer (GA) (11-2, 7-1 Southern) d. 10 Rhode Island (11-3, 7-1 Coastal Athletic) 17-10
2 ND State (11-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley) d. 15 Abilene Christian (TX) (9-5, 7-1 United Athletic) 51-31

Quarterfinals
FRI-SAT 14 DEC 24

LEH-ID winner at 1 MT State (13-0, 8-0 Big Sky) TBD
5 CA-Davis (11-2, 7-2 Big Sky) at 4 South Dakota (10-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley) TBD
6 Incarnate Word (TX) (11-2, 7-0 Southland) at 3 SD State (11-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley) TBD
7 Mercer (GA) (11-2, 7-1 Southern) at 2 ND State (11-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley)

Semifinals
0900 or 1230 PST SAT 21 DEC 24

(LEH-ID)-MSU winner vs. UCD-SD winner TBD
UIW-SDSU winner vs. MER-NDSU winner TBD

Finals
1600 PST MON 06 JAN 25
at Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX

[Caribbean Hen]

SoDak takes their first lead on a reverse to Bell

35-31 Coyotes, 9:36 4Q

That was a great run

I thought South Dakota would handle Tarleton with more room to spare

[Mvemjsunpx]

Idaho leads Lehigh 12-0, early-2Q

Jordan Dwyer has 112 yards and 2 TDs receiving.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Garrido hits a field goal to make it 12-3 Idaho, mid-2Q