For the second straight season, there will be a record number of FCS versus FBS games with 126 matchups scheduled for the 2025 season. That means the FCS will have plenty of chances at defeating the FBS, but it also allows for more FCS teams to get exposure against their FBS counterparts. This will be similar to previous entries we’ve done in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, where we list ten(ish) FCS versus FBS games that provide some intrigue for the upcoming season.
As a friendly reminder, this list is not solely comprised of the best FCS-FBS matchups or the most likely FCS over FBS wins this year. These are only the games we want to see, and they will naturally have plenty of crossover with potential FCS over FBS wins. This year’s list will rank the games in reverse order from 10 to 1, which maintains the same format from the previous three editions. We’ve also provided a table below summarizing the games and links for each one.
| Rank | FCS Team | FBS Opponent(s) | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus 2 | UT Martin | Oklahoma State UTEP Missouri State | August 28 September 6 September 20 |
| Bonus 1 | South Dakota Southern Illinois | Iowa State Purdue | August 30 September 6 |
| 10 | Grambling State | Ohio State | September 6 |
| 9 | Richmond | North Carolina | September 13 |
| 8 | North Carolina Central | Old Dominion | September 6 |
| 7 | Eastern Kentucky | Marshall | September 13 |
| 6 | Sacramento State | Nevada | September 6 |
| 5 | Stony Brook | San Diego State | August 28 |
| 4 | Monmouth | Charlotte | September 13 |
| 3 | Merrimack | Kent State Kennesaw State | August 30 September 13 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | Western Michigan | September 27 |
| 1 | Tarleton State | Army | August 29 |
Bonus: UT Martin at Three FBS Opponents
UT Martin will take on three FBS opponents in the opening four weeks of the 2025 season. Although uncommon, this isn’t rare as it has occurred in 10 of the last 15 seasons. UT Martin made the 2024 FCS Playoffs after sharing the Big South-OVC crown and reached the second round. This year, the Skyhawks face some challenges after losing most of their top skill players on offense.
UT Martin will start the season at Oklahoma State (Big 12) on Thursday, August 28, followed by another road game at UTEP (C-USA) on Saturday, September 6. The lone “break” between the FBS opponents is a home game versus Southern Illinois (MVFC) on Saturday, September 13. The non-conference schedule ends with a road game at Missouri State (C-USA). There’s a decent chance the Skyhawks could start OVC-Big South play at 0-4 overall, but those four games may help prepare them for a run at a fifth straight conference title.
Bonus: South Dakota at Iowa State (August 30) and Southern Illinois at Purdue (September 6)
There are a pair of MVFC teams in the second bonus slot. South Dakota gets a place here because the season opener will be a litmus test. The Coyotes lost tons of starters from 2024’s team that went 11-3 and reached the FCS Semifinals. One key piece that departed was head coach Bob Nielson, not to mention four starting offensive linemen. Still, South Dakota is a top 5 preseason team, led by quarterback Aidan Bouman and running back Charles Pierre. This is the first game of the season for the Coyotes, while Iowa State is coming off a 24-21 win against Kansas State in Dublin. South Dakota has plenty of talent and this team could catch Iowa State off guard following the European trip.
Southern Illinois is an intriguing team for 2025. The Salukis went 4-8 overall last year and were battered by injuries, but are a top 20 preseason team this year. They’ll have a tune-up game against D-II Thomas More on August 30 before traveling to face Purdue on September 6. Quarterback DJ Williams is back after suffering a season-ending injury early last season. The defense struggled at times last year, giving up 30.6 points and 408 yards per game, but is expected to improve this year with some key transfers. SIU will face a Purdue squad that was terrible last season. The Boilermakers went 1-11, scored less than 16 points per game, gave up nearly 40 points per game, and have a new head coach. This game is a chance for SIU to get some early season momentum, even if they don’t win, as they look to return to the FCS Playoffs.
10. Grambling State at Ohio State – September 6
One of college football’s most storied programs will get a chance to play at one of college football’s most famous venues. Grambling State will visit the Horsehoe in Columbus on Saturday, September 6. Ohio State will probably win comfortably, but this is a great opportunity for Grambling State’s program. Of course, this is also an opportunity for the Tiger Marching Band to showcase its talent.
9. Richmond at North Carolina – September 13
This game has a spot on the list for a few reasons. The first is obvious: Richmond will face future Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick and North Carolina, a sentence that was unthinkable a year ago. Secondly, this matchup is the last of three straight road games. The Spiders open up at Lehigh in a Patriot League tilt on August 30 in a meeting that could determine the conference’s winner. After that, they’ll face Wofford (SoCon) on September 6, followed by UNC a week later. Richmond lost a few pieces from 2024, but the expectation isn’t that they’ll put the upset. The UNC matchup represents a chance for Richmond to showcase its program in the first season as a member of the Patriot League.
8. North Carolina Central at Old Dominion – September 6
North Carolina Central opened the 2025 season with a 31-14 win against Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Excluding the two rushing touchdowns by Southern of 69 and 80 yards, NCCU only gave up 188 yards of offense. NCCU dominated the game outside those big plays and will have another game on August 30 against New Hampshire before taking on Old Dominion. ODU has nearly a dozen starters back from a team that went 5-7 overall and will open at Indiana. If NCCU can prevent the big plays and cut down on the mistakes, they’ll have a chance against Old Dominion. This game could become a defensive battle and could help propel NCCU to reclaim the MEAC crown.
7. Eastern Kentucky at Marshall – September 13
Eastern Kentucky’s matchup against Marshall on September 13 is an interesting one. Marshall is coming off a 10-3 season in 2024, but was decimated by transfers and the departure of its head coach. EKU lost some pieces on offense, but the defense returns most of its top performers from last year. The strength of the defense will be important against a Marshall offense that will likely still be finding its way in game three, with few returning stars. EKU has a legitimate chance of winning its second game against the FBS in four seasons.
6. Sacramento State at Nevada – September 6
Sacramento State is the enigma of the 2025 FCS season. Last year, Sac State went 3-9, and only a few starters return. The Hornets have a first-year head coach in Brennan Marion, but he has brought in lots of talent via the transfer portal. Marion is known for his offense, which is expected to have fewer bumps than the defensive side. Likewise, Nevada had a rough 2024 season, going 3-10 overall in Jeff Choate’s first year, and returns about a half-dozen starters. Both teams will have a tough opponent in the first week: Sacramento State will be at South Dakota State, while Nevada will be at Penn State. If Sac State’s offense is in tune and the defense has made solid strides during the offseason, it could be a good day for the Hornets. If not, and Nevada looks much better than last year, it could be a long day for Sacramento State. So which Sacramento State team will show up against Nevada?
5. Stony Brook at San Diego State – August 28
Stony Brook had an incredible 2024 season. The Seawolves went 0-10 in 2023, brought in Billy Cosh, and went 8-4. Both sides of the ball made huge improvements, and a lot of pieces will return for 2025. Stony Brook will start the season against San Diego State, which will have 10 starters back on defense, and will present a challenge for the Seawolves. This will be a test for Stony Brook with a new quarterback to see if it can improve upon last year’s amazing year.
4. Monmouth at Charlotte – September 13
Monmouth’s high-flying offense will return Derek Robertson this year, who is one of the preseason favorites for the Walter Payton Award. The Hawks put up 39 points per game in 2024, a season which saw them finish 6-6, and a 45-42 victory over FBS FIU. 8 starters are back from that unit, including the aforementioned Robertson (3,937 yards and 31 TDs), top running back Rodney Nelson (809 yards and 6 TDs), and the top four receivers. Don’t be surprised if the offense cracks 40 points per game. On defense, the Hawks were not so good, giving up 33.5 points per game, and only returned three starters this season. The defense line was hardest hit as no starters returned. The entire defense will need to improve if Monmouth wishes to challenge in the CAA and make the FCS playoffs.
Charlotte went 5-7 in 2024, but has a new head coach, and only half a dozen starters returning. The defense gave up 35 points and 433 yards per game last year, which bodes well for Monmouth’s offense. On offense, Charlotte returns two starters from a group that put up 23.7 points and 341 yards per game. This is the third game of the season for Monmouth, following road games at Colgate and Fordham. Will those games allow the defense to improve enough when the Hawks face Charlotte? If so, it could be another Monmouth victory over an FBS opponent.
3. Merrimack at Kent State (August 30) and Merrimack at Kennesaw State (September 13)
Merrimack has a pair of interesting FBS opponents this year, other than both having the acronym KSU. The Warriors start the season at Kent State on August 30. The Golden Flashes were not good last year, have only a few pieces returning, and have an interim head coach who was hired in March. Oh, and Kent State went 0-12 last season, giving up 44 points per game while averaging only 14 on offense. Two weeks later, Merrimack will play at Kennesaw State, which is in a similar position to Kent State. The Owls have a new head coach, went 2-10 (including a loss to UT Martin), and don’t return a lot of starters on offense.
For Merrimack, they’ll be in the second year under head coach Mike Gennetti. Quarterback Ayden Pereira returns after starting the final 10 games in 2024, along with two solid running backs in Brendon Wyatt and DeMarcus McElroy. The offensive and defensive lines lost some important pieces, which is a concern when facing FBS teams that have better depth. Both games represent a chance for Merrimack to possibly nab an FCS over FBS victory, which would be the first in school history (0-3). Merrimack plays as an FCS independent, so any chance of reaching the FCS playoffs will require an at-large selection. A win or two against FBS teams would go a long way toward building its résumé.
2. Rhode Island at Western Michigan – September 27
Rhode Island had a very good 2024 campaign, finishing 11-3 overall, “winning” the CAA title, and reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs. 2025 has loftier goals with a preseason top 10 ranking. The offense averaged 24.3 points and 362 yards per game, but a majority of starters return, including quarterback Devin Farrell and linemen. AJ Pena will anchor the defense as a potential Buck Buchanan winner come season’s end.
Western Michigan is coming off a 5-7 season in 2024, but will have only seven starters returning. Rhode Island’s offense should have success against the WMU defense, which gave up 31 points and 415 yards per game last season. This is the fifth game of the season for both teams, so early season fitness won’t be an issue like other games on this list. As long as URI is healthy, they have a good shot at pulling the upset to end September, and potentially another magical season.
1. Tarleton State at Army – August 29
There are high expectations for Tarleton State coming into the 2025 season. The Texans finished second in the UAC last year, made the FCS Playoffs, and won their first round matchup against Drake at home. This season, winning the UAC is the goal, along with a deep playoff run. Tarleton State opened the 2025 campaign with a convincing 42-0 victory at Portland State (Big Sky). Meanwhile, Army is coming off an impressive 12-2 campaign in 2024, which included a victory in the American title game. Army has to contend with the loss of its top quarterback, top two rushers, and top receiver. With Tarleton State having already played one game (played in 90+ degree heat), they’ll have better game fitness. However, Army’s offense won’t make it easy with a constant rushing attack designed to wear defenses down. It may come down to how many plays Victor Gabalis can make to determine the winner, but Tarleton State has the pieces to win.
Photo Credit to Monmouth University Athletics
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