<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1TyXr7_0v9Xvfvz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1TyXr7_0v9Xvfvz00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure><p>FCS football is back and it’s better than ever. Week 0 is in the books and fans of the subdivision could not have asked for much more. Nearly every game on the slate was close and, at some point, featured upset alerts. From a heart-stopping finish in Albuquerque to a nail-biting MEAC/SWAC contest in Atlanta, the opening weekend of FCS ball really did have it all and then some.</p><h2>Montana State Gets Coveted FBS Win in Comeback Fashion over UNM</h2><p>Despite entering Saturday afternoon’s game as a 13.5-point favorite over FBS New Mexico, Montana State struggled for much of the contest. The Lobos defense swarmed quarterback Tommy Mellott and the Bobcats offense, forcing a pair of fumbles that directly led to touchdowns. With a quarter gone, UNM led 17-0. </p><p>MSU responded quickly with two scoring drives of their own to draw within three but, as the first half came to a close, the Lobos tacked on seven more with a touchdown run from signal-caller Devon Dampier. At halftime it was 24-14 in favor of the home team. </p><p>For the second time in the contest, New Mexico swelled their advantage to 17 as the second half began off of another fumble return touchdown. Mellott got hit as he was winding up to throw and the ball was jarred loose. Lobos cornerback Noah Avinger scooped it up and rumbled in, giving Montana State its largest deficit of the day once more. </p><p>From there, the Bobcats began to claw back. After New Mexico kicker Luke Drzewiecki missed a 35-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter, Mellott led the ‘Cats on a 80-yard scoring drive. Mellott himself ran it in from 15 yards out to cut the hole to ten. Shortly after, running back Adam Jones busted free on a 93-yards scoring run where he went untouched into the end zone. </p><p>Now down just three, the defense forced a much-needed punt with 1:59 remaining. Mellott orchestrated an 11-play drive that got MSU down to the four-yard line as time ticked down. With ten seconds left, running back Scottre Humphrey plowed his way over the goal line to give the Bobcats not only their first lead of the day but, ultimately, the 35-31 win. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BobcatBuilt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BobcatBuilt</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CATS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CATS</a><a href="https://t.co/BAhD9t1DVm">pic.twitter.com/BAhD9t1DVm</a></p>— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSUBobcats_FB/status/1827487043628495130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>The victory marked MSU’s first over an FBS opponent since 2006 and the FCS’ first such this season. Mellott threw for 205 yards, two touchdowns and rushed for another. As a team Montana State ran for 359 yards. The #4 Bobcats (1-0) will face Utah Tech on the road next weekend. </p><h2>Tarleton State Withstands McNeese Rally Bid for 26-23 Win</h2><p>There’s been a ton of optimism surrounding Tarleton State this offseason and many thought that the #21 Texans would handle visiting McNeese easily. The Cowboys, however, ended up giving TSU all it could handle despite falling into a deep hole early on. </p><p>Newcomer quarterback Clifton McDowell (formerly of Montana) bounced back from a tough opening drive with McNeese where he fumbled the ball away with a 43-yard touchdown strike to receiver Jamaal Levi to give the Cowboys 7-3 lead just seven minutes into the game. </p><p>In the span of three plays the Texans completely flipped the game. After a Darrell Kelly touchdown run from the one-yard line, TSU defender Kasyus Kurns scooped up another McNeese fumble and took it 41 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly the world was caving in on the visiting Cowboys and Tarleton State was in total control. Another touchdowns plus a McDowell interception before halftime made it 26-7 at the break. </p><p>McNeese did not fold, though. After trading punts for much of the third quarter, a Tyler Larco field goal added three. Shortly after forcing another TSU punt, the Cowboys got another score off of a seven-yard D’Angelo Durham touchdown run. Tarleton State kicker Michael James missed a 28-yard field goal shortly after. </p><p>McDowell only needed one play to fully swing the momentum back to McNeese. He connected with receiver Matthew McCallister on an 80-yard bomb that made it a three-point game. </p><p>The Cowboys defense rose up once more and made the Texans punt again. From his own 11-yard line McDowell slowly and efficiently drove his offense into TSU territory and, with only eight seconds left, set up the chance to tie. Larco, however, hooked his 44-yard kick right, sealing the win for Tarleton State. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NO GOOD! TARLETON STATE WINS <a href="https://t.co/hPCQMYHt8A">pic.twitter.com/hPCQMYHt8A</a></p>— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMatthew_CFB/status/1827482846774116847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>The Texans surrendered 16 second-half points while scoring none. Starting quarterback Victor Gabalis missed the entire second half with a hand injury and yet TSU still clung on to win. While the Texans (1-0) now prepare to face Baylor next Saturday in Week 1, the Cowboys (0-1) will try and bounce back at home against Southern. </p><h2>SEMO Loses DeLaurent, Beats North Alabama 37-15</h2><p>Southeast Missouri State’s resounding win in the FCS kickoff on Saturday evening has to have its fans in a mixed bag of feelings right now. In spite of the team showing resilience in the face of an early deficit and storming back to a 22-point victory, the Redhawks star player went down with an injury not even one game into the 2024 season. </p><p>Senior quarterback Paxton DeLaurent suffered an AC sprain midway through the second quarter of the contest against North Alabama, while his team was trailing 7-8. It appeared as though it may a be a tipping point as backup signal-caller Carter Hensley came in and promptly fumbled the ball away two plays later. The Lions converted the turnover into a touchdown and made it 15-7. </p><p>From there, however, Hensley turned the tides and led SEMO to 30 unanswered points throughout the course of the game. Payton Brown and Hensley each notched rushing touchdowns and helped pick up the slack in DeLaurent’s unexpected absence. Brown would rush for three scores before the night was over while Hensley threw for 100 yards. </p><p>DeLaurent’s health, though, is the immediate concern for a Redhawks team that is a playoff hopeful this year. SEMO (1-0) faces New Mexico State next weekend while North Alabama (0-1) gets ready for a matchup with Memphis. </p><h2>PAT Snafu Dooms Spartans against Rattlers</h2><p>Norfolk State had its chances to to pull off a big upset over Florida A&amp;M in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge but ended up coming a point short. A mishap on a late extra point greatly defined the Spartans’ narrow defeat and ultimately was a main reason why the team will begin it’s season 0-1 for the fifth straight year. </p><p>At one point, Norfolk State held a surprising 14-0 advantage over last year’s Celebration Bowl champs. After scoring touchdowns on their opening two drives, though, the Spartans started to see it slip. New Florida A&amp;M quarterback Daniel Richardson got his first Rattlers touchdown when he found Thad Franklin for a 20-yard score late in the first quarter. A Cameron Gillis field goal made it 14-10 going into the locker room as Norfolk State failed to produce anything in the second frame. </p><p>A Jamari Gassett TD catch from Richardson not even three minutes into the third gave FAMU its first lead of the night but it would be short-lived as Spartans kicker Grandin Willcox tied it up with a 29-yard field goal. </p><p>Gassett again gave the Rattlers their lead back on another scoring reception on the ensuing possession. A costly fumble early in the fourth quarter, though, left the door open just enough to give Norfolk State hope. They ran with that hope as running back Kavon King, who had 146 total rushing yards on the evening, pushed in for a two-yard touchdown to make it 24-23. </p><p>With the PAT pending, though, Willcox had his would-be kick blocked. On the play a FAMU offsides penalty gave the Spartans another crack it though. Head coach Dawson Odums opted not to kick again, though, and instead sent out quarterback Jalen Daniels to try and take the lead on a two-point try. Daniels was brought down well behind the line and Florida A&amp;M closed it out from there. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/FAMU_FB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FAMU_FB</a> defense strikes on the two point conversation attempt! <br><br><br><br>The Spartans wanted to take the lead back, but Aric Horne (<a href="https://twitter.com/AricHorne4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AricHorne4</a>) had other plans! <a href="https://t.co/AVA0YbC03V">pic.twitter.com/AVA0YbC03V</a></p>— Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge (@MEAC_SWAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAC_SWAC/status/1827541319696458167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>Norfolk State was oh-so close to what could have been a win that would have shaken up the SWAC and MEAC worlds. Instead, it is the Rattlers (1-0) who came out with the expected victory. Richardson tossed three TDs in his debut with his new team. Daniels was kept out o the end zone all night. Florida A&amp;M will now see SC State at home next Saturday while the Spartans (0-1) prepare for East Carolina. </p><h2>Delaware State falls to Hawaii in Late Saturday Night Slot</h2><p>Delaware State showed some real fight for a lot of their contest against FBS Hawaii on Saturday night but, in the end, the Rainbow Warriors proved to be too much. After falling behind 14-0 thanks to a Tylan Hines punt return touchdown at the end of the first quarter, the Hornets fought back to even things up.</p><p>Marqui Adams ran in for a ten-yard touchdown to get DSU on the board right before halftime then Jaden Sutton made it 14 all with a six-yard scoring run on the opening drive of the second half. Those two TDs, though, would end up being the only points that Delaware State would score all night. </p><p>From there, Hawaii piled on three more touchdowns and eventually cruised out to a comfortable 35-14 win. Adams completed 17-of-28 passes for 156 yards while Sutton led all Hornets rushers with 56 yards and a touchdown. DSU (0-1) will have its second consecutive road game next Saturday when it travels to take on Sacred Heart. </p></div></body>

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FCS Week 0 Recap: Comebacks and Thrillers Abound

FCS football is back and it’s better than ever. Week 0 is in the books and fans of the subdivision could not have asked for much more. Nearly every game on the slate was close and, at some point, featured upset alerts. From a heart-stopping finish in Albuquerque to a nail-biting MEAC/SWAC contest in Atlanta, the opening weekend of FCS ball really did have it all and then some.

FCS Week 0 Recap: Comebacks and Thrillers Abound

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