College Football: Predicting the 2008 FCS Upsets, Part II

FCS Week rolls on with Part Two of my series on the potential FCS (Division 1-AA) over FBS (Division 1-A) upsets of 2008. Here are my seventh through fifth most likely upsets.

7. South Dakota State at Iowa State (Aug. 28)

Iowa State struggled tremendously in their first year under former Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, going only 3-9 despite having a veteran quarterback in Brett Meyer back.

Chizik’s team did show improvement down the stretch, as they won two out of their last three games against Big 12 competition, including a stunning 31-28 upset over Colorado.

Nevertheless, they lose a four-year starter at quarterback in Brett Meyer, as well as big play wide receiver Todd Blyth, who moves on after becoming Iowa State’s all-time leading receiver. The Cyclones do 14 fourteen starters for 2008, including their three top rushers from 2007 and four starting offensive lineman.

However, this was an offense that averaged a paltry 18.2 points per game, and was held under 20 points per game on eight separate occasions last season (including games against Kent State and Northern Iowa).

Chizik is a great defensive mind, but he’s never had to gameplan for an FCS team with the kind of talent he had at Auburn and Texas, so it was no surprise that his Cyclones fell to Northern Iowa in week two last season.

While he has seven starters back to work with, he loses his two best assets in linebackers Alvin Bowen and Jon Banks, and with them the heart and soul of his defense. He’ll need more than scheme if he’s going to stop South Dakota State’s offense; he’s going to need to inspire effort and intensity.

South Dakota State won the Gateway Conference in their first year of conference competition last season and finished the year ranked 19^th in the country after pulling off an upset of powerhouse North Dakota State in the finale.

South Dakota State loses a number of key players off of the offense and the defense but does return their starting quarterback Ryan Berry, who came on strong after a shaky opening to the 2007 season.

The Jackrabbits have a core group of underrated skill position players, including receiver JaRon Harris, who is widely considered one of the best “small school” draft prospects in the country.

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