FCS Playoffs 2015: Dates, Schedule, Teams, Bracket and More
The bracket for the FCS playoffs dropped Sunday, featuring 24 teams and eight top seeds who have the benefit of first-round byes.
FCS Football captured a photo of the complete bracket, which is also available on NCAA.com:
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Although Jacksonville State and Illinois State have claimed the top two seeds in that respective order, the headliner of the tournament is four-time reigning national champion North Dakota State.
The Bison had won each championship game by at least two possessions but had to edge out Illinois State last year, 29-27, under new coach Chris Klieman. Filling the shoes of Craig Bohl wasn't easy, but Klieman still has North Dakota State playing at an elite level and maintaining FCS powerhouse status.
Below is a clearer overview of what's on the FCS schedule, followed by a preview of the action.
The FCS playoffs cap off in Frisco, Texas, with the national quarterfinals on December 11 and 12, the semifinals on December 18 and 19 and the national title game on January 9, 2016. All games whose matchups are currently determined can be streamed on ESPN3/Watch ESPN.
| Dayton vs. Western Illinois | 12 p.m. |
| Chattanooga vs. Fordham | 1 p.m. |
| Coastal Carolina vs. The Citadel | 2 p.m. |
| Sam Houston State vs. Southern Utah | 3 p.m. |
| Montana vs. South Dakota State | 3 p.m. |
| New Hampshire vs. Colgate | 3:30 p.m. |
| William & Mary vs. Duquesne | 3:30 p.m. |
| Northern Iowa vs. Eastern Illinois | 5 p.m. |
| No. 8 Charleston Southern vs. The Citadel/Coastal Carolina | 1 p.m. |
| No. 7 Richmond vs. William & Mary/Duquesne | 1 p.m. |
| No. 5 James Madison vs. Colgate/New Hampshire | 1 p.m. |
| No. 2 Illinois State vs. Dayton/Western Illinois | 2 p.m. |
| No. 1 Jacksonville State vs. Chattanooga/Fordham | 2 p.m. |
| No. 3 North Dakota State vs. Montana/South Dakota State | 3:30 p.m. |
| No. 4 McNeese State vs. Sam Houston State/Southern Utah | 7 p.m. |
| No. 6 Portland State vs. Northern Iowa/Eastern Illinois | 10 p.m. |
FCS Playoffs Preview, Predictions
One reason North Dakota State isn't at the top of the tournament is because of an injury to starting quarterback Carson Wentz. The senior leader suffered a broken wrist in late October.
With a possible NFL future on the horizon after a Senior Bowl invitation, Wentz has to bear his future in mind if he were to attempt an improbable return to the gridiron.
Freshman Easton Stick has done an exceptional job spelling Wentz, with 11 touchdown passes to just two interceptions in six games of action. Stick is also second on the team with 423 yards rushing, bringing the Bison offense a more significant dimension on the ground.
NBC Sports' Brian Shawn was among those rather surprised NDSU didn't receive a higher bracket billing from the FCS committee:
The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State do deserve their No. 1 overall status, though. They went 10-1 this season, with their only loss a 27-20 defeat on the road against Auburn.
Dual-threat signal-caller Eli Jenkins does well to complement senior ball-carrier Troymaine Pope, but the Gamecocks' big strength is on defense. The team is fifth nationally in total yards allowed per game (277.1 YPG).
Despite the excitement of Sunday's announcement that his team would be the top overall seed, Jacksonville State head coach John Grass made sure to immediately focus his players on the task at hand, per Joe Medley of the Anniston Star:
Such a mindset makes sense considering the Gamecocks were upset by Sam Houston State at home in the second round of the 2014 playoffs.
Illinois State will certainly have a chip on its shoulder after last year's close call in the national championship. The Redbirds play with NDSU in the Missouri Valley Conference but didn't face the Bison in the regular season.
Contained within Illinois State's 9-2 record is a 31-14 loss in the season opener to Iowa, which certainly looks a lot better now since the Hawkeyes are in the College Football Playoff picture.
What makes the Redbirds so tough is their physicality and relentless reliance on the run. Running back Marshaun Coprich ranks second in the country with 1,720 rushing yards and 20 scores. Senior QB Tre Roberson also has wheels, accruing 630 yards on the ground and nine scores of his own.
The problem is Roberson is only a 48 percent passer and may struggle if Illinois State's rushing attack isn't firing on all cylinders. His team also ranks 59th in converting 39 percent of third downs.
The Bison are third in converting third downs on offense (50.3 percent) and sixth in defending those critical situations. That's a superior combination to Jacksonville State and any other playoff team.
James Madison may have been a threat before senior Georgia Tech transfer Vad Lee went down for the year with a foot injury. The Dukes also have to deal with McNeese State—another one-dimensional, run-heavy outfit. Sixth seed Portland State has a similar makeup and is on a quarterfinals collision course with the Bison.
Due to the level Stick has played at under center for NDSU, he gives his side an edge most teams other than the Gamecocks don't have. That makes it even more difficult to bet against the Bison given their track record of success.
No team is going to be better equipped to handle the pressure of postseason play, and Stick has proved to be undaunted by the big FCS stage in his young career. Look for North Dakota State to triumph once again in Frisco when the FCS playoffs come to a close—likely in an epic showdown with Jacksonville State.
Note: Team stats courtesy of NCAA.com. Individual stats obtained from the Washington Post unless otherwise indicated.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
