OptaAnalystFCS
@optaanalystfcs
FCS Football coverage with Stats Perform and The Analyst: Top 25 media poll; Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Eddie & Doris Robinson awards; and much more across the Division I subdivision.
If you missed this offseason, we had a fun visit with Beau Brungard on The FCS Edge. Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/xbANL5mWSKI?...
2026 MVFC Preseason Poll 1. South Dakota State (28 first-place votes), 312 points 2. Illinois State (3), 256 3. Youngstown State, 235 4. North Dakota (2), 211 5. South Dakota (2), 196 6. Southern Illinois (1), 186 7. Northern Iowa, 99 8. Indiana State, 80 9. Murray State, 45
Congratulations to the players named to the Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List. Story on the FCS national defensive player of the year award watch list: theanalyst.com/articles/buc...
Congratulations to the players named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List. Story on the 40th anniversary season list: theanalyst.com/articles/wal...
With defending national champion Montana State at the front, all 13 conferences, 53 schools and 101 players are represented on the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team. Full Team: theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
The Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team will be announced on Monday. Here are other keys dates to know this season: theanalyst.com/articles/202...
Illinois State, the 2025 FCS runner-up, has completed a 12-game 2026 schedule by adding a home game against NAIA program St. Francis (Ill.) on Aug. 29. The Redbirds have won the three prior meetings (1991, 1995 and 1998).
The FCS playoff history of the new 10-member Patriot League. Richmond (2008) and Villanova (2009) won national titles. theanalyst.com/articles/pat...
The University of Montana and first-year head football coach Bobby Kennedy have agreed to a four-year contract through the 2029 season, athletic director Kent Haslam announced Tuesday. The Grizzlies were FCS semifinalists last season.
Ty Halpin, the NCAA Director of Championships & Alliances for D-I, said the D-I Cabinet has finalized the FCS championship game date as the second Monday in January – in this season’s case, Jan. 11 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Saint Francis (Pa.) athletics is making the rare move of moving from Division I to III this coming academic year.
On The FCS Edge, Craig Haley asked Montana All-America RB Eli Gillman if there's more pressure to transfer or not to transfer. Watch the full interview on YouTube: youtu.be/5Gf11mX0Ig8?...
The longest active win streaks entering the 2026 FCS season, which kicks off Thursday night, Aug. 27.
On The FCS Edge, Montana All-America RB Eli Gillman reflected on the national title contender's head coaching change. Watch the full interview on YouTube: youtu.be/5Gf11mX0Ig8?...
After spending its first four years in New Orleans, the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl will be relocated to Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta next year. The fifth annual all-star game will be held on Feb. 27.
New Southern coach Marshall Faulk is on a familiar and successful path in FCS football, and he had a pretty good resource during the 2025 season as Colorado’s running backs coach under Deion Sanders. Story: theanalyst.com/articles/mar...
Walter Payton Award recipient Beau Brungard's father Mark quarterbacked two national championship-winning teams at Youngstown State. Watch The FCS Edge on YouTube: youtu.be/xbANL5mWSKI?...
We’re flying toward the 2026 FCS season. Opening night (Thursday, Aug. 27) is 100 days away.
On The FCS Edge, Youngstown State QB Beau Brungard talked about winning the Walter Payton Award and owning that title. Watch the full interview on YouTube: youtu.be/xbANL5mWSKI?...
It's not early anyway. Story on the rankings: theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
Teams that made the FCS playoffs last season with new head coaches in 2026.
South Dakota State has finalized its 2026 schedule by adding a first-time matchup at home against Stetson on Aug. 29.
Monmouth QB Derek Robertson has received minicamp tryouts with the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
William & Mary has a pair of All-Americans gaining rookie minicamp invites: CB Jalen Jones - Washington Commanders LB Luke Banbury - Baltimore Ravens
Accounts for NCAA grad transfer era and players who spent the majority of their careers in the FCS but one final season in the FBS. Example: Ravens pick Evan Beersteen, who spent the 2019-24 seasons & won two FCS titles at SDSU before a final season at Northwestern. theanalyst.com/articles/fcs...
Former Rhode Island and UIW linebacker Declan Williams has been invited to Eagles minicamp. Williams' father was a star reliever in the City of Brotherly Love with the Phillies: Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams.
Former North Dakota State RB Barika Kpeenu will attend Vikings rookie minicamp, per @DraftDiamonds on X. Kpeenu had 1,252 yards and 21 TDs from scrimmage in the 2025 season.