College Football

FCS predictions: Penguins still seek playoff march

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:28 p.m. ET

(STATS) - Thanksgiving weekend is a month away, but according to some of the Youngstown State players, the FCS playoffs begin Saturday.

Is last year's national runner-up a good team or not? Although the Penguins have dropped to 3-4, many people think so. They're still ranked in the STATS FCS Top 25 at No. 21, which is unusual for a team with a losing record entering the final weekend of October.

YSU had an impressive September, taking Pittsburgh to overtime and winning three straight home games, including a handling of then-No. 4 South Dakota State.

But it has given way to a three-game losing streak in October against a Murderer's Row lineup of North Dakota State, South Dakota and Northern Iowa, and only by a combined 11 points.

"I hope they're disappointed, disgusted, I could go on with the adjectives. I know I am," coach Bo Pelini said. "You take it for what it is and you move forward. Our challenge is coming up Saturday."

The Missouri Valley Conference schedule doesn't ease much on Saturday, with No. 16 Illinois State paying a visit to Stambaugh Stadium. But the Penguins had an 11-game winning streak on their home turf prior to losing to North Dakota State in overtime two weeks ago.

The finishing stretch lightens next month, so if the Penguins can beat Illinois State, they can still turn around their season. A 7-4 record would get them in the playoffs. The Valley also has put a 6-5 at-large team in the playoffs for the first two times the last two seasons, but the list of at-large candidates is extensive this year.

"We're still shooting for the playoffs," senior quarterback Ricky Davis said. "We realize we have to win out."

"The playoffs," junior tailback Tevin McCaster said, "start Saturday."

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WEEK 9 FCS TOP 25 PICKS=

All Times ET

X - Predicted Winner

Week 7 Record: 14-5 (.737); Season Record: 124-30 (.805)

Saturday, Oct. 28

X-No. 8 Wofford (6-1, 4-1 Southern) at ETSU (3-4, 1-3), 1 p.m. - Each of Wofford's conference games has been decided by four points or fewer or gone to overtime. This week, the flexbone should put up big numbers.

X-No. 11 South Dakota State (5-2, 2-2 Missouri Valley) at No. 12 Western Illinois (5-2, 2-2), 2 p.m. - It's stunning that WIU's Jaelon Acklin has nearly as many receiving yards (943) as SDSU studs Dallas Goedert and Jake Wieneke combined (962).

No. 16 Illinois State (5-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 21 Youngstown State (3-4, 1-3), 2 p.m. - In an age of quick-strike offenses, Youngstown State has 27 drives of eight plays or more.

X-No. 25 Southern Utah (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky) at Northern Colorado (2-4, 1-3), 2:30 p.m. - Following a two-year mission, Thunderbirds junior linebacker Chinedu Ahaanonu is back to where he was in 2014 - leading the team in tackles.

Texas Southern (0-6, 0-2 SWAC) at X-No. 15 Grambling State (6-1, 3-0), 3 p.m. - The G-Men rank first in the FCS with a plus-20 turnover margin.

X-No. 22 Stony Brook (5-2, 4-1 CAA) at No. 19 Richmond (4-3, 2-2), 3 p.m. - Despite having a deep running back unit, Richmond has gained only 484 rushing yards on 166 carries (2.9 yards per carry) in the six games other than Howard.

Chattanooga (1-7, 1-4 Southern) at X-No. 9 Samford (5-2, 3-1), 3 p.m. - Samford junior Kelvin McKnight is tied for the FCS high with 10 touchdown receptions.

No. 17 New Hampshire (5-2, 3-1 CAA) at X-No. 1 James Madison (7-0, 4-0), 3:30 p.m. - With all these JMU winning streaks going on, here's another one: By beating UNH, the Dukes would tie the CAA Football record with a 15th consecutive conference win (UMass holds the standard in the 1965-67 seasons). Since 1986, UNH is 1-3 against No. 1-ranked teams.

Northern Iowa (4-3, 3-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 2 North Dakota State (7-0, 4-0), 3:30 p.m. - In the STATS FCS Game of the Week, the host Bison figure to be without leading rusher Lance Dunn. But how many teams can say their No. 2 rusher (Bruce Anderson) has 560 yards already?

No. 10 Elon (6-1, 4-0 CAA) at X-No. 13 Villanova (4-3, 2-2), 3:30 p.m. - Close games have followed Elon's 47-13, season-opening loss to Toledo, so first-year coach Curt Cignetti's team has been outscored 179-168 despite having a 6-1 record.

Furman (5-3, 4-1 Southern) at X-No. 18 Western Carolina (6-2, 4-1), 3:30 p.m. - After missing three of the last four games with a shoulder injury, Detrez Newsome, who led the FCS in all-purpose yards per game last season, is expected to be back in the lineup.

Southeast Missouri (2-5, 2-2 Ohio Valley) at X-No. 3 Jacksonville State (6-1, 4-0), 4 p.m. - Fourth-year coach Tom Matukewicz has yet to lead a winning season at Southeast Missouri, but the Redhawks have beaten three nationally ranked teams under his watch.

Southern Illinois (4-3, 2-2 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 6 South Dakota (6-1, 3-1), 4 p.m. - With an MVFC-high 20 touchdown passes, SIU quarterback Sam Straub is on pace to break the school record held by Salukis coach Nick Hill (28 in 2007).

X-No. 23 Delaware (5-2, 3-1 CAA) at Towson (2-5, 0-4), 4 p.m. - Liberty and Richmond both improved by five wins in coach Danny Rocco's first season. The Blue Hens have already won one more game than last season.

X-No. 24 Montana (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky) at Weber State (5-2, 3-1), 4 p.m. - The STATS FCS Top 25 has gotten so competitive that Montana fell three spots on Monday after being on a bye and Weber State fell out of the rankings following a 14-point road win.

No. 20 McNeese (6-1, 4-1 Southland) at X-No. 4 Central Arkansas (6-1, 5-0), 7 p.m. - Incredibly, the McNeese defense has allowed only one touchdown in its last four games - all Southland wins.

X-No. 5 Sam Houston State (6-1, 4-1 Southland) at Southeastern Louisiana (5-3, 5-1), 8 p.m. - Sam Houston's No. 2-in-the-FCS passing offense (370.1 ypg) was expected; Southeastern's No. 2 rushing attack (321 ypg) was not. It's their first meeting since the 2014 playoffs.