FCS Football Talk

FCS representatives held a press conference on Thursday ahead of the 2025 season, giving the media an opportunity to ask questions about the FCS playoffs and championship game. In attendance were Chattanooga AD and FCS Championship Committee Chair Mark Wharton, Nashville Sports Council President Scott Ramsey, OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche, and NCAA Director of Championships Ty Halpin. Here is aud...

On this episode, Sam and Zach discuss some storylines for Week 0. Games include: No. 5 UIW at Nicholls (ESPN2) Idaho State at UNLV (Mountain West Network) No. 10 Tarleton State at Portland State (ESPN2) No. 8 UC Davis vs. No. 11 Mercer (ESPN) NC Central vs. Southern (ABC) The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit  Hero Sports for FCS coverage and BetMGM for online betting odds.

On this episode, Sam and Zach discuss some questions heading into the season. -In alphabetical order, these were the first 4 teams left out of the 2024 FCS playoff bracket - Chattanooga, Southeastern Louisiana University, Southern Utah, Stony Brook. Which of these teams is most likely to make the 2025 playoff bracket? -In alphabetical order, these were the last 4 teams selected into the 2024 FCS p...

On this episode, Sam and Zach discuss their Top 25 ballots for the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Media Poll. Sam’s ballot can be found  here . Zach’s can be found here . They discuss: -Why did they rank some teams where they are -Top teams with new starting quarterbacks -Teams returning strong experience -Teams that didn’t make the 2024 playoffs that will in 2025 -And more The podcast is presented b...

On this episode, Sam is joined by Sac State football play-by-play broadcaster Jason Ross They discuss: -Sac State’s FBS push and where things stand right now -2026 plans and schedule -Fan thoughts on FBS push -2025 squad and competing for an FCS title -Recruiting -New stadium -NIL pledges -And more

HERO Sports was on site for MVFC Media Day on July 21 in Sioux Falls, SD. Here is some audio from head coach and player interviews with the media. Stay tuned for more stories and coverage on herosports.com 0:00:00 -- SDSU HC Dan Jackson, DT Kobe Clayborne 0:18:01 -- YSU HC Doug Phillips, DB DJ Harris 0:28:21 -- NDSU HC Tim Polasek, LB Logan Kopp 0:44:10 -- SIU HC Nick Hill, QB DJ Williams 1:00:48...

On this episode, Sam is joined by North Dakota head coach Eric Schmidt. They discuss: -Being a first-time head coach in the new era of college football -UND's facilities and growth -Early recruiting success -Opting in and revenue-sharing -The Dakotas' strength in the FCS and aiming for that standard -Alerus Center -2025 squad -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by Zach McKinnell of FCS Football Central and The Bluebloods. They discuss: -Transfer portal -UIW additions -USD and SDSU outlooks -Sac State’s FBS push -W&M joining the Patriot League -Early preseason Top 5 -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by Harvard head coach Andrew Aurich.  They discuss: -Leading the Harvard football program -The Ivy League now sending its champ to the FCS playoffs -Recruiting to the Ivy League -Being protected from the transfer portal -The Game -Harvard's one captain tradition -2025 outlook -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by UIW head coach Clint Killough. They discuss: -Offseason excitement -Retaining top talent -Making splash additions via the transfer portal -Chasing an FCS championship -QB competition -UIW football's growth -Being a young head coach -Non-conference scheduling -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by UTRGV head coach Travis Bush. They discuss: -Helping build UTRGV football from scratch -Assembling his staff -Recruiting high schoolers and the transfer portal -Benefits to UTRGV's location -Community excitement and selling out season tickets -Practicing last fall -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by Montana State Director of Athletics Leon Costello. They discuss: -Reflecting on the 2024 football season -National title chase -Opting in to the House settlement -Scholarship caps -Brent Vigen -Sac State's FBS move -Realignment in the West -College football landscape -12-game FCS season -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by SoCon Commissioner Michael Cross. They discuss: -The SoCon’s approach to the House settlement -The vote to keep scholarship limits the same -How many FCS schools could afford to go above 63 scholarships -How many SoCon schools will opt in -The SoCon keeping its in-conference transfer rule -Governance changes in Division I -And more

On this episode, Sam is joined by ETSU head coach Will Healy. They discuss: -Healy's FCS roots, from being a QB on Richmond's 2008 national championship team to an assistant coach at Chattanooga to being the HC at Austin Peay and now ETSU -The differences and similarities between the G5 and FCS -What attracted him to ETSU -What he's learned as a younger head coach -Positives and negatives he's lea...

On this episode, Sam is joined by Idaho head coach Thomas Ford Jr. They discuss: -Taking over as Idaho’s head coach -Ford’s rise in the coaching profession -Navigating the transfer portal -Idaho fans’ thirst for more success -A look at the 2025 squad -And more

On this episode, Sam chats 1-on-1 with North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek. They discuss: -NDSU’s championship run -Not losing any players to the transfer portal after the title game -Former Bison players on the coaching staff -FCS changes while he was in the FBS from 2017-2023 -Ever-changing CFB landscape -2025 QB competition -And more

FCS committee chair Matt Larsen (NDSU AD), vice chair Mark Wharton (Chattanooga AD), and NCAA Director of Championships Ty Halpin addressed the media in Frisco two days before the FCS national championship game. They discussed the new bracket format, the future site of the FCS championship game, Nashville, TV windows, the Ivy League joining the FCS playoffs, and more.

North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek addressed the media in Frisco two days before the FCS national championship game.

Montana State head coach Brent Vigen addresses the media in Frisco two days before the FCS national championship game.

On this episode, Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports and ESPN Montana discusses Montana State's run to the national championship game. Discussion points include: -What’s the vibe right now in Montana? -This MSU squad's business-like attitude  -Brent Vigen staying -Tommy Mellott’s play -Defensive improvements -Senior class of Montana natives -Biggest cause for confidence and biggest cause for concern f...

On this episode, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead's Mike McFeely joins to discuss NDSU's return to the national championship game. Discussion points include: -Level of excitement after a 1-year Frisco hiatus -Tim Polasek and the energy he’s brought -Cam Miller’s play -Brent Vigen's time at NDSU -Will the game be back in Frisco -Plus an unscripted segment about NDSU and the FBS The podcast is presented...

On this episode, Sam Herder and Zach McKinnell preview the FCS championship game, discussing the key storylines and matchups between No. 1 Montana State and No. 2 NDSU. The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for online betting odds.

On this episode, Sam Herder and Zach McKinnell discuss: -The Ivy League in the playoffs -Jason Eck leaving Idaho for New Mexico -Gevani McCoy potentially transferring to UIW -Semifinal matchups The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for online betting odds.

On this episode, Sam Herder and Zach McKinnell preview the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs. Friday, Dec. 13 8 p.m. CT on ESPN: #8 Idaho at #1 Montana State Saturday, Dec. 14 11 a.m. CT on ESPN: #6 UIW at #3 SDSU 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+: #5 UC Davis at #4 South Dakota 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC: #7 Mercer at #2 NDSU The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FC...

On this episode, Sam Herder and Zach McKinnell discuss: -Three Game Balls and A Flag from the first round of the playoffs -The Top 3 finalists for the Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan Award -Most intriguing second-round matchups The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for online betting odds.