FCS Scoreboard Week 3: Top Contenders Survive Scares, FBS Powers Prevail

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Week 3 of the FCS season delivered a chaotic mix of nail-biting escapes, statement FBS victories over ranked FCS contenders, and an absolute stunner in the CAA that sent shockwaves through the national rankings.

The top-ranked Bobcats were given a scare as they had to hold on to avoid the big upset bid by Central Connecticut State. Other teams were not so lucky, and we had some barn-burners in FCS action yesterday.

No. 1 Montana State 35, Central Connecticut State 30

The top-ranked Montana State Bobcats narrowly avoided an earth-shattering upset in Bozeman, rallying from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to survive a furious challenge from Central Connecticut State. The Blue Devils stunned the home crowd when Navon Mitchell scooped up a Bobcat fumble and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, putting CCSU ahead 21–7 early in the second half.

Montana State’s offense immediately responded with 28 unanswered points. Quarterback Justin Lamson directed the comeback, completing 23 of 28 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Adam Jones served as the engine, compiling 122 rushing yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns while adding six catches for 92 yards. CCSU pulled within 35–30 on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brett Griffis to Damani Williams with three minutes left, but Montana State recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal their 18th consecutive home victory.

1-0 on the week.#BobcatBuilt pic.twitter.com/biI8y3qOdx

— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) September 19, 2026

No. 3 South Dakota State 27, No. 9 Youngstown State 20

In a fierce Missouri Valley Football Conference battle in Brookings, defending giant South Dakota State leaned on a historic individual ground game to outlast a stubborn Youngstown State squad 27–20.

Jackrabbits running back Josiah Johnson delivered a career performance, gashing the Penguins’ front seven for 238 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Youngstown State kept the pressure on behind quarterback Beau Brungard, tying the game twice in the second half. However, Johnson’s second touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter provided the decisive margin, allowing the SDSU defense to close out the win with a late fourth-down stop in the red zone.

Oregon State 52, No. 2 Montana 17

In Corvallis, Oregon State blew open a marquee FBS-FCS matchup, routing No. 3 Montana 52–17 behind a record-setting night from quarterback Braden Atkinson.

Atkinson tied the Beavers’ school record by accounting for six total touchdowns—throwing for 333 yards and five passing touchdowns on 22-of-30 completions, while adding a 1-yard scoring rush. Oregon State took complete control before halftime, taking a 35–3 lead into the locker room. Wideout Jesse Legree caught four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, becoming the first Beaver since Brandin Cooks to log three consecutive 100-yard receiving games. Montana quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns, but the Grizzlies’ defense had no answer for Oregon State’s 510 yards of total offense.

Nebraska 34, No. 6 North Dakota 7

Sixth-ranked North Dakota entered Lincoln boasting one of the top offenses in the FCS, but Nebraska’s defense held the Fighting Hawks to just 205 total yards in a convincing 34–7 win.

Nebraska established early dominance on the ground, racking up 277 rushing yards. Running back Jamal Rule sparked the attack with 119 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 55-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. Cornhuskers quarterback Anthony Colandrea added 195 passing yards, a passing touchdown to Quinn Clark, and a 10-yard rushing score. North Dakota broke the shutout in the third quarter on a 7-yard pass from Jerry Kaminski to Caleb Goodloe, but Nebraska controlled line-of-scrimmage play throughout.

Stony Brook 56, No. 8 Rhode Island 24

The most shocking FCS result of the day unfolded on Long Island, where Stony Brook systematically dismantled eighth-ranked Rhode Island in a 56–24 CAA upset.

Stony Brook scored early and often, capitalizing on turnovers and short fields to build an insurmountable lead. The Seawolves piled up 56 points on a Rams defense that had allowed fewer than 20 points per game entering the weekend. Stony Brook’s explosive day represents one of the largest margins of victory over a top-10 opponent in program history, drastically reshaping the CAA race.

Boise State 38, No. 10 South Dakota 24

Tenth-ranked South Dakota pushed Boise State to the limit on The Blue, tying the game 24–24 midway through the fourth quarter before the Broncos pulled away for a 38–24 victory.

Bohdie Ing’s 43-yard field goal tied the score for the Coyotes with 10:33 remaining, putting an upset within reach. However, Boise State running back Dylan Riley took over the final ten minutes. Riley scored a go-ahead 2-yard touchdown with 6:25 left, and after Boise State’s defense held South Dakota on a fourth-and-9 at the 17-yard line, Riley iced the contest on the next snap with an 83-yard touchdown run. Riley finished with 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.

No. 14 Austin Peay 38, No. 17 West Florida 16

In Pensacola, No. 14 Austin Peay put on a defensive clinic, overwhelming No. 17 West Florida 38–16 at PenAir Field to capture the largest road win against a ranked opponent in program history.

The Governors racked up 10 tackles for loss and four sacks, anchored by edge defender Malik Denkins, who recorded 4.5 TFLs. Austin Peay’s offense pulled away in the second half, relying on a pounding ground game and timely red-zone execution to seal a 22-point statement victory.