FCS Weekend Recap: Northern Arizona Stuns Montana, Tarleton State Wins Top-10 Thriller

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Another wild weekend in FCS football brought major poll shifts, offensive explosions, and statement wins across the country. Highlighted by a high-scoring Big Sky upset in Flagstaff and an intense top-10 United Athletic Conference (UAC) battle in Tennessee, the playoff and ranking picture continues to tighten heading into mid-October.

Headline Upsets & Surprises

Northern Arizona 49, No. 4 Montana 44: In the game of the weekend, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks defended home turf at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome, outlasting the fourth-ranked Montana Grizzlies in a 93-point shootout. NAU’s offense generated continuous big plays, dealing Montana a critical Big Sky setback.
Weber State 38, Idaho 27: Just one week after pulling off a shocking upset over previously top-ranked Montana State, the Idaho Vandals stumbled on the road in Ogden. Weber State seized control in the second half, handing Idaho its fifth loss of the season.
Northern Iowa 24, North Dakota 17: In Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) play, the Northern Iowa Panthers picked up a signature home victory at the UNI-Dome, leaning on a relentless defensive effort to hold off North Dakota.
Grambling State 45, Jackson State 38: A historic rivalry yielded a wild finish at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. Grambling State prevailed in a back-and-forth SWAC thriller, putting up 45 points to edge Jackson State.

Marquee Top-25 Results

No. 2 Tarleton State 40, No. 8 Austin Peay 32: In a showdown of UAC heavyweights at Fortera Stadium, undefeated Tarleton State proved its top-two ranking is well earned. The Texans built a lead and held off a late Governors rally, moving to 6-0 and keeping pressure on No. 1 South Dakota State.
South Dakota 31, Southern Illinois 10: The Coyotes put together a complete performance at the DakotaDome, suffocating Southern Illinois’ ground game and pulling away for a decisive MVFC victory.
Harvard 41, Cornell 29: Ivy League favorite Harvard stayed undefeated, using a 41-point offensive display in Ithaca to pull away from Cornell and solidify its position in the national top 20.
Lamar 38, Incarnate Word 35: In Southland Conference action, Lamar held off Incarnate Word in a tight 38-35 shootout at Provost Umphrey Stadium.

Weekend Scoreboard Summary

Matchup	Final Score	Key Game Takeaway
Northern Arizona vs. #4 Montana	NAU 49, MONT 44	NAU wins 93-point shootout in Flagstaff
#2 Tarleton State at #8 Austin Peay	TAR 40, APSU 32	Undefeated Texans prevail in UAC top-10 clash
Weber State vs. Idaho	WEBER 38, IDHO 27	Weber State stops Idaho’s momentum
South Dakota vs. Southern Illinois	USD 31, SIU 10	Coyotes dominate defense in DakotaDome
Northern Iowa vs. North Dakota	UNI 24, UND 17	Panthers claim key MVFC home victory
Grambling State vs. Jackson State	GSU 45, JSU 38	Grambling wins high-scoring SWAC battle
Harvard at Cornell	HARV 41, COR 29	Crimson stay perfect with road win

The cherry on top 🍒

Markellus Bass finds the end zone to extend the Texans’ lead and ensure their victory.

#FCS x 🎥 ESPN+ / @TarletonFB https://t.co/6KLk5spaSI

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) October 11, 2026

Teams to Watch

Tarleton State: Now 6-0 with a ranked road win under their belt, the Texans possess one of the most balanced rosters in the FCS and are making a real case for the No. 1 spot in national polls.
Northern Arizona: After taking down Montana, the Lumberjacks have thrust themselves directly into the Big Sky championship and FCS playoff conversation.
Harvard: The Crimson continue to light up the scoreboard, making the Ivy League title race a compelling story in national postseason optics.