As I mentioned last weekend, the spring FCS spring football season has been just as crazy as the FBS fall season. This weekend’s slate of games will go a long way in determining seeding for the postseason. We finally get to see (4) James Madison play a tough opponent, as the Dukes will host a good Richmond team that also has postseason dreams. In the MVFC, this weekend’s showdown between (3) South Dakota State and (1) NDSU, will determine the automatic qualifier for the conference. Another MVFC playoff hopeful, North Dakota, had it’s already re-scheduled game versus Youngstown State cancelled this weekend. All the Fighting Hawks can do is sit and hope their name is called on Sunday.
Before we dive into this weekend’s games, let’s check out who has already qualified for the FCS postseason.
Automatic Qualifiers for FCS Postseason
| Conference | Team |
| Big Sky | (2) Weber State |
| Big South | (10) Monmouth |
| NEC | Sacred Heart |
| OVC | (9) Jacksonville State |
| Pioneer | Davidson |
| Southland | (5) Sam Houston State |
FCS Spring Football Betting Odds, Predictions and Stream
(3) South Dakota State at (1) NDSU
Date: Saturday, April 17th, 2021 | Time: 3:30 PM ET
Coverage: ESPN+
Location: Fargodome — Fargo, ND
South Dakota State vs NDSU | FCS Spring Football Betting
Spread: SDSU +2 (-110) | NDSU -2 (-110)
Moneyline: SDSU (+105) | NDSU (-125)
Total: 44.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Talk about a big game! We all need to cross our fingers to make sure this game goes on as scheduled tomorrow afternoon! After getting postponed, the Jackrabbits will finally travel to the Fargodome. (3) South Dakota State will be playing it’s first game in a month, so they should be well rested. Mark Gronowski will have to have a big game for the Jackrabbits to pull off the road upset. He’s thrown for seven touchdowns this year to only three interceptions. However, the Jackrabbits can still wear you down in the run game. Running backs Pierre Strong and Isaiah Davis have a combined five touchdowns between them. On top of that, Gronowski has also found the end zone with his legs six times this spring.
As for the Bison, getting a win here should be par for the course for the powerhouse program. After falling victim to upset-minded Southern Illinois earlier in the year, NDSU has won four straight by a combined score of 103-46. Signal caller Zeb Noland has been inconsistent for the Bison. However, head coach Matt Entz has inserted freshman Cam Miller at times to take advantage of his athleticism. Another NDSU player to keep your eye on is receiver Christian Watson. You’ll be seeing him on Sundays in the near future.
Prediction: (1) NDSU 20, (3) South Dakota State 15 (NDSU -2, Under 44.5)
Richmond at (4) James Madison
Date: Saturday April 17th, 2021 | Time: 2:00 PM ET
Stream: FloSports
Location: Bridgeforth Stadium— Harrisonburg, VA
Richmond vs James Madison | FCS Spring Football Betting
Spread: RICH +12.5 (-110) | JMU -12.5 (-110)
Moneyline: RICH (+325) | JMU (-450)
Total: 50.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Well, we all got what we wanted, and the Dukes finally hit the field again this weekend. However, on the opposite sideline, the Spiders think they can pull off the upset and get to the postseason. For James Madison, they haven’t played a game since the end of March. Running backs Jawon Hamilton and Percy Agyei-Obese have combined for more than 550 yards this spring. They have also found the end zone eight times between the two. Quarterback Cole Johnson has been a bit of a mystery this year for the Dukes. He’s looked great at times, and lost at other times. He has thrown for four touchdowns this spring, and completed almost 70% of his passes. The Dukes are the better team, but will the rust show on Saturday?
As the Spiders make their way to Harrisonburg on Saturday, they will have the postseason on their minds. While JMU is almost a lock for the postseason, the same can’t be said for Richmond. A win over their CAA rivals would be huge for the program. Senior quarterback Joe Mancuso would love to get his first win versus the Dukes on Saturday. He’s been great in limited action this spring, throwing for six touchdowns and no interceptions. Along with Mancuso, running backs Aaron Dykes and Savon Smith have combined for five rushing touchdowns between the three of them. If Richmond can pull the upset here, it would go a long way for the future of the program.
Prediction: (4) James Madison 24, Richmond 19 (RICH +12.5, Under 50.5)
(7) Delaware at Villanova
Date: Saturday, April 17th, 2021 | Time: 1:00 PM ET
Stream: FloSports
Location: Villanova Stadium — Villanova, PA
Delaware vs Villanova | FCS Spring Football Betting
Spread: NOVA +6.5 (-115) | DEL -6.5 (-105)
Moneyline: NOVA (+200) | DEL (-240)
Total: 56 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)
(7) Delaware and Villanova come into this matchup with the postseason in the back of their minds. For Delaware, a win here would almost assure them a spot in the playoffs. Junior quarterback Nolan Henderson has been on a tear this spring, throwing for over 700 yards. He has found the end zone seven times through the air, while only throwing two interceptions. Oh yeah, he’s doing all this while completing over 65% of his passes. Running back Dejoun Lee will be a problem for the Wildcats defense on Saturday afternoon. He’s rushed for 450 yards and scampered into the end zone five times.
Villanova’s postseason odds are not great right now. However, a win over CAA rival Delaware would send a good message to the postseason committee. Junior quarterback Daniel Smith has thrown for 545 yards this spring with two touchdowns. He has also found pay-dirt once with his legs. Running back Justin Covington is a touchdown machine. He has six rushing touchdowns in three games for the Wildcats. The key for the Villanova on Saturday, is their defense. If they want to beat the Hens, they will need to make more than a few timely stops.
Prediction: (7) Delaware 31, Villanova 23 (Delaware -6.5, Under 56)
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