SoCon Football Week 2: Picks, Predictions and Players to Watch

Unlike last season, the SoCon is gaining momentum as we move forward into the season. Last season at this point, we were all trying to figure out how the SoCon could fix its season before conference play began in earnest.

Thanks to The Citadel's upset win over FBS Charlotte this past weekend, the league now has a win over the highest classification of NCAA Division I football under its proverbial belt. Week 2 offers the first Saturday with multiple Southern Conference games, as Furman heads to Mercer in what is a huge early-season SoCon game between a pair of teams that expect to compete for the league title this fall.

The Paladins and Bears have split the 12 meetings since the Bears joined the league as an official member back in 2014.

The Paladins will be looking to add to their league-best 304 wins in what is now their 88th season in the Southern Conference, while Mercer enters its 13th season as a league member with a 55-39 overall record since opening its SoCon account against this same Furman team back in 2014, dropping a heartbreaking 25-20 game at Five Star Stadium.

Mercer has been SoCon-dominant in recent campaigns, however. Over the past five seasons, the Bears have won 49 games, including a 37-11 mark in league play since the start of the 2020-21 season.

The Bears have a 21-3 mark over the past three seasons in league play and have made three straight FCS Playoff appearances. They enter the campaign with a string of 12 straight league wins dating back to a 55-35 loss at Samford in the middle of the 2024 season. Prior to the past five seasons, the Bears had posted just an 18-28 mark in their previous seven seasons as a league member.

Furman defensive end Joshua Stoneking, who had 14.5 sacks to lead the nation a year ago, will be looking to get untracked against the Bears. He has been the primary focus for most opposing offensive units and has yet to really get going this season, as he is still looking for his first sack.

The junior from Raleigh did force a fumble in Furman's loss at Tennessee last week, and the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award runner-up also has totaled 1.5 tackles-for-loss this season. He led the nation with 23 tackles behind the line of scrimmage last season.

Mercer is very much a different team than it was a year ago, as first-year head coach Joel Taylor has welcomed 73 newcomers after both sides of the football were almost completely overhauled following Mike Jacobs' departure to become the head coach at Toledo. Part of that mass exodus included all but one defensive starter from last season, including Buck Buchanan Award winner Andrew Zock.

The other SoCon game sees Tennessee Tech officially begin its journey as a Southern Conference member, as the Golden Eagles will host Samford at Tucker Stadium in a game slated for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.

Tennessee Tech already got a taste of how tough the league will be last weekend, playing a non-conference game against a league foe. The Golden Eagles were able to come up with a 24-9 road win over Chattanooga in a game that was the Mocs' home opener for the 2026 campaign.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, played their home opener on a Thursday night, suffering yet another tough loss as the John Grass era is now fully underway, dropping a hard-fought 22-18 contest to Missouri Valley Football Conference member Southern Illinois.

The Bulldogs have struggled to run the football in either of their first two games of the 2026 season, and that was a dedicated focus during the offseason. Maybe even more alarming is the fact that the Bulldogs have allowed nine sacks in two games, which ranks them 110th out of 114 teams ranked so far this season in the "sacks allowed" category.

In recent seasons, Tennessee Tech has been known to have not only a solid pass rush, but one of the best defensive units in all of FCS football. The Golden Eagles have shown that through the first two weeks of the season, having surrendered only 23 points in their first two games. Tennessee Tech has allowed only two touchdowns all season, including holding the Mocs to just three field goals last week.

The Bulldogs will need to have sophomore phenom transfer Marquise Henderson back in the lineup if they hope to pull the upset in this one. Tennessee Tech, on the other hand, is looking to start a journey toward becoming the first SoCon program to win a football title in its first season as a league member since Georgia Southern did so in 1993. Kickoff between the Golden Eagles and Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m. ET.

While the Golden Eagles will look to match the accomplishments of the former SoCon member Eagles, Chattanooga (1-1) will be looking to get back in the win column on Saturday when it faces the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (0-2) in a kickoff slated for 6 p.m. ET at Roy Kidd Stadium.

It will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the Mocs and Colonels on the gridiron, and the Mocs hold a 3-2-1 advantage in the all-time series. It will mark the first meeting between the Colonels and Mocs since the 2011 season, which saw Chattanooga come away with a 23-14 win.

It will mark EKU's second game against a SoCon team this season, as the Colonels opened the season with a 45-21 loss on the road at Western Carolina. The Colonels are the 13th-winningest program in FCS history and won the 1979 and 1982 Division I-AA, now FCS, national championships.

The Colonels have also appeared in the FCS Playoffs on 23 occasions in their history, which ranks second behind only Montana, which has made 29. The Colonels missed the postseason last year but were in the FCS Playoffs as recently as 2024, while Chattanooga is looking to make it back for the first time since 2023 and for the fifth time in program history.

Also at 6 p.m. ET, The Citadel (1-1) will look to continue its winning ways in its home opener against Charleston Southern (0-2) in a game that is known as the "Low Country Boil." The game is between a pair of teams that share a city but have a dislike for each other.

The rivalry really ramped up when Jamey Chadwell was the head coach at Charleston Southern, and the Bucs saw some unprecedented success as a program from 2013-16, leading the Bucs to their first-ever FCS Playoff appearance in 2015 and defeating the Bulldogs 14-6 in an opening-round matchup at Buccaneer Field.

The Bulldogs posted a 22-21 win over the Bucs two years ago, assuming an 8-6 lead in the all-time series. Charleston Southern opened the season with a 20-17 loss to Lindenwood in an OVC/Big South matchup on the opening Thursday night of the season.

The Bucs stepped up in competition last week, dropping a 31-0 contest at Georgia Southern. The Citadel's 43-41 overtime win over Charlotte last Saturday marked the program's 10th win over an FBS school in its history.

Western Carolina (1-1) will also face Cincinnati (1-0) at Nippert Stadium. The Catamounts will be looking to rebound from a 28-19 loss to Campbell this past Sunday in a game that had to be moved due to a power outage as a result of lightning. The loss dropped the Catamounts out of the FCS Top 25.

Below is a look at the Week 2 previews in the SoCon.

Game 19: Furman (1-1, 0-0 SoCon) at No. 15 Mercer (2-0, 0-0 SoCon)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Macon, Ga. — Five Star Stadium

Time: 6 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+

Furman Head Coach: Clay Hendrix (61-44, 10th year at Furman)

Mercer Head Coach: Joel Taylor (14-10 in third year overall; 2-0 in first year at Mercer)

Series: 25th meeting; Furman leads 12-10-2

Players to Watch for Furman: QB Jake Garcia (Offense); DE Joshua Stoneking (Defense)

Players to Watch for Mercer: WR Brayden Smith (Offense); DE Kobe McInnis (Defense)

Previewing the Matchup

The biggest game in the Southern Conference in Week 2 is an easy pick, as Furman heads to No. 15 Mercer for an early Southern Conference tilt in a game that has major league title and playoff implications.

The game will mark one of two SoCon matchups on the third Saturday afternoon of the season, as Samford will be on the road at newest league member Tennessee Tech in the only other league tilt of the afternoon.

In each of the past two seasons, the Bears have owned the Paladins, claiming a 52-28 win in Greenville last season and posting a 49-23 win in the last matchup between the two in Macon back in 2024, as the Bears clinched their first conference title since returning to the gridiron in 2014, as well as a second-straight trip to the FCS Playoffs.

The two blowout wins by Mercer, which were by 26 and 24 points, respectively, mark the second- and third-largest wins by a Mercer team over Furman in series history, with only the 39-0 win by the Bears over the Paladins in 1914 marking a win by a larger margin.

The Bears come in off a dominating performance last time out against Presbyterian, posting a 62-3 win over the Blue Hose and avenging the embarrassment of that 15-10 loss last season, which the whole league wore as a scarlet letter throughout the season. Furman's 39-38 overtime loss to that same PC team last season made that letter an even deeper shade of red.

This is a different season, however, but what has remained constant is Mercer's dominance and grip on the league's title trophy. The two-time defending champions in the SoCon were also the preseason favorites to capture the league crown once again in Year 105 of SoCon football.

If the Bears follow through on those lofty preseason predictions, they would accomplish the feat for just the ninth time and would become the eighth different program in the 93-year history of SoCon football to claim three straight titles, joining Duke (1943-45), West Virginia (1953-56), Furman (1980-84; 1988-90), Georgia Southern (1997-2002), Appalachian State (2005-10), Chattanooga (2013-15) and Wofford (2017-19).

Should the Bears claim a third-consecutive outright SoCon title, it would mark just the fourth time in the history of the league that a program has accomplished the feat and only the second time one of the current members has done so.

Only Furman's run from 1980-83, which saw the Paladins win four straight outright crowns under the leadership of Dick Sheridan, would mark a better run. The other two programs to accomplish such a feat in the SoCon have long since joined the FBS ranks, with both West Virginia (1953-56) and Duke (1943-45) posting similar dominant runs.

Mercer enters league play having won 18 of its last 19 SoCon games en route to two SoCon titles and three straight FCS Playoff appearances. Dating back to the start of the spring 2021 season, the Bears have posted a 32-8 mark against Southern Conference foes.

The Bears have a string of 12 straight SoCon wins dating back to a 55-35 loss at Samford in the 2024 season and haven't lost a home SoCon tilt since Oct. 14, 2023, when Chattanooga came into Five Star Stadium and handed the Bears a 22-10 setback. The Bears have also won 10 straight games against SoCon foes at Five Star Stadium dating back to that loss to Chattanooga in 2023.

On Saturday evening, the Paladins and Bears will be meeting for the 13th time since Mercer returned to the gridiron after a 72-year hiatus in 2014. The two teams have split the previous 12 meetings since Mercer's return to the gridiron 12 years ago. Furman is 3-3 at Five Star Stadium since 2014.

When the Bears easily dispatched Presbyterian last Saturday, it marked the 22nd win by the Bears in their past 26 home games. Saturday's game against Furman will mark the Bears' final one in a three-game homestand to begin the season. Mercer also opened the campaign with a 23-15 win over East Texas A&M in the FCS Classic.

Set to start under center for a third straight week will be former ETSU signal-caller Jaylen King, who comes into the matchup against Furman having connected on 29-of-45 passes for 425 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions through the first two games.

King has been playing winning football during his time as a Bear, and that wasn't always the case when he was the Bucs' starting signal-caller. He finished his career with the Bucs having completed 116-of-221 passes for 1,536 yards, with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions back in 2024.

His top option in the passing attack is preseason SoCon Offensive Player of the Year Brayden Smith at wideout. He leads the Bears' versatile corps of wideouts, having hauled in 14 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown while averaging an impressive 18.8 yards per reception.

If there is such a thing as a running back controversy, I suppose the Bears might have one, with a pair of running backs showing they are more than capable of making the big play out of the backfield.

Last Saturday's electrifying jaunt came from freshman talent Devon Caldwell, who sprinted 83 yards for a score, accounting for the longest touchdown in program history.

It was part of a night that saw him finish the contest with 152 yards on 11 carries. He comes in as Mercer's leading ground-gainer, having rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown entering the conference opener against the Paladins.

The other talented running back in the Bears' backfield is Zahmari Palode-Gary, who broke off a 63-yard run for a score in the season-opening win over East Texas A&M and has shared the running responsibilities with Caldwell so far this season.

There will be at least one offensive lineman familiar to Furman fans and players, as Brody Balliew, who was a preseason First-Team All-SoCon selection, is the starting left tackle for the Bears. Balliew started his career at Furman back in 2024 and then transferred to West Georgia before following head coach Joel Taylor to Macon during the offseason.

The Bears finished Saturday's lopsided 62-3 win over Presbyterian with 600 yards of total offense, which marks just the seventh time in program history that the Bears have amassed such a total against any opponent. The 329 rushing yards against the Blue Hose marked the 10th-most in a game in program history.

The Bears' offensive line has allowed just two sacks through the first couple of games but figures to see the challenge increase a few notches this Saturday, as Furman brings one of the most talented defensive lines in the FCS into the clash.

That unit is led by three legitimate all-conference-caliber players in defensive end Joshua Stoneking, defensive tackle Demetrius Baldwin and edge rusher Eli Lipscomb. The Paladins have some interchangeable parts along their defensive front, with Baldwin lining up and playing some defensive end last Saturday in the loss at No. 20 Tennessee.

With most offensive schemes preoccupied by Stoneking's presence along the Paladin defensive front early in the 2026 season, after he led the nation in sacks (14.5) and tackles-for-loss (23) last season, it has freed up Eli Lipscomb to put up some pretty strong numbers through the first couple of games.

Through two games, the former Wingate Freshman All-American is leading the Furman defense, having posted 12 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, two sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries. Stoneking is still in search of his first sack of the season but has four tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and forced a fumble in Furman's loss at Tennessee last week.

The middle of the Paladin defense is solid at linebacker, with Ryan Earl, Caleb Ellison and Raleigh Herbert solidifying the middle of the Paladin spine defensively.

The Paladins' biggest question mark coming into the season was in the secondary and, in particular, at cornerback. Through the first two games, the Paladins have looked improved, at least in a limited sample size, although the 'Dins did give up a pair of deep balls for scores in the third quarter last Saturday against Tennessee. But then again, that's what happens when you play a team of the Vols' caliber.

The concern heading into the conference opener against Mercer is the overall health of one of the two starting cornerbacks the Paladins have within their ranks, as Caleb Easterling went down in the second half of Furman's loss Saturday when he was inadvertently rolled up under Eli Lipscomb, who was blocked into Easterling's knee on a play.

The good news on that front is that the injury doesn't appear to be serious, and he's day-to-day at the moment. It was Easterling who had a 100-yard kickoff return against Mercer last season as a true freshman.

Furman's play at safety this season has been stellar so far, led by true freshman Braylon Peebles and senior veteran and all-conference performer Billy Smith. Peebles is tied with Lipscomb for the team lead in tackles, having posted 12 tackles and a pair of pass breakups so far this season.

Furman's defense is one of the top units in the SoCon. The Paladins have forced three fumbles in the first two games of the season but have yet to record an interception.

The Bears' offense torched Furman for 628 yards in last season's 52-28 win over the Paladins, which included a total of 426 yards through the air. It was another of the top offensive performances in program history for the Bears.

Mercer's defense has seen little drop-off despite such massive losses to graduation, but mostly due to the transfer portal. Leading that unit up front is Kobe McInnis, who was a preseason First-Team All-SoCon selection and has started the season with five tackles and a pair of tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Linebacker Jyarius Carter and defensive back Cameron Goggins have proven to be excellent additions to the unit from the portal. Carter, who joined the program in the offseason from West Georgia, leads the Bears in tackles through the first two games with 17 stops, a tackle-for-loss and half-a-sack.

Goggins, who joined the Mercer program from Florida Atlantic during the offseason, was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week for Week 0 after his efforts against East Texas A&M, which included a 38-yard interception return for a score that ended up being the deciding touchdown for the Bears in the 23-15 season-opening win. He also has five tackles and a pass breakup in his first two games at Mercer.

The Bears have yielded next to nothing against a pair of opponents they have overmatched to open the season, as Mercer has surrendered just 18 points and an average of just 352.0 yards per game through the first two contests.

Furman's offense has struggled mightily in each of the past two matchups against the Bears. The Paladins have amassed just a combined 549 yards, which includes just 145 yards on the ground in 26- and 24-point losses over the past two seasons.

The Paladins rushed for just 72 yards last season, and in the 49-23 setback two years ago in Macon, the Paladins had just 73. In last season's matchup, the Bears snapped it 89 times, while the Paladins had only 43. It has been complete domination by the Bears in each of the past two seasons.

Everything Furman has done during the offseason, including the players brought in from the transfer portal, has been based on the glaring weaknesses that showed up in those two losses to the two-time defending champions, with an emphasis on the ground game.

So far, the Paladins have actively shown the ability to adequately run the football. That's something they couldn't do in either of the previous two seasons and something you must be able to do to even be competitive for a league title.

In the opener against Anderson, the Paladins rushed for 268 yards, with both touchdowns coming on the ground. Last time out against Tennessee, the Paladins were able to rush for 178 yards, which included 113 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries from Isaiah Davis.

Like the Bears, there are multiple options in the backfield for the Paladins to look to for production, including the aforementioned Davis, Ben Croasdale, CJ Nettles, CJ Stokes and even starting quarterback Jake Garcia.

In fact, this Furman team has one of the more versatile backfields the Paladins have had under head coach Clay Hendrix, as the Paladins enter the contest ranking third in the SoCon and 18th nationally in rushing offense at 222.5 yards per game. Only Mercer (248.0 YPG) and The Citadel (247.5 YPG) rank higher in terms of rushing yards.

Furman's problems offensively have stemmed from inconsistencies in throwing the football, whether that be dropped passes, missed open receivers or simply the fact that the Paladins haven't given starter Jake Garcia enough time to even go through his progressions.

Garcia has been sacked six times through the first two games, with all six coming in last Saturday's loss to Tennessee.

So far through two games, Garcia's passing numbers have been modest, as he has connected on 23-of-45 passes for 219 yards with one interception and no scoring passes. The Paladins' leading receiver through the first couple of games has been Daniel Haughton, as the Dartmouth graduate transfer has posted nine catches for 100 yards, averaging 11.1 yards per reception.

This game will not be like the last two, as I expect it to be low-scoring and for the Paladins to not only run the ball better than they have the past two seasons, but also hold Mercer's offense in check in the fourth quarter.

This will be the first in-league upset of what I expect to be several in what will be a wide-open SoCon title race this fall.

This one really could go either way, but I think Furman converts a late Mercer turnover into a game-winning field goal.

FINAL PREDICTION: FURMAN 24, MERCER 21

Game 20: East Tennessee State (1-1) at North Carolina (1-0)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Chapel Hill, N.C. — Kenan Stadium

Time: Noon ET

How to Watch: ESPN+/ACC Network

East Tennessee State Head Coach: Will Healy (36-51 in ninth year overall; 8-6 in second year at ETSU)

North Carolina Head Coach: Bill Belichick (338-186 in 31 seasons, including 29 NFL seasons; 5-8 in second year at UNC)

Series: First meeting

Players to Watch for ETSU: QB Mason Mims (Offense); LB Dre Delinois (Defense)

Players to Watch for North Carolina: QB Billy Edwards Jr. (Offense); DL Melkart Abou Jaoude (Defense)

Previewing the Matchup

There are indeed some links between East Tennessee State and North Carolina even though the two have never met on the gridiron.

One player who links both programs together is Gerald Sensabaugh, a star defensive back for East Tennessee State in the early 2000s. When the Bucs went on to cancel their football program, Sensabaugh took his talents to the University of North Carolina and, from there, parlayed that into a career at the next level with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys.

Sensabaugh was a standout in both seasons at ETSU and then went on to have an outstanding season at UNC. In 2003, Sensabaugh finished his final season in what would be the end of an era for ETSU football, posting 74 tackles, two sacks, eight passes defended, five blocked kicks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery en route to being named All-SoCon and All-American in his junior campaign in Johnson City.

He blocked three punts against Georgia Southern, which still stands as NCAA and Southern Conference records.

In recent years, Alijah Huzzie made the same type of transition, as he went from star defensive back at ETSU to making the two-deep at North Carolina, but didn't experience quite the success that Sensabaugh had in Chapel Hill back in 2023 and 2024.

While the Bucs and Tar Heels met on the college basketball hardwood last December, with UNC coming away with a 77-58 win over the eventual regular-season SoCon hoops champions, UNC heads into its first-ever clash with the Bucs on the gridiron as a 36-point favorite.

ETSU was able to get its first win of the 2026 campaign last time out against Tusculum, as the Bucs claimed a 48-14 win over the Pioneers. The Bucs held a 484-321 advantage in total offense, finishing the day with a balanced effort, charting 259 yards through the air and another 225 on the ground.

It was another efficient day at the office for former Louisville quarterback Mason Mims, as he completed 13-of-21 passes for 242 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. TJ Peyton rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns to lead the ground attack.

UNC hasn't played since Week 0, when it took on TCU in Dublin, Ireland, and the Tar Heels got the upset win in what was a defensive struggle, posting a 15-10 win over the Horned Frogs.

It was the Tar Heels' defense that would significantly impact the game by causing three key turnovers and then recording a safety just before the half to take a 12-10 lead.

The only points of the second half came from the leg of Aeron Burrell, as he connected on a 28-yard field goal with just over 10 minutes left in the third quarter. UNC's defense did the rest in helping the Tar Heels hold off TCU for the win, avenging last season's embarrassing 48-14 season-opening loss to the Horned Frogs.

Wisconsin transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. ended up leading an efficient afternoon for the UNC offense amid wet conditions at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. He finished 16-of-28 passing for 232 yards, as the Tar Heels churned out 322 yards of total offense while holding TCU to just 282.

ETSU has two wins in its history against FBS foes, which came in 1987 against North Carolina State (29-15) and, most recently, in 2021 against Vanderbilt, getting a 23-3 win over the Commodores.

They'll face a North Carolina team that, despite its upset win to start the season, is under some turmoil due to some off-the-field issues involving general manager Michael Lombardi, who was fired last week following what was uncovered during those investigations.

It's hard to tell whether or not that will have any effect on UNC's home opener. However, I doubt it will be enough for the Tar Heels to suffer the upset to a SoCon member in this one.

FINAL PREDICTION: NORTH CAROLINA 41, ETSU 17

Game 21: Wofford (2-0, 1-0 SoCon) at Kent State (0-1, 0-0 MAC)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Kent, Ohio — Dix Stadium

Time: Noon ET

How to Watch: ESPN+

Wofford Head Coach: Shawn Watson (29-47 in eighth year overall; 18-25 in fourth year at Wofford)

Kent State Head Coach: Mark Carney (5-8, second year)

Series: First meeting

Players to Watch for Wofford: QB JT Fayard (Offense); DB Eli Coleman (Defense)

Players to Watch for Kent State: QB Dru DeShields (Offense); LB Rocco Nicholl (Defense)

Previewing the Matchup

Wofford heads on the road for the first time this season, where it will face the first of two FBS tests in the non-conference, taking on the Kent State Golden Flashes in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

The Terriers are in search of their first 3-0 start since 2017 when they take the field Saturday afternoon against Kent State.

The Golden Flashes were thrashed last time out, as Kent State traveled to the Palmetto State to be the home opener for the South Carolina Gamecocks, losing 57-0 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

On Saturday, the Golden Flashes will be celebrating their home opener at Dix Stadium and have posted a 49-30-1 record in home openers since 1946, which includes winning their home opener, 21-17, against Merrimack last season.

That win was part of a 5-7 inaugural season under now second-year head coach Mark Carney, as he inherited a team that went just 0-12 in 2024. In fact, the Golden Flashes had been just 1-23 in two seasons until Carney came to the rescue.

The Golden Flashes' offense will be led by quarterback Dru DeShields, as he turned in one of the best seasons in the MAC by a signal-caller a year ago. He ranked in the top three in the conference in touchdown passes (18, third), yards per attempt (8.46, second) and passing yards per completion (14.93, second). DeShields' passing yards per completion last season also ranked third nationally.

Against South Carolina in the season opener, DeShields finished the game completing just 12-of-23 passes for 63 yards, while rushing three times for 27 yards.

Last season, DeShields finished the campaign connecting on 136-of-240 passes for 2,030 yards, with 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions. DeShields also finished the season with 143 yards and three touchdowns on the ground on 61 attempts.

The Golden Flashes were held to just 179 yards of total offense in the season-opening loss to the Gamecocks, and when Kent State takes the field Saturday against Wofford, it will still be in search of its first points of the season.

Defensively, Kent State is led by linebacker Rocco Nicholl, who ended up leading Kent State in tackles in the season opener with eight stops. Nicholl spent last season at USF after previously playing for the Golden Flashes.

The Golden Flashes entered the campaign having to replace seven starters on the defensive side of the ball.

Wofford counters with the most starters returning of any team in the Southern Conference from a year ago, as the Terriers have 13 regulars back and will be facing an FBS foe for the 25th time in the last 26 seasons, having posted a 1-27 all-time record against FBS foes.

In 2011, the Terriers led Clemson in the third quarter, and in a 2012 contest at South Carolina, the Terriers were tied, 7-7, with the Gamecocks at the start of the final 15 minutes of football.

In more recent times, Wyoming scored with just 17 seconds remaining in the game to hold off the Terriers for a 17-14 win. Wofford's lone win all-time against an FBS foe came 26 years ago, as Wofford knocked off Louisiana-Monroe, 24-6.

Leading the Wofford offense once again will be quarterback JT Fayard, who enters Saturday's contest having passed for 296 yards on 29-of-48 passing, with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Gerald Modest Jr. highlights the ground attack, having rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns on 39 attempts, averaging 4.9 yards per carry in the first couple of games.

On the defensive side of the football, the Terriers have been solid at all three levels, surrendering just 27 points over the first two weeks of the season, with linebackers Wyatt Ward and Elijah Jackson off to strong starts to the 2026 season.

Ward leads the team with 18 tackles, a tackle-for-loss, pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Jackson has 15 tackles, a tackle-for-loss and a forced fumble.

Objectively, this is one of the more winnable FBS games that the Terriers have had in quite some time, dating back to maybe that 2018 game at Wyoming.

I expect this one to be pretty close, but unfortunately, I think the Terriers just come up short on the road.

FINAL PREDICTION: KENT STATE 31, WOFFORD 21

Game 22: Bucknell (0-2) at VMI (0-2)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026Location: Lexington, Va. — Foster Stadium

Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+

Bucknell Head Coach: Jeff Behrman (71-29 in ninth year overall; 0-2 in first year at Bucknell)

VMI Head Coach: Ashley Ingram (16-8 in third year overall; 0-2 in first year at VMI)

Series: 10th meeting; Bucknell leads 6-3

Players to Watch for Bucknell: WR Sam Milligan (Offense); LB Brandon Biagiarelli (Defense)

Players to Watch for VMI: QB Chandler Wilson (Offense); LB Isaiah Grevious (Defense)

Previewing the Matchup

Bucknell and VMI meet in what has become a nice little gridiron rivalry between a SoCon team and a Patriot League team over the past couple of seasons.

The Bison have already played a couple of league games, posting a 17-16 loss against No. 17 Villanova last time out, while having seen Richmond post a 35-14 win over the Bison on the road in the season opener.

VMI, meanwhile, is coming off what has to be one of its most forgettable performances of the modern era, as the Keydets were taken to the woodshed and then some in James Franklin's first game as the head coach of Virginia Tech, as VMI lost 73-3.

The Keydets are thankfully back home in the friendly confines of Foster Stadium for their first home game of the 2026 season.

The Keydets lost a narrow 35-28 contest against the Bison last season. That team was vastly different than the Bison will see this season when they come to Lexington for what figures to be another interesting battle.

That VMI team of a year ago was led by the passing of Collin Shannon, who threw for a career-high 362 yards and three touchdowns in a game where the two quarterbacks combined for 767 passing yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception.

This season, VMI no longer has Shannon, as he has moved on to Murray State, and the Keydets haven't reached a combined 100 yards passing in the first two games of 2026, as VMI is now running an option-based offense. The Keydets' four quarterbacks have combined to throw for 98 yards and no touchdowns this season.

The ground attack has expectedly been a little better, but not all that much, as the Keydets have rushed for just 225 yards through the first two games against Idaho State and Virginia Tech.

Nana Utsey seems to be the guy most inclined toward running the option-based offense, but it is freshman Ian Reynolds who showed a few flashes of a potentially bright future in the lopsided loss last week.

Trevin Simon is the speedier option in the backfield for the Keydets, but Leo Boehling might be one of the top short-yardage backs in the SoCon and is a throwback of sorts when it comes to how he runs the football, running over and through tacklers rather than around them.

Christopher Dietrich is Ralph Rucker's successor under center, and that started last season when Rucker went down late in the season with an injury.

Through the first two games, Dietrich has completed 45-of-69 passes for 400 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

He could be in line to have a big passing day similar to Rucker's last year against the Keydets, as Rucker finished that contest throwing for 405 yards and five scores.

VMI has already surrendered 998 yards through the air in just two games, which is, of course, nearly 500 passing yards per game.

Dietrich's top target in that passing attack has been Sam Milligan, who has hauled in 19 passes for 205 yards and three scores, averaging 10.8 yards per reception in the first two games. Milligan was a preseason All-Patriot League selection.

The Bucknell defense is led by preseason All-Patriot League selection linebacker Brandon Biagiarelli, who enters the contest with six tackles and half-a-sack through the first two games.

The leading tackler for the Bison through the first two games is safety Zahary Corna, who has 13 tackles and a quarterback hurry.

This is one of the few chances I see for the Keydets to get a win in 2026 under first-year head coach Ashley Ingram, but unfortunately, I think VMI drops another close decision to the Bison this season.

They'll get another shot at a win when they play Davidson later in the non-conference slate, and that seems more like a reasonable shot at a win.

FINAL PREDICTION: BUCKNELL 38, VMI 34

Game 23: Charleston Southern (0-2) at The Citadel (1-1, 0-1 SoCon)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Charleston, S.C. — Johnson Hagood Stadium

Time: 6 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+Charleston Southern Head Coach: Gabe Giardina (47-44 in 10th year overall; 10-27 in fourth year at CSU)

The Citadel Head Coach: Maurice Drayton (10-27 in fourth season at The Citadel)

Series: 15th meeting; The Citadel leads 8-6

Players to Watch for Charleston Southern: QB Lek Powell (Offense); LB Steve Zayachowsky (Defense)

Players to Watch for The Citadel: RB Gavin Garcia (Offense); LB Zyion Brown (Defense)

Previewing the Matchup

The Citadel and Charleston Southern are set to do battle in the Low Country Boil matchup after skipping the meeting last season.

When the battle took place a couple of years ago between the two, the Bulldogs were able to emerge with a thrilling 22-21 win at Buccaneer Field, and to the victors go the spoils of the boil, which is a giant trophy with a fresh batch of Frogmore stew in it ready to eat.

The Bulldogs were at the lowest of lows two weeks ago when they opened with a 42-14 SoCon loss at league rival Wofford in the Big Dog Bowl, formerly the Iced Tea Bowl, but rebounded last week in a big way to post a 43-41 overtime FBS win over Charlotte.

Charleston Southern was also taking on an FBS foe last weekend, as the Bucs were blanked 31-0 by Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro.

The Bucs opened the 2026 campaign on the opening Thursday of the season with a 20-17 loss at Lindenwood. Saturday's contest at The Citadel will mark the third straight game to open the season on the road.

CSU's quarterback will be Lek Powell, who spent the 2025 season as the backup behind Zolten Barnes under center. Barnes has since transferred to Tennessee Tech, giving Powell the opportunity to take over the starting job this season.

Through the first two games of the season, Powell has connected on 24-of-52 passes for 277 yards, with a couple of touchdowns and one interception.

KD Dorsey has been Powell's top option in the passing attack, as he has hauled in five passes for 88 yards this season, while Mekhi Campfield has six catches for 51 yards and a score.

In the backfield, the Bucs have looked to Dwayne Wright to lead the ground attack, as he has rushed for 71 yards on 16 attempts through the first couple of weeks of the season. Hakeem Watters will be a nice complement in the backfield, as he played in the final 10 games last season as a true freshman, rushing for 450 yards and three scores on 85 attempts last fall.

Defensively, the Bucs have one of the top linebackers in the OVC/Big South in inside linebacker Steve Zayachowsky, who was named a preseason All-American by STATS Perform and has posted a team-leading 10 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks through the first two games.

The Bulldogs have been very much a "bend-but-don't-break" unit defensively through the first couple of games, surrendering 341 yards in the season-opening loss at Wofford.

Last week, The Citadel ended up surrendering 41 points and a total of 538 yards to the 49ers before holding on for the triple-overtime win.

Through the first two games, the Bulldogs are surrendering 439.5 yards and 41 points per game as a defense, and it goes without saying that that must improve starting this week if the Bulldogs want to keep the momentum going.

Dartmouth transfer linebacker Zyion Brown is leading that defensive unit, as he has 18 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack in the first two weeks. He has proven to be an immediate impact player after transferring in from the Ivy League.

At Dartmouth last season, he started all 10 games, leading the Big Green with a team-best 83 tackles and five tackles-for-loss.

Offensively, the Bulldogs have done what they do under Maurice Drayton, which is effectively run the football no matter if it's Quentin Hayes or Nick Billoups leading the way under center.

Gavin Garcia is coming off a sensational performance against Charlotte, as he rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns in the triple-overtime win.

He has rushed for 205 yards and three scores on 36 attempts through the first two games, and the Bulldogs currently rank second in the SoCon and 11th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 247.5 yards per game on the ground.

This game will be relatively close, but the Bulldogs will pull away in the fourth quarter to win another Low Country Boil Trophy.

FINAL PREDICTION: THE CITADEL 42, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 28

Game 24: Chattanooga (1-1) at Eastern Kentucky (0-2)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Richmond, Ky. — Roy Kidd Stadium

Time: 6 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+

Previewing the Matchup

Chattanooga will be looking to get back in the win column when it heads to Richmond to face Eastern Kentucky.

The matchup will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the Mocs and Colonels, with Chattanooga holding a 3-2-1 advantage in the series. It will be the first meeting between the programs since 2011, when Chattanooga came away with a 23-14 victory.

Eastern Kentucky enters the matchup having already seen one Southern Conference opponent this season. The Colonels opened the campaign on the road at Western Carolina, falling 45-21.

EKU remains one of the most historically successful programs in the subdivision. The Colonels rank among the winningest programs in FCS history and captured national championships in 1979 and 1982.

Chattanooga, meanwhile, enters the matchup looking to rebound after Tennessee Tech spoiled its home opener with a 24-9 victory.

The Mocs will need a much better offensive performance this week after Tennessee Tech's defense kept Chattanooga out of the end zone and limited the Mocs to three field goals.

Eastern Kentucky is searching for its first win of the campaign, while Chattanooga will be looking to avoid dropping below .500 before moving deeper into its Southern Conference schedule.

This should be a competitive road test for the Mocs, but I like Chattanooga to do enough to bounce back.

FINAL PREDICTION: CHATTANOOGA 24, EASTERN KENTUCKY 21

Game 25: Samford (0-2) at Tennessee Tech (2-0)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Cookeville, Tenn. — Tucker Stadium

Time: 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+

Previewing the Matchup

Tennessee Tech officially begins its journey as a Southern Conference football member when the Golden Eagles welcome Samford to Tucker Stadium.

The Golden Eagles have already gotten a taste of SoCon football this season, however, as they traveled to Chattanooga last week for a non-conference matchup against the Mocs and came away with an impressive 24-9 victory.

Tennessee Tech's defense has been one of the early-season highlights. The Golden Eagles have surrendered only 23 points through their first two games and have allowed just two touchdowns all season.

That presents a significant challenge for a Samford offense that has struggled to establish the running game and protect its quarterback.

The Bulldogs have allowed nine sacks through their first two games, ranking near the bottom of the FCS in sacks allowed.

Samford enters the matchup looking for its first victory of the John Grass era after suffering another difficult defeat last time out, falling 22-18 to Southern Illinois.

For the Bulldogs to pull the upset, they'll need to get more production on the ground and do a significantly better job keeping the Tennessee Tech pass rush out of the backfield.

Tennessee Tech, meanwhile, begins its pursuit of history. The Golden Eagles will look to become the first SoCon program since Georgia Southern in 1993 to win a football title in its first season as a league member.

Based on what we've seen through the first two weeks, Tennessee Tech looks ready to make an immediate impact on the conference race.

FINAL PREDICTION: TENNESSEE TECH 42, SAMFORD 20

Game 26: Western Carolina (1-1) at Cincinnati (1-0)

Date: Sept. 12, 2026

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio — Nippert Stadium

Previewing the Matchup

Western Carolina steps up to the FBS level this week as the Catamounts travel to Nippert Stadium to take on Cincinnati.

The Catamounts will be looking to rebound from a disappointing 28-19 loss to Campbell this past Sunday in a game that had to be moved due to a power outage resulting from lightning.

The loss dropped Western Carolina out of the FCS Top 25 and gives the Catamounts an immediate opportunity to reset against a much different caliber of opponent.

Western Carolina and Cincinnati have not seen much of each other over the years. Their previous matchup was a defensive struggle, with the Bearcats coming away with a 7-3 victory.

This time around, Western Carolina will need a much stronger performance after the disappointing result against Campbell.

The Catamounts have enough talent to make things interesting early, but Cincinnati's depth and FBS-level personnel should eventually become too much to overcome.

FINAL PREDICTION: CINCINNATI 51, WESTERN CAROLINA 14