FCS Nation

This week’s Honorary Captain of the Week is Jamal Mull, offensive lineman for Central Arkansas and one of the most impressive voices we’ve had on the show, on and off the field. An NFL-caliber talent, Jamal is preparing to move to Dallas ahead of the NFL Draft, but before taking that next step, he’s using his platform to fight for something bigger than football.

In this episode, Jamal joins us to talk about his journey with the Bears, competing in the Dream Bowl on January 11, and why giving back matters to him as a student-athlete. Representing Northwestern Mutual in partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Jamal is raising funds and awareness for children battling childhood cancer as part of A Season With Purpose.

You’ll also hear from Demi Mathis, Business Development Officer, as we dive into the impact of the Northwestern Mutual internship program and why Jamal was the obvious choice to represent Central Arkansas as an Honorary Captain this season.

💛 Donations close January 4, and it truly only takes a little effort to make a big difference. 🔗 Donate here: https://www.alexslemonade.org/2025/central-arkansas-x-meeks-network-office 💰 Amount raised so far: $128,409

This is more than football. It’s leadership, purpose, and using the spotlight to change lives. Tune in and do your part.

This week, FCS Nation welcomes Julian Fox, linebacker for the Mercer Bears, as our Honorary Captain of the Week! Julian joins John David Miller, financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual’s Macon (Goodwin-Wright Network Office), to discuss the impact of the Northwestern Mutual x Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Challenge, an initiative raising awareness and funds for children battling cancer.

From sharing his personal journey on and off the field to highlighting Mercer’s role in this nationwide effort, Julian shows how FCS athletes can stand for something bigger than the game. Learn how Northwestern Mutual supports youth, families facing adversity, and some of the nation’s best internship opportunities while empowering athletes to make a real difference.

Bears fans, it’s your turn to step up! Donations to the challenge are open now and will close January 4, let’s help Julian, Mercer, and the entire FCS community make a lasting impact for kids in need. AMOUNT RAISED: $4,304

Tune in for stories, stats, and the heart behind the jersey. https://www.alexslemonade.org/2025/goodwin-wright-network-office-x-mercer-university

This week’s episode is all about championship momentum and semifinal stakes in the FCS.

We open with a full playoff replay, breaking down a dominant weekend across the bracket. Montana State powered past Stephen F. Austin behind a physical, fast-paced attack, while Montana overwhelmed South Dakota to set up a long-awaited rivalry clash with everything on the line. Villanova continued its postseason surge by knocking off Tarleton State with a resilient, come-from-behind performance, and Illinois State proved its road toughness with an impressive win at UC Davis. We also recap an instant classic in the CELEBRATION BOWL, where South Carolina State completed a historic comeback over Prairie View A&M in a four-overtime thriller.

Thanks to GAMESTRAT, we move on to the semifinal preview, starting with one of the biggest games the subdivision can offer: Montana vs. Montana State, with rivalry, style contrast, and a trip to the title game at stake. We also break down Illinois State at Villanova, a matchup featuring two teams peaking at the right time with very different paths to the semifinals.

We wrap things up with Alex’s Honorary Captain of the Week Segment and close with our official picks for both semifinal games.

It’s wall-to-wall FCS playoff talk. Results, storylines, strategy, and what to watch as championship weekend approaches.

Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse joins the podcast fresh off one of the most shocking wins in FCS playoff history, a 29–28 road upset of No. 1 North Dakota State in the Fargodome.

Despite throwing five interceptions, Rittenhouse delivered when it mattered most, leading two late touchdown drives and completing the bold game-winning two-point conversion to silence one of the toughest environments in college football.

In this conversation, Tommy breaks down the week of preparation, the calm he felt in the middle of chaos, and the mindset behind the phrase, “You can’t score 14 in one drive.” He talks about trusting his teammates, embracing the scramble drill, and why there was no hesitation when it came time to go for two.

Tommy also reflects on his five-year journey at Illinois State, the influence of head coach Brock Spack, the bond inside the Redbirds locker room, and how Johnny Cash helps fuel his edge on game day.

Now quarterfinal bound, Rittenhouse looks ahead to the rematch out west at UC Davis, carrying belief, composure, and a team built for the moment.

The bracket is shrinking, the drama is rising, and the road to the national championship just got a whole lot wilder.

This week, we rewind an unforgettable Second Round! Upsets, blowouts, thrillers, and statement wins across the board. Illinois State stunned the nation with a one-point takedown of top-seeded North Dakota State. Montana State held off Yale to keep their title hopes alive. Montana put on an offensive show against South Dakota State, and Tarleton State powered their way into the quarterfinals. Villanova pulled off a gritty win at Lehigh, South Dakota pitched a dominant shutout over Mercer, SFA survived a shootout with ACU, and UC Davis rolled past Rhode Island to round out the final eight.

We break it all down, hit the key moments powered by GameStrat, and look ahead to the quarterfinal matchups: • SFA at Montana State • Villanova at Tarleton State • South Dakota at Montana • Illinois State at UC Davis Plus, a look at the Celebration Bowl between South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M.

And in Segment 4, Michael Barker of CFB Campus Tour joins the show to prove once again that he is, in fact, a lovable college-football-obsessed madman.

Another week. Another round. Another episode where the margins are razor thin and the stakes are sky high.

This is FCS Nation Radio, where every game matters.

Segment 1 – First Round Recap

• Recap of the key FCS first-round matchups and standout performances.

Segment 2 – Ivy League Spotlight

• Tom Barton joins to break down Yale’s thrilling 43-42 win over Youngstown State and the implications for the playoffs.

Segment 3 – FCS Second Round Preview

• Illinois State @ #1 North Dakota State
• Yale @ #2 Montana State
• #14 South Dakota State @ #3 Montana
• UND @ #4 Tarleton State
• #12 Villanova @ #5 Lehigh
• #11 South Dakota @ #6 Mercer
• #10 Abilene Christian @ #7 SFA
• #9 Rhode Island @ #8 UC Davis

Segment 4 – Honorary Captain of the Week

• South Dakota State quarterback Chase Mason joins as this week’s Honorary Captain, sharing his perspective on the playoffs and community impact.

Segment 5 – Second Round Picks

• Illinois State @ #1 North Dakota State
• Yale @ #2 Montana State
• #14 South Dakota State @ #3 Montana
• UND @ #4 Tarleton State
• #12 Villanova @ #5 Lehigh
• #11 South Dakota @ #6 Mercer
• #10 Abilene Christian @ #7 SFA
• #9 Rhode Island @ #8 UC Davis

Stone Labanowitz sits down with South Dakota State Jackrabbits quarterback Chase Mason and Jess Jasso, Chief Development Officer at Northwestern Mutual in Sioux Falls, for an inside look at this year’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation x Northwestern Mutual x FCS Nation Radio Challenge.

In this episode, they discuss Chase’s journey back from injury, last week’s dominant win over New Hampshire, and the Jackrabbits’ upcoming matchup in Missoula against the Montana Grizzlies. Chase also shares his personal fundraising efforts, he’s raised $32,057 so far toward the team’s total of $107,945, and what it means to compete both on the field and for a cause that impacts kids battling cancer nationwide.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, teamwork, and how FCS athletes are using their platform to make a real difference in the fight against childhood cancer.

In this episode, we break down the newly released FCS playoff bracket from top to bottom, starting with the full reveal of seeds 1 through 16. We react to the committee’s seeding decisions, highlight a few surprises, and dive into every first-round matchup, including:

• Illinois State at #16 Southeastern Louisiana (winner to #1 NDSU)
• Yale at #15 Youngstown State (winner to #2 Montana State)
• New Hampshire at #14 South Dakota State (winner to #3 Montana)
• North Dakota at #13 Tennessee Tech (winner to #4 Tarleton State)
• Harvard at #12 Villanova (winner to #5 Lehigh)
• Drake at #11 South Dakota (winner to #6 Mercer)
• Lamar at #10 Abilene Christian (winner to #7 Stephen F. Austin)
• CCSU at #9 Rhode Island (winner to #8 UC Davis)

We also bring you our Player of the Week and unveil our final regular-season Top 25.

Then it’s full-scale analysis as we preview every first-round matchup, breaking down key players, potential upsets, and which teams have the clearest path to the seeded powers waiting in round two.

ALEX'S LEMONADE STAND THANKSGIVING UPDATE!

followed by our full slate of game picks as we lock in predictions for all eight opening-round battles.

If you’re ready for bracket talk, matchup insight, and playoff-level energy, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

This week on FCS Nation Radio, we break down another wild weekend across the subdivision as the playoff picture sharpens.

We open with a full recap of the biggest results: #1 North Dakota State stays unbeaten after rolling UNI, Montana and Montana State dominate to set up another massive Brawl of the Wild, Kentucky State shocks #4 Tennessee Tech, Lehigh moves to 11–0, Harvard survives Penn, and chaos hits the Valley with Illinois State, South Dakota, and Stephen F. Austin all grabbing key wins.

Then we hand out our Players of the Week and reset the Top 25, highlighting who’s rising, who’s fading, and who still controls their postseason destiny.

After that, it’s time to preview a monster slate: St. Thomas at #1 NDSU, #3 Montana State at #2 Montana in the national game of the week, #4 Tennessee Tech at UT Martin, #5 Lehigh at Lafayette, #6 Mercer stepping up to face Auburn, Harvard–Yale, SDSU–UND, ACU–UCA, and more.

We open the lines for the Mailbag Segment, where FCS fans ask everything on their minds about playoff paths, seeding chaos, bubble teams, and auto-bid scenarios ... and Kevin gives you the unfiltered truth.

Finally, we close with our weekly picks, breaking down every major matchup on the board and calling our shots for a critical November weekend.

This week on FCS Nation Radio, we break down a wild slate across the subdivision as rivalry energy, playoff stakes, and conference titles collide.

We kick things off with a full recap of the weekend’s biggest results: North Dakota State’s gritty win over UND to claim the Valley crown, Montana surviving a late push from Eastern Washington, Montana State hanging 66 on Weber State, Tennessee Tech staying hot, New Hampshire shocking Monmouth, Lehigh rolling to its 10th straight, and Mercer edging Western Carolina in a shootout. Plus, South Dakota stuns SDSU in another Top-25 shakeup.

We hand out our Players of the Week, check in on the latest Top 25, and roll into a loaded preview slate featuring UNI’s trip to the No. 1 Bison, Montana on the road at Portland State, UC Davis battling Montana State, Tennessee Tech stepping up to Kentucky, Lehigh at Colgate, Penn–Harvard, Mercer hosting Chattanooga, and a long list of games with postseason implications across the board.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation takes center stage with North Dakota State's Donovan Woolen and Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor and College Unit Director Noah Sanders as we continue our mission-driven segment highlighting the athletes and families pushing for change.

And finally, we close the show with our picks for all the biggest matchups of the week as the playoff picture tightens.

Another can’t-miss episode as we head down the stretch in the FCS. Tune in!