FCS Top 25 Roundup - Week 1

Aug 30, 2014 - 3:34 AM Syracuse, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Villanova football is seeking a season of redemption after a disappointing 2013 campaign and it could take plenty of positives out of its 27-26 double-overtime loss at Syracuse in the 2014 opener for both teams Friday night.

The 12th-ranked Wildcats (0-1) pulled within 27-26 on the second possession of the second overtime when quarterback John Robertson connected with Gary Underwood on a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Coach Andy Talley kept his offense on the field in an attempt for a game- winning two-point conversion. Robertson lined up in the shot gun, took the snap and faked as though he would throw to his right. He then tried to run up the middle, but was stuffed well short of the end zone on a Robert Welsh tackle.

Syracuse (1-0) went ahead 27-20 on a fake field goal to cap the first possession of the second overtime. Holder Riley Dixon got up with the ball at the 8-yard line and rolled left before hitting Kendall Moore in the front corner of the end zone.

The two teams were tied 17-17 in regulation and then exchanged field goals in the first overtime.

Villanova had an excellent chance to pull out a win in the fourth quarter, but kicker Chris Gough missed a 25-yard field goal attempt with 12 seconds left.

Still, the Wildcats left the Carrier Dome knowing they controlled the ball for 37 minutes, 48 seconds, and overcame a 17-7 third-quarter deficit to force overtime against an ACC foe.

Robertson finished with 305 total yards, including 115 yards on the ground. Poppy Livers scored on a 67-yard punt return and added 58 receiving yards, while Kevin Monangai scored on a 5-yard run.

Up next for Villanova, which was picked second in the CAA Football preseason poll, is a visit by 11th-ranked Fordham next Saturday.

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Michigan State (1-0) 45, No. 6 Jacksonville State (0-1) 7

Ohio Valley Conference favorite Jacksonville State wasn't competitive in falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter and 38-0 by halftime.

Senior running back DaMarcus James, who rushed for 1,477 yards and an Ohio Valley Conference-record 29 touchdowns last season, was limited to 17 yards on three carries. Starting quarterback Eli Jenkins threw a pair of interceptions.

Jacksonville State's lone touchdown came on Max Shortell's 9-yard touchdown pass to Markis Merrill early in the third quarter. Shortell was 10-of-18 for 117 yards.

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Thursday, Aug. 28

Central Michigan (1-0) 20, No. 14 Chattanooga (0-1) 16

Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman and wide receiver Tommy Hudson connected on a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to spark the Mocs to a 16-0 lead.

But Central Michigan ran off the final 20 points to win the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Blake Serpa's interception of Huesman (12-for-23, 137 yards, three interceptions) set up Cooper Rush's 26-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Williams midway through the third quarter to give the Chippewas the lead for good, 20-16.

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Minnesota (1-0) 42, No. 16 Eastern Illinois (0-1) 20

A year after leading the FCS in scoring offense at 48.2 points per game, Eastern Illinois was held scoreless in new coach Kim Dameron's debut until it managed three touchdowns in the game's final seven minutes.

EIU quarterback Andrew Manley rushed for a touchdown and threw for two, finishing 18-for-34 for 200 yards. Jalen Whitlow also saw plenty of action at quarterback, gaining 187 yards of total offense, as the Panthers moved on from having 2013 Walter Payton Award winner Jimmy Garoppolo behind center.

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The Sports Network FCS Top 25

All Times ET

Saturday, Aug. 30

No. 1 Eastern Washington (1-0) vs. Montana-Western (0-0), 9:05 p.m.

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No. 2 North Dakota State (0-0) at Iowa State (0-0), noon

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No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana (0-0) vs. Jacksonville (0-0), 8 p.m.

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No. 4 New Hampshire (0-0) at Toledo (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 5 Montana (0-0) at Wyoming (0-0), 4 p.m.

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No. 7 Coastal Carolina (0-0) at The Citadel (0-0), 6 p.m.

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No. 8 McNeese State (0-0), Idle

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No. 9 Northern Iowa (0-0) at Iowa (0-0), noon

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No. 10 South Dakota State (0-0) at Missouri (0-0), 3:30 p.m.

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No. 11 Fordham (0-0) vs. Saint Francis, Pa. (0-0), 6 p.m.

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No. 13 Towson (0-0) vs. Central Connecticut State (0-0), 6 p.m.

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No. 15 Tennessee State (0-0) vs. Edward Waters (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 17 Sam Houston State (0-1) vs. Alabama State (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 18 Montana State (0-0) at Arkansas State (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 19 William & Mary (0-0) at Virginia Tech (0-0), 4 p.m.

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No. 20 Richmond (0-0) vs. Morehead State (0-0), 6 p.m.

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No. 21 Furman (0-0) vs. Gardner-Webb (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 22 Bethune-Cookman (0-0) at FIU (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 23 Northern Arizona (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 24 Youngstown State (0-0) at Illinois (0-0), noon

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No. 25 Maine (0-0) vs. Norfolk State (0-0), 6 p.m.