There were ten FCS victories over FBS teams in 2016, including five victories over Power Five teams. Five FBS bowl teams were among those victimized.
North Dakota State knocked off 8-4, Power Five, bowl team, Iowa. Iowa was ranked 11th in the nation at the time. Iowa finished the regular season ranked 21st in the Associated Press poll and 25th in the Coaches poll. Because of the high-quality of this win, North Dakota State is awarded The Mythical FCS Victories Over FBS 2016 National Championship.
The Missouri Valley achieved four FCS victories over FBS teams, including the Bison winning at Iowa City mentioned above. The Colonial was next with two.
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As far as the FBS was concerned, the MAC was victimized four times and the Big Ten was next with two, the other being Northwestern, also a bowl team.
North Carolina A&T became a rare MEAC team to pull off a win against the FBS, beating Kent State the hard way in quadruple overtime.
The number of FCS victories over FBS teams has increased each of the last three years with eight in 2014, nine in 2015 and ten in 2016.
North Dakota State, Richmond, and Eastern Washington are still alive heading-in to this weekend’s FCS quarterfinals. Richmond had a Power Five win against Virginia. How sweet were the bitter tears of the Cavaliers that flowed unabashedly into the diabolical web woven by the Spiders? And, Eastern Washington looked every bit a national FCS contender in knocking off 8-4, Power Five, bowl going, Washington State. The grumbles of the Cougars, no longer hound-dog-looking, heartless zombies, nevertheless carried far and wide on the bitter winds of the Palouse. Bitter tears, bitter winds, only exceeded by the elation of the cross-state victors.
As an interesting side note, The Mythical FCS Victories Over FBS 2015 National Champion, Portland State Vikings, burned all boats in a 3-8 scuttling. Needless to say, they did not make the FCS playoffs.
Additionally, North Dakota State would have been The Mythical FCS Victories Over FBS 2014 National Champion for their win at Power Five, Iowa State, but the mythical quality of said national title was of such ephemeral nature that it had yet to seize a tangible state of consciousness. Chalk that up to the bitter tears and bitter winds of full disclosure of gauzy nothingness. Now back to football.
Here are the stories that shook the uptight little world of the FBS in 2016:
2016 Week One College Football: Four FCS Victories Over FBS
Three More 2016 FCS Victories Over FBS in College Football
North Dakota State Adds to 2016 FCS Victories Over FBS Teams
Two More Regional FCS Victories Over FBS Teams in 2016
What is in store for 2017? Only your hairdresser knows for sure.