Week 3 of the FCS football season brings conference showdowns, opportunities to knock off FBS opponents, and the long-awaited arrival of the Ivy League.
No. 8 Rhode Island headlines the week with a trip to Stony Brook for the FloSports Game Of The Week, and three undefeated Top 10 FCS teams will walk into FBS stadiums looking to make some noise.
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After watching the rest of the subdivision get a three-week head start, No. 19 Yale, No. 25 Harvard and the rest of the Ivy League finally get their 2026 seasons underway.
Here are three things to know about the FCS Week 3 schedule.
FloSports Game Of The Week: No. 8 Rhode Island vs. Stony Brook
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The defending CAA champions are headed to Long Island.
No. 8 Rhode Island travels to Stony Brook at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 19 for the FloSports Game of the Week, giving the Rams another opportunity to strengthen their position in the CAA race.
Rhode Island enters at 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play after a 31-10 win over previously undefeated Elon. However, the staggering final score doesn't quite tell the story of that game.
- Elon and Rhode Island were tied 3-3 entering the fourth quarter before the Rams erupted for 24 points.
- Rhode Island's defense forced five turnovers, blocked a field goal and got a 30-yard pick-six.
Now Stony Brook gets its shot at the defending conference champion.
The Seawolves enter the matchup 1-2 after losses to Delaware State and FBS opponent Ball State and a 36-32 victory over Lindenwood. Saturday will be Stony Brook's CAA opener.
There is some history working in the Seawolves' favor. Stony Brook leads the all-time series 7-4, although Rhode Island has won each of the last four meetings.
Ranked FCS vs. FBS Matchups To Know In Week 3
How would you feel if three undefeated Top 10 FCS teams walked into FBS stadiums on the same Saturday?
Well, you better strap in, because No. 3 Montana, No. 6 North Dakota and No. 10 South Dakota are all 3-0, and all three have an opportunity to produce one of the biggest FCS-vs-FBS upsets of the young season.
No. 3 Montana at Oregon State, 11 p.m. ET: Montana is the highest-ranked FCS team taking on an FBS opponent this weekend. The undefeated Grizzlies head to Corvallis with an opportunity to make a major statement against the Beavers.
No. 6 North Dakota at Nebraska, 7:15 p.m. ET: The Fighting Hawks are 3-0 for just the third time in their Division I era. North Dakota piled up 627 yards in a 47-23 win over Portland State, including 336 passing yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Jerry Kaminski.
No. 10 South Dakota at Boise State, 10 p.m. ET: The Coyotes are 3-0 for the first time since 2017 after beating Eastern Washington 41-23. South Dakota produced 517 yards in the victory, its second consecutive home game with more than 500 yards of offense.
No. 23 Mercer at Georgia Tech, noon ET: Mercer is another ranked FCS team getting its shot at the FBS. The Bears enter 2-1 and will look to rebound after a 20-13 loss to Furman.
No. 24 Southern Illinois at Illinois, 2 p.m. ET: The Salukis enter Week 3 as a newly ranked team in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. Southern Illinois is 0-4 all-time against Illinois, but its most recent meeting was a close 42-34 game in 2013.
Upsets are never easy against FBS competition, but Week 3 gives some of the best teams in the FCS multiple opportunities to make a national statement.
Fashionably Late: The Ivy League Has Arrived
Welcome to the 2026 season, Ivy League. We're glad you're here.
While much of the FCS already has three games in the books, all eight Ivy League programs finally begin their seasons in Week 3.
And two of them are already ranked.
No. 19 Yale begins its season at Holy Cross, while No. 25 Harvard travels to New Hampshire. Yale and Harvard aren't just built off preseason hype, either. Both programs reached the FCS playoffs last season.
Yale made history in 2025 after earning the Ivy League's first automatic FCS playoff bid. The Bulldogs then erased a 28-point deficit to beat Youngstown State 43-42 for the conference's first FCS playoff victory.
Harvard also earned an at-large playoff berth after winning its third consecutive Ivy League championship.
Those two programs are once again expected to lead the conference. Yale received 15 of 16 first-place votes in the Ivy League preseason media poll, with Harvard receiving the other.
Harvard's opener brings an intriguing test. New Hampshire reached the FCS playoffs last season, and although Harvard owns an 8-0 all-time record against the Wildcats, Saturday marks the Crimson's first trip to Durham in a series that dates to 1929.
The Ivy League has some catching up to do, but after sending two teams to the FCS playoffs last season, its arrival adds another group of contenders to an FCS season already moving fast.
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