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2026 Campbell vs Hampton

FCS Football Insider: 5 Predictions For Week 4 Of 2026 Season

FCS Football Insider: 5 Predictions For Week 4 Of 2026 Season

With each week that passes in the college football season, pressure builds and victories become more important. Here’s a look at five big games this week.

Sep 23, 2026 by Matt Cannizzaro
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With each week that passes in the 2026 college football season, pressure builds and victories become increasingly more important.

We also transition from nonconference clashes and inter-divisional showdowns to a steady slate of meaningful conference games with automatic playoff bids on the line.

The Week 4 FCS schedule includes more than 60 games, a handful of which will be broadcast live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.

And, while we’re not even a third of the way through the season, it’s hard to ignore the growing list of storylines.

How long can Montana State stay on top of the FCS rankings? Does the new look of the CAA open the door for someone new to break through? Is the Ivy League strong enough to capitalize on a guaranteed spot in the playoff bracket?


From the extensive collection of this week’s games, we’ll pick five to briefly analyze and choose a winner.

Make sure to find FloCollege or FloFootball on social media to share your own thoughts and predictions.

Here are our selections for Week 4 of the 2026 season:

Campbell (3-1, 1-0) at Hampton (1-3, 0-1)

Campbell has a unique football history that has resulted in two eras of Camels football.

The first lasted from 1925 to 1950, and then the program went dormant until the 2008 season and a reemergence at the NCAA Division I FCS level.

Since moving to the CAA for 2023, Campbell has posted a 10-25 overall record and 7-17 mark in conference play.

This year, however, on the shoulders of senior quarterback Kamden Sixkiller, a two-time CAA Offensive Player of the Week in 2026 and No. 3 in the FCS in passing yards, the Camels are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the CAA.

The wins have been convincing, with Campbell outscoring its opponents 119-70. The lone loss was a brutal beating by the FBS Florida Gators, 52-3, but those games against high-level teams often offer far more than just wins and losses.

Seven of Campbell’s last eight games this year will be against CAA opponents.

The Camels’ conference opener came last week against winless North Carolina A&T, and they’ll be at home this week to welcome one-win Hampton, which was picked to finish last in the CAA this year.

With the way Campbell is playing so far in 2026, there’s no reason to expect anything less than a 2-0 start to conference play, but will starting things against two of the CAA’s weaker teams slow Campbell’s momentum or bring down the team’s level of play?

Eight of the 13 teams in the CAA already have at least one conference loss this season, and tradition dictates that anything more than one conference loss should mean the end of any title or playoff hopes.

Campbell should have no problem against Hampton but needs to remain aggressive and not match whatever energy the Pirates bring to town.

*This game will be broadcast live on FloCollege on Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Prediction: Campbell 35, Hampton 9

UPCOMING

2026 Campbell vs Hampton

Sat, Sep 26 · 10:00 PM UTC

WATCH

Other FCS Games On FloCollege This Week

All Times Eastern

Saturday, Sept. 26

No. 17 Northern Arizona (3-1, 1-0) at No. 1 Montana State (4-0, 1-0)

As long as Montana State is at the top of the polls, the Bobcats are going to be under a microscope.

They’ve now won a program-record 18 consecutive games, including the 2025 FCS title tilt, but last week’s game against Central Connecticut nearly got away.

The teams were tied at 7 at halftime, but the Blue Devils surged to a 21-7 lead after the break, capitalizing on a Montana State fumble.

MSU head coach Brent Vigen commended his team for its resilience when down by two scores and cited a balanced performance on all sides of the ball for helping the Bobcats rally late in the game.

Montana State (4-0) escaped with a 35-30 victory over winless CCSU (0-3), but was the performance a one-off slow day at the office, or are the Bobcats losing momentum?

They scored 105 points in a pair of season-opening wins against Utah Tech and Butler and then squeaked by FBS Nevada on Sept. 12 (20-7). The Blue Devils probably were the most beatable opponents and seemed to cause the most trouble.

With the gap at the top of the rankings shrinking, is it only a matter of time before the pressure gets to MSU and the winning streak comes to an end, or is Montana State the next dynasty in the making?

Next up is a 3-1 Northern Arizona squad that jumped two spots to No. 17 in the AFCA poll after a win over Utah Tech. Even though UT is part of the Big Sky Conference, the game didn’t count as one of the year’s official conference games.

Heading into this week, Montana State and Northern Arizona are among the Big Sky’s six 1-0 teams, and this one does count toward the conference slate, so it’s uber important.

Northern Arizona hasn’t beaten MSU in almost a decade, but they have had some close games over the years. This could be another one.

Here’s a bold prediction.

The Lumberjacks go on the road, upset the No. 1 team in the country and end their losing streak to the Bobcats at four games.

Prediction: Northern Arizona 45, Montana State 35

No. 18 Yale (1-0, 0-0) at Cornell (0-1, 0-0) 

The Ivy League football teams played their first games last weekend, and they’re not wasting any time getting into league play.

Part of the reason for that is because they start later and only play 10 games – seven of which are league contests.

Last season, the Ivy League title was decided during the last week of the regular-season, with Yale beating Harvard head-to-head to earn a share of the championship and the league’s first automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.

Harvard ended up with an at-large bid to the postseason, so it was a successful year for the eight-team group.

Yale (No. 18) and Harvard (No. 25) again are the favorites for the league crown, and they’re both ranked among the top 25 teams in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

The Yale Bulldogs were 9-3 overall last year and reached the second round of the playoffs. They kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 38-28 win over Holy Cross and now will travel to meet Cornell to begin the league slate.

The Big Red experienced a tale of two teams against Colgate last week, giving up 20 points in the first half on the way to a 20-0 deficit, before shutting out the hosts after the break, but ultimately losing 20-7.

Turnover-plagued Cornell’s one score was a 6-yard touchdown run from junior running back Jordan Triplett in the fourth quarter.

The Yale-Cornell rivalry is one of the oldest in college football and spans almost 140 years. They played their first game in 1889 and have met 87 times, with Yale leading the series 53-32-2.

Yale won last year’s meeting in Connecticut, 41-24, after losing the two prior years. The Bulldogs have claimed seven of the last 10 meetings, and should be able to handle things again this year.

The other big, tone-setting Ivy League game will be Harvard against Brown, which will take place Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Yale and Harvard might be the favorites in the league again this year, but there’s a lot of work to be done before their Nov. 21 clash can even matter toward the title and automatic playoff bid.

Prediction: Yale 24, Cornell 16

No. 5 Montana (3-1, 1-0) at No. 9 UC Davis (3-1, 1-0)

This is the highest-combined ranking between opponents this week, with Montana looking to rebound from a lopsided 52-17 loss to FBS Oregon State and UC Davis hoping to carry forward any momentum from a 45-7 win over Stetson last week.

The AFCA poll reflects those performances, with Montana sliding from No. 2 to No. 5, and UC Davis climbing two spots to No. 9.

Both teams now are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the loaded 13-team Big Sky Conference that includes Montana State, the No. 1 team in the FCS and the reigning national champion, but only sent three teams to the playoffs last year.

What does that mean? It means things are cutthroat in the BSC, and league wins are crucial.

This will be the 12th meeting between Montana and UC Davis, with the Grizzlies owning a 9-2 advantage in the series.

They played for the first time in 1926 and didn’t meet again until 1995. Montana won the first seven times, but UC Davis won on the road the last time they met, a 30-14 victory in 2024.

Prediction: UC Davis 24, Montana 21

No. 12 South Dakota (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) at No. 13 Youngstown State (2-2, 0-1 MVFC)

We’ve got another ranked showdown between teams hovering around the middle of the top 25.

They’re doing enough to potentially be considered for at-large playoff bids, but why put your fate in someone else’s hands?

If there’s an automatic bid up for grabs, go out and get it!

Unfortunately for Youngstown State, this week’s matchup against South Dakota is almost must-win.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference might be the most competitive league in the FCS, with five of the nine teams ranked in the top 15 of the latest AFCA poll, and another team recently falling out of the top 25 but still receiving votes.

South Dakota State is No. 2, Illinois State is No. 4, North Dakota is No. 8, South Dakota is No. 12 and Southern Illinois received votes this week.

Only two teams have played conference games so far, and Youngstown State was on the losing end of that contest against South Dakota State.

Now, the Penguins are playing catch-up and can’t afford to fall in back-to-back weeks.

SDSU handed YSU its second loss of the season last week, while South Dakota was trying to hang in against FBS Boise State, before eventually losing 38-24.

With both teams coming off losses, and both against formidable opponents, this week’s game could be pretty even based on recent momentum.

However, on paper, and in the history between the two teams, the advantage should go to Youngstown.

The Penguins are 8-4 all-time against South Dakota, including a 6-1 record at home. And, where are they playing this week? At Stambaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio.

However, South Dakota squeaked out wins in their last two meetings in 2023 (34-31) and 2024 (27-17).

What we have here appears to be a coin-flip decision.

Prediction: South Dakota 31, Youngstown State 19

How We Do With Our Predictions Last Week?

Rhode Island vs. Stony Brook 

  • Prediction: Rhode Island 28, Stony Brook 16
  • Result: Stony Brook def. Rhode Island, 56-24

Youngstown State vs. South Dakota State 

  • Prediction: SDSU 35, Youngstown State 24
  • Result: South Dakota State def. Youngstown St., 27-20

Central Connecticut State vs. Montana State 

  • Prediction: Montana State 48, CCSU 9
  • Result: Montana St. def. Central Connecticut St., 35-30

Austin Peay vs. West Florida

  • Prediction: West Florida 35, Austin Peat 24
  • Result: Austin Peay def. West Florida, 38-16

Yale vs. Holy Cross 

  • Prediction: Yale 24, Holy Cross 6
  • Result: Yale def. Holy Cross, 38-28

New AFCA FCS Rankings After Week 3 Of 2026

As of Sept. 19

  1. Montana State (4-0) – 649 – Prev. 1
  2. South Dakota State (3-1) – 598 – Prev. 3
  3. Tarleton State (4-0) – 566 – Prev. 5
  4. Illinois State (4-0) – 561 – Prev. 4
  5. Montana (3-1) – 561 – Prev. 2
  6. Stephen F. Austin (4-0) – 480 – Prev. 8
  7. Lehigh (4-0) – 461 – Prev. 7
  8. North Dakota (3-1) – 459 – Prev. 6
  9. UC Davis (3-1) – 439 – Prev. 11
  10. Tennessee Tech (3-0) – 415 – Prev. 10
  11. Austin Peay (3-1) – 378 – Prev. 14
  12. South Dakota (3-1) – 366 – Prev. 12
  13. Youngstown State (2-2) – 363 – Prev. 9
  14. South Carolina State (4-0) – 303 – Prev. 16
  15. Lamar (2-1) – 296 – Prev. 15
  16. Idaho St. (3-0) – 273 – Prev. 18
  17. Northern Arizona (3-1) – 228 – Prev. 19
  18. Yale (1-0) – 188 – Prev. 20
  19. Richmond (3-1) – 104 – Prev. NR
  20. West Florida (2-1) – 97 – Prev. 17
  21. Rhode Island (2-2) – 93 – Prev. 13
  22. Villanova (2-2) – 85 – Prev. 23
  23. Colgate (3-1) – 71 – Prev. NR
  24. Mercer (2-2) – 71 – Prev. 22
  25. Harvard (1-0) – 50 – Prev. NR

Dropped Out: William & Mary (21), Furman (24), Southern Illinois (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 45; Campbell, 41; Jackson St., 39; Elon, 38; Furman, 37; Alabama St., 14; Prairie View A&M, 12; Stony Brook, 12; Bryant, 7; Central Connecticut St., 6; Dartmouth, 6; UIW, 6; William & Mary, 6; ACU, 5; Monmouth (N.J.), 5; Southeastern Louisiana, 4; Southeast Missouri St., 3; UT Rio Grande Valley, 3; Robert Morris (Pa.), 2; San Diego, 2; Chattanooga, 1; St. Thomas (Minn.), 1.

Week 4 Schedule For FCS Top 25

*Based on latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll

All Times Eastern

  • No. 1 Montana State (4-0, 1-0 Big Sky) vs. No. 17 Northern Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 10:30 p.m.
  • No. 2 South Dakota State (3-1, 1-0 MVFC) vs. Eastern Illinois (1-3), 7 p.m.
  • No. 3 Tarleton State (4-0, 0-0 UAC) – BYE
  • No. 4 Illinois State (4-0, 0-0 MVFC) at Northern Iowa (1-2), 5 p.m.
  • No. 5 Montana (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) at No. 9 UC Davis (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 10 p.m.
  • No. 6 Stephen F. Austin (4-0, 2-0 Southland) vs. Northeastern State (3-1), 6 p.m.
  • No. 7 Lehigh (4-0, 3-0 Patriot) at Penn (1-0), 1 p.m.
  • No. 8 North Dakota (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) at Indiana State (2-2), 1 p.m.
  • No. 10 Tennessee Tech (3-0, 1-0 SoCon) at Wofford (2-2), 1:30 p.m.
  • No. 11 Austin Peay (3-1, 1-0 UAC) vs. UT Martin (1-3), 2 p.m.
  • No. 12 South Dakota (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) at No. 13 Youngstown State (2-2, 0-1 MVFC), 2 p.m.
  • No. 14 South Carolina State (4-0, 0-0 MEAC) at Bethune-Cookman (2-1), 7 p.m.
  • No. 15 Lamar (2-1, 0-0 Southland) at Nicholls (2-2), 4 p.m.
  • No. 16 Idaho State (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky) at Southern Utah (1-3), 8 p.m.
  • No. 18 Yale (1-0, 0-0 Ivy) at Cornell (0-1), 1 p.m.
  • No. 19 Richmond (3-1, 2-0 Patriot) vs. Furman (2-2), 2 p.m.
  • No. 20 West Florida (2-1) at Southeast Missouri State (2-2), 7 p.m.
  • No. 21 Rhode Island (2-2, 1-1 CAA) at North Carolina A&T, 4 p.m.
  • No. 23 Colgate (3-1, 2-0 Patriot) at No. 22 Villanova (2-2, 1-1 Patriot), 2:30 p.m.
  • No. 24 Mercer (2-2, 0-1 SoCon) at Abilene Christian (1-3), 8 p.m.
  • No. 25 Harvard (1-0, 0-0 Ivy) at Brown (1-0), 7 p.m. Friday.

Some Things To Know About FCS Football

The FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) is the second tier of NCAA Division I football, with the top tier being the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision). 

While the FBS determines its national champion through a 12-team, committee-selected College Football Playoff, the FCS Championship includes 24 teams.

The FCS conference champions automatically qualify for the playoffs, and the remaining spots are filled via at-large selection. 

This season, there will be 128 programs across 13 conferences. The regular season will begin in late August, and the playoffs will get underway at the end of November.

Who Won The Each Football National Championship For The 2025-2026 Season?

  • Division I FBS – Indiana def. Miami, 27-21
  • Division I FCS – Montana State def. Illinois State 35-34 (OT)
  • Division II – Ferris State def. Harding, 42-21
  • Division III – University of Wisconsin-River Falls def. North Central (Ill.), 24-14

When Do The 2026 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs Start?

The first round of the 2026 NCAA FCS Playoffs will be Nov. 28.

The format includes 24 teams and five rounds of play – first round, second round, quarterfinals, semifinals and the championship game. Everything through the semifinals will be played at the site of the participating schools.

Round 2 is set for Dec. 5, the quarterfinals will be held Dec. 11 (one game) and Dec. 12 (three games) and the semifinals will take place Dec. 19.

The 2026 FCS national championship will be determined Jan. 11, 2027, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Music City first hosted the title tilt in 2025 after 15 consecutive visits to Frisco, Texas.

Every game will be broadcast live on the ESPN family of networks. 

How Do The FCS Playoffs Work?

The 24 FCS teams that advance to the playoffs are situated into a single-elimination bracket.

The top 16 teams are seeded, with the first eight earning byes into the second round. Seeds 9-16 must play in the opening round of action, but they get to play host, as do the higher seeds in each game through the semifinals.

The two semifinal winners then make the trip to Nashville to play for the national championship.

In 2025, Montana State defeated Illinois State 35-34 in overtime to claim the trophy. 

Since 2011, North Dakota State had been dominating the FCS landscape, winning 10 national titles, but the Bison have now moved to a bigger pasture – the FBS level as part of the Mountain West Conference.

No. 13 Rhode Island vs. Stony Brook Football Highlights | 2026 CAA Football

Watch the highlights from Stony Brook’s 56-24 win over No. 13 Rhode Island on Sept. 19.

URI entered the contest on an 11-game CAA winning streak and as the two-time defending conference champion.


Archived Footage On FloCollege

Video footage from all games will be archived and stored in a video library for FloCollege subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Watch The 2026 College Football Season On FloCollege

FloCollege is the home of the best FCS, Division II and Division III football action all season long. 

Don’t miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloCollege schedule page for the latest games. 

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