Around the SLC this week

Pride of the SLC

UCA picked up the first and so far only FCS over FBS win in beating Western KY 35-28. The Bears QB B. Smith threw for over 300 yards.

SLU racked up an impressive 35-14 win OOC win over Jacksonville States, a consensus preseason FCS top 10 pick.

HBU nearly pulled off an upset over FBS UTEP in the Cellar Bowl dropping a 36-34 decision after leading late in the fourth quarter.

Five who underperformed:

Nicholls which has gained a reputation for beating or putting the fear into Power 5 Conference schools in the past three years with narrow losses to TAMU and Georgia and last year’s W over Kansas, was trounced by Kansas State 49-14.

In a battle of cross town rivals UTSA predicted to finish near the bottom of the CUSA was viewed as a potential upset victim at the hands of FCS upstart UIW. It wasn’t to be as UTSA came away with a convincing 35-7 win.

McNeese which made several preseason Top 25 lists struggled to put beat a middle of the pack MEAC Southern team 34-28.

Northwestern State which was a slight underdog in an OOC FCS game against UT Martin came up on the short end of a lop sided 42-20 score.

SFA was humbled by Baylor 56-17

The Rest

Sam Houston lost to FBS New Mexico 39-31.

Lamar trampled hapless Bethel 65-16. What’s a Bethel?

ACU lost by 51-31 to CUSA Preseason favorite North Texas. A loss to be sure but by less than the 221/2 points the boys in Vegas were giving.