November FCS football games that could have playoff and conference impact

FCS football enters November this week, meaning every game matters just a little bit more as there are fewer chances to rebound from a loss. Here are the biggest FCS games in the final month of the season that will impact the playoff and conference title outlook.

Week 10

• Gardner-Webb at Tennessee Tech
• Mercer at Furman
• Dartmouth at Harvard
• Alabama State at Prairie View A&M
• Youngstown State at North Dakota State
• Tarleton State at Abilene Christian
• North Dakota at South Dakota
• North Carolina Central at Howard
• Jackson State at Florida A&M

You might’ve already seen my seven games to watch for Week 10, featuring the top six games listed here. Each of those games will shake-up conference title races, providing a clearer picture as we enter the homestretch of the season.

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I also added three more games to the list. North Dakota at South Dakota is almost a must-win for the Coyotes if they want to rebound from a rough start. North Carolina Central can’t afford to go 0-2 in conference play with a loss to Howard. 

Then there’s Jackson State at Florida A&M. The Tigers are coming off of their first FCS loss of the season and face injury concerns to quarterback JaCobian Morgan. Meanwhile, Florida A&M has bounced back from a slow start with consecutive wins. Both teams have one loss in conference play, meaning the winner of this one will hold a tiebreaker that could matter down the stretch.

🍿👀 @stan_becton's Games to Watch for Week 10!

Who are you watching this weekend? 👀#FCS pic.twitter.com/2QaXPzhZjP

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) October 29, 2025

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Week 11

• New Hampshire at Monmouth
• Southern Illinois at Youngstown State
• North Dakota State at North Dakota
• South Dakota State at South Dakota
• Mercer at Western Carolina

The biggest game when looking ahead at Week 11 is Mercer at Western Carolina. That game could serve as the deciding game in the SoCon championship race. Elsewhere, Monmouth will look to preserve its lead in the CAA championship race against New Hampshire.

Now it’s time for the MVFC slate. Southern Illinois at Youngstown State will put two teams competing for an at-large spot head-to-head. Then there are in-state battles in the Dakotas. Among the four schools, there can only be two winners. The winners will end up with a great postseason outlook.

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Week 12

• South Carolina State at North Carolina Central
• South Dakota at Southern Illinois
• Rhode Island at Maine
• Illinois State at South Dakota State
• UC Davis at Montana State

Week 12 could be a week where there are some surprise upsets. Until those happen, there are a handful of top matchups. 

South Carolina State at North Carolina Central will kick things off on Friday in a game that was the preseason game to watch in the conference.

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The Saturday slate will see South Dakota face Southern Illinois in what could be a must-win for both teams, while Illinois State and South Dakota State will surely have an impact in the eyes of the FCS Playoff Committee. Similarly, UC Davis at Montana State will be a matchup of two teams fighting for a first round bye.

Closing the Week 12 slate is a CAA clash between Rhode Island and Maine. Rhode Island will be aiming for a CAA championship, while Maine could position itself in prime playoff contention with an upset.

Week 13

• Harvard at Yale
• Lehigh at Lafayette
• Southern Illinois at Illinois State
• Maine at New Hampshire
• South Carolina State at Delaware State
• Richmond at William & Mary
• Montana State at Montana
• South Dakota State at North Dakota
• Austin Peay at Tarleton State

The last week of the season has high stakes with rivalries galore.

If Harvard’s undefeated when it plays Yale and Lehigh is undefeated when it plays Lafayette, those games could decide postseason seeding and maybe even at-larges with potential upsets.

The Brawl of the Wild could determine home-field advantage in the playoffs for Montana and potentially a first round bye for Montana State. If Tarleton State is undefeated entering Week 13, that game could also determine home-field advantage, while a win from Austin Peay could guarantee it a playoff spot.

In the MVFC, South Dakota State at North Dakota and Southern Illinois at Illinois State will also hold high stakes. The Jackrabbits and Fighting Hawks could be playing for a top-four seed, while Southern Illinois and Illinois State could be playing in an elimination-esque game.

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Maine at New Hampshire could end up being an elimination game, while a nonconference Richmond-William & Mary matchup could give the Spiders a chance to spoil a rival’s season.

Lastly, South Carolina State at Delaware State could be a de-facto MEAC championship game, with both teams opening conference play with a win last week.