Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Eight generally is enough when it comes to FCS schools beating FBS programs in a college football season.
But coming on the heels of a record 16 wins in 2013, last year's great eight felt like a letdown.
Still, any FCS win over an FBS program is notable considering the Cinderella feel to it and the difference in scholarships - 85 for FBS schools versus 63 for the FCS.
The highlights in 2014 were North Dakota State beating a power conference opponent, though Iowa State has been struggling in the Big 12, and Northwestern State beating a Louisiana Tech program that won nine times, including in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.
Teams from Conference USA and the Mid-American and Sun Belt conferences are the most susceptible to losing to FCS teams because they more resemble the lower half of Division I than the power conferences.
Nearly two-thirds of the 125 FCS programs - 82 of them - will combine to play in 107 matchups against the FBS this year. Those numbers include the non- scholarship FCS programs - San Diego is the lone one taking the leap - so more than three-quarters of the scholarship programs are playing at least one FBS opponent.
This year, FCS teams are allowed 11 regular-season games after having two straight seasons at 12, so playing more than one FBS opponent is a double-edged sword when it comes to building a playoff resume. It offers the chance to boost it with an upset, but there's also a stronger chance for two losses.
Following are this year's FCS-FBS matchups:
BIG SKY
The Matchups (13)
Cal Poly - Sept. 12 at Arizona State
Eastern Washington - Sept. 5 at Oregon
Idaho State - Sept. 18 at Boise State; Sept. 26 at UNLV
North Dakota - Sept. 5 at Wyoming
Northern Arizona - Sept. 19 at Arizona
Portland State - Sept. 5 at Washington State; Oct. 10 at North Texas
Sacramento State - Sept. 12 at Washington
Southern Utah - Sept. 5 at Utah State
UC Davis - Sept. 3 at Nevada; Sept. 19 at Hawaii
Weber State - Sept. 4 at Oregon State
Most Fascinating Matchup
No FBS matchup is bigger in FCS circles than Eastern Washington at Oregon if quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., EWU's starter the last 2 1/2 seasons, is under center for Oregon after transferring into the Ducks' program for his final season.
Dateline, Upset City?
UNLV only won twice last season and one of the victories was a 13-12 escape against struggling Big Sky member Northern Colorado. Idaho State might even be favored over the Rebels if Justin Arias was still its quarterback. Coach Mike Kramer's squad will still be good after the breakout 2014 campaign, so the Bengals' high-scoring attack hopes to keep rolling 7s in Vegas.
Notable
Big Sky powers Montana and Montana State are both not playing an FBS opponent this season ... In his 11 seasons leading North Dakota State's national championship-winning program, two-time Eddie Robinson Award-winning coach Craig Bohl only faced North Dakota once, a 28-21 overtime loss in his 2003 rookie campaign. His Wyoming squad hosts a UND squad that finished strong in 2014.
BIG SOUTH
The Matchups (8)
Charleston Southern - Sept. 12 at Troy; Nov. 21 at Alabama
Gardner-Webb - Sept. 5 at South Alabama
Liberty - Sept. 12 at West Virginia; Oct. 3 at Georgia State
Monmouth - Sept. 12 at Central Michigan
Presbyterian - Sept. 5 at Miami (Ohio); Sept. 12 at Charlotte
Most Fascinating Matchup
Liberty coach Turner Gill returns significant offensive talent this season. The Flames, who aspire to play in an FBS conference, will need to put up plenty of points to beat West Virginia.
Dateline, Upset City?
Charleston Southern coach Jamey Chadwell has done a terrific job in leading the Buccaneers to an 18-7 record over his first two seasons, including a 21-20 loss at Vanderbilt last season. His squad was a replacement on Troy's schedule for UAB's shut-down program, and it appears primed to make the Trojans regret the choice.
Notable
This will be a second straight year FCS power Coastal Carolina is not playing an FBS opponent ... Monmouth's matchup against Central Michigan is its first ever against an FBS opponent ... Transitioning FBS member Charlotte, set to host Presbyterian, was 3-6 against FCS programs last season, including 0-3 against Big South programs.
CAA FOOTBALL
The Matchups (13)
Albany - Sept. 5 at Buffalo
Delaware - Sept. 26 at North Carolina
Elon - Sept. 3 at Wake Forest
James Madison - Sept. 26 at SMU
Maine - Sept. 5 at Boston College; Sept. 19 at Tulane
New Hampshire - Sept. 3 at San Jose State
Rhode Island - Sept. 5 at Syracuse
Richmond - Sept. 5 at Maryland
Stony Brook - Sept. 3 at Toledo
Towson - Sept. 5 at East Carolina
Villanova - Sept. 3 at Connecticut
William & Mary - Sept. 19 at Virginia
Most Fascinating Matchup
New Hampshire has played in California only once and it will be 10 years to the day on Sept. 3 when the national semifinalist from each of the past two seasons treks all the way to San Jose State. Ironically, both programs date to 1893.
Dateline, Upset City?
UConn struggled to beat Stony Brook last season and lost to Towson two years ago. The Huskies won't be thrilled to be chasing around Villanova quarterback John Robertson, the 2014 Walter Payton Award winner.
Notable
The CAA is the only FCS conference to have all of its members playing at least one FBS game ... Boston College is hosting Maine for the second straight year, having rolled to a 40-10 victory last season. But the visiting Black Bears have three wins in eight all-time meetings.
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC
The Matchups (14)
Bethune-Cookman - Sept. 5 at Miami (Florida)
Delaware State - Sept. 12 at Kent State
Florida A&M - Sept. 5 at South Florida
Howard - Sept. 5 at Appalachian State; Sept. 12 at Boston College
Morgan State - Sept. 5 at Air Force
North Carolina A&T - Sept. 12 at North Carolina
North Carolina Central - Sept. 12 at Duke; Sept. 19 at FIU
Norfolk State - Sept. 5 at Rutgers; Sept. 12 at Old Dominion; Sept. 19 at Marshall
Savannah State - Sept. 5 at Colorado State; Sept. 19 at Akron
Most Fascinating Matchup
Coming off a 9-3 record and its most wins since 2003, North Carolina A&T will head to North Carolina to face an FBS opponent for the first time since Louisiana-Lafayette in '06. A&T coach Rod Broadway was an All-ACC defensive lineman for the Tar Heels in 1977 and later was an assistant coach at his alma mater.
Dateline, Upset City?
North Carolina Central, which returns quarterback Malcolm Bell and three players who were first-team All-MEAC, realizes FIU has lost each of the past two seasons to another MEAC program, Bethune-Cookman.
Notable
Norfolk State is the only FCS program that will play three FBS opponents, and it's doing so in consecutive weeks. The trip to Old Dominion is less than five miles across town for the Spartans and new coach Latrell Scott.
MISSOURI VALLEY
The Matchups (10)
Illinois State - Sept. 5 at Iowa
Indiana State - Sept. 12 at Purdue
Missouri State - Sept. 5 at Memphis; Sept. 19 at Arkansas State
Northern Iowa - Sept. 5 at Iowa State
South Dakota - Sept. 5 at Kansas State
South Dakota State - Sept. 5 at Kansas
Southern Illinois - Sept. 5 at Indiana
Western Illinois - Sept. 12 at Illinois
Youngstown State - Sept. 5 at Pittsburgh
Most Fascinating Matchup
Amid lofty expectations, new Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini is making his debut against a Pittsburgh squad that figures to be motivated by a 31-17 loss to the Penguins in their last meeting in 2012.
Dateline, Upset City?
Iowa State has lost at home to Northern Iowa in 2013 and North Dakota State last year. And here comes UNI again, with some transfers to lessen the team's graduation losses.
Notable
It's ironic South Dakota will play at Kansas State and South Dakota State will be at Kansas on the same opening day (Sept. 5). Was there a group discount on flights? ... Four-time reigning FCS champion North Dakota State has won its last five games against FBS opponents, but it isn't playing one this season.
NORTHEAST
The Matchups (2)
Wagner - Sept. 5 at Rice; Oct. 24 at BYU
Most Fascinating Matchup
Having played in front of 37,366 fans for all 11 games last year, Wagner will feel a little out of place at BYU's 63,470-seat Lavell Edwards Stadium - the largest stadium the Seahawks will have played in.
Dateline, Upset City?
Wagner has played Conference USA teams in two of its first three all-time FBS matchups, but Rice, which won the Hawaii Bowl and finished 8-5 last season, will be a step up as first-year Seahawks coach Jason Houghtaling makes his debut.
Notable
Wagner is playing two FBS opponents for the first time.
OHIO VALLEY
The Matchups (12)
Austin Peay - Sept. 12 at Southern Mississippi; Sept. 19 at Vanderbilt
Eastern Illinois - Sept. 12 at Northwestern
Eastern Kentucky - Sept. 12 at North Carolina State; Oct. 3 at Kentucky
Jacksonville State - Sept. 12 at Auburn
Murray State - Sept. 12 at Northern Illinois; Sept. 19 at Western Michigan
Southeast Missouri State - Sept. 5 at Missouri
Tennessee Tech - Sept. 5 at Houston
UT Martin - Sept. 5 at Mississippi; Oct. 31 at Arkansas
Most Fascinating Matchup
After suffering a lopsided loss at Michigan State last season, Jacksonville State comes back a year wiser, and it hopes stronger, for a first-ever meeting with Auburn. With the Gamecocks, it all starts up front with a defensive line of 2014 OVC defensive player of the year Devaunte Sigler, LaMichael Fanning and Chris Landrum. That's SEC-esque.
Dateline, Upset City?
The Eastern Illinois veterans have played in plenty of big games in recent seasons, so they won't be fazed by a trip to Northwestern. With quarterback Jalen Whitlow coming on strong, the Panthers will have plenty of firepower.
Notable
After a strong finish to his 2013 season at Kentucky, power back Dy'Shawn Mobley made a surprise transfer to Eastern Kentucky. The 2014 OVC offensive player of the year will be motivated upon his return to Lexington ... OVC teams own five wins over FBS opponents since 2010.
PATRIOT
The Matchups (3)
Bucknell - Oct. 17 at Army
Colgate - Sept. 5 at Navy
Fordham - Sept. 4 at Army
Most Fascinating Matchup
Fordham running back Chase Edmonds wasn't at full strength physically, gaining 69 yards on 13 carries, when the Rams lost last year's final regular-season game at Army. The 2014 Jerry Rice Award winner will have an entire offseason to rest up for a potential big outing to open the 2015 campaign.
Dateline, Upset City?
It's not ideal for Bucknell to start league play on Oct. 10 and jump back out to an FBS matchup a week later. But Army has lost to an FCS school in two of the last three seasons and Bucknell returns a veteran team coming off an eight- win campaign.
Notable
Although familiar opponents in many Patriot League sports, Colgate and Navy are meeting in football for the first time since 1998. Navy has a 6-0 series lead.
PIONEER
The Matchup (1)
San Diego - Sept. 5 at San Diego State
Most Fascinating Matchup
Hoping to build on a Pioneer Football League championship and an FCS playoff appearance, San Diego will meet the FBS program in town for the first time in 54 years. San Diego State won that first matchup, 42-12 in 1961. No, Toreros head coach Dale Lindsey, 72, wasn't in the profession just yet.
Dateline, Upset City?
USD will make the short trip to Qualcomm Stadium, but an upset of San Diego State seems so far away.
Notable
With San Diego State in need of an extra game on Sept. 5, USD nixed a previously scheduled game with Northern Arizona from the Big Sky to take the more lucrative game.
SOUTHERN
The Matchups (11)
Chattanooga - Nov. 21 at Florida State
The Citadel - Sept. 19 at Georgia Southern; Nov. 21 at South Carolina
Furman - Sept. 12 at Virginia Tech; Sept. 19 at UCF
Samford - Sept. 26 at Louisville
VMI - Sept. 3 at Ball State
Western Carolina - Sept. 19 at Tennessee; Nov. 14 at Texas A&M
Wofford - Sept. 5 at Clemson; Sept. 19 at Idaho
Most Fascinating Matchup
With Jameis Winston gone from Florida State, Chattanooga senior Jacob Huesman hopes to be the best quarterback on the field when the Mocs visit Tallahassee. The Mocs, with a $550,000 payday, will be a loose team with nothing to lose.
Dateline, Upset City?
Wofford expects to be improved after a pair of subpar seasons by program standards. Idaho coaches may want to start studying the triple option this spring because Georgia Southern follows the Terriers into the Kibbie Dome a week later.
Notable
Former SoCon rivals running the triple option offenses will go at it again when The Citadel visits Georgia Southern, which has an 18-5 lead in the series. Last year, Georgia Southern averaged 381.1 rushing yards per game as a new FBS member while The Citadel ranked second in the FCS (347.2) ... Western Carolina, coming off a breakout season, might have the toughest two-team combo in Tennessee and Texas A&M.
SOUTHLAND
The Matchups (12)
Abilene Christian - Sept. 5 at Fresno State
Central Arkansas - Sept. 12 at Oklahoma State
Incarnate Word - Sept. 26 at UTEP
Lamar - Sept. 12 at Baylor
McNeese State - Sept. 5 at LSU
Nicholls - Sept. 12 at ULM; Sept. 26 at Colorado
Northwestern State - Sept. 12 at Louisiana-Lafayette; Sept. 19 at Mississippi State
Sam Houston State - Sept. 5 at Texas Tech
Southeastern Louisiana - Sept. 19 at Ohio
Stephen F. Austin - Sept. 12 at TCU
Most Fascinating Matchup
Sam Houston State has athleticism and 20 returning starters from a national semifinalist. Texas Tech struggled at home last season and won't have the certainty at quarterback that the Bearkats have with Jared Johnson.
Dateline, Upset City?
Abilene Christian hasn't been in the FCS long enough to even get a rise out of opponents on that level, so Fresno State might lack focus when they kick off the season. Coach Ken Collums' Wildcats had some solid wins last season, including at Troy.
Notable
Since the rebirth of its program in 2003, two-time defending Southland champion Southeastern Louisiana is 0-19 against the FBS. Ohio is coming off a 6-6 season.
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC
The Matchups (8)
Alabama A&M - Sept. 5 at Cincinnati
Alcorn State - Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech
Grambling State - Sept. 5 at California
Jackson State - Sept. 5 at Middle Tennessee
Mississippi Valley State - Sept. 5 at New Mexico
Prairie View A&M - Sept. 12 at Texas State
Southern - Sept. 5 at Louisiana Tech; Sept. 26 at Georgia
Most Fascinating Matchup
Grambling's brand recognition is still strong even if the football program isn't at its one-time great level. Still, the Tigers were a breakout 7-5 under first-year coach Broderick Fobbs and they will open his second season by visiting Cal for the first time.
Dateline, Upset City?
The SWAC generally isn't full of FBS upsets, but Texas State has to take Prairie View A&M's all-purpose threat Johnta Hebert seriously. He led the FCS in all-purpose yards per game last season.
Notable
The last SWAC team to beat an FBS opponent was Grambling in 1985, 23-6 over Oregon State ... Southern will have two chances to end an 0-9 all-time mark.
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