Week 2 around the Coastal Athletic Association football landscape included thrilling comebacks, national awards and a historic result.

Second-year CAA football member Bryant scored its first-ever win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, sealing a 27-26 defeat of UMass on Bryce Solis' 27-yard field goal as time expired. With the landmark victory for the Bulldogs, honors rolled in for linebacker Brendan Perkins. 

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Perkins racked up 14 tackles, including two for loss, with a pair of stops on the final UMass possession to help give the Bryant offense the ball back. Perkins was named the FCS STATS Perform National Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. 

And he had company in the CAA. New Hampshire kicker Nick Reed won National Special Teams Player of the Week with a 4-for-4 field-goal performance in the Wildcats' 19-16 win over Holy Cross. Reed's perfect effort included drilling the game-winner with zeroes on the clock. 

Undefeated New Hampshire looks to remain perfect and add another CAA win over the FBS in Week 3, visiting Ball State. The Wildcats are one of five Coastal teams facing FBS competition on Sept. 13, along with Towson (at Maryland); William & Mary (at Virginia); Villanova (at Penn State); and Monmouth (at Charlotte). 

The Week 3 slate includes only one league contest, with Hampton visiting North Carolina A&T. The Pirates and Aggies' conference showdown is among the matchups of note in the third week of the 2025 season.  

Furman at Campbell Football

Campbell makes its home debut, looking to get into the win column for the first time this season, hosting perennial Southern Conference contender Furman. 

This is the Paladins' second matchup with a CAA opponent. Furman eked out a 23-21 Week 1 win over William & Mary thanks to a strong defensive effort and trio of second-half field goals from kicker Ian Williams. 

The Paladins came out on the wrong end of a nail-biter last week, however, falling in overtime to Presbyterian, 39-38. The difference in results reflects a difference in the turnover battle for Furman. 

Although even with William & Mary in Week 1, Furman's takeaway was huge: Taylen Blaylock took a first-quarter pick to the house for the game's first points, and one of only two Paladins touchdowns vs. the Tribe. 

Against Presbyterian, Furman surrendered an interception and a fumble that the Blue Hose cashed in for the touchdowns — the latter at a critical juncture of the fourth quarter. 

Campbell's ability to generate takeaways should be critical to a home-opening win. The Camels played an outstanding game for the better part of three quarters in Week 1 at Rhode Island, building a lead thanks in part to a red-zone takeaway by Jojo Pace that led to a 90-yard touchdown drive. 

Campbell's other touchdown at Rhode Island also came off a turnover with the recovery of a muffed punt deep in Rams territory. 

Pace is a playmaker to watch for the Camels in Week 3; so too is defensive back Brandon Guzman, who has already broken up three passes and is assuredly itching for Campbell's first interception of the season. 

Getting to opposing quarterbacks in matchups with Rhode Island and FBS opponent East Carolina was a challenge for the Campbell front seven; the Camels have just three combined tackles for loss through two games and DaVonyae Pettis has the lone sack. 

With Furman giving up five sacks the first two weeks, this could be an opportunity for Campbell to apply consistent pressure and dictate Saturday's pace. 

PREDICTION: Campbell 23, Furman 21 

Fordham at Stony Brook Football

There's little consolation in labeling Stony Brook better than its 0-2 record. After a rocky season opener on the other side of the continent vs. San Diego State, the Seawolves came home to open CAA play against preseason favorite Rhode Island and built an early lead. 

However, the Rams took control in a disastrous second quarter to extend Stony Brook's losing skid, which began at the end of the 2024 season, to four games. 

While Week 2 marked a lost opportunity for Stony Brook to assert its place in the CAA race early, the Seawolves showed signs for optimism — most notably, its production in the run game. 

Roland Dempster looked every bit the Walter Payton Award contender with 167 yards on 28 carries and a touchdown, while quarterback Chris Zellous went for 83 yards and a score. After splitting reps with Casey Case at San Diego State, Zellous was the sole signal caller vs. Rhode Island. 

He'll look to settle into the passing attack more in Week 3 against a Fordham defense that was cooked through the air last Saturday vs. the CAA's Monmouth Hawks. All-American Derek Robertson lit up the Rams for 342 yards and six touchdowns, which — coupled with the five passing scores it gave up in Week 1 at Boston College — makes the Fordham defense the nation's most scored-upon through the air. 

Tight end Cole Bunicci caught a pair of passes for 55 yards, while former UAlbany standout Marqeese Dietz was Zellous' most active target with four receptions. Look for the duo to help the Seawolves build some momentum and confidence in the passing game in Week 3 as Stony Brook gets into the win column. 

PREDICTION: Stony Brook 38, Fordham 20  

Stonehill at Maine Football

Coming off the heartbreak of its CAA opener in Week 2, a 28-27 loss at William & Mary, Maine comes home for the first time in 2025 to host regional counterpart Stonehill. 

The Skyhawks are in their fourth season of FCS membership, moving up from Div. II in 2022. Stonehill coach Eli Gardner has been in the program since 2009 and at the helm since 2016. 

In its first two seasons of FCS status, Stonehill went 4-5 and 5-5, and in the latter 2023 campaign, finished above .500 in Northeast Conference play. The 2024 season brought growing pains, however, and the Skyhawks went 1-10. 

They have a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season, opening 2025 with setbacks of 12-7 to future CAA member Sacred Heart; and 42-26 vs. Lafayette last week. 

Stonehill's 0-2 start is in part due to the Skyhawks' struggles to stop the run. With almost 250 rushing yards allowed per game through the first two, a Maine offense that has ran the ball effectively should be able to feast in Week 3. 

Black Bears running back Sincere Baines is off to a sensational start, averaging 7.3 yards per carry for 203 total through the first two weeks. Splitting the workload with Rashawn Marshall and quarterback Carter Peevy gives Maine a dangerous three-man attack. 

Peevy has yet to have a breakout passing game, though he did toss a pair of touchdowns at William & Mary despite throwing for only 97 total yards. This could be the week both phases of the Black Bears offense fires. 

PREDICTION: Maine 40, Stonehill 14 

Hampton at North Carolina A&T Football

In the sole conference clash of Week 3, Hampton travels to Greensboro to meet North Carolina A&T for the 21st time in the last 30 years, but just the second since 2017. 

Last year's meeting ended an eight-year layoff, and also marked the end of a three-game winning streak in the series for A&T. The Pirates rolled to a 59-17 decision, though with much different players in several key spots on both sides. 

North Carolina A&T underwent dramatic changes in the offseason, starting with the hire of Shawn Gibbs as head coach. Gibbs spent a decade coaching running backs at A&T, a stint that overlapped with the sensational career of Tarik Cohen. 

And, in Gibbs' return as the Aggies head coach, A&T showed promise at running back with veteran Wesley Graves going for 69 yards and a touchdown vs. 2024 FCS playoff team Tennessee State. 

A&T took the reigning OVC/Big South co-champion Tigers to the limit in an inspiring start to the program's new era. Breaking through for its first-ever conference win would be a huge milestone for Gibbs and Co. 

Hampton comes to town having split a pair of hard-fought non-conference dates to open 2025. The Pirates were tied in the fourth quarter against the top 20-ranked Jackson State in Week 1, but gave up a pair of scores late. But Hampton recovered in Week 2 to flip the script with a 10-0 final period in a 27-20 win over Elizabeth City State. 

Ja'Quan Snipes' 47-yard touchdown carry in the final minute sealed the victory and helped send Snipes into Week 3 rushing for more than 103 yards per game. 

Snipes provides some wiggle room for the Hampton quarterback situation, as both Syracuse transfer Braden Davis and Lincoln University transfer Isaiah Freeman have seen extensive snaps in the first two contests. 

Davis was 11-of-12 vs. Jackson State, while Freeman rushed for 94 yards vs. the Tigers. Both have shown strengths. A&T has also played both Champ Long and Braxton Thomas at quarterback. 

The uncertain quarterback situations put a high priority on establishing the run. Both Hampton's Snipes and A&T's multifaceted approach can take over, but the Aggies' aggressive, new-look defense will pose Hampton with some challenges. 

A&T has four defenders with multiple tackles for loss already on the season, and the Aggies have totaled 14 hits in the backfield on the season. Linebacker Joshua Iseah, who made three takedowns behind the line of scrimmage vs. Tennessee State, could be the X-factor for A&T to get its first CAA win. 

PREDICTION: North Carolina A&T 24, Hampton 21 

2025 AFCA Coaches FCS Preseason Poll

1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. Tarleton State
4. Illinois State
5. Rhode Island
6. Montana State
7. Montana 
8. UIW
9. UC Davis
10. Idaho
11. Villanova
12. Lehigh 
13. Abilene Christian 
14. Southern Illinois
15. Jackson State
16. Tennessee Tech
17. North Dakota
18. Monmouth 
19. Northern Arizona
20. South Dakota
21. Sacramento State
22. Mercer
23. Austin Peay
24. New Hampshire
25. Youngstown State

2025 CAA Football Predicted Finish

(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)

1. Rhode Island (8 first-place votes)                163
2. Monmouth (4 first-place votes)                    142
3. Villanova (2 first-place votes)                       139
4. Stony Brook                                                  125
5. UNH                                                              119
6. Towson                                                          108
7. William & Mary                                              104
8. Elon                                                                  98
9. Maine                                                             71
10. Campbell                                                        53
11. Hampton                                                         50
12. UAlbany                                                          47
13. Bryant                                                             32
14. North Carolina A&T                                         23

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