Close Calls And Closed Caskets: 5 Takeaways From FCS Week 9

Tarleton State football survives a Halloween scare, UAlbany stuns Campbell and South Dakota State beats its rival. Here are five takeaways from FCS Week 9.

Nov 1, 2026 by Ajay Shah

Close Calls And Closed Caskets: 5 Takeaways From FCS Week 9

Halloween weekend nearly claimed the nation's No. 1 team, buried Campbell's winning streak and gave South Dakota a familiar nightmare in Brookings.

Eastern Kentucky nearly pulled off the upset of the season, UAlbany played spoiler in the CAA, and several playoff contenders found themselves fighting to survive Saturday's horrors.

With November arriving and the FCS playoffs approaching, every close call and unexpected defeat carries greater consequences. Some teams escaped Halloween unscathed. Others might still be haunted by what happened.

Here are five takeaways from FCS football's Halloween weekend.

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1. No. 1 Tarleton State Survives A Halloween Scare

Eastern Kentucky entered Saturday 3-5, while undefeated Tarleton State had averaged nearly 42 points per game.

Somebody forgot to tell the Colonels they were supposed to be frightened.

EKU tied the game 14-14 at halftime and took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. The Colonels then went ahead 24-21 on Brady Hensley's 2-yard touchdown run with just 3:18 remaining.

But Tarleton quarterback Kaden Anderson had one last trick.

Anderson found B.J. Fleming for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:54 left, rescuing a 28-24 victory and keeping the Texans undefeated at 9-0.

Anderson finished with 351 passing yards and two touchdowns, though he also threw two interceptions.

Despite leading the FCS polls, Tarleton was ranked No. 2 behind Montana State in the NCAA selection committee's initial rankings. With Stephen F. Austin also sitting at 9-0, the battle for the top playoff seeds is heating up.

2. UAlbany Gives Campbell A Halloween Nightmare

Campbell entered Saturday riding a five-game winning streak. UAlbany ended it with a 45-35 victory.

The Great Danes returned a fumble 77 yards for a touchdown and added a 25-yard pick-six. Rahshan La Mons rushed for 119 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown.

Campbell rallied from a 38-21 deficit to make it 38-35, but UAlbany's defense delivered a late fourth-down stop.

Both teams are now 4-1 in CAA play, making this result particularly important for the conference championship and FCS playoff races.

3. South Dakota Can't Escape Its Brookings Curse

South Dakota hadn't won at South Dakota State since 2000. Saturday wasn't the night to break the curse.

The No. 5 Jackrabbits built a 28-0 lead before the Coyotes scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to make it 28-21.

Josiah Johnson's 43-yard run helped set up a late field goal, sealing SDSU's 31-21 victory.

Johnson finished with 126 rushing yards, while quarterback Chase Mason threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

South Dakota State improved to 7-2, strengthening its playoff positioning and keeping the Coyotes' road drought alive.

4. Monmouth Is The Last Unbeaten Team In The CAA

While Campbell stumbled, Monmouth kept rolling.

The Hawks defeated Bryant 34-21, improving to 6-0 in CAA play for the first time since joining the conference.

Elijah Jennings rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns, while Kenny Smith Jr. added 157 yards and two scores.

Monmouth now has a commanding position in the CAA race, with Campbell and UAlbany sitting at 4-1.

The Hawks' final conference stretch will determine whether that advantage becomes a championship.

5. Youngstown State Refuses To Be Zombified

North Dakota led Youngstown State 21-7 at halftime and 28-14 late in the third quarter.

Then the Penguins took over.

The Penguins quarterback Beau Brungard threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns while adding 64 rushing yards in a 31-28 comeback victory.

A successful fake punt kept Youngstown State's winning drive alive before Brungard found Lynn Wyche-El for a 20-yard touchdown on fourth-and-19.

Youngstown State improved to 7-2, and Brungard delivered another memorable performance in the Walter Payton Award race.

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