The passion of an FCS vs FBS college football game is unmatched. The highest level of collegiate talent in the FBS go head-to-head with a lower-level division, who look to prove themselves against the best and maybe, just maybe, even pull off an upset.
But, how often do these upsets really happen? And what's the most effective way to go about betting on them? Here, we'll break down important college football FCS vs FBS betting trends and which upcoming contests to make note of.
How Do FCS Teams Fare Against FBS Squads?
Betting Market | Result | Profit |
---|---|---|
Straight Up | 459-4 | -$862.02 |
Against the Spread | 334-380-15 | -$7715.97 |
Against the spread, wagering on FBS teams can be a toss up likely because the lines can be rather large. The FCS programs definitely storm into these matchups hungry and hoping to make a mark against Division 1 opponents. So, the scoreboard can be closer than you think sometimes. In terms of profit, riding with the FBS moneyline and predicting them to win straight up is the most relilable, smartest play.
In 2022, only eight FCS groups defeated FBS groups. The final scores were:
FCS Team | FBS Team | Final Score |
---|---|---|
William & Mary | Charlotte | 41-24 |
Delaware | Navy | 14-7 |
Weber State | Utah State | 35-7 |
Eastern Kentucky | Bowling Green | 59-57 (OT) |
Holy Cross | Buffalo | 37-31 |
UIW | Nevada | 55-41 |
Southern Illinois | Northwestern | 31-24 |
Sacramento State | Colorado State | 41-10 |
Notable FCS vs FBS Games This College Football Season:
Date | FBS Team | FCS Team |
---|---|---|
Aug. 31st | Georgia State | Rhode Island |
Sept. 2nd | UTEP | UIW |
Sept. 9th | Nevada | Idaho |
Sept. 9th | Central Michigan | New Hampshire |
Sept. 9th | Northern Illinois | Southern Illinois |
Nov. 11th | Army | Holy Cross |
Best Matchup: Week 11 (Holy Cross vs Army)
Jumping ahead to Week 11, the Holy Cross Crusaders are scheduled to visit the Army Black Knights.
Though game lines haven't been released, The Crusaders will enter this battle with a promising recent track record. The last two seasons, Holy Cross has upset FBS teams in back-to-back years. In 2022 they took down the Buffalo Bulls 37-31. More impressively, the Crusaders stunned the UConn Huskies in 2021 with a ten-point 38-28 victory.
How To Bet FCS vs FBS Games
If you want to treat all FCS vs FBS games the same, our historical data shows that the best strategy for betting on these college football games is to hammer the favored FBS teams straight up. That trend has been pretty profitable for the last few years.
However, it’s also important to treat these games differently. Is Alabama at -10000 against a random FCS school worth the bet, even if they’re guaranteed to win? Probably not.
Where To Bet on FCS vs FBS
Almost all college football sportsbooks will offer game lines on these FBS vs FCS games throughout the season. You can also find updated Heisman Trophy odds and national championship odds at most of these books.