FCS narrowing the gap

After No. 20 Michigan narrowly escaped FCS Massachusetts last Saturday, it became just another piece of evidence that the once-cupcake Division I-AA has significantly narrowed the gap to its Football Bowl Division "superiors".

Just a few years ago, Appalachian State shocked the country when it beat Michigan in The Big House.

The USA Today headline read: "Unfathomable becomes a reality for Appalachian State". Today, it might read, "Just another FCS win over FBS".

This year, Gardner-Webb beat Akron, Liberty beat Ball State and South Dakota beat Minnesota. Villanova nearly joined that list but fell just short of an upset to Temple. But all of the FCS wins aren't coming from beating up on lowly I-AA teams.

North Dakota State beat Kansas 6-3 in Jayhawks coach Turner Gill's first game in Lawrence, Kansas. Jacksonville State topped Ole Miss in double overtime in a 49-48 shootout.

But the most impressive win of all was James Madison over No. 13 Virginia Tech, 21-16.

FCS teams are at a clear disadvantage, but don't seem to be complaining. Despite a limit of 63 scholarships (versus FBS' 85), it hasn't slowed down the mid-majors.

It forces teams to play with less depth. And, the longer the game goes on, the less likely it is to pull off an upset. Additionally, home-and-homes are nearly unheard of: FCS teams almost exclusively have to play on the road, making their wins even more impressive.

Football mid-majors are hoping to go the way of the basketball mid-majors: teams that are not to be taken lightly, not to be considered cupcakes and not to be overlooked.