2018 FCS vs. FBS: MEAC

(STATS) – The 2017 season ended quite well for the MEAC with conference champ North Carolina A&T being the only unbeaten team in the FCS.

But a September to remember helped get the season started for the MEAC as A&T and Howard both knocked off FBS opponents to allow the conference to tie for the FCS high.

FCS programs earned nine overall wins last season, and as they seek to make their mark again in this year’s 111 matchups, here’s a look at the ones involving MEAC teams:

The Matchups (14) – Bethune-Cookman: Florida Atlantic (Sept. 15); Delaware State: Buffalo (Sept. 1) and Western Michigan (Sept. 15); Florida A&M: Troy (Sept. 8); Howard: Ohio (Sept. 1) and Kent State (Sept. 8); Morgan State: Akron (Sept. 8); Norfolk State: Liberty (Sept. 15); North Carolina A&T: East Carolina (Sept. 1); North Carolina Central: Duke (Sept. 22); Savannah State: UAB (Aug. 30) and Miami-Florida (Sept. 8); South Carolina State: Georgia Southern (Sept. 1) and UCF (Sept. 8).

Glamour Game – South Carolina State at UCF (Sept. 8). After opening the season at FBS member Georgia Southern, the Bulldogs take on a UCF team that was the only unbeaten (13-0) in the FBS and finished sixth in the final AP poll.

Upset Alert – Howard at Kent State (Sept. 8). Having posted the biggest point-spread upset (45 1/2 points) in history last year, the Bison won’t be daunted by a Kent State team that was 2-10 last season. They’ll need another big performance out of sophomore quarterback Caylin Newton.

Notable – All MEAC teams are playing FBS opponents. The 14 games tie the Big Sky and the SWAC for the most in the FCS. … There are five new coaches in the MEAC, but only Delaware State’s Rod Milstead is debuting against an FBS opponent (Buffalo). … Although North Carolina A&T has beaten an FBS team in each of the past two seasons, the Aggies’ trip to East Carolina is made harder because a week earlier they open against FCS power Jacksonville State. … North Carolina Central will head across Durham to face Duke for the fifth time in six seasons. Duke won the other four games by a combined 219-12. … Norfolk State is taking on a Liberty program that is in its first season of transitioning to the FBS level. Although NSU lost four of six meetings on the FCS level, the Spartans won 31-24 in their last trip to Liberty in 2012. … Bethune-Cookman is visiting Florida Atlantic for the second consecutive season, having lost 45-0 last year. … Morgan State has been outscored 127-6 in two prior losses to Akron. … Since 2012, Savannah State has lost to 12 FBS opponents by a combined 771-55. … Florida A&M trails 3-2 in its all-time series versus Troy, most recently losing 24-7 in the Trojans’ second season on the FBS level.