FCS Playoff Odds 2022: Predictions and Parlays for the Quarter-Final Matchups

After weeks with a full slate of college football games to bet on, Week 15 of the FBS season can be frustrating for bettors with only one game scheduled.

If you’re seeking more action than simply taking the Under in the Army-Navy game, look no further than the quarter-finals of the FCS playoffs.

Bettors will have four competitive games (three on Friday and a fourth on Saturday) to choose from this weekend, featuring the best teams in the FCS division.

North Dakota State (10-2) vs. Samford (11-1)

The Bisons are the “been there, done that” team of the FCS playoffs. This weekend marks ND State’s 13th consecutive trip to the FCS quarter-finals. As for the Bulldogs, it is Samford’s second trip to the quarter-finals in program history.

NDSU may not have looked like their usual dominant selves during the regular season. But it was business as usual in the second round as they ran for 453 yards and six touchdowns against a solid Montana team. Against Samford’s 82nd-ranked run defense, there is no reason to think they can’t do the same.

The only hope the Bulldogs have is for their No. 6 ranked passing attack to get on track early and often. However, that will not be easy to do against ND State’s secondary and with quarterback Michael Hiers possibly sidelined with an injury.

Also Read: FCS Championship Odds | College Football Playoff Odds | Heisman Trophy Odds

Incarnate Word (11-1) vs. Sacramento State (12-0)

The Hornets are one of two teams remaining in the FCS playoffs that had an undefeated regular season (the other being Holy Cross). But if there is any team that can hand them their first loss of the season, it’s a balanced Incarnate Word side led by quarterback Lindsey Scott, Jr.

The run game has led the way for Sacramento State all season, but the Hornets struggled to get their rushing attack on track last week against Richmond. They’ll need to get it going early and often against Incarnate Word to keep Scott off the field. The Cardinals do not have a great run defense, but it may be good enough to slow the Hornets down.

If the Incarnate Word defense can get the Sac State offense off the field and give Scott time to get the offense rolling, Incarnate Word could pull off the upset of the weekend.

South Dakota State (11-1) vs. Holy Cross (12-0)

Always the bridesmaid, but never the bride has been the unfortunate norm for the Jackrabbits over the years. They are one of the best teams in the FCS division year after year, but they have yet to win a national championship. If there is anyone in the field (other than ND State) that can keep them from winning this year, it’s Holy Cross.

The stars have all been in alignment this season for South Dakota State. While they don’t have a top-10 offense, it’s been good enough to win games for the Jackrabbits since their defense is one of the best in the country. That was evident last weekend in a 42-6 romp over Delaware. The Crusaders will probably put up a much better fight than the Blue Hens did.

Holy Cross has a solid defense that could give the SD State offense some trouble. But to beat the No. 1 team in the country, the Crusaders will need to get their No. 6 rushing attack on track against the best run defense in the FCS.

William & Mary (11-1) vs. Montana State (11-1)

Montana State would love to follow up last year’s national championship runner-up finish with a return trip to the title game. But it will not be easy to get by a William & Mary team that generated over 600 yards of offense and scored 54 points last week (against Gardner-Webb).

Both teams are among the best in the FCS division at running the ball, and neither is terrible at slowing down their opponent’s rushing attack. The team that wins the game could be the one that gets the most out of their passing game. After seeing William & Mary throw for 302 yards and four touchdowns last weekend, the Tribe may have the edge in this game.

Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott is a decent passer, but he may have trouble getting the passing game going against a good (but not great) Tribe pass defense.

Betting Analysis

South Dakota State and North Dakota State will win their respective games. Both teams are playing at a high level, and there is no reason to think their opponents can stop them. But will they cover the spread? It’s hard to say yes or no with confidence. However, it is easy to confidently say that many points will get scored in both games.

The winners will do the bulk of the work, with the losers doing enough for the final score to go over the total.

As for Sacramento State and Incarnate Word, Sac State would be the way to go if this were the regular season. The Hornets were the dominant team then. Incarnate Word was solid as well, but their defense would not have been able to handle Sac State.

However, heading into the quarterfinals round, Sac State is coming off a game where the offense struggled. The defense has always been good enough in a complimentary role to the offense; it will not be able to handle Lindsey Scott, Jr. and the Cardinals offense.

Incarnate Word’s defense will not stop the Sac State offense, either. But they’ll slow it down enough to get the one or two stops needed to win the game.

For the William & Mary-Montana State game, go with the total and bet the Over, 65.5 points (-112). The Bobcats are a solid team, and they should win by more than a touchdown. But the Tribe is no joke and will put up an incredible fight. It is hard to say with great confidence that one team will win outright or cover the spread.

However, both teams have high-powered offenses, and there should be a lot of points scored in this game. Take the Over.

FCS Quarter-Final Parlays: 3 to Pick From

Parlay No. 1

• Samford-North Dakota State, Over 61.5 (-110)
• Holy Cross-South Dakota State, Over 54.5 (-110)
• William & Mary-Montana State, Over 65.5 (-112)
• Incarnate Word, +220
• Parlay Odds: +2107 (via FanDuel)

A $100 bet will result in a $2,207 payday, your stake plus $2,107 in winnings.

Larger paydays are great, but if you’d like to reduce your risk, consider going with a pair of two-leg parlays instead:

Parlay No. 2

• Samford-North Dakota State, Over 61.5 (-110)
• Holy Cross-South Dakota State, Over 54.5 (-110)
• Parlay Odds: +264

A $50 wager would result in a $182 payday, your stake, and $132 in winnings.

Parlay No. 3

• William & Mary-Montana State, Over 65.5 (-112)
• Incarnate Word, +220
• Parlay Odds: +505

A $50 wager would result in a $302.50 payday, your stake plus $252.50 in winnings.

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