FCS Football Talk
332 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 89 ratingsSam Herder shares his FCS analysis, predictions, thoughts, and ramblings on the FCS Football Talk podcast, presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. He also brings on offseason guests from all around the FCS for in-depth conversations.
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Episodes
How Does JMU’s Departure Impact The FCS?
October 27, 2021 18:56 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBSam highlights Weber State’s and UNI’s wins along with the play of SLU QB Cole Kelley. Plus, is Sac State in line for a playoff seed? In off-the-field news, how does JMU leaving for the FBS impact the FCS? Is it enough of a reason for other top teams to be worried and try to jump ship? Finally, what are some games to keep an eye on this weekend that will impact the playoff picture? The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https:/...
Who Is In Playoff Mode Already?
October 20, 2021 13:36 - 33 minutes - 26.6 MBSam highlights VMI's and Sac State's wins along with EWU's offense and NDSU's defense. He touches on the Montana schools after the Griz suffered their second loss while Montana State got its first ranked win to improve to 6-1 overall and 6-0 against the FCS. Plus, which teams that we expected to be postseason contenders are in playoff mode already? Lastly, what are some top games to keep an eye on this weekend? The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com...
Mapping Out The Path To A Seed For The Top 10 Teams
October 12, 2021 16:09 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBSam goes through the Top 10-ranked FCS teams and their path to get one of the eight playoff seeds. He dives into resumes, remaining games, how many ranked wins these teams could have, and where they could land in the playoff seeding. How high could a team be seeded if they win out? Or if a team drops a game, how far could they fall? The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for FCS betting odds.
UC Davis Enters High Seed Discussion + Montana-EWU, NDSU-UND Preview
September 28, 2021 14:33 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBSam highlights some teams with impressive wins this last weekend and shakes his head about a blowout loss. He ponders how high of a seed UC Davis can get. And he breaks down some big-time matchups, including Montana at EWU and NDSU at UND. The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for FCS odds.
Austin Peay To The ASUN + JMU-Weber Fallout + Who’s Ranked Too High?
September 23, 2021 19:58 - 45 minutes - 42 MBSam discusses Austin Peay heading to the ASUN Conference. He also talks about the fallout of James Madison winning decisively at Weber State, which ranked teams are too high and too low, and how big the Sam Houston-Central Arkansas result will be. The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for FCS odds.
Is Jacksonville State Back? + JMU Is Loaded + Packed Playoff Picture
September 14, 2021 16:12 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBSam Herder discusses Jacksonville State beating Florida State, how good James Madison is looking, Duquesne getting another FCS over FBS win, Missouri State's big win over Central Arkansas, and how Monmouth has looked in the first two weeks. He also talks about how wide-open the playoff picture looks this season. And lastly, what big games are coming up in Week 3? The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/...
Putting The Right Amount Of Stock Into FCS Over FBS Wins
September 08, 2021 18:52 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBSam Herder recaps Week 1 with three segments: 3 Game Balls and a Flag, The 5-Emojis Don’t Sleep Team of the Week, and the Montana Griz Who’s Back of the Week Award. He discusses how much we should react, overreact, or underreact to certain FCS over FBS wins. And Sam looks ahead to Week 2 games. The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for FCS odds.
Week 0 Thoughts + SDSU/NDSU/Montana/MSU New Starting QBs + Week 1 Storylines
August 31, 2021 14:32 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBSam Herder gives his brief thoughts on the Week 0 results. Then he breaks down the new starting quarterbacks for teams in the national title hunt -- SDSU, NDSU, Montana, and Montana State. Sam ends the podcast talking about how some Week 1 results could shift the conversation on social media. The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM. Visit https://herosports.com/ for FCS coverage and https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports for FCS odds.
Debut Episode + FCS Narratives From The Spring + Week 0 Games
August 22, 2021 16:37 - 34 minutes - 31.1 MBOn the debut episode of the FCS Football Talk podcast, Sam Herder discusses how fair it is for FCS narratives to shift or form based off of the weird spring season. He talks about the FCS playing two seasons in one calendar year, upcoming Week 0 games, and an exciting Week 1 slate. Sam rips the #FearTheFCS hashtag, the NCAA FCS Twitter account, and questions if Jacksonville State can make the playoffs. But he ends on a positive note and says why there won't be a lot of game cancellations this...
Ep. 55: How Wide Open Is The FCS This Spring?
March 04, 2021 22:03 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBB-Mac and Herd take a look at the national landscape of the FCS. Is the national title picture wide open after a crazy first few weeks? They also discuss potential QB concerns at JMU and NDSU, while being impressed with the QBs at Nicholls and Weber State. Lastly, Brian and Sam highlight the SoCon and how crazy the race for the auto-bid will be.
Ep. 54: The FCS Spring Season Is Underway
February 26, 2021 00:33 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBB-Mac and Herd finally get to discuss some football action. They look back at Week 2’s games and look ahead to this weekend. The two also discuss voting in a Top 25 this early, and some new roles within the company that’ll change how HERO Sports’ FCS coverage looks.
Ep 53: The ASUN Conference Forms + Senior Bowl + Jeff Choate + Recruiting
January 29, 2021 22:54 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss yet another new FCS conference -- the ASUN Conference. They also talk about the eight FCS players participating in the Senior Bowl this week, Jeff Choate leaving Montana State, CCSU opting out, and Brian’s upcoming recruiting rankings.
Ep. 52: WAC, ASUN Coming To The FCS
January 22, 2021 19:28 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss more recent opt-outs + the WAC and ASUN conferences forming in the FCS. Join the guys as they break down those moves and also what is ahead in the next couple of weeks in the world of the FCS.
Ep. 51: Indiana State opts out...big deal or no? Plus, mainstream coverage of spring FCS?
January 14, 2021 03:02 - 40 minutes - 37 MBB-Mac and Herd react to Indiana State opting out of the spring season and why it’s no reason to panic. Plus, will we see major TV networks air FCS games this spring, and will major media outlets cover the subdivision?
Ep. 50: Future of HERO Sports’ FCS Coverage + Will The Spring Season Happen?
January 06, 2021 00:57 - 1 hour - 66 MBB-Mac and Herd are back on the podcast and discuss what’s all been going down over their long hiatus from recording. HERO Sports has new owners, so what does that mean for FCS coverage? Plus, a conversation on if the spring season will actually happen.
Ep. 49: FCS Football Is Back!
August 26, 2020 19:59 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss actual football games that will be played. Central Arkansas and Austin Peay square off this Saturday on ESPN. And they won’t be the only FCS teams playing this fall.
Ep. 48: FCS Fall Season Update
July 30, 2020 01:59 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBSam goes solo for this episode and discusses the latest news and updates regarding the upcoming FCS season. What have we learned in the last week? When will a decision be made? What’s the best option for playing games this academic year?
Ep. 47: State of the FCS Entering the Fall
July 21, 2020 23:57 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss their thoughts on the 2020 FCS season. Is there a chance we see games this fall? Or are we likely heading to a spring season for every team? Where is this all heading?
Ep. 46: Patriot League Preview
July 05, 2020 04:02 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBB-Mac and Herd continue their 2020 FCS preview series with the Patriot League. What’s the outlook on this conference, especially considering current events? What are we going to see this fall? And who could be the top contender? We discuss it all ...
Ep. 45: Big South Conference Preview
July 01, 2020 04:35 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBB-Mac and Herd continue their 2020 preview series with the Big South. What’s the outlook on this conference as it continues to grow? And who are the top challengers in 2020?
FCS COACHES CORNER: Charleston Southern Coach Autry Denson
July 01, 2020 04:11 - 36 minutes - 10.5 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to catch up with Charleston Southern head coach and Notre Dame legend Autry Denson. We talked Denson's philosophy of guiding a program, spiritually ... his time at Notre Dame and all the people he met along the way ... and what does he like to cook on the grill when he gets a chance to chill out with his family? That and much more ...
Ep. 44: Ohio Valley Conference Preview
June 26, 2020 04:39 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBB-Mac and Herd continue their 2020 preview series with the OVC. Just how competitive will this conference be? How many teams can the OVC send to the playoffs? All of that and more..
FCS COACHES CORNER: UT Martin Coach Jason Simpson
June 26, 2020 04:28 - 31 minutes - 8.65 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to UT Martin head football coach Jason Simpson, who has won more games than any other coach in Skyhawks school history. Simpson talks about expectations in a crazy OVC this year, what it's like to live in Martin, Tenn. and what he loves to do when he gets that very rare break. Oh, and is Colton Dowell a tight end or a wide receiver, or is it all just silly semantics? That and much more ...
Ep. 43: Big Sky Conference Preview
June 16, 2020 22:23 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBB-Mac and Herd continue their 2020 preview series with the Big Sky. How many teams in this conference are going to be in the national title picture? And who are some players to keep an eye on? All of that and more...
FCS COACHES CORNER: New Hampshire's Sean McDonnell
June 11, 2020 13:06 - 28 minutes - 8.15 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell. Coach Mac stepped back last fall to battle bladder cancer, but earlier this year announced he would be back as head coach of UNH. We talked about that, the success of the program, his days as a DB ... and what was it like to knock off Army on its own historical field at West Point? That and much more ...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Albany's Greg Gattuso
June 10, 2020 12:38 - 36 minutes - 10.3 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to Albany head football coach Greg Gattuso about building the Great Danes into a CAA threat, traveling to Montana in December for a playoff game, and what's it like to have a 6-foot-5 freshman quarterback who led the nation in TD passes? Plus, what was it like to play for a Penn State national championship team under Joe Paterno, and chase around players like Dan Marino, Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie? All that and more ...
Ep. 42: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Preview
June 09, 2020 22:26 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBB-Mac and Herd continue their 2020 preview series with the CAA. Who’s the favorite in the conference? And just how many legitimate threats are there in the standings? And is Brian chickening out (maybe)?
FCS COACHES CORNER: Elon Coach Tony Trisciani
June 08, 2020 10:57 - 31 minutes - 8.75 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to Elon head football coach Tony Trisciani, who took over for Curt Cignetti when he headed to James Madison. Trisciani has a solid program coming back for 2020 and talks about everything going on these days as a head coach, as well as having a great QB back in Davis Cheek ... and how challenging the CAA looks. All that and more ...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Southern Illinois Coach Nick Hill
June 06, 2020 04:40 - 37 minutes - 10.5 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill, a former Saluki star QB who knocked off Indiana in the Big Ten and also sat in the same QB room with Aaron Rodgers as an aspiring pro QB. We talk recruiting, MVFC and how SIU should have made the FCS Playoffs in 2019 and how hungry they are to do it now in 2020. That and more ...
FCS COACHES CORNER: Indiana State Head Coach Curt Mallory
June 05, 2020 06:36 - 26 minutes - 7.46 MBHERO Sports gets a chance to talk to Indiana State football coach Curt Mallory. Has he dunked on Larry Bird? He's humble enough to say "no". But has he met the Sycamores' Larry Legend? Of course. Coach Mallory has also led arguably the greatest "bounceback" in FCS history going 0-11 to 7 wins in one season ... and should have been (in HERO Sports' opinion) playoff bound in 2018 as a result. Good things are happening at ISU and we talk about it.
FCS COACHES CORNER: NDSU head coach Matt Entz
June 05, 2020 06:28 - 20 minutes - 6.08 MBIn our first 2020 FCS Coaches Corner podcast, we talk to the head coach of the national title winning NDSU Bison -- Matt Entz. We talk about the team, the insanely talent O-line ... and we also talk about what Coach Entz does at 4 a.m., thanks to a "leak"within the NDSU program. Seriously ... who DOES Entz bang his head to in the early morning to replace coffee? HERO Sports investigates ...
Ep. 41: Missouri Valley Football Conference Preview
June 03, 2020 12:18 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBB-Mac and Herd kick-start their 2020 preview series with the MVFC. They go in-depth about the conference, how strong it’s looking and what you need to know about each team.
Ep. 40: Discussing Our Preseason Top 25 Poll
May 27, 2020 15:55 - 1 hour - 74.2 MBB-Mac and Herd break down their preseason Top 25 rankings. How was the poll formed? What does the poll say about the 2020 season? Is the FCS top heavy once again? And who are some teams that could sneak up on the top programs? All of that and more …
Ep. 39: FCS In The NFL Draft Reaction. Is It A Trend? And The 2021 Trey Lance Hype Machine Has Begun
April 27, 2020 23:51 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBB-Mac and Herd react to the low number of FCS prospects taken in the NFL Draft. How much is the lack of Pro Days to blame? Or is this a trend? They also discuss the upcoming CFL Draft. Plus, the Trey Lance hype train for next year’s NFL Draft is already underway.
Ep. 38: Previewing The NFL Draft -- FCS Style
April 21, 2020 21:59 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBB-Mac and Herd preview the NFL Draft. They share anecdotes from their conversations with FCS pro prospects. And they break down how many FCS guys will be drafted, and how many will be selected on Day 1 or 2.
Ep. 37: B-Mac & Herd Take Fan Questions ... And How Does COVID-19 Affect The FCS?
April 06, 2020 23:12 - 1 hour - 64.9 MBB-Mac and Herd briefly talk about how COVID-19 has affected the FCS level. They then take questions from FCS fans. What do QB competitions look like across the country? Will NC A&T be a national title contender in 2021? And more importantly, which head coach would they choose to be quarantined with?
Ep. 36: The FCS Impresses At The Combine, Jabril Cox Transferring, Pro Days Are Here
March 04, 2020 22:39 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MBB-Mac and Herd react to NDSU linebacker Jabril Cox entering the transfer portal. They then dive into a tremendous showing from FCS prospects at the NFL Combine, discuss the importance of Pro Days and share some stories of past FCS players getting a shot in the NFL because of impressive Pro Days.
Ep. 35: Way-Too-Early FCS Title Contenders ... And Some Sleepers
February 19, 2020 22:19 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBB-Mac and Herd break down the super early look at the FCS Top 10 list that Herd has put together, and it looks like we may have some familiar faces. Plus, who are some potential sleeper teams? We break it all down.
Ep. 34: Recruiting Rankings, NC A&T To The Big South, NFL Combine Invites
February 11, 2020 22:09 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBB-Mac and Herd break down our FCS recruiting rankings, and who won the mythical national title? Do we use a Ouija Board to determine this (answer: no comment)? Plus, why are only 12 FCS products going to the NFL Combine? And what does North Carolina A&T's exit from the MEAC mean? We discuss it all ...
Ep. 33: B-Mac & Herd Talk FCS to NFL, Coaching Changes & Recruiting
January 28, 2020 22:50 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBB-Mac and Herd break down the college all-star games and how FCS products did (Answer: Well). Also, we jumped into some of the head-scratching coaching changes, but also the big names who have entered the FCS realm. Also, how the heck do we rank FCS recruiting? Do we use a Ouija Board? We discuss it all ...
Ep. 32: B-Mac & Herd's National Title Game Recap
January 15, 2020 21:04 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBB-Mac and Herd break down the national championship game after having a few days to digest all that happened in "Snowy" Frisco (at least it snowed for a little bit). Who dominated? Or did anyone dominate? What could have been done differently? What will happen in 2020? We discuss it all ...
Ep. 31: B-Mac & Herd's Fan Livecast Q-and-A ... 90+ Questions
January 09, 2020 13:36 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBB-Mac and Herd take questions via Facebook livecast for more than an hour, taking questions about the JMU-NDSU matchup, the coaching resumes, the dominant lines for both teams, and what color jello shot would we "shoot" if we were allowed to on Saturday morning ... plus, if we were a tree, what kind of tree would we be? All that and more ...
Ep. 30: B-Mac & Herd Preview The FCS Title Game - Tale Of The Tape Style
January 06, 2020 22:01 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBB-Mac and Herd take a step-by-step look at the FCS National Title game ... which continues to look more and more like a brutal battle waiting to happen. We did the "Tale of the Tape" style breakdown, are there trends (nope), what will turn this game one way or the other? Is there something to watch for? And what do other FCS coaches think (we asked them). That and more ...
Ep. 29: FCS Fans Steer The Podcast With National Title Questions
December 31, 2019 19:11 - 1 hour - 76.4 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss the much anticipated FCS National Title game, taking questions from diehard FCS fans all over the country. They talk about key matchups between NDSU and JMU and the importance of this game being on ABC along with providing a realistic outlook on NDSU ever going to the FBS. Plus ... they wrap with a question from a 9-year old ...
Ep. 28: The FCS Championship is Officially Dukes-Bison III (With Special Guest Chase Kiddy)
December 23, 2019 22:54 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBWe have ourselves a championship showdown! As Brian takes some well-earned family time for the Christmas Holiday, Sam is joined by HERO Sports Contributor Chase Kiddy for a recap of the semifinal round. Sam and Chase discuss what they observed in Fargo and Harrisonburg, respectively, before diving into some broader topics around FCS Football. Was the Big Sky actually overrated this season? Would an NDSU loss be good for FCS? All that, and more, on the latest episode of B-Mac and Herd's FCS Po...
Ep. 27: The FCS Semifinals Preview Podcast, All-American Talk, And More
December 18, 2019 02:31 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss the four quarterfinal-round FCS Playoff games, then preview the two semis coming up ... along with discussing how we do the FCS All American teams, which came out this week. We talked about all of that, along with our plans for Christmas and more ...
FCS CORNER: Weber State President Brad Mortensen
December 18, 2019 02:20 - 20 minutes - 6.07 MBUsually we interview FCS head coaches here, but we had the unique opportunity to talk to Weber State University President Brad Mortensen, and Brian McLaughlin had the chance to ask Dr. Mortensen about how the school's deepest playoff run in school history affecting campus, plus much more.
Ep. 26: The FCS Quarterfinals Preview Podcast
December 12, 2019 00:14 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss the four quarterfinal-round FCS Playoff games in depth, make their picks for the games, while also discussing the FCS' major awards and also ... coaching changes. We talked about all of that, along with giving our details about the FCS All-American teams.
Ep. 25: Whoa, How Many Seeds Went Down Again? Our Reaction To That And The Walter Payton Vote
December 09, 2019 22:30 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss how the FCS second round finished up. Who was left out in the Walter Payton Award preliminary vote (there were some stunners)? How's the Celebration Bowl looking, and who is leading the fan FCS Bracket Contest ... and which media members have done terribly (thumbs pointing backward)? Plus, what's on tap for this weekend? What's the big-picture quarterfinal-round outlook? That and much more...
Ep. 24: The FCS 2nd Round Game Preview Podcast
December 06, 2019 21:31 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBB-Mac and Herd discuss the eight second-round FCS Playoff games in depth, the SWAC Championship game -- and who will win this year's picks contest, and what might they win? We talked about all of that, along with giving our details about the FCS All-American teams.