Split Zone Duo
Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast
The 2024 FCS preview and UPSET DRAFT
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The 2024 FCS preview and UPSET DRAFT

Our preview of the FCS season, plus our game to celebrate it.
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Mark Gronowski and South Dakota State aim for a title three-peat, but do you dare pick the Jacks in the FCS Upset Draft against Oklahoma State? © Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Listen to our 2024 FCS preview, and play in our FCS Upset Draft here.

Craig Haley is the FCS senior editor for Stats Perform. He’s one of the longest tenured and most respected reporters covering FCS football, and he joins Alex to provide an overview of the 2024 season. Who’s a serious national title contender? Where are big steps back expected? Is this the year another FCS QB from the Dakotas makes a huge national name for himself? And which FCS teams have the best chance to pull off major upsets in FBS stadiums?

Compete in our 2024 FCS Upset Draft

It’s a Split Zone Duo pastime, and it’s easy to join. Just fill out the form and use the same email address you use with your Split Zone Duo subscription so that you’ll be eligible to be crowned champion if you get your picks right. Not signed up for SZD? You can join us right here, including starting out free.

The 2024 FCS Upset Draft

Here are the rules:

  • A nonpartisan committee made of up one member (me, Alex Kirshner) puts every FCS-versus-FBS game of the season into a spreadsheet.

  • Each game gets a point value of 3, 5, 10, or 100, with higher point values awarded to games where an FCS team is a bigger underdog.

  • You must pick exactly three games. The form will let you enter more, but only entries with exactly three picks will count.

  • You can pick non-upset "upsets" in which great FCS teams beat bad FBS teams, but you'll likely only get three points if it pans out.

  • Or you can take some bigger swings for 10- and 100-point values and go for the fences. Getting a 10-pointer right has long been an ingredient for victory. (Celebrity picker Jason Kirk has already entered his picks, and sources say he has picked exclusively 100-point games. I think he’s wild, but it’s his call.)

  • At the end of the season, the top three points-scorers1 will be celebrated on an episode of SZD. Most of all, you’re fighting for eternal glory here. But we’ll also have some special SZD gifts (to be announced!) from our team.

  • Picks must be entered before 12 p.m. ET this Saturday, August 24.

Here's a catalog of previous FCS-on-FBS wins, in case it gives you any inspiration. This year, as usual, features well north of 100 games to choose from.

We'll track the results throughout the season, though you might want to write down your own answers for memory. Happy picking!

More SZD preseason previews

Do you like these shows? Do you want more of these shows, via frequent bonus episodes, Q&A opportunities, and more? Do you want to help us make SZD? The best way to do it is to become a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. Thanks so much to those who have, and see you out there this season.

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In the event of a tie at the top, we'll ask people to predict the final score of the FCS Championship to break that and settle SZD FCS Supremacy.

Discussion about this podcast

Split Zone Duo
Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast
An independent college football podcast that eats the whole hog. Plus a newsletter. All with Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, and Alex Kirshner.