FCS Football Is Back: Thursday Night Delivered Dominance, Drama and Chaos

College football officially returned Thursday night, and the opening slate wasted absolutely no time delivering chaos. While much of the attention this weekend will shift toward the biggest games in the FBS, the first night of action belonged to the smaller programs.

A ranked FCS team was knocked off, several programs made strong opening statements, and three Division II teams stunned FCS opponents. It only took one night for the 2026 season to remind everyone that preseason rankings and expectations mean very little once the football is kicked off.

Houston Christian Delivers the Night's Biggest FCS Upset

The headline of Thursday night belonged to Houston Christian. The Huskies walked into Hammond, Louisiana, and knocked off No. 19/20 Southeastern Louisiana 34-28, handing the Lions a stunning loss in their season opener.

Houston Christian built a 34-14 lead before Southeastern Louisiana mounted a late rally, but the Huskies had already done enough damage. HCU forced three turnovers and turned them into 17 points, a difference that proved critical in one of the biggest surprises of opening night.

For Southeastern Louisiana, it is an immediate setback after entering the season with national expectations. For Houston Christian, however, the victory marked just the program's second-ever win over a ranked opponent and immediately changed the conversation surrounding the Huskies.

Youngstown State and North Dakota Make Early Statements

If there was any question about how Youngstown State would look entering the 2026 season, the Penguins answered it quickly. After Mercyhurst opened the scoring with a field goal, Youngstown State took control and eventually pulled away for a dominant 43-10 victory. Quarterback Beau Brungard led the way, throwing for 232 yards and three touchdowns while adding 119 rushing yards and two more scores.

North Dakota was equally impressive—at least during the first half. The No. 10 Fighting Hawks exploded for 42 points before halftime and took a 42-0 lead into the locker room against LIU. Jerry Kaminski threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns as North Dakota put the game away in the opening 30 minutes.

LIU deserves credit for battling back and outscoring North Dakota 21-0 in the second half, but the Fighting Hawks had already made their statement. Youngstown State overwhelmed its opponent once it found its rhythm, while North Dakota showed just how dangerous its offense can be when everything is clicking.

Austin Peay Handles Business

No. 17 Austin Peay did not have the most dramatic victory of the night, but the Governors accomplished exactly what they needed to do in their opener, defeating Gardner-Webb 35-17.

After a competitive start, Austin Peay used a stretch of four unanswered touchdowns spanning the second and third quarters to create separation. Quarterback Chris Parson threw for 308 yards as the Governors eventually pulled away and took control of the game.

It may not have been the night's biggest headline, but good teams are supposed to handle business against opponents they are favored to beat. Austin Peay did exactly that and opened the season with a convincing victory.

Division II Crashes the FCS Football Party

The surprises were not limited to FCS teams facing one another. Three Division II programs walked into matchups against FCS opponents and came away with victories, adding another layer of chaos to an already unpredictable opening night.

Ohio Dominican delivered perhaps the wildest finish, stunning Morehead State 42-40 in triple overtime. The Panthers built a 34-12 lead before Morehead State erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime. Ohio Dominican continued to answer when the game was on the line and eventually survived to secure one of the night's most dramatic victories.

Concord traveled to Davidson and earned a 41-35 victory, marking the Mountain Lions' first-ever win over a Division I opponent. South Dakota Mines completed the trio with an equally historic 38-35 victory over Drake, its first-ever win over a Division I program. The Hardrockers built a 31-13 advantage before Drake scored 22 unanswered points to take a 35-31 lead. South Dakota Mines then responded with a 16-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 1:56 remaining.

The Chaos Started Immediately

Thursday night was a perfect reminder of why FCS football deserves more attention. We saw Houston Christian knock off a ranked opponent, Youngstown State and North Dakota make dominant statements, Austin Peay take care of business, and three Division II programs pull off major victories over FCS schools.

It is still only the beginning of the season, and one game will not define any of these programs. Southeastern Louisiana, Morehead State, Davidson and Drake all have plenty of time to recover. But opening night has already changed the conversation for Houston Christian, Ohio Dominican, Concord and South Dakota Mines.

The 2026 college football season is officially underway, and if Thursday night was any indication of what is coming, the FCS is not going to waste any time creating chaos. The favorites mostly handled their business—but not everybody. College football is back, and apparently, the chaos did not feel like waiting until September.