FCS Roundup: Week Three

The coaches' poll top five had a couple of close calls, but they all managed to come away unscathed in week three action.

• Furman kicker Jon Croft Hollingsworth buried a 55-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that pulled the Paladins ahead of FBS foe Central Florida, and that proved to be the game winner with a final score of 16-15. The Furman defense absolutely stymied the Knights' passing game, allowing just 98 yards and forcing three interceptions.
• #1 Coastal Carolina survived a scare from Western Illinois but pulled out a 34-27 victory. Chanticleers running back De'Angelo Henderson scored the go-ahead TD midway thru the fourth quarter, but the Leathernecks made Coastal head coach Joe Moglia sweat the whole way -- there were eight total lead changes in the game. Henderson had 165 yards on the ground and is now second in the FCS in rushing yards.
• #4 Villanova came from behind to beat Delaware 28-21 despite losing All-American quarterback John Robertson to injury in the fourth quarter. Backup QB Zack Bednarczyk threw a touchdown pass to tie the game with 6:18 left, then ran for a 21-yard touchdown with two minutes left to clinch the win. Robertson had an MRI on Monday and will be held out of Thursday's game against Penn.
• Eastern Illinois took #5 Illinois State to overtime, but fumbled away their first opportunity in the extra period. That allowed the Redbirds to play for a field goal, which they converted to win 34-31.
• #10 Liberty upset #15 Montana (previously ranked #14 and #7, respectively) by the final score of 31-21. Grizzlies QB Brady Gustafson left the game early with a leg injury and his replacement, Chad Chalich, went 14-28 for 228 yards and a touchdown. Montana is now 1-2 on the season after the huge opening-day win over North Dakota State.
• Harvard won its 15th game in a row, this time crushing Rhode Island 41-10. Crimson QB Scott Hosch threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. The Ivy League all played their first games of the season in week three. With such a late start, it seems like the coaches have almost forgotten about the Crimson. They were ranked #22 in the preseason, but are down in the "others receiving votes" category this week.