I started out with the intent of researching how FCS teams performed in week 1 throughout the last several years, but unfortunately COVERS scoreboard only lists FCS spreads for the last two years. So I researched those seasons and expanded my project to include all week 1 lined games from 2009 on and all upsets from 2006 forward. The following are some of the results from my research;
FCS Upsets - Every year since 2006 at least one FCS team has pulled off a surprise win over an FBS opponent.
2012 - Youngstown State +18.5 beat Penn State 31-17, Tennessee-Martin +9.5 beat Memphis 20-17, and McNeese State +7 beat MTSU 27-21.
2011 - Sacremento State +27.5 beat Oregon State 29-28 and Richmond beat Duke 23-21.
2010 - Jacksonville State +28 beat Ole Miss 49-48 and North Dakota State +27.5 beat Kansas 6-3 (The Turner Gill era begins).
2009 (no spreads) - William & Mary beat Virginia 26-14, Richmond beat Duke 24-16, and Villanova beat Temple 27-24.
2008 - Cal Poly Tech beat San Diego State 29-27.
2007 - Appalachian State beat Michigan 34-32 and Nichols State beat Rice 16-14.
2006 - Montana State beat Colorado 19-10, Richmond beat Duke 13-0, and Portland State beat New Mexico 17-6.
* 12 of the 16 upsets listed above involved either in-state or border state matchups.
** 3 of the 16 upsets listed above involved Richmond beating Duke.
FBS Upsets - In each of the last 6 years there has been at least one double digit upset with the exception of '08 (+9).
2012 - Cal -12.5 lost to Nevada 31-24, Colorado -6 lost to Colorado St. 22-17, and Penn State -5.5 lost to Ohio 24-14.
2011 - Notre Dame -10.5 lost to South Florida 23-20, Idaho -6 lost to Bowling Green 32-15, Boston College -5 lost to Northwestern 24-17, and Indiana -4.5 lost to Ball State 27-20.
2010 - Alabama-Birmingham -13 lost to Florida Atlantic 32-31 and Tulsa -7 lost to East Carolina 51-49.
2009 - Oklahoma -23 lost to BYU 14-13 (Sam Bradford injury), Ball State -16 lost to North Texas 20-10, Colorado -12.5 lost to Colorado State 23-17, UTEP -12 lost to Buffalo 23-17, Illinois -7 lost to Missouri 37-9, and Troy -7 lost to Bowling Green 31-14.
2008 - Virginia Tech -9 loses to East Carolina 27-22.
2007 - Minnesota -14 lost to Bowling Green 32-31 and N.C.State lost to Central Florida 25-23.
*Bowling Green started each of the last 6 seasons out as an underdog in week 1 and went 6-0 ATS and 3-3 SU. They are currently favored against Tulsa in their season opener.
Next up - Point spreads, Totals, and Teasers.