Overmatched FCS Coaches are Candid about Sizable Disadvantages

There were 59 games in week one between FBS and FCS teams. They served as tune-ups for FBS programs and the SEC teed off against the inferior foes.

Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Missouri combined to outscore their FCS opponents 395-10. That does not include Alabama’s 63-0 win over Western Kentucky and Texas’ 52-0 victory over Colorado State.

Rusty Wright, the head coach of Chattanooga, was asked if Nico Iamaleava is the best quarterback he’ll face this fall after the first-year starter threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns in a 69-3 win. Wright gave a succinct response.

“Hell, I hope so.”

Mocs coach Rusty Wright on whether UTC will see any QB close to the Vols Nico Iamaleava the rest of the year? 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/hhupeMLiHe

— Rick Nyman (@RickNymanSport) September 3, 2024

This week Tennessee Tech is walking into a similar buzzsaw. The OVC program is led by first-year head coach Bobby Wilder. He previously coached at Old Dominion, so he’s well aware of the challenge that lies ahead.

“If I was being honest, I would tell you I’m not thrilled to be headed to Athens, Georgia, this weekend,” Wilder said on Tuesday. “So, I’ll be dishonest and say I’m very excited to be playing Georgia at Sanford Stadium in front of 93,000.”

It’s an impossible task to ask an FCS program to compete in the same sport as the Georgia Bulldogs, who have won 41 straight regular season games. And yet, Tennessee Tech is biting the bullet for the payday. You might be surprised to learn that Tennessee Tech is only earning $550,000 from the trip. It’s significantly less than the $1.9 million check WKU received from Alabama for losing by nine touchdowns.

Even though Tennessee Tech is making a modest half-million for playing Georgia, it will serve as one of the largest pieces of income for the FCS program’s athletic department. This is where you can see just how drastic the gap is between the two programs. Georgia’s NIL collective pays its players in the ballpark of $20 million a year, $3 million more than the entire Tennessee Tech athletic budget.

It doesn’t make practical sense for FCS to continue to play FBS programs in this new era of college football unless you follow the money. It may not create the most entertaining product for the SECN+ broadcast, but that is what’s paying the bills for all college athletic programs.

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