Fact is, life at the Football Championship Subdivision level does not much lend itself to perfect starts or perfect seasons.
How so?
Well, so many FCS teams have to play the so-called “money games” – contests against Football Bowls Subdivision teams willing to write massive checks – to fund so many non-revenue sports within each school’s ecosystem.
Which teams, then, are left unbeaten in the FCS realm?
Only two of them: reigning FCS powerhouse (some might say terror) South Dakota State, and Ivy League stalwart Harvard.
The SDSU Jackrabbits are 5-0, and already they’ve toppled perennial power Montana State in the annual Beef Bowl.
Additionally, this isn’t a season where the Jackrabbits play an FBS team – though, let’s not forget they waxed Colorado State in one such recent event.
Their toughest remaining games most likely are at South Dakota and home against erstwhile FCS power North Dakota State in the coming weeks. They also have contests against Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State and Missouri State.
The Harvard Crimson, who with their Ivy League residence do not participate in the FCS Playoffs, are 4-0 and already own an 2-0 mark in conference play.
Who, then, might stand in the way of Harvard and a perfect season?
Well, the Princeton Tigers across the past six seasons are arguably the class of the Ivy League, and Harvard visits the Tigers in 10 days. Additionally, Princeton is coming off an 37-10 win against Harvard a year ago.
Yale remains a perpetual rival and thorn in the side of the Harvard Crimson; the Bulldogs eked out an 19-14 win a year ago.
On the other end of the spectrum, for various reasons and myriad challenges, 10 FCS teams remain winless.
Let's all hope these teams can find some wins in the remaining weeks of the season: Northern Colorado, Stony Brook, Indiana State, Western Illinois, The Citadel, Wofford, Northwestern State, McNeese, Southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi Valley State.