One player to watch from every first-round FCS football playoff team

The bracket is in, and now the FCS playoffs kick off with first-round action this Saturday, November 29. While you recover from Thanksgiving feasts and Black Friday hauls, make sure you keep an eye out for these players on FCS teams during the first-round slate.

No. 9 Rhode Island — RB Antwain Littleton Jr.

Antwain Littleton Jr. has drawn national headlines since his days at St. John’s in Washington D.C., back in high school. The running back is in his first year at Rhode Island after stops at Maryland and Temple. Littleton has slimmed up since his days as a 260-pound running back, and it’s shown in his game this year.

Littleton is now 225 pounds and has added a mix of speed to brute force as he ran for over 1000 yards and double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career. He could be in for a big day against a Central Connecticut State team that allows over 150 rushing yards per game.

Central Connecticut State — SS Christopher Jean

CCSU strong safety Christopher Jean finds his way to the football more often than not. Jean led the NEC with 12 pass breakups while adding in four interceptions. He also had 67 tackles this season — 50 solo. The Blue Devils will need a big day from Jean in order to pull off the upset in the first round.

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No. 10 Abilene Christian — QB Stone Earle

Stone Earle is a dynamic quarterback with 19 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns this season. However, he has a bit of a gunslinger element to his game that has gotten Abilene Christian in trouble at times. Earle threw two interceptions in a loss to UIW and three interceptions in a loss to Southern Utah. Earle will have to protect the ball to lead ACU to back-to-back years with playoff wins. 

Lamar — QB Aiden McCown

Aiden McCown opened the year as the backup quarterback to Robert Coleman, but took over as the starter during a 5-0 stretch from September to October. While McCown didn’t see significant playing time again until Lamar trailed against Stephen F. Austin, he still got the start in a season-ending loss to McNeese.

If McCown gets the start in the playoffs, will he be the quarterback from the early-season win streak or the quarterback who lost to a team with a losing record?

🔮: 2025 FCS playoff bracket predictions, game-by-game

No. 11 South Dakota — RB L.J. Phillips Jr.

L.J. Phillips’s second game as a starter this season was against Drake. He ran for 143 yards and four touchdowns on just 19 carries. The likely All-American running back could be in for another big day in this rematch.

Drake — LB Sean Allison

Sean Allison led the PFL with 119 tackles during the regular season, adding eight tackles for loss, two interceptions and two sacks. Allison will lead the nation’s fifth-best scoring defense into Vermillion with a shot at redemption from a 42-21 loss in September. 

BRACKET: See the official 2025 FCS playoff bracket

No. 12 Villanova — RB Ja’briel Mace

While running back David Avit was a Jerry Rice Award finalist as a freshman last year, he was held without a touchdown during Villanova’s playoff run. He’s since missed the last two games after suffering a bone bruise to his leg. Running back Isaiah Ragland got hurt in that same game against Towson.

That left Ja’briel Mace as the lead back, and he ran for 291 yards and four touchdowns. Two weeks later, in the season finale, Mace ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns. If Mace can do what Avit couldn’t last year and find the endzone this year in the postseason, Villanova could make a deep run.

Harvard — QB Jaden Craig

Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig is one of the best in his position in the FCS and a top NFL draft prospect this year. He enters the playoffs with back-to-back games of three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown, and was recently named Harvard’s MVP of the season. The MVP will need to play like one to land a road playoff win.

SELECTION SHOW: Rewatch the 2025 FCS Selection Show

No. 13 Tennessee Tech — LB Theron Gaines

Tennessee Tech’s defense has been impressive at every position. Theron Gaines leads the team with 86 tackles and has had double-digit tackles in two of his last three games. Gaines also has 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season. He’ll need to step up to avoid a first-round upset against a talented North Dakota squad.

North Dakota — OT Seth Anderson

While North Dakota has a talented quarterback in Jerry Kaminski, I’m more interested in seeing how one of the best offensive tackles in the FCS, Seth Anderson, performs against a talented Tennessee Tech front. Tennessee Tech leads the nation with 45 sacks, so Anderson won’t have an easy task. However, if he can hold his own one-on-one, that could benefit the UND offense in other areas.

AQ: Every automatic qualifying bid for the 2024 FCS playoffs

No. 14 South Dakota State — LB Joe Ollman

South Dakota State has a talented linebacker group. The Mike backer of the group is Joe Ollman, and he’ll be tasked with making sure the Jackrabbit defense does its part while the offense deals with challenges at quarterback. Ollman has stuffed the statsheet this season with 78 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception.

New Hampshire — QB Matt Vezza

Matt Vezza is one to watch when New Hampshire visits South Dakota State. He finished second in the CAA in passing yards while adding in eight touchdowns on the ground. Vezza has only thrown one interception in his last six games. If he can avoid giving South Dakota State extra possessions in the first round, New Hampshire could give the Jackrabbits an early exit.

HISTORY: Schools with the most FCS titles | 9 winningest FCS programs all time | Championship history

No. 15 Youngstown State — QB Beau Brungard

Beau Brungard is 10th in the FCS in passing yards, second in rushing touchdowns and fifth in rushing yards. He leads the nation with 290 points, responsible for. Brungard can do it all. Brungard will be a must-watch TV when he makes his playoff starting debut.

Yale — RB Josh Pitsenberger

Yale wouldn’t be in the playoffs without Josh Pitsenberger’s performance against Harvard. The running back ran the ball 38 times for 143 yards and three scores. More importantly, Pitsenberger’s rushing ability helped Yale land a seven-minute advantage in time of possession after grabbing an early lead. The Bulldogs will need another great showing from Pitsenberger in their first-ever playoff appearance.

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No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana — DL Kaleb Proctor

There might not be a better interior defensive lineman in all of the FCS than Southeastern Louisiana’s Kaleb Proctor. Proctor led the Southland with eight sacks while adding 12 tackles for loss this season. He’s capable of taking over a game up front, and if he does so in the playoffs, the Lions could be headed to the second round.

Illinois State — LB Tye Niekamp

Tye Niekamp finished the year with 126 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, manning the middle of the Illinois State defense. He’ll be pivotal in Illinois State's rebounding from a season-ending loss in a playoff matchup against Southeastern Louisiana, which led the Southland in yards per carry and rushing touchdowns.