The FCS playoffs begin Saturday and already the event is a success. As of this writing, all eight games are still on, an accomplishment in and of itself.
This will be the most wide-open FCS playoff in years. North Dakota State, winner of eight of the last nine national titles, enters the field outside the top three seeds for the first time since 2010. The last time the Bison arrived outside the top two was 2015, and in two of the past three years NDSU and James Madison occupied the top two seeds.
Neither are there this year, as South Dakota State and Sam Houston are favored to reach the title game, at least according to the FCS selection committee.
North Dakota State playoff history, 2011-20
While the field may be wide open, the opening round may not be. In fact, Vegas set of the eight opening-round games with double-digit margins, with three of them over 20 points.
Here's a quick look at all eight games (knock on wood) set for this Saturday.
Holy Cross (+24) at (1) South Dakota State -- 3 p.m. ET, ESPN3
After two straight off weeks, Holy Cross went to Bucknell and kicked the Bison around their own field, winning 33-10. They did so by owning the ground, getting off 47 attempts while limiting Bucknell to 22 yards. The Crusaders will need a similar effort and then some against FCS's No. 6-ranked rushing offense. The top-seeded Jackrabbits didn't make a habit of running away and hiding, topping 27 points just twice in six games.
The pick: South Dakota State straight up, Holy Cross against the spread
Southern Illinois (+4.5) at Weber State -- 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Weber State entered Sunday thinking they'd get a top-4 seed, and instead the committee rewarded them with a No. 8 seed and a quarterfinal trip to South Dakota State. The Wildcats went 5-0 on the year, winning their last four games by five, five, three and five points, so it's no wonder the line fell where it did. Southern Illinois brings three losses with them to Utah, but all three came to playoff participants (SDSU, North Dakota, Missouri State) and they blew out NDSU back in February. Most impressively, after two straight off weeks SIU hosted Southeastern Louisiana in what was effectively a play-in game last week and won, 52-45.
Strength-on-strength here will be SIU QB Stone Labowitz (20-of-24 for 328 yards with two touchdowns last week vs. SELA) against Weber State's fifth-ranked pass defense.
The pick: Southern Illinois straight up
Sacred Heart (+20.5) at Delaware -- 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
A win here would be the biggest in Sacred Heart history; the Pioneers have reached the playoffs twice before, losing to Fordham both times. Delaware went to Villanova for the CAA North championship game and beat then-No. 10 Villanova, 27-20. It's the only time this season the Blue Hens have been held under 31 points and played a game within 14.
The pick: Delaware by 21 or more
Davidson (+21) at (4) Jacksonville State -- 2 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The longest season in modern college football history has a chance to reach its eighth month with a win. The 9-2 Gamecocks have lost just once to FCS competition this season and six spring wins have come by 14 or more. Davidson won its way in by slaying PFL giant San Diego on its home turf back on April 3, but the Wildcats haven't won a game since then, losing to Presbyterian and getting canceled by Stetson.
This game boils down to whether Davidson can get its spread option running game cooking (the Wildcats lead FCS in rushing at over 290 yards per game) well enough to get the play-action pass open. If that happens, Davidson hangs around. If not, Jacksonville State rolls.
The pick: Jacksonville State wins, Davidson covers
VMI (+14) at (3) James Madison -- 2 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The best VMI season in recent memory now meets the best team the Keydets have ever faced, at least at the FCS level.
VMI is the rare service academy that does not run the triple. In fact, the Keydets gain nearly 75 percent of their yards through the air. It doesn't really matter, though, JMU is third in FCS in rushing and pass efficiency defense.
The pick: James Madison covers
Missouri State (+7) at North Dakota -- 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3
A scheduled April 3 conference game was postponed three weeks and turned into a playoff game. The Bears and Hawks share four common opponents, and all four results favor the Fighting Hawks.
But UND, arguably FCS's top team through mid-March, hasn't played since March 20 and hasn't won a game since March 13. Missouri State technically carries four losses with them, but three happened back in the fall. I'm thinking Bobby Petrino springs an upset.
The pick: Missouri State for the win
Eastern Washington (+8) at North Dakota State -- 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The most intriguing game of the weekend, though not the closest spread. North Dakota State, riding a 12-game playoff winning streak and who has never lost a first-round playoff game as an FCS member, hasn't found a reliable quarterback yet this season. In their two losses, Bison quarterbacks went 22-of-41 for 308 yards, a paltry 7.5 yards per attempt. NDSU also needed 37 rushes to squeeze out 97 ground yards in last week's loss to South Dakota State.
Meanwhile, Eastern Washington brings an offense that throws for 388 yards per game, averages 562 yards per outing and has averaged 45 points over the course of their 5-game winning streak. The Eags go to the Fargodome and run the Bison off their own field.
The pick: Eastern Washington for the win
Monmouth (+10) at (2) Sam Houston -- noon ET, ESPN3
Simply put, KC Keeler's team pounded their way through the Southland Conference, at one point winning consecutive games by a combined 133-24. Monmouth was dominant in their own right in sweeping through the Big South, averaging 42 points a game with FCS's third most efficient passing offense. The Hawks also lead FCS in turnover margin, winning that battle by 2.3 takeaways per game.
But I don't see Monmouth tripping from New Jersey to East Texas and staying within 10 pints of the Bearkats.
The pick: Sam Houston covers
Check back Saturday night, when either all these picks hit and I leave this article pinned through the rest of the year, or when they don't and this piece is deleted from the Internet for good.