FCS Football Talk Podcast Tackles Big-Picture Questions For 2026 Season

The central question hanging over the 2026 FCS season is simple but loaded: is it Montana State versus the field, or does the field actually have a case? Senior FCS Analyst Sam Herder tackled that question head-on in a 50-minute, three-second episode of FCS Football Talk released March 9, bringing in Timothy Rosario, co-host of The Bluebloods on FCS Football Central, to stress-test the preseason landscape before a single snap of the new season is played.

The episode covers six distinct topics: the most surprising offseason headline, big-picture questions for 2026, the Montana State favorite-or-not debate, dark-horse contenders, Illinois State's ability to sustain momentum, and which programs could take a significant step forward through the transfer portal. That last thread is particularly relevant this offseason, when roster construction via transfers has reshuffled power at every level of college football, FCS included.

Rosario is not a casual observer. On The Bluebloods, the podcast he co-hosts alongside FCS Football Central Senior Editor Zach McKinnell, he has spent the offseason examining which programs face the most pressure entering 2026. North Dakota State's quick postseason exit last year generated heavy discussion on that show, as did Montana's obligation to meet championship expectations after years of building toward a title run. That background gives Rosario's perspective on the FCS landscape real weight: he is not speculating about pressure on programs, he has already done the analytical legwork.

Illinois State's inclusion as a specific discussion topic is notable. The Redbirds were a legitimate contender last season, generating enough momentum that their trajectory into 2026 is one of the genuine storylines of the offseason rather than an afterthought. Whether that momentum is sustainable, or whether the portal and coaching adjustments around the FCS reshuffle things, is exactly the kind of question a 50-minute offseason conversation is built to answer.

FCS Football Talk runs weekly throughout the year. During the season, McKinnell joins Herder as co-host; in the offseason, Herder brings in outside guests for these longer-form analytical episodes. Five days before the Rosario episode dropped, Herder released a 41-minute conversation with Craig Haley, the FCS Senior Editor for Stats Perform/The Analyst, covering topics including private equity in the playoffs, Penn hiring Rick Santos, Yale hiring Kevin Cahill, and future realignment. The back-to-back episodes represent a sustained effort to frame the 2026 season before the spring evaluation period fully takes hold.

The podcast is presented by HERO Sports and BetMGM and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and Spreaker.