Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey grew up in Kentucky in the 1960s, a child during the civil rights movement who witnessed the efforts of those in power to disenfranchise people of color and slow their push for equality.So every two years, when election time arrives in the United States, Casey drives home to his players the importance of participating in the voting process.I tell my players `Get your absentee ballots and vote, Casey said. I remember my grandparents talking about when African-Americans couldnt vote. Or they tried to make it hard for them to vote.So that is a privilege a lot of people fought for, you went to jail for. Everyone should vote.Casey has been particularly insistent since he started coaching the NBAs only Canadian team. The Raptors employ a bunch of American players far removed from their local polling place, and Casey encourages them to think ahead so the grind of the NBA season doesnt cost them their say in the election.Thats your way of showing power as an individual, Casey said. We can protest, but the only way you fight stuff like that is through voting. Using your right to vote.Many athletes have to rely on absentee ballots, either because they reside permanently in a different state from their team or because they are on the road during Election Day.Several teams have taken steps to help. The NFLs Minnesota Vikings roll out a voter-education program every two years to ensure players, coaches and staff members understand voting practices in Minnesota.Its a right and everybody needs to exercise their rights, said Lester Bagley, Vikings executive vice president of legal affairs and stadium development. Make it as easy as possible, answer the questions, get them the resources, connect them. Its every two years and its a direct message to all staff, all players to participate and heres how to do it.The Vikings also joined with the Minnesota Secretary of States office in a public service announcement to encourage fans to vote Tuesday, a local campaign similar to the national two put out by the NBA Players Association featuring LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and other NBA stars.James has endorsed Hillary Clinton and appeared at a rally for her this week. But the PSA featuring James only encouraged people to exercise their right to vote and didnt advocate for a candidate.Thats the same approach the Vikings take. Executive Director of Player Development Les Pico began the voter education program when he arrived with the franchise in 2005. This year, the team emailed players three times to encourage them to register, placed forms in their lockers reminding them to get an absentee ballot and offered help in assisting them to register in their home states.Retired NBA star Baron Davis wrote a piece for The Players Tribune reminding athletes to vote. He said it can be easy for athletes to skip the practice, believing their votes will not influence the outcome of an election enough to take time away from their hectic schedules.At this time in our country, its easy to feel like things havent been working for us, Davis wrote. But the solution is not to just say, I wont do anything about it. The solution is to take what we know about improving -- whether it be in sports, or in your life -- and apply it to our problems. Chris McCullough Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. 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(STATS) -- FCS defenses believe its better to both take and receive, so were putting on our non-authentic jersey and going in at linebacker.OK, place-kicker.Here are some takeaways from an FCS September to remember:- Twelve teams remain unbeaten heading into this weekends action and all but No. 2 Sam Houston State have taken away more turnovers from their opponents than served up. Its a group led by No. 21 Albanys plus-13 turnover margin. These teams learned last year -- only one had a negative margin.- Nine of the 10 FCS teams to beat FBS programs are nationally ranked. The exception is Central Arkansas, which is 3-1.- The coaches and players on five-time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State simply believe they will win no matter the opponent or the situation. The top-ranked Bison are 3-0, winning twice in overtime and once on a game-ending field goal.- The team of the month has to be No. 4 Eastern Washington, which has beaten Washington State (on the road), Northern Iowa and Big Sky preseason favorite Northern Arizona (on the road) and only lost at North Dakota State in overtime. The Eagles have done it behind the nations leading passer, sophomore Gage Gubrud.- Conference opponents know FCS powers better than anyone else. Richmond, William & Mary, Montana and Illinois State were all in the Top 10 when they played their conference opener … and lost.- Teams that run the ball well are always big winners. Out of the top 27 teams in rushing offense, 23 have winning records (with nine unbeaten), two are .500 and only two are below .500.- Injuries play an unforgiving part of the game, as James Madison (Vad Lee) and Villanova (John Robertson) could attest last season. NDSU has lost middle linebacker Nick DeLuca, its leading tackler, for the remainder of the season. Other All-Americans to lose playing time to injuries include Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Jacksonville State wide receiver Josh Barge, William & Mary running back Kendell Anderson and Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus. Defending conference champs Charleston Southern (Big South) and Alcorn State (SWAC) have lost their signal-callers as well.- Speaking of Charleston Southern, no team has ridden a roller coaster quite like the Buccaneers. They had the early start in the FCS Kickoff (Aug, 27) and went to overtime at North Dakota State, have been through four quarterbacks, had their coach (Jamey Chadwell) suspended for an assistants recruiting violation on social media, had 32 players suspended one game each for violating an NCAA rule regarding financial aid (bringing national attention the week of the Florida State game) and re-entered the Top 10 after winning their Big South opener.---=FCS GAME OF THE WEEK=The Matchup: No. 2 Sam Houston State (3-0, 2-0 Southland) vs. Stephen F. Austin (3-1, 1-0)Kickoff: 4 p.m. at NRG Stadium in HoustonTelevision: ESPN3Series: Sam Houston State leads 53-35-2 (most recent meeting: 34-28 on Oct. 3, 2015)The Skinny: This is the 91st meeting of the Battle of the Piney Woods. SFA won the first time the game was played at NRG Stadium in 2000 and Sam Houston has captured the last five meetings.Stephen F. Austin has won recent games with QB Hunter Taylor coming off the bench in relief of Zach Conque, coach Clint Conques son. The Lumberjacks defense is stout against the run, surrendering just 91 yards per game. While the Lumberjacks have a strong pass rush, led by DE Kedrick Harrisons five sacks, Sam Houston has allowed only one sack. They have forced 10 turnovers for a plus-5 margin. Storm Ruiz has kicked seven field goals, which is tied for second-most in the FCS.Sam Houston leads the FCS in points per game (51.7) and yards per game (632.7). QB Jeremiah Briscoe has averaged 345 passing yards, but the Bearkats will run the ball as well with Remus Bulmer, Corey Avery and Javin Webb, who all have at least 200 yards. The Bearkats defense has never been confused as being North Dakota State-esque, but two-thirds of the points surrendered have come in the second half when games are out of reach. Ten of DE P.J. Halls 13 tackles have gone for loss.Prediction: Stephen F. Austin is improved from a year ago, but Sam Houston also is better, and the prohibitive Southland Conference favorite went to the FCS semifinals. Sam Houston, 38-27.---=STATS FCS TOP 25 SCHEDULE=All Times ETX-Predicted WinnerThursday, Sept. 29Hampton (1-2, 1-0 MEAC) at X-No. 22 North Carolina A&T (2-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. -- A&T has a 24-5 record at home in coach Rod Broadways six seasons.Friday, Sept. 30Georgetown (3-0) at X-No. 25 Harvard (2-0), 7 p.m. -- The Hoyas have a better record than the three-ttime defending Ivy League champ.dddddddddddd Say what?Saturday, Oct. 1X-No. 5 Chattanooga (4-0, 2-0 Southern) at East Tennessee State (2-1, 1-1), noon -- The Mocs defense is the best in the FCS at stopping third down conversions, which has led their opponents to 39 punts in four games. Last weekend, ETSUs offense didnt even reach Woffords side of the field.Delaware (2-1, 0-0 CAA) at X-No. 7 James Madison (3-1, 1-0), 1:30 p.m. -- Hard to believe Delaware, land of the NFL quarterbacks, is last in the FCS in passing for the second consecutive season. The Blue Hens run the football well, but JMU is even better with the No. 1 tandem in the FCS, Khalid Abdullah and Cardon Johnson.No. 16 Cal Poly (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) at X-North Dakota (2-2, 1-0), 2 p.m. -- This is UNDs 100th game at the Alerus Center, where the Fighting Hawks have a 77-22 record. While UNDs run defense poses a big challenge to Cal Polys triple option, its the visiting Mustangs who are No. 1 in the Big Sky in rushing defense.No. 18 Illinois State (2-2, 0-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 1 North Dakota State (3-0, 0-0), 2 p.m. -- The Bison, who last faced Illinois State in the 2014 FCS championship game (a 29-27 win), have won their last 22 games when coming off a bye week dating to a home loss to UC Davis in 2005.Missouri State (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 24 Indiana State (3-1, 1-0), 3 p.m. -- Illinois State was surrendering 223.3 yards per game entering last weeks Missouri Valley opener at Indiana State and the Sycamores doubled it with 445 offensive yards.X-No. 17 Villanova (3-1, 1-0 CAA) at Elon (2-2, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. -- With his fast start as a senior, Novas 6-foot-7, 290-pound defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon is improving his NFL Draft stock by the game.No. 19 William & Mary (2-2, 0-1 CAA) at X-New Hampshire (2-2, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. -- So UNH has lost 11 of its last 13 games against William & Mary, but selected the Tribe as its Homecoming Day opponent? Wildcats coach Sean McDonnell must know something.Towson (1-2, 0-1 CAA) at X-No. 6 Richmond (3-1, 0-1), 3:30 p.m. -- Spiders quarterback Kyle Lauletta was second in the FCS in passing yards last season and hes second again this season. The Spiders have been consistent, combining for 30 points in their four first quarters on the season, while totaling 31 in the second, third and fourth.X-No. 9 The Citadel (3-0, 2-0 Southern) at Western Carolina (1-2, 0-1), 3:30 p.m. -- Bulldogs coach Brent Thompson is turning back to Dominique Allen as the starting quarterback. WCU running back Detrez Newsome has scored seven touchdowns in three games.South Dakota (1-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 20 Youngstown State (2-1, 0-0), 4 p.m. -- After allowing 20 rushing touchdowns a year ago, Youngstown State hasnt allowed any in its first three games.UC Davis (1-3, 0-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 4 Eastern Washington (3-1, 1-0), 4:05 p.m. -- Only in the Big Sky could the Eagles be averaging 43.3 points and 526.3 yards per game and not be leading the conference in either statistic.Southern Utah (2-1, 1-0 Big Sky) at X-No. 11 Montana (2-1, 0-1), 4:30 p.m. -- The defending Big Sky champion Thunderbirds just beat one of last years two second-place teams (Portland State). Will they pull the sweep in Missoula?Southern Illinois (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 12 Northern Iowa (1-2, 0-0), 5 p.m. -- UNI has had some of the worst special teams in the FCS. They surely were points of emphasis during the bye week.X-No. 10 Charleston Southern (2-2) at No. 14 Coastal Carolina (3-1), 6 p.m. -- Emotions remain high even though this is no longer a Big South matchup. Both teams have gone through too many injuries at quarterback.Nicholls (1-2, 1-0 Southland) at X-No. 23 McNeese State (2-2, 1-1), 7 p.m. -- The Cowboys will be wearing throw-back uniforms that reflect four different eras, but theyre keeping the blue and gold. Up until the 1970 season, they wore purple and gold.No. 8 Western Illinois (3-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 15 South Dakota State (1-2, 0-0), 7 p.m. -- Its a battle in the red zone: SDSU has converted all 13 trips into points -- tying for the FCS high with a perfect conversion rate -- while WIUs defense is the stingiest in the nation, surrendering points on only four of its opponents nine trips (44.4 percent).No. 13 Eastern Illinois (3-1, 1-0 OVC) at X-Southeast Missouri State (1-3, 1-0), 7 p.m. -- After his first game on the EIU defensive line last Saturday, South Carolina transfer David Johnson was named the Ohio Valley Conference defensive player of the week. 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