After a thrilling 2023 season, FCS football will crown a champion when South Dakota State and Montana battle on Sunday afternoon. As the Jackrabbits and Grizzlies near the pinnacle of the sport, let's take a look back at their journeys.
South Dakota State
Regular season
South Dakota State finished the regular season 11-0 on a 21-game regular-season win streak and a 28-game win streak overall. Only two Jackrabbit games — against Montana State and Southern Illinois — were within one possession.
FCS playoffs
South Dakota State opened its 2023 playoff run with a shutout win, 41-0 over Mercer. The second round was a bit more of a challenge as the Jackrabbits only won 23-12 over eighth-seeded Villanova, but SDSU still had a strong finish to the game.
Semifinal round
The Jackrabbits returned to their dominant form in the FCS semifinals with a 59-0 shutout victory of fifth-seeded UAlbany. South Dakota State scored on offense, defense and special teams in the win and have outscored opponents by a combined 123-12 in three playoff games.
Jackrabbit schedule
| Opponent | Win/Loss | Score | Ranking | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Western Oregon | W | 45-7 | No. 1 | 1-0 |
| vs. No. 3 Montana State | W | 20-16 | No. 1 | 2-0 |
| vs. Drake (Minneapolis, MN) | W | 70-7 | No. 1 | 3-0 |
| vs. No. 11 North Dakota | W | 42-21 | No. 1 | 4-0 |
| at No. 22 Illinois State | W | 40-21 | No. 1 | 5-0 |
| vs. RV Northern Iowa | W | 41-6 | No. 1 | 6-0 |
| at No. 12 Southern Illinois | W | 17-10 | No. 1 | 7-0 |
| at No. 4 South Dakota | W | 37-3 | No. 1 | 8-0 |
| vs. No. 10 North Dakota State | W | 33-16 | No. 1 | 9-0 |
| at Youngstown State | W | 34-0 | No. 1 | 10-0 |
| vs. Missouri State | W | 35-17 | No. 1 | 11-0 |
| vs. Mercer | W | 41-0 | No. 1 | 12-0 |
| vs. No. 8 Villanova | W | 23-12 | No. 1 | 13-0 |
| vs. No. 5 UAlbany | W | 59-0 | No. 1 | 14-0 |
Key players this season
- QB Mark Gronowski
- RB Isaiah Davis
- RB Amar Johnson
- WR Jaxon Janke
- WR Jadon Janke
- TE Zach Heins
- OT Garret Greenfield
- OG Mason McCormick
- C Gus Miller
- DE Cade Terveer
- LB Jason Freeman
- LB Adam Bock
- CB Dalys Beanum
- CB Dyshawn Gales
- S Tucker Large
- K/P Hunter Dustman
The South Dakota State roster is filled with All-Americans, including 2023 Walter Payton Award top-three finalist quarterback Mark Gronowski. The Jackrabbits had 20 players earn all Missouri Valley Football Conference honors — the conference that had the most playoff teams in 2023.
Montana
Regular season
Montana finished the regular season 10-1 with only one FCS loss. That FCS loss was to Big Sky foe Northern Arizona in late September. After that loss, the Grizzlies won seven straight games — including four over ranked opponents, with three from the top 10 — to earn the second seed in the FCS playoffs.
FCS playoffs
Montana opened its 2023 playoff run with a dominant win over Delaware in the snow. The quarterfinal round came down to the wire against seventh-seeded Furman as the Grizzlies pulled out a 35-38 overtime win.
Semifinal round
The Grizzlies won another overtime thriller in the FCS semifinals with a 31-29 double-overtime win over perennial power North Dakota State. Montana stopped North Dakota State on a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt as the Grizzlies advanced to their first FCS title game since 2009.
Grizzly schedule
| Opponent | Win/Loss | Score | Ranking | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Butler | W | 35-20 | No. 14 | 1-0 |
| at Utah Tech | W | 43-13 | No. 13 | 2-0 |
| vs. Ferris State | W | 17-10 | T-No. 11 | 3-0 |
| at Northern Arizona | L | 28-14 | No. 11 | 3-1 |
| vs. Idaho State | W | 28-20 | No. 16 | 4-1 |
| at No. 18 UC Davis | W | 31-23 | No. 13 | 5-1 |
| at No. 3 Idaho | W | 23-21 | No. 10 | 6-1 |
| vs. Northern Colorado | W | 40-0 | No. 5 | 7-1 |
| vs. No. 7 Sacramento State | W | 34-7 | No. 3 | 8-1 |
| at Portland State | W | 34-10 | No. 3 | 9-1 |
| vs. No. 4 Montana State | W | 37-7 | No. 3 | 10-1 |
| vs. Delaware | W | 49-19 | No. 2 | 11-1 |
| vs. No. 7 Furman | W | 35-28 (OT) | No. 2 | 12-1 |
| vs. North Dakota State | W | 31-29 (2OT) | No. 2 | 13-1 |
Key players this season
- QB Clifton McDowell
- RB Eli Gillman
- WR/PR Junior Bergen
- OT Brandon Casey
- C AJ Forbes
- DT Alex Gubner
- LB Braxton Hill
- LB Levi Janacaro
- LB Riley Wilson
- CB Tevin Gradney
- CB Corbin Walker
Montana is loaded with a championship roster. Offensively, Jerry Rice Award winner Eli Gilman and the ever-electrifying Junior Bergen lead the way. On defense, Big Sky Defensive MVP Alex Gubner mans the middle and linebacker Braxton Hill finished as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist.
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