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The South Dakota State Jackrabbits not only won their first-ever FCS Championship on Saturday, they did so in dominant fashion, and they did it against Dakota Marker rival North Dakota State which had never previously lost in the national title contest (9-1). Of course, they are also Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) rivals.
The Congrove Computer Rankings favored the Jackrabbits by 3.12, under the closing spread of -5.
The Bison still hold a 64-45-5 advantage in the series, but this was the Jackrabbits 4th straight win in the series and, easily, the most important. This was the fifth time the schools faced each other in the FCS Playoffs, but the first time they met in the grand finale.
The NCAA only began staging the FCS Playoffs in 1978 when the division was called "1-AA". Playoffs at the D2 and D3 levels began in 1973.
South Dakota State's only previous championship game was a 23-21 loss to Sam Houston State in the extended Covid season of Fall 2020/Spring 2021.
The Jackrabbits were paced by the throwing of Mark Granowski and the running of Amar Johnson and Isaiah Davis. Granowski was 14-of-21 for 223 yards with 3 TD's and 0 INT's. Johnson rushed for 126 yards and a TD on 9 carries. Davis had 22 carries for 103 yards and a score.
For North Dakota State, Cam Miller was 18-of-29 for 260 with 2 TD's and 2 INT's. He also ran 16 times for 63 yards. As a team, the Bison picked up 160 yards on the ground, doubling the rushing yards that South Dakota State usually allowed during the season (83 yards).
SEE: Schedule Picks and Scores
| 1st Quarter | NDSU | SDSU |
|---|---|---|
| 9:12 SDSU - I. Davis run for 16 yds for a TD. H. Dustman PAT. 9 plays, 85 yards, 4:04) |
0 | 7 |
| 6:31 NDSU - C. Miller pass,to J. Stoffel for 27 yds for a TD. G. Crosa PAT 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:41 |
7 | 7 |
| 2nd Quarter | NDSU | SDSU |
| 12:50 SDSU - A. Johnson run for 32 yds for a TD H. Dustman PAT 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:37 |
7 | 14 |
| 11:03 SDSU- M. Gronowski pass,to J. Janke for 18 yds for a TD H. Dustman PAT 4 plays, 34 yards, 1:31 |
7 | 21 |
| 3:30 SDSU - M. Gronowski pass,to M. Morgan for 44 yds for a TD H. Dustman PAT 9 plays, 84 yards, 4:17 |
7 | 28 |
| 2:03 NDSU - C. Miller pass,to E. Green for 44 yds for a TD G. Crosa PAT 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:27 |
14 | 28 |
| 0:01 SDSU - H. Dustman 30 yd FG GOOD 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:03 |
14 | 31 |
| 3rd Quarter | NDSU | SDSU |
| 3:13 SDSU - M. Gronowski run for 51 yds for a TD H. Dustman PAT 3 plays, 74 yards, 1:47 |
14 | 38 |
| 4th Quarter | NDSU | SDSU |
| 13:44 NDSU - K. Johnson run for 9 yds for a TD G. Crosa PAT 16 plays, 99 yards, 7:51 |
21 | 38 |
| 8:05 SDSU - M. Gronowski pass,to J. Janke for 30 yds for a TD H. Dustman PAT 4 plays, 42 yards, 2:35 |
21 | 45 |
One half of the FCS National Championship game was determined on Friday night (December 16) when North Dakota State downed UIW 35-32 in the FargoDome.
The 7-seed Cardinals jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the first 7:27, but were held scoreless until the 7:05 mark of the 3rd quarter while 3-seed North Dakota State clawed back and took a 24-16 lead. UIW got consecutive TD's to take a 29-24 advantage into the final period. After exchanging field goals, the Bison tallied what proved to be the game's final points on Kobe John's 31-yard TD run with 8:11 still to play. The Cardinals turned the ball over on downs at the NDSU 22, and a final possession ended with the interception of an attempted 50-yard pass at the Bison 18.
North Dakota State won the turnover battle 4-0 as The Word lost two fumbles and had two passes picked off.
It was the final game for UIW head coach G.J. Kinne who now slides into his position as the head coach of FBS member Texas State in nearby San Marcos. Clint Killough, who served as Kinne's AHC, takes the reins at UIW.
North Dakota State's opponent was determined on Saturday (December 17) when 1-seed South Dakota State dropped 4-seed Montana State with relative ease 39-18. The victory for the Jackrabbits avenged last year's 31-17 semifinal loss to the Bobcats in Bozeman as Montana State went on to face the Bison and lose 38-10. Eight months earlier, in May of 2021, South Dakota State faced Sam Houston State in the FCS Champion ship game and lost 23-21.
All games played November 26. Home team in CAPS
DELAWARE 56, St. Francis (Pa.) 17
NEW HAMPSHIRE 52, Fordham 42
Gardner-Webb 52, EASTERN KENTUCKY 41
WEBER STATE 38, North Dakota 21
MONTANA 34, Southeast Missouri 24
SE LOUISIANA 45, Idaho 42
FURMAN 31, Elon 6
RICHMOND 41, Davidson 0
Home team on bottom.
| 12/3 | 12/9-10 | 12/16-17 | C'ship (Frisco) (1/8, 2 PM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware 6 1 SDSU 42 |
|||
| 8 Holy Cross 21 1 SDSU 42 |
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| New Hampshire 19 8 Holy Cross 35 |
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| 4 Montana St 18 1 SDSU 39 |
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| Gardner-Webb 14 5 Wm. & Mary 54 |
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| 5 Wm. & Mary 7 4 Montana St 55 |
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| Weber State 25 4 Montana St 33 |
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| 3 NDSU 21 1 SDSU 45 |
|||
| Montana 26 3 NDSU 49 |
|||
| 6 Samford 9 3 NDSU 27 |
|||
| SE Louisiana 42 6 Samford 48 (OT) |
|||
| 7 UIW 32 3 NDSU 35 |
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| Furman 38 7 UIW 41 |
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| 7 UIW 66 2 Sacramento 63 |
|||
| Richmond 31 2 Sacramento 38 |
The FBS was 112-8 (.933) vs. the FCS this year, and is now 1,686-148 (.919) since we began tracking this in 2003.
116 of the 131 FBS schools played at least one such game while Appalachian State, Army, Marshall and New Mexico State each played two.
Here are the FCS wins in 2022:
September 2: William & Mary 41, Charlotte 24
September 3: Delaware14, Navy 7
September 10: Weber State 35, Utah State 7
September 10: Incarnate Word 55, Nevada 41
September 10: Holy Cross 37, Buffalo 31
September 10: Eastern Kentucky 59, Bowling Green 57 (7 OT's)
September 17: Southern Illinois 31, Northwestern 24
September 24: Sacramento State 41, Colorado State 10
HOLY CROSS - Had won 12 straight over-all.
Last: FCS Playoff 8-seed lost 42-21 at 1-seed South Dakota State on Saturday, December 10.
Next: Season complete
SACRAMENTO STATE - Had won 12 straight over-all. Won 19 straight conference games. Won 10 straight road games.
Last: FCS Playoff 2-seed lost 66-63 at home to 7-seed UIW on Friday, December 9.
Next: Season complete.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE - Won 14 straight over-all
Last: FCS Playoff 1-seed won 45-21 over North Dakota State in FCS Championship game on Sunday, January 8 at 2 p.m.
Next: Season complete.
MONTANA STATE - Won 20 straight home games.
Last: FCS Playoff 4-seed lost 39-18 at 1-seed South Dakota State on Saturday, December 17.
Next: Season complete
WESTERN ILLINOIS - Lost 13 straight over-all.
Last: Lost 20-13 in OT at Illinois State on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Season complete
WAGNER - Lost 19 straight road games.
Last: Lost 33-0 at Duquesne on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Season complete
PRESBYTERIAN - Lost 16 straight conference games.
Last: Lost 42-21at Stetson on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Season complete
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN - Lost 11 straight home games.
Last: Lost 49-7 at Tarleton on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Season complete
GEORGETOWN - Lost 11 straight home games.
Last: Lost 47-10 at home to Holy Cross on Saturday, November 19.
Next: Season complete