The South Dakota State Jackrabbits have change into what the Montana Grizzlies was in FCS school soccer.
Will the Griz have a say about that within the nationwide championship sport on Sunday?
SDSU is looking for back-to-back FCS titles, having reached the ultimate for the third time within the final 4 seasons. In reality, the Jackrabbits have reached at the least the semifinal spherical in six of the final seven postseasons.
That was Montana, a two-time FCS champion, which is showing within the title sport for the eighth time, tying for the second-most in historical past. Nevertheless it’s the Griz’s first title shot since 2009 after the primary seven occurred in a 15-season span from 1995 to 2009.
(Right here’s the championship sport historical past of Montana and South Dakota State)
The nation’s prime two groups will meet at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, in a much-anticipated showdown. Right here’s a capsule preview of the forty sixth FCS championship sport:
No. 1 Seed South Dakota State (14-0) vs. No. 2 Seed Montana (13-1)
Kickoff – 2 p.m. ET Sunday at Toyota Stadium (17,677) in Frisco, Texas (ABC)
Sequence – Montana leads 8-0 (final assembly: Montana received 24-17 at house in a 2015 first-round playoff sport)
Coaches – Montana: Bobby Hauck (129-35, thirteenth season; 144-84 general); South Dakota State: Jimmy Rogers (14-0, first season)
5 Gamers to Watch – Montana: QB Clifton McDowell (138 of 235, 1,861 yards, 13 TDs, 3 INTs; 751 rush yards, 9 TDs), WR/Return Junior Bergen (55 receptions, 766 yards, 5 TDs; 798 kickoff/punt return yards, 4 TDs), RT Brandon Casey (All-Large Sky first group), NT Alex Gubner (39 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 3 sacks), LB Braxton Hill (116 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 7 QB hurries, 3 takeaways); South Dakota State: QB Mark Gronowski (196 of 286, 2,883 yards, 28 TDs, 4 INTs; 349 rush yards, 7 TDs), RB Isaiah Davis (220 carries, 1,491 yards, 17 TDs; 22 receptions, 1 TD), LT Garret Greenfield (three-time Stats Carry out FCS All-America first group), LB Jason Freeman (96 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries), FS/PR Tucker Giant (43 tackles, 4 INTs, 7 move breakups; 18.9-yard punt return common, 1 TD)
Notable – Montana: The Grizzlies received FCS nationwide titles in 1995 beneath coach Don Learn and in 2001 beneath Joe Glenn, whereas Hauck seeks to win his first in his fourth championship sport look. The twin-threat McDowell spreads across the offensive touches, together with to Eli Gillman (950 dashing yards, 12 whole TDs), the 2023 Jerry Rice Award recipient because the nationwide freshman of the yr. The Grizzlies rank fifth amongst 128 FCS groups in scoring protection (16.8-point common), twelfth in dashing protection (102.9-yard common) and third in stopping third down conversions (28.6 p.c). Bergen, the group’s playoff standout, has 4 mixed touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns this season, however the Grizzlies have have allowed 4 kicks blocked as properly. South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits enter on a 28-game profitable streak (third-longest in FCS historical past) as they search back-to-back FCS titles – final yr beneath John Stiegelmeier and this season beneath Rogers, the Eddie Robinson Award winner. The offense boasts plenty of NFL prospects, together with Davis (24 profession video games with 100+ dashing yards) and O-linemen Greenfield and Mason McCormick. Gronowski, a junior, joins that trio as a first-team All-American, main the FCS in passing effectivity (182.7). Relationship again to final season, the Jackrabbits have scored on 98 of their final 100 journeys inside an opponent’s crimson zone. The linebacker-led protection has posted shutouts in two of the Jackrabbits’ three playoff video games – their 9.7-point general common allowed bettered solely by the 2018 Colgate squad (9.3) since 2010.
2 Key Elements – Montana: The Grizzlies, who make the most of a 3-3-5 base defensive alignment, should deal with an SDSU offensive line that’s thought of one of the best within the FCS to stop sustained drives by the Jackrabbits. Gubner, the Large Sky defensive participant of the yr, is superb at bringing strain up the center. The No. 2 seed additionally should reply SDSU scores and keep inside at the least one rating to have an opportunity within the fourth quarter for an upset; South Dakota State: With Montana deep in defensive backs, the Jackrabbits should use the run to arrange the move. Davis has been over 100 dashing yards in all seven postseason video games the final two seasons, and that’s one thing they’ve come to depend on at the moment of the season. Hunter Dustman set the championship document for punting common final January, however he wants hold time and path away from the red-hot Bergen (three TD returns in UM’s final two video games).
Up Subsequent – The winner will declare the No. 1 ultimate rating within the Stats Carry out FCS High 25 Ballot. The 2024 season opener for every group is on Aug. 31: SDSU will play at Oklahoma State and Montana will host Missouri State.
Prediction – South Dakota State 27, Montana 20 (Season Predictions Report: 132-57, .689)
