FCS Championship Preview: South Dakota State vs. Montana

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits have turn out to be what the Montana Grizzlies was once in FCS faculty soccer.

Will the Griz have a say about that within the nationwide championship recreation on Sunday?

SDSU is searching for back-to-back FCS titles, having reached the ultimate for the third time within the final 4 seasons. Actually, the Jackrabbits have reached at the very least the semifinal spherical in six of the final seven postseasons.

That was once Montana, a two-time FCS champion, which is showing within the title recreation for the eighth time, tying for the second-most in historical past. However 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 recreation historical past of Montana and South Dakota State)

The nation’s high 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 recreation:

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)

Collection – Montana leads 8-0 (final assembly: Montana received 24-17 at house in a 2015 first-round playoff recreation)

Coaches – Montana: Bobby Hauck (129-35, thirteenth season; 144-84 total); 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-Huge Sky first crew), 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 crew), LB Jason Freeman (96 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries), FS/PR Tucker Massive (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 below coach Don Learn and in 2001 below Joe Glenn, whereas Hauck seeks to win his first in his fourth championship recreation look. The twin-threat McDowell spreads across the offensive touches, together with to Eli Gillman (950 speeding yards, 12 complete 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 speeding protection (102.9-yard common) and third in stopping third down conversions (28.6 p.c). Bergen, the crew’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 successful streak (third-longest in FCS historical past) as they search back-to-back FCS titles – final yr below John Stiegelmeier and this season below Rogers, the Eddie Robinson Award winner. The offense boasts numerous NFL prospects, together with Davis (24 profession video games with 100+ speeding 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). Courting again to final season, the Jackrabbits have scored on 98 of their final 100 journeys inside an opponent’s pink zone. The linebacker-led protection has posted shutouts in two of the Jackrabbits’ three playoff video games – their 9.7-point total common allowed bettered solely by the 2018 Colgate squad (9.3) since 2010.

2 Key Components – 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 the most effective within the FCS to forestall sustained drives by the Jackrabbits. Gubner, the Huge Sky defensive participant of the yr, is superb at bringing stress up the center. The No. 2 seed additionally should reply SDSU scores and keep inside at the very 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 speeding yards in all seven postseason video games the final two seasons, and that’s one thing they’ve come to depend on right now of the season. Hunter Dustman set the championship report for punting common final January, however he wants grasp time and course 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 Prime 25 Ballot. The 2024 season opener for every crew 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 Document: 132-57, .689)