South Dakota State football primer: No. 1 Jacks host undefeated Holy Cross in FCS quarterfinals
Dec. 8—BROOKINGS — In a second-straight postseason rematch featuring opposition from the 2021 spring season, top-seeded South Dakota State welcomes No. 8 Holy Cross with a national semifinal berth on the line.
Here's what to know ahead of the contest:
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings.
Records: SDSU, 11-1; Holy Cross, 12-0.
Coaches: SDSU: John Stiegelmeier, 26th season, 196-112; Holy Cross: Bob Chesney, 13th season (fifth at Holy Cross), 104-41 (37-16 at Holy Cross).
Last meeting: The only prior meeting between the Jackrabbits and Crusaders came 19 months ago in Brookings during the opening round of the 2021 spring Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. SDSU was also the No. 1 seed in that bracket and shut down previously unbeaten Holy Cross in a 31-3 win.
Last week: Both teams took care of opposition from the Colonial Athletic Association in the second round, as SDSU rolled Delaware, 42-6, and Holy Cross pulled away in the second half to defeat New Hampshire, 35-19.
Notes:
* In the final Stats Perform FCS poll, SDSU ranked No. 1, while Holy Cross checked in at No. 6.
* Televised coverage will be available on ESPN or through ESPN+.
About the Jackrabbits:
* South Dakota State boasts the top rush defense (70.8 yards per game) and the third-best scoring defense (14.8 points per game) in the FCS as the Jacks prepare to combat one of the nation's best rushing offenses.
* When the two teams met in April 2021, the Jackrabbits rolled up 439 yards of total offense, going over 150 both through the air and on the ground. Mark Gronowski threw for 153 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jadon Janke and one to Jaxon Janke, while Isaiah Davis rushed for 156 yards and one score on 10 attempts.
* SDSU is 10-1 all-time at home in the FCS playoffs, with the lone loss coming against a fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent (Northern Iowa) in 2019. Since the bracket expanded to 20 teams in 2010 (3 years) and 24 in 2013 (10 years), the MVFC has had a minimum of two teams in the quarterfinals 11 times, including this year.
* SDSU is on an 11-game winning streak and has won 15 of its last 16 games against FCS opponents.
About the Crusaders:
* Holy Cross has advanced to an NCAA football quarterfinal for the first time since 1983 after becoming the first Patriot League team to earn a first-round bye in the postseason since Colgate in 2018. The Crusaders are also the first Patriot League team to finish the regular season unbeaten since 2003.
* The Crusaders' offensive attack starts on the ground, where they average 243.8 rushing yards and 38.8 points per game, the sixth and fifth-best marks in the country in those respective categories. Holy Cross has a pair of top-35 rushers in quarterback Matthew Sluka (1,021 yards, 10 touchdowns) and running back Peter Oliver (960 yards, seven touchdowns), the latter of which is coming off a career-high 175-yard performance.
* In the spring 2021 meeting, Sluka was limited to 76 yards passing and 22 yards rushing, while Oliver had 52 yards on the ground. As a team, Holy Cross managed 198 yards of total offense.
* Holy Cross also sports one of the most opportunistic defenses with a plus-17 turnover margin, the best mark in the FCS. The Crusaders have 13 interceptions and 10 fumbles recovered, while only giving the ball away six times all season.
Next week: Whichever team emerges from Saturday's clash will be paired against the winner of No. 4 Montana State and No. 5 William and Mary in the FCS semifinals, with the game to be played either Friday, Dec. 16 or Saturday, Dec. 17. If SDSU wins, the game will be in Brookings.