The 2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented the South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 15–0 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the MVFC title for the second straight season. South Dakota State received the MVFC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where after a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Mercer in the second round, Villanova in the quarterfinals, Albany in the semifinals, and Montana in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game to win a second consecutive national title. South Dakota State outscored opponents 146-15 in the four playoff games, completed a wire-to-wire season as the No. 1 ranked team in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and extended the team's winning streak to 29 games.
It was the first South Dakota State team to compile an undefeated season since the 1950 Jackrabbits team. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries Western Oregon
Source: Box Score
Statistics WOUSDSU First downs 13 21 Total yards 209 403 Rushing yards 102 209 Passing yards 107 194 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 30:05 29:55
Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Oregon Passing Gannon Winker 12/23, 67 yards, 3 INT Rushing Jordan McCarty 8 carries, 37 yards, TD Receiving Damon Hickok 3 receptions, 40 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 8/10, 121 yards, TD Rushing Amar Johnson 8 carries, 70 yards Receiving Griffin Wilde 4 receptions, 79 yards, TD
No. 3 Montana State
Source: Box Score
Statistics MSUSDSU First downs 17 20 Total yards 298 341 Rushing yards 211 157 Passing yards 87 184 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 35:23 24:37
Team Category Player StatisticsMontana State Passing Sean Chambers 3/9, 53 yards, INT Rushing Sean Chambers 20 carries, 90 yards, TD Receiving Derryk Snell 3 receptions, 38 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 13/22, 184 yards, 2 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 12 carries, 66 yards Receiving Griffin Wilde 2 receptions, 49 yards, TD
vs. Drake
Source: Box Score
Statistics SDSUDrake First downs 28 10 Total yards 618 267 Rushing yards 359 47 Passing yards 259 220 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 27:49 32:11
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 18/25, 226 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Angel Johnson 4 carries, 90 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaxon Janke 7 receptions, 85 yards, TDDrake Passing Luke Bailey 16/29, 201 yards, TD Rushing Luke Bailey 3 carries, 25 yards Receiving Colin Howard 3 receptions, 103 yards, TD
No. 12 North Dakota
Source: Box Score
Statistics UNDSDSU First downs 17 26 Total yards 234 433 Rushing yards 68 266 Passing yards 166 167 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 29:39 30:21
Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota Passing Tommy Schuster 19/24, 118 yards, TD Rushing Gaven Ziebarth 5 carries, 22 yards Receiving Red Wilson 5 receptions, 45 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 13/22, 167 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 16 carries, 132 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jaxon Janke 3 receptions, 51 yards, TD
at Illinois State
Source: Box Score
Statistics SDSUISU First downs 25 18 Total yards 547 293 Rushing yards 374 122 Passing yards 173 171 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 35:45 24:15
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 11/17, 171 yards, 3 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 20 carries, 197 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaxon Janke 5 receptions, 88 yards, TDIllinois State Passing Zack Annexstad 26/33, 162 yards, TD Rushing Mason Blakemore 6 carries, 57 yards, TD Receiving Daniel Sobkowicz 7 receptions, 70 yards, TD
Northern Iowa
Source: Box Score
Statistics UNISDSU First downs 14 21 Total yards 264 460 Rushing yards 40 169 Passing yards 224 291 Turnovers 5 2 Time of possession 24:37 35:23
Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Iowa Passing Theo Day 16/24, 210 yards, 2 INT Rushing Zach Brand 6 carries, 30 yards Receiving Sam Schnee 4 receptions, 104 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 21/26, 291 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 16 carries, 103 yards, TD Receiving Zach Heins 4 receptions, 69 yards, 2 TD
at No. 12 Southern Illinois
Source: Box Score
Statistics SDSUSIU First downs 15 20 Total yards 308 308 Rushing yards 147 83 Passing yards 161 225 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 31:50 28:10
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 15/21, 161 yards, TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Davis 15 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Griffin Wilde 2 receptions, 61 yards, TDSouthern Illinois Passing Nic Baker 20/24, 225 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nic Baker 15 carries, 31 yards Receiving D'Ante' Cox 7 receptions, 88 yards, TD
at No. 4 South Dakota
Source: Box Score
Statistics SDSUUSD First downs 25 13 Total yards 473 183 Rushing yards 266 50 Passing yards 207 133 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 35:59 24:01
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 13/19, 207 yards, INT Rushing Isaiah Davis 17 carries, 69 yards Receiving Jaxon Janke 3 receptions, 93 yardsSouth Dakota Passing Aidan Bouman 17/31, 133 yards, 2 INT Rushing Travis Theis 9 carries, 29 yards Receiving JJ Galbreath 8 receptions, 65 yards
No. 11 North Dakota State
Source: Box Score
Statistics NDSUSDSU First downs 19 17 Total yards 325 365 Rushing yards 158 152 Passing yards 167 213 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:18 29:42
Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Cam Miller 18/29, 167 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Cam Miller 17 carries, 93 yards Receiving Eli Green 4 receptions, 47 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 12/19, 213 yards, 2 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 17 carries, 106 yards, TD Receiving Jadon Janke 5 receptions, 89 yards, 2 TD
at No. 22 Youngstown State
Source: Box Score
Statistics SDSUYSU First downs 22 16 Total yards 490 207 Rushing yards 166 47 Passing yards 324 160 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:31 26:29
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 19/28, 295 yards, 3 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 19 carries, 130 yards, TD Receiving Jadon Janke 7 receptions, 166 yards, 2 TDYoungstown State Passing Mitch Davidson 18/30, 160 yards, INT Rushing Tyshon King 7 carries, 20 yards Receiving Max Tomczak 5 receptions, 57 yards
Missouri State
Source: Box Score
Statistics MSUSDSU First downs 15 29 Total yards 343 477 Rushing yards 82 154 Passing yards 261 323 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 26:05 33:55
Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jordan Pachot 23/35, 261 yards, 2 TD Rushing Celdon Manning 3 carries, 41 yards Receiving Raylen Sharpe 8 receptions, 86 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 16/23, 323 yards, 2 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 17 carries, 85 yards, TD Receiving Jadon Janke 10 receptions, 187 yards, TD
No. 17 Mercer—NCAA Division I Second Round
Source: Box Score
Statistics MERSDSU First downs 6 24 Total yards 151 571 Rushing yards 76 346 Passing yards 75 225 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 24:34 35:26
Team Category Player StatisticsMercer Passing Carter Peevy 14/22, 75 yards, 2 INT Rushing Chris Hill 1 carry, 24 yards Receiving Ty James 2 receptions, 28 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 11/16, 158 yards, TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Davis 16 carries, 117 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jaxon Janke 7 receptions, 106 yards, TD
No. 6 Villanova—NCAA Division I Quarterfinal
Source: Box Score
Statistics VILSDSU First downs 10 16 Total yards 219 343 Rushing yards 145 242 Passing yards 74 101 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 28:33 31:27
Team Category Player StatisticsVillanova Passing Connor Watkins 6/18, 74 yards, INT Rushing Jalen Jackson 9 carry, 67 yards, TD Receiving Rayjuon 2 receptions, 29 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 11/19, 101 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 27 carries, 192 yards, TD Receiving Zach Heins 1 receptions, 26 yards
No. 5 Albany—NCAA Division I Semifinal
Source: Box Score
Statistics ALBSDSU First downs 19 22 Total yards 298 556 Rushing yards 66 220 Passing yards 232 336 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 32:12 27:48
Team Category Player StatisticsAlbany Passing Reese Poffenbarger 30/44, 232 yards, 3 INT Rushing Reese Poffenbarger 9 carries, 29 yards Receiving Julian Hicks 7 receptions, 76 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 15/19, 265 yards, 3 TD Rushing Isaiah Davis 15 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jadon Janke 6 receptions, 151 yards, TD
vs. No. 2 Montana—NCAA Division I Championship Game
Statistics MONTSDSU First downs 17 17 Total yards 259 363 Rushing yards 47 188 Passing yards 212 175 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 29:55 30:05
Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Clifton McDowell 22/39, 165 yards, INT Rushing Nick Ostmo 6 carries, 18 yards Receiving Aaron Fontes 7 receptions, 76 yardsSouth Dakota State Passing Mark Gronowski 13/21, 175 yards, TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Davis 16 carries, 87 yards, TD Receiving Jaxon Janke 4 receptions, 66 yards
Roster
References