The South Dakota State football team finds itself in a position that it’s been in for five of the past six seasons, in the FCS Quarterfinals.
Four of the past five seasons the Jackrabbits have advanced to the semifinals or the National Championship, but as it’s been highly advertised, SDSU has yet to win the title. However, something feels different about this team.
The Jacks traveled to Fargo on Oct. 14 and came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 1 ranked North Dakota State and take over the No. 1 spot in the FCS rankings. Since then SDSU has won five straight games and has shown why it was deserving of the No. 1 seed in the FCS Playoffs.
In past seasons, excluding the 2021 spring season, the Jacks have always found a way to shoot themselves in the foot. There was always an unexpected loss that would derail them from getting a top-two seed and having the FCS Playoffs go through Brookings in December.
This season, SDSU avoided that and has handled the expectations and pressure that goes along with being the No. 1 ranked team and the No. 1 seed very well. SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier said he thinks his team looks as the No. 1 ranking and seeding as a challenge to look like they’re the No. 1 team.
“I think they’re handling [the expectations very well. I think that after we beat North Dakota State, and we were ranked number one, I think there was an awkwardness or just how do we deal with this? You know, we’re married now, how do we how do we build the house? How do we get to the new deal? But after that, we were lucky enough to stay there. So, it became, that’s not something we assume or we boast about, but it’s what’s on the label. And I remind them, if somebody’s going to call you the number one team in America, then you better play like you’re number one. Much is given and much is expected, you know, and they’ve responded in primarily practice, honestly,” Stiegelmeier said.
One of the things that I believe makes SDSU the favorite of the final eight teams is its defense. The Jacks have the second ranked defense in the FCS, and it might as well be No. 1 because Jackson State is ranked first and JSU has one of the worst strength of schedules in the country. SDSU is giving up just 249.8 yards per game. For context, when the Jacks were the No. 1 seed in the 2021 spring season and made the National Championship, they were giving up 291.5 yards per game.
This is one of the best defenses that SDSU has ever had and although Stiegelmeier did not want to admit that, he said the biggest reason for the defense’s success is their confidence.
“It’s hard to quantify, but I think [this defense] is one of the top one’s, I’ll leave it at that. I’ll tell you what, there haven’t been a lot of games or stretches in a game where our defense has been on their heels. We started slow in the NDSU and UND game, but other than that, they have controlled their part of the game. The big part of that is that they are so confident. They are so confident when take the field and it’s fun to be a part of,” Stiegelmeier said.
All season SDSU players have talked about how they were tired of hearing about how the Jacks always find a way to screw it up. Now, as the advance farther in the playoffs they’ll have to hear more and more about how they have always found a way to lose in the playoffs.
The pressure is on for the Jacks, but SDSU senior defensive lineman Caleb Sanders said he thinks SDSU is using the No. 1 seed as a motivation.
“I think we handle [being No. 1] really well. I think we like playing with a target on our backs and we’re the ones that they’re trying to get. I think it really motivates us to come out to practice every day and play like we’re the No. 1 team in the country,” Sanders said.
Sanders is one of 19 seniors on the team that have gone through the ringer when it comes to the playoffs. The experience from both the seniors and the rest of the upper classmen on the team is something that Stiegelmeier believes will help his team as they go through yet another playoff run.
“I think when you’ve been there and done that, you’re not as emotional when you take the next step. I think when we became No. 1 by vote there was some emotions there and some unique feelings there and then we got over it. So, we’ve been there, and we’ve done this, so for our football team, we don’t expect to be here, but we know we can get to this point in the playoffs and right now we’re playing really good football so there’s a lot of confidence,” Stiegelmeier said.
In past playoffs I’ve always been wearied to claim that I thought SDSU was the favorite or that they should make the FCS National Championship. But now with everything that has played out so far this season and the way that the Jacks are playing, I believe that this should be the season that the National Championship trophy makes its way back to Brookings.
