Dec. 4—BROOKINGS — South Dakota State has defeated Montana within the playoffs in every of the final two seasons, and each instances that is what was purported to occur.
In 2023, the Jackrabbits have been defending nationwide champions, winners of 28 video games in a row and placing the ending touches on one of the dominant seasons in FCS historical past. The Grizzlies have been workforce, however they felt extra like sacrificial lamb than a risk to upset the Jacks.
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SDSU received 23-3.
Final 12 months the Jacks have been aiming for a three-peat, they usually hosted Montana within the second spherical, the Grizzlies’ first journey to Brookings within the Division I period. Montana was in one thing of a transitional season, qualifying for an at-large berth at 8-4.
The Jacks received 35-18 (and it wasn’t practically that shut).
This 12 months, nevertheless, the tables have turned.
Montana (11-1) is the No. 3 seed, having received their first 11 video games of the season earlier than dropping their common season finale to rival Montana State. They bought a primary spherical bye within the FCS playoffs.
SDSU is the 14-seed. They’re 9-4, having endured a late-season four-game shedding streak and successful final week’s playoff opener 41-3 over New Hampshire. They’re headed to Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday for a 1 p.m. second-round playoff battle.
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Are the Griz those who’re purported to win this time? Possibly. However this one seems virtually too near name.
The most important factor Montana has going for them is the house discipline. Washington-Grizzly holds 26,000 followers, and in contrast to in Brookings and different locations across the FCS, they have not had bother getting followers to return to playoff video games. That they had greater than 20,000 for every house playoff recreation in 2023, together with a semifinal sellout in opposition to NDSU.
SDSU has by no means received in Missoula, and at instances have discovered methods to lose spectacularly.
They blew a 38-7 lead and misplaced there in 1993. They blew a 41-14 lead and misplaced there in 2009. They fell behind 24-0 in 2015 and ended up shedding 24-17. These final two have been playoff video games.
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The Jacks are hoping their current success in opposition to the Griz can carry over into one of the hostile environments in school soccer.
“It will be a difficult recreation,” mentioned SDSU coach Dan Jackson. “We’re enthusiastic about it. Our gamers are actually trying ahead to taking part in in one of these surroundings. They embrace it, get pleasure from it. I feel it is two actually good applications which have traditionally been powerhouses and people video games was a variety of enjoyable.”
Jackson was SDSU’s cornerbacks coach the final time they performed in Missoula. Whereas Washington-Grizzly was each bit as intimidating then as it’s now, the Jacks weren’t this system they’re now. That they had nonetheless by no means earned a top-8 seed within the FCS playoffs at the moment. However they’d quickly start climbing the ladder to top-10 contender. They began internet hosting playoff video games. Enjoying into December. And finally, showing in three nationwide championship video games, successful two. Final 12 months they reached the semifinals. There are gamers on the present roster with loads of December expertise.
“There was some studying and rising that wanted to occur at that time,” Jackson mentioned of earlier journeys to Missoula. “Effectively, now, this can be a totally different ball recreation. I imply, we’re a nationwide champion-type program now. Our gamers have the utmost confidence of their capability to beat anyone within the nation at any stage. At any time when we step on the sector, there’s an expectation and commonplace to win the sport and play at your highest stage. And so I simply suppose that our guys’ mindset, the evolution of our program over time, after which this workforce particularly, the connection and cohesion amongst this group to have the ability to deal with something is slightly bit distinctive. And I feel places us in a scenario the place we will have success in difficult environments. So our guys are fired up. I imply, they can not wait.”
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For the Griz, there’s some strain to take care of, too. They bought a brutal draw. As a 3-seed with a first-round bye, you count on your first opponent to be a big underdog. And if SDSU got here in at 7-5 with out quarterback Chase Mason, they might be. However the Jacks received their common season finale to get to 8-4, then welcomed Mason again to the lineup final week. He threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns within the rout of New Hampshire, and the Jacks all of the sudden do not look something just like the workforce that misplaced 4 in a row down the stretch. They give the impression of being quite a bit like a nationwide championship contender.
The Griz are basically being confronted with a semifinal-caliber opponent within the second spherical, dealing with the opportunity of going one-and-done simply weeks after they have been 11-0 and searching like a favourite to get to Nashville. That might nonetheless very nicely occur, however SDSU’s re-emergence has made their path far more troublesome.
“They’ve spent a part of the season extremely ranked and that is deserved after watching them,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck mentioned of the Jacks. “We have been watching a variety of their win in Bozeman the final couple of weeks so we have sort of seen them. We expect this’ll be an incredible recreation.”
The Grizzlies have an explosive offense, led by star operating again Eli Gillman and quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat. SDSU noticed them each final 12 months. And the Montana protection, whereas opportunistic, is susceptible. If the Jacks let the surroundings get to them or are careless with the ball it might be an extended day. But when they’re sharp, they will have success.
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Mason was good in his return final week, and the Jacks are getting more healthy elsewhere, too.
Offensive sort out Sam Hagen seems more likely to return, as does linebacker Cullen McShane, who was out final week. Linebacker Chase Van Tol is getting nearer to a return.
Additionally value noting? Whereas SDSU has a number of high quality wins — Sacramento State, Montana State, Youngstown State, North Dakota and New Hampshire — Montana’s 24-23 house win over North Dakota on Sept. 13 is their solely win over a playoff workforce this 12 months.
The Jacks are 1.5-point underdogs, however they are going in with extra confidence than they’ve had because it was nonetheless heat outdoors.
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“Whether or not the group is up or down, it is actually gonna be a process-oriented deal all through the sport,” Jackson mentioned. “And I cherished how our gamers dealt with that in week two at Montana State. We bought a punt blocked, they rating a landing. You felt them get infused with life. And I feel it is human nature to suppose, OK, right here we go. Effectively, that is what 95% of individuals within the stadium really feel. However the 5% that’s our gamers which are really on the sector, they can not really feel that means. And our employees. And they also confirmed me that they may do it then and battle again and really lose a lead and are available again and get it and win it in time beyond regulation.”
FCS playoffs
Second Spherical
SDSU (9-4) at Montana (11-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Missoula, Mont.
ESPN+
