The South Dakota State football team advanced to its 5th consecutive FCS semifinal appearance Saturday, rolling over Incarnate Word 55-14.
In a rematch from Sept. 7, a 45-24 victory in Brookings, SDSU felt they left much to be desired against one of the nation’s top passing offenses.
“We didn’t feel like we played very well the first time around,” said SDSU head coach Jimmy Rogers.
Despite a 21-point victory, the Jackrabbit defense gave up 351 yards and three touchdowns through the air, the most passing yards given up by an SDSU defense in three seasons.
This go-around, things were very different.
Instead of a beautiful fall evening at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, it was a frigid 20 degrees.
“All throughout practice this week, we just knew we had to take the cold as an advantage,” said cornerback Dalys Beanum. “Especially with a team from Texas, they’re not used to this weather.”
And at least in the first half, the cold seemingly affected one team more than the other.
The Jacks scored on five of their seven first-half possessions, starting on its second drive when quarterback Mark Gronowski dropped a pass right in the breadbasket of his receiver Griffin Wilde for a 35-yard touchdown.
“We set it up really well and Griffin ended up making a really good move on that safety,” said Gronowski. “Sometimes great players make great players and sometimes you just got to set them up that way. I gave him a chance with that ball, and he came down with it.”
Wilde finished with 67 yards and two touchdowns on just three catches in the win.
On the ensuing drive in the second quarter, the quarterback-receiver duo would connect again with yet another 35-yard score.
“I think it’s just the work we’ve been putting in together all season long,” said Gronowski on his growing production with Wilde. “After every single practice, me and him are getting extra reps in to try and build that connection. Try to know where he’s going to be, and he knows where I want him to be. He’s just getting confident.”
The back-to-back touchdown drives quickly snowballed for UIW, quarterback Zach Calzada was intercepted by a floating safety, Matthew Durrance, returning to the Cardinal 15-yard line. Five plays later, Gronowski punched in the Jacks’ third touchdown from three yards out.
Gronowski capped off what could be his final game at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium with one of his most efficient outings, completing seven passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns, rushing five times for 17 yards and two touchdowns.
“It’s kind of coming down to the end of my career here at South Dakota State so just try and enjoy every single moment and just have fun playing the game,” said Gronowski. “Part of it is being more confident in my receivers and knowing where they’re going to be. My confidence right now is at a really high point.”
Following another Gronowski rushing score to go up 28-0 in the waning moments of the first half, the SDSU defense forced another UIW turnover with cornerback Steven Arrell punching the football loose on a Jalen Walthall completion.
Arrell also tallied eight tackles for the Yellow and Blue secondary.
The turnover gave SDSU another three points on a Hunter Dustman 36-yard field goal.
Out of halftime, the Jacks picked up right where they left off, Gronowski tossing his third touchdown to tight end David Alpers behind the defense for a 59-yard house call. The Aplers touchdown reception marked the first of his career.
Though it was only a matter of time before the fast-paced offense for the Cardinals would squeak in some points and did on back-to-back drives, A 3-yard touchdown pass from Calzada to receiver Roy Alexander followed by a goal-line touchdown run for Calzada.
Another Dustman field goal and two one-yard rushing touchdowns by Kirby Vorhees and Brendan Begeman, his first career score, ended the quarterfinal beat down.
The Jacks improved to 12-2 and advanced to the FCS semifinals for the 5th consecutive year, looking to get back to Frisco for the fourth time in that span.
“I think it’s awesome for the university,” said coach Rogers on the recent success. “National branding, national television. To go out and dominate like that, the way we did, I think it says a lot. Us, as competitors, it means nothing unless you go to the national championship and leave there, on that stage, holding the trophy.”
Amar Johnson, despite not reaching the endzone, was the workhorse back rushing 18 times for 133 yards, Kirby Vorhees finished with 59 yards and a score on just eight carries, Chase Mason had 44 yards on three carries, while Begeman totaled 19 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
The Jacks defense looked as dominant as it had all season giving up just one fourth-down conversion on six UIW attempts. Four of the five fourth-down stops led to 28 points for the SDSU offense.
“Whenever we can get their offense off the field and give the ball back to our offense, it’s awesome,” said Beanum. “We knew they were going to go for it on fourth down a lot, so it’s exciting whenever we get them off the field, especially in that fashion.”
Linebackers Adam Bock and Graham Spalding each tallied double-digit tackles with 11 and 10, respectively, while Tucker Large had eight tackles. Daeton McGaughy, Kobe Clayborne, and Zac Wilson each had sacks for the nation’s top defense.
The weather combined with a stout defensive performance limited any big plays for Calzada and the passing game, giving up just 258 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the second meeting this season.
“We just watched film on that previous game back in September,” said Beanum. “We knew the mistakes and the miscues that we made. So eliminating explosive plays is always our standard, so I feel like we did a great job of that today.”
Up Next
South Dakota State will play North Dakota State on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. in Fargo, North Dakota for the FCS semifinals.