CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2021 South Dakota State

11–⁠4 (5–⁠3 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

South Dakota State in 2021, game by game: won at Colorado State 42–23; won vs. Lindenwood 52–7; won at Indiana State 44–0; won vs. Utah Tech 55–7; lost vs. Southern Illinois 41–42; won at Western Illinois 41–17; lost vs. Northern Iowa 17–26; won at Youngstown State 47–16; won vs. North Dakota State 27–19; lost at South Dakota 20–23; won vs. North Dakota 24–21; won vs. UC Davis 56–24; won at Sacramento State 24–19; won at Villanova 35–21; lost at Montana State 17–31+48−14Won 42–23 at Colorado State+19Colorado StateWon 52–7 vs. Lindenwood+45LindenwoodWon 44–0 at Indiana State+44Indiana StateWon 55–7 vs. Utah Tech+48Utah TechLost 41–42 vs. Southern Illinois-1Southern Illino…Won 41–17 at Western Illinois+24Western IllinoisLost 17–26 vs. Northern Iowa-9Northern IowaWon 47–16 at Youngstown State+31Youngstown StateWon 27–19 vs. North Dakota State+8North Dakota St…Lost 20–23 at South Dakota-3South DakotaWon 24–21 vs. North Dakota+3North DakotaWon 56–24 vs. UC Davis+32UC DavisWon 24–19 at Sacramento State+5Sacramento StateWon 35–21 at Villanova+14VillanovaLost 17–31 at Montana State-14Montana State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3atColorado StateW 42–⁠2345%
Sep 11vsLindenwoodW 52–⁠793%
Sep 25atIndiana StateW 44–⁠069%
Oct 2vsUtah TechW 55–⁠792%
Oct 9vsSouthern IllinoisL 41–⁠4270%
Oct 16atWestern IllinoisW 41–⁠1783%
Oct 23vsNorthern IowaL 17–⁠2677%
Oct 30atYoungstown StateW 47–⁠1675%
Nov 6vsNorth Dakota StateW 27–⁠1948%
Nov 13atSouth DakotaL 20–⁠2362%
Nov 20vsNorth DakotaW 24–⁠2175%
Nov 27vsUC DavisFCS Championship – First RoundW 56–⁠2476%
Dec 4atSacramento StateFCS Championship – Second RoundW 24–⁠1950%
Dec 11atVillanovaFCS Championship – Quarterfinals, CFP QuarterfinalW 35–⁠2151%
Dec 18Bowls & playoffatMontana StateL 17–⁠3144%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Montana State 31–⁠17; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In program history: The 5th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 57 on file).

Record
11–⁠4
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 3rd in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
542–⁠296
Coach
—
Elo
1553 +90 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
1.7 No. 2 of 128 in FCS
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Jason Eck
Defensive coordinators
Brian Bergstrom and Jimmy Rogers
Most valuable player
Pierre Strong Jr.

Leaders

Passing yardsChris Oladokun QB224 yds
Passing touchdownsChris Oladokun QB2 TD
Rushing yardsPierre Strong RB138 yds
Rushing touchdownsPierre Strong RB2 TD
Receiving yardsJadon Janke WR92 yds
Receiving touchdownsJadon Janke WR2 TD
TacklesIsaiah Stalbird S9 tkl
SacksCaleb Sanders DT1 sacks
InterceptionsDaeton McGaughy S1 INT

Drafted in 2022

The 2022 draft
Rd 4Pierre Strong Jr. RBNew England Patriots
Rd 7Chris Oladokun QBPittsburgh Steelers

Transfers in 0

The 2021 portal

No transfers in.

Transfers out 1

Cade Johnson WRno new school on file

2021 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
North Dakota State7–⁠114–⁠1
Missouri State6–⁠28–⁠4
South Dakota State5–⁠311–⁠4
Southern Illinois5–⁠38–⁠5
South Dakota5–⁠37–⁠5
Northern Iowa4–⁠46–⁠6
Indiana State3–⁠55–⁠6
North Dakota3–⁠55–⁠6
Illinois State2–⁠64–⁠7
Youngstown State2–⁠63–⁠7
Western Illinois2–⁠62–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.