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2023 South Dakota State

15–⁠0 (8–⁠0 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

South Dakota State in 2023, game by game: won vs. Western Oregon 45–7; won vs. Montana State 20–16; won vs. Drake 70–7; won vs. North Dakota 42–21; won at Illinois State 40–21; won vs. Northern Iowa 41–6; won at Southern Illinois 17–10; won at South Dakota 37–3; won vs. North Dakota State 33–16; won at Youngstown State 34–0; won vs. Missouri State 35–17; won vs. Mercer 41–0; won vs. Villanova 23–12; won vs. UAlbany 59–0; won vs. Montana 23–3+63Won 45–7 vs. Western Oregon+38Western OregonWon 20–16 vs. Montana State+4Montana StateWon 70–7 vs. Drake+63DrakeWon 42–21 vs. North Dakota+21North DakotaWon 40–21 at Illinois State+19Illinois StateWon 41–6 vs. Northern Iowa+35Northern IowaWon 17–10 at Southern Illinois+7Southern Illino…Won 37–3 at South Dakota+34South DakotaWon 33–16 vs. North Dakota State+17North Dakota St…Won 34–0 at Youngstown State+34Youngstown StateWon 35–17 vs. Missouri State+18Missouri StateWon 41–0 vs. Mercer+41MercerWon 23–12 vs. Villanova+11VillanovaWon 59–0 vs. UAlbany+59UAlbanyWon 23–3 vs. Montana+20Montana
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31vsWestern OregonW 45–⁠792%
Sep 9vsMontana StateW 20–⁠1665%
Sep 16vsDrakeW 70–⁠789%
Sep 30vsNorth DakotaW 42–⁠2181%
Oct 7atIllinois StateW 40–⁠2171%
Oct 14vsNorthern IowaW 41–⁠683%
Oct 21atSouthern IllinoisW 17–⁠1070%
Oct 28atSouth DakotaW 37–⁠373%
Nov 4vsNorth Dakota StateW 33–⁠1676%
Nov 11atYoungstown StateW 34–⁠073%
Nov 18vsMissouri StateW 35–⁠1791%
Dec 2Bowls & playoffvsMercerFCS Championship – Second RoundW 41–⁠084%
Dec 9Bowls & playoffvsVillanovaFCS Championship – Quarterfinals, CFP QuarterfinalW 23–⁠1278%
Dec 15Bowls & playoffvsUAlbanyFCS Championship – Semifinals, CFP SemifinalW 59–⁠081%
Jan 7Bowls & playoffvsMontanaFCS ChampionshipW 23–⁠367%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Montana 23–⁠3 in the FCS Championship; unranked in the final AP poll; Missouri Valley Football Conference champions.

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

Missouri Valley Football Conference champions8–⁠0 in the conference

Record
15–⁠0
Conference
8–⁠0 first in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
560–⁠139
Coach
—
Elo
1722 +180 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
8.2 No. 1 of 128 in FCS
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Zach Lujan
Defensive coordinator
Jesse Bobbit
Offense
Pro-style
Defense
3–⁠4

Leaders

Passing yardsMark Gronowski QB2,923 yds
Passing touchdownsMark Gronowski QB28 TD
Rushing yardsIsaiah Davis RB1,529 yds
Rushing touchdownsIsaiah Davis RB17 TD
Receiving yardsJadon Janke WR931 yds
Receiving touchdownsJadon Janke WR10 TD
InterceptionsDalys Beanum CB5 INT

Top recruits in the 2023 class

Joey Neumann TE★★No. 2811
Bryce Hawthorne DL★★No. 2811
Joe Roll WR★★No. 3302
Kirby Vorhees RB
Davin Stoffel TE

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2023 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Receivers22.00.765
Defensive line12.00.780
Whole class32.00.770

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Drafted in 2024

The 2024 draft
Rd 4Mason McCormick OGPittsburgh Steelers
Rd 5Isaiah Davis RBNew York Jets

Transfers in 1

The 2023 portal
Blake Peterson DL★★★from Iowa State

Transfers out 1

Tyler Feldkamp WR★★no new school on file

2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
South Dakota State8–⁠015–⁠0
South Dakota7–⁠110–⁠3
North Dakota State5–⁠311–⁠4
Youngstown State5–⁠38–⁠5
North Dakota5–⁠37–⁠5
Northern Iowa5–⁠36–⁠5
Southern Illinois4–⁠48–⁠5
Illinois State4–⁠46–⁠5
Missouri State3–⁠54–⁠7
Murray State1–⁠72–⁠9
Indiana State1–⁠71–⁠10
Western Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

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