Jackrabbits defensive lineman Quinton Hicks celebrates after being sacked in the second quarter of South Dakota State’s 23-12 win over Villanova at Dana J. Dyckhouse Stadium in Brookings on Saturday afternoon. (Chris Shadd/Register)
The win over the Wildcats on Saturday wasn’t perfect, but the Jackrabbits showed the ability to win any type of game.
BROOKINGS — As South Dakota State continues to inch toward the brink of a second straight trip to the national championship game, the Jackrabbits have been impressive in many ways.
The Jackrabbits’ sheer dominance as they pursued a perfect season was enough to open the eyes of even the most cynical supporters, but you could argue that SDSU’s most impressive quality is the ability to adapt to its environment.
Many coaches talk about versatility, but the Jacks are the rare team that can apply that on the field. Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Villanova was the latest example of how SDSU wins in different ways, and it bodes well as they are two wins away from repeating as national champions.
Jacks’ favorite way to win is to have absolute control from the start. SDSU has been known for getting off to a fast start and continued that tradition by scoring a goal on its opening drive in nine of 12 games entering Saturday.
The exclamation point on this stat is that the Jackrabbits are not only scoring goals, they are scoring points in the opening round. SDSU has found the end zone on seven of its opening drives this season with two field goals coming in a win over Youngstown State on Nov. 11 and a first-round win over Mercer on Dec. 2.
This is used as a trigger for a quick start. Entering Saturday’s game against the Wildcats, the Jackrabbits enjoyed an average lead of 17.4 points in the first half and used their running game to pull out the victory.
But while getting ahead and staying ahead isn’t a challenge for some teams, the Jacks have proven their knack for responding to adversity.
That was on display Saturday afternoon after Hunter Dustman nailed a 42-yard field goal on the opening drive to give the Jacks a 3-0 lead. With the wind whipping up Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, the elements threw a wrench into both teams’ offensive plans until Jalen Jackson’s 25-yard touchdown run gave Villanova a 6-3 lead with 7:55 remaining in the second quarter.
The touchdown and a botched kickoff return put the Jacks deep in their own territory and created anxiety that had not been felt in Brookings for most of the past two seasons.
This does not mean that the cranes are not prepared for this situation. SDSU faced a double-digit deficit at home when they battled Montana State on September 9 but responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half that ended with a 20-yard touchdown run by Mark Gronovsky and sparked a 20-16 comeback victory.
The Jacks also suffered an early deficit when South Dakota kicked the opening field goal on October 28 but SDSU’s defense stepped up and the Coyotes did not score another point in a 37-3 win.
SDSU’s response on Saturday was unique. The Jacks had to punt on the ball after Jackson’s touchdown and Villanova began driving into SDSU territory before the defense stepped up. Quenton Hicks’ first sack of the game brought the punt unit and the Jackrabbits’ special teams unit had a chance to shine.
Matthew Dorrance was the player who rose to the occasion, taking a blocked punt that bounced back into his chest and sparking a 45-yard touchdown return that put the Jacks back in front. While Villanova added a field goal before halftime, SDSU had the Wildcats exactly where they wanted them and were ready to pounce in the second half.
“We were still winning the first half, so we knew we weren’t going to be able to get any more points in that game,” Quinton Hicks said. “Our offense is the best in the country, and they were going to put up some points…so we weren’t worried at all.”
The formula is similar to how SDSU earned a win over Southern Illinois on Oct. 21. While the Jacks were on top for the majority of the afternoon that day, the Salukis made enough plays on defense to make it a 14-7 game early in the game. The fourth quarter.
The Jacks planned to kill as much of the clock as possible and relied on the running game to do so. Although Mark Gronovsky made two short passes, his dual-threat ability combined with Davis’ physical style took 9:18 off the clock and effectively put the game out of reach with a Dustman field goal.
While Villanova didn’t slow down SDSU as much as the Salukis did, the same plan was in place – lean on the ground game, run out the clock and get the win.
Davis took advantage of a brutal fourth quarter that included a 66-yard scoring drive. With SDSU’s defense at its peak, the Wildcats had no answer as the Jacks advanced to the FCS semifinals.
It was another impressive victory in what has become a 27-game winning streak for SDSU. In some games, they beat their opponent into submission. In other cases, they have shown the ability to come back. They used their passing attack to fuel wins and their running game to win others, and on Saturday, even special teams got involved.
With this collection of wins, the question becomes how can any team beat SDSU? After becoming the latest team to fail, Villanova coach Mark Ferrante offered his best guess.
“For someone to have a chance to beat those guys, you probably have to bounce the ball your way a few times,” Ferrante said. “Create some transitions[anddon’thaveanyofyourowndon’thaveanydrive-stoppingpenaltiesYoujusthavetoplayarealcleangamebecausethey’reprettyconsistentwithwhattheydoinallphases”[وليسلديكأيتحولاتخاصةبكليسلديكأيعقوباتلوقفالقيادةعليكفقطأنتلعبمباراةنظيفةحقًالأنهاتتفقتمامًامعمايفعلونهفيجميعالمراحل[anddon’thaveanyofyourownDon’thaveanydrive-stoppingpenaltiesYoujusthavetoplayarealcleangamebecausethey’reprettyconsistentwithwhattheydoinallphases”
The Jacks’ consistency has been a symbol no team has been able to solve, a puzzle two teams will have a chance to solve before SDSU claims another national title.
The Brookings Record in college football continues to impress as Jack’s recent victory over Villanova showcases their ability to win in multiple ways. The team’s versatility and determination were on full display as they secured a hard-fought win against a formidable opponent. With a blend of skill and resilience, Jack’s demonstrated that they are a force to be reckoned with in the world of college football, and their continued success is a testament to their strong work ethic and dedication to excellence.