FCS Championship: SDSU vs. Montana Preview

Anticipation (and online tension) builds toward next week’s FCS championship game. No. 1 seed and the newer bully on the FCS block South Dakota State lines up against the No. 2 seed and a Montana team that loves a good underdog role.

Kickoff between the two FCS bluebloods is 1 p.m. CT on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.

The title bout airs on ABC and on an NFL Sunday for the second straight season, a decision made by ESPN.

Here are some names and numbers to know heading into the contest.

Place College Football Wagers at BetMGM

SDSU’s Offense vs. Montana’s Defense

SDSU’s offense is engineered by quarterback Mark Gronowski, who has cemented himself as a top-tier signal-caller. Gronowski has two more years of eligibility after this season and is 35-1 vs. FCS opponents as a full-game starter. Add in a win over Western Oregon, and that’s 36 wins as a starter. The FCS record for most wins by a starting QB is NDSU’s Easton Stick, who went 49-3.

This fall, Gronowski (6’3″ 225 lbs) has put together an All-American season and is a top-three finalist for the Walter Payton Award. He is completing 68.5% of his passes (196/286) for 2,883 yards, 28 touchdowns, and four interceptions while adding 349 yards and seven scores on the ground. Gronowski is the No. 2-graded FCS QB on PFF.

Gronowski has an array of weapons that is as good as it gets in the FCS.

Twin brothers and wide receivers Jadon and Jaxon Janke are both 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, and they are fluid athletes. Their route-running, abilities after the catch, size, and athleticism make them intriguing NFL prospects. Jadon has 52 catches for 891 yards and nine TDs this year, while Jaxon has 47 receptions for 752 yards and five scores. Freshman Griffin Wilde is the next big thing at WR for SDSU, and he has caught 20 passes for 399 yards and six TDs.

Zach Heins is another pro prospect as a 6-foot-7, 260-pound tight end. This fall, he has recorded 25 catches for 369 yards and seven TDs.

Isaiah Davis looks to be the next NFL Draft pick from SDSU at RB. He leads the FCS with 1,491 rushing yards and 17 TDs. Davis has rushed for 100+ yards in 12/15 career playoff games, including seven straight heading into the championship. Amar Johnson is dangerous out of the backfield as well, rushing for 751 yards and four touchdowns. In last year’s championship game, he rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries.

They run behind an offensive line that has been the best in the FCS for two years, an intact unit that has started the same five in 2022 and 2023.

From left to right, the o-line goes Garret Greenfield (6’7″ 320 lbs), Mason McCormick (6’5″ 315 lbs), Gus Miller (6’3″ 295 lbs), Evan Beerntsen (6’4″ 300 lbs), and John O’Brian (6’5″ 300 lbs).

Greenfield and McCormick are multi-year All-Americans, while Miller has been a top-graded FCS center on PFF. Greenfield and McCormick could have signed NFL contracts last year, but they decided to use their extra year of eligibility this fall to improve their draft stocks.

SDSU is third in FCS scoring offense, averaging 38.4 points per game. The Jackrabbits are fifth in rushing offense (230.5 YPG) and 42nd in passing (225.6 YPG). On PFF, they are the No. 1-graded FCS offense, No. 3 in pass-blocking, and No. 3 in run-blocking.

They go up against an aggressive Montana defense.

Controlled chaos is a good phrase for the Grizzlies. They have no fear in dialing up blitzes, and their players play with relentless attitude and effort while still being fundamentally sound in their assignments and tackling.

Montana allows just 16.8 points per game, which is No. 5 in the FCS. Its rushing defense is 12th (102.8 YPG), and its passing defense is 58th (208.4 YPG).

The Griz do a great job getting offenses off rhythm. Here is how the last four quarterbacks fared against the Montana defense. All four were top QBs in their conferences.

• Montana State’s Tommy Mellott: 4/13, 67 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack, 4 QBH
• Delaware’s Ryan O’Connor: 17/36, 197 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks, 4 QBH
• Furman’s Tyler Huff: 16/47, 188 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 3 QBH
• NDSU’s Cam Miller: 9/22, 157 yds, 1 TD, 3 sacks, 3 QBH

Alex Gubner anchors the defense as the most disruptive defensive tackle in the FCS. Gubner (6’3” 284 lbs) has 39 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, and three sacks, but his play goes well beyond the stat sheet. Montana’s 3-man DL front also features long defensive ends in Kale Edwards (6’5” 235 lbs) and Hayden Harris (6’5” 252 lbs). Harris, a UCLA transfer, has made his presence felt more in the postseason. He and Edwards have combined for 14 TFLs and 6.5 sacks on the season.

Montana’s lineage of standout linebackers has continued.

Braxton Hill leads the team with 116 tackles, including 6.5 TFLs and three sacks. Tyler Flink has 77 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and two sacks. Levi Janacaro has 57 tackles, 10 TFLs, and two sacks. And Riley Wilson, a Hawaii transfer, has 48 tackles, 14 TFLs, and a team-high 8.5 sacks. Wilson, Hill, and Janacaro are all in the Top 40 of PFF’s highest-graded FCS linebackers.

The Grizzlies have depth at safety, led by Ryder Meyer’s 84 tackles and Nash Fouch’s 50 tackles. Corbin Walker has two interceptions and eight pass breakups at cornerback, while Trevin Gradney has five interceptions and seven pass breakups.

Montana’s Offense vs. SDSU’s Defense

Montana’s offense made strides of improvement each week during the regular season. A vital part of that was the play of quarterback Clifton McDowell.

McDowell is a graduate transfer from Central Arkansas and has one more year of eligibility after this season. He split time with Boise State transfer Sam Vidlak early in the season before taking over as the full-time QB1. The 6-foot-4 and 224-pounder grew from a serviceable quarterback to a playmaker with his arm and his legs. McDowell is 11-0 as a starter this fall, and he is the No. 9-graded FCS QB on PFF.

McDowell is completing 58.7% of his passes (138/235) for 1,861 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He is also second on the team with 751 yards rushing and nine TDs. The last two playoff games haven’t been his sharpest performances, but McDowell still made clutch plays in big moments to help send Montana to the title game.

Montana has an uber-talented trio of wide receivers.

Junior Bergen (5’11” 180 lbs) is the most electrifying FCS player in the open field offensively and in the return game. He’s caught 55 passes for 766 yards and five TDs. Keelan White (6’2” 185 lbs) has 50 catches for 779 yards and four TDs. And Aaron Fontes (6’1” 170 lbs) has 41 receptions for 541 yards and five scores. All three have big-play potential.

The Grizzlies complement the passing attack with one of the brightest young stars in the FCS. Running back Eli Gillman is the Jerry Rice Award winner as the best FCS freshman. The 6-foot and 206-pounder runs with power and a nice burst, rushing for 950 yards and 12 TDs on 187 carries (5.1 avg). Nick Ostmo (6’0” 218 lbs) is an underrated running back who delivered key runs against NDSU. This fall, he’s rushed for 637 yards and eight TDs.

Montana’s o-line had a slow start this season, but it’s gelled into being a strong unit. The starting five has fluctuated due to injuries, but the unit that started in the semifinals has been its most consistent five: Chris Walker (6’6” 304 lbs), Liam Brown (6’5” 301 lbs), AJ Forbes (6’2” 300 lbs), Journey Grimsrud (6’3” 291 lbs), Brandon Casey (6’5” 305 lbs). Casey earned All-Big Sky First Team honors, Forbes was named on the Second Team, and Walker and Grimsrud were honorable mention selections.

The Griz average 32.2 points per game (16th in the FCS). They rush for 186.1 yards per game (21st) and throw for 196.8 (68th).

They’ll square off against the best defense in the subdivision.

SDSU is No. 1 in scoring defense (9.7 PPG), red zone defense (0.594), total defense (257.1 YPG), and PFF’s coverage grade. The Jackrabbits are also No. 2 in interceptions (18), No. 2 in rushing defense (92.6 YPG), No. 7 in passing defense (164.4 YPG), No. 2 in PFF’s overall graded defense, and No. 9 in PFF’s graded rush defense.

While the Jacks don’t necessarily rack up the sacks or TFLs, they are a brick wall for offenses.

Highlighting the unit is a loaded cast of linebackers.

Jason Freeman is a thumper at middle linebacker, leading the team with 96 tackles. Isaiah Stalbird is a versatile LB who can play the run and the pass, totaling 75 tackles. Adam Bock is a multi-year All-American who has been slowed by injury this season. He has played in nine of 14 games, totaling 54 tackles while looking like his standout self during the playoffs. Saiveon Williamson is a part of the rotation and filled in nicely for Bock when needed, totaling 58 tackles.

The d-line helps free up those linebackers.

Jarod DePriest (6’5″ 285 lbs), Ryan Van Marel (6’4″ 295 lbs), and Brian Williams (6’1″ 285 lbs) don’t have gaudy stats, but they plug the middle at defensive tackle. Defensive end Cade Terveer has a team-high 7.5 TFLs and six sacks. And DE Quinton Hicks has had a standout postseason, totaling six TFLs and four sacks this fall.

Tucker Large has turned into a playmaker on defense and special teams. The safety has 43 tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass breakups. Fellow safety Cale Reeder has 54 tackles. SDSU has two All-Conference cornerbacks. DyShawn Gales has two interceptions and three pass breakups, while Dalys Beanum has four interceptions and seven pass breakups. They are both among the Top 50-graded FCS cornerbacks on PFF.

SDSU has allowed 0, 12, and 0 points in its three playoff wins. It has given up more than 20 points just twice this season — 21 to North Dakota and Illinois State early in the conference slate.

Special Teams

The national championship features two of the best return men in the FCS.

Montana’s Junior Bergen has returned two punts and a kick for touchdowns in the last two games. He has three TDs on punt returns this season, averaging 15.7 yards per return.

SDSU’s Tucker Large is also a major threat returning punts, housing one in the semifinals. His 18.9 yards per return is No. 3 in the FCS.

Montana’s Travis Benham averages 40.39 yards per punt, including 27 fair caught and 25 downed inside the 20-yard line. SDSU’s Hunter Dustman averages 43.69 yards per punt with eight fair caught and 13 downed inside the 20-yard line.

Dustman also kicks for the Jacks, hitting 17-23 field goals this season with a long of 49 yards.

Grant Glasgow and Nico Ramos have split field goal duties for the Griz. Glasgow is 8-14 with a long of 49 yards. Ramos is 9-12 with a long of 43.