No. 1 South Dakota State Extends Winning Streak to 26 Games with Dominant Victory over Mercer
In a commanding performance, No. 1 ranked South Dakota State secured their 26th consecutive win by defeating Mercer with a resounding scoreline of 41-0 in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Jackrabbits, who are the reigning national champions, have not suffered a loss since their narrow 7-3 defeat against Iowa on September 3, 2022.
Seeded Teams Prevail in Saturday’s Games
Out of the six games played on Saturday, five seeded teams emerged victorious. The only exception was No. 6 Montana State, who suffered a heartbreaking 35-34 loss to North Dakota State.
Saturday’s Results
The other results from Saturday’s games are as follows:
- No. 3 South Dakota 34, Sacramento State 24
- No. 5 UAlbany 41, Richmond 13
- No. 7 Furman 26, Chattanooga 7
- No. 8 Villanova 45, Youngstown State 28
Two more games are scheduled for today: Delaware at No. 2 Montana at 9 p.m. ET and Southern Illinois at No. 4 Idaho at 10 p.m. ET.
The winners from Saturday’s matches will advance to the quarterfinal round next week.
Key Highlights from Saturday’s Games
- South Dakota State amassed an impressive 571 yards of total offense, with 346 rushing yards and 225 passing yards.
- North Dakota State secured their victory in overtime with a blocked extra point.
- Furman overcame an early 7-0 deficit and went on to score 26 unanswered points.
- Despite outgaining UAlbany with 314 total yards compared to 311, Richmond lost the turnover battle, resulting in a 3-2 disadvantage.
- South Dakota quarterback Aidan Bouman showcased his skills by completing 11 of 16 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
- Villanova quarterback Connor Watkins demonstrated his versatility by completing passes to eight different receivers, accumulating 275 passing yards.
Quarterfinal Matchups
With Saturday’s games concluded, there are now eight teams remaining in the playoffs. The matchups for next week are as follows:
No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 1 South Dakota State
Southern Illinois-No. 4 Idaho winner vs. No. 5 UAlbany
Sacramento State-No. 3 South Dakota winner vs. North Dakota State
Delaware-No. 2 Montana winner vs. No. 7 Furman
(Photo of Isaiah Davis: Zoey Schentzel / South Dakota State Athletics)