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FRISCO, Texas (AP) There are extra twists to this FCS championship sport than simply being performed in mid-Could to wrap up a singular spring season.
Prime-seeded South Dakota State takes on No. 2 seed Sam Houston on Sunday, guaranteeing that one of many Soccer Championship Subdivision playoff regulars will grow to be a first-time champion. That is the forty third title sport within the division previously often called I-AA.
A special Dakota is in Frisco with eight-time champion North Dakota State not there from Fargo for less than the second time in 10 seasons. Sam Houston (9-0) has a shot at an ideal season whereas Ok.C. Keeler can grow to be the winningest coach in FCS playoff historical past and the primary to win titles at a number of colleges.
Delaware grad Keeler gained a championship in 2003 at his alma mater, which is what South Dakota State alumnus John Stiegelmeier is now trying in his twenty fourth season teaching the Jackrabbits (8-1).
For anybody who thinks an asterisk ought to be hooked up to the champion of this shortened and most uncommon season for FCS, think about all it took to get up to now because the final title sport in January 2020. There have been fixed COVID-19 checks, the uncertainty if they’d play in any respect and now a finale solely 3 + months earlier than kicking off one other season.
”This season’s been extra draining mentally and bodily than some other season prior to now,” South Dakota State linebacker Logan Backhaus mentioned.
Fellow senor linebacker Preston Tetzlaff mentioned anybody questioning the legitimacy of this season ”in all probability aren’t those taking part in this weekend. In the event that they’re taking part in this week, they would not be saying that.”
The Jackrabbits, of their ninth consecutive playoffs, are of their first championship sport. Sam Houston is in its twelfth FCS playoff, and twice misplaced within the title sport performed about 200 miles from its campus in Huntsville, Texas.
Sam Houston beat North Dakota State within the quarterfinals, then the Bearkats overcame a 21-point halftime deficit of their 38-35 semifinal win over No. 3 seed James Madison, the one group apart from the Bison to win an FCS title since 2011. Sam Schmid had a 69-yard TD go and two scoring runs as they scored 28 factors in a 5 1/2-minute span.
”I do not suppose placing North Dakota State and James Madison in the identical bracket as us is an asterisk in any respect,” defensive lineman Jahari Key mentioned. ”So placing an asterisk by this championship is hilarious, and likewise ridiculous to even say such a factor.”
THE COACHES
Keeler acquired his twenty third FCS playoff victory final week to match the report mark Jim Tressell had at Youngstown State earlier than going to Ohio State and profitable an FBS nationwide title.
”I simply suppose it is hilarious that they are mentioning me with Jim Tressell,” Keeler mentioned. ”To me, it is simply recognition of all of the those who have labored for me or all of the gamers that I’ve coached.”
That is Keeler’s twenty seventh season as a head coach, his seventh at Sam Houston. He was at Division III Rowan earlier than teaching his alma mater from 2002-2012, main the Fightin’ Blue Hens to their solely FCS championship. Delaware additionally performed in Frisco’s first FCS title sport in 2010.
Stiegelmeier’s 174-106 report is all at South Dakota State, together with 15 profitable information in 17 seasons on the FCS degree.
”We’re excited to be within the closing. It has been the objective of our program for a very long time,” he mentioned. ”We’re not giddy excited, the place you’re feeling such as you’ve completed the objective. … The objective is to be 1-0 in Frisco, Texas.”
RUNNING JACKS
South Dakota State dual-threat freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski is the seventh-leading rusher within the Missouri Valley Convention, third on his group behind junior Pierre Robust Jr. and freshman Isaiah Davis.
”It is actually only a nice combo of operating backs,” Gronowski mentioned. ”Pierre’s simply an elusive again who could make anybody miss. Isaiah can simply principally be a bulldozer and run exhausting by the opening.”
Robust has 650 yards speeding whereas Davis, who averages 7.8 yards per carry, has 640. Gronowski has rushed for 567 yards and 7 touchdowns, whereas additionally passing for 1,549 yards with 15 TDs and three interceptions.
The Jackrabbits common 231 yards speeding per sport, fifth-best amongst FCS colleges that performed at the very least six video games. Sam Houston has the third-best speeding protection (79 yards allowed).
EXTRA POINTS
A restricted capability crowd of about 7,500 is predicted at Toyota Stadium, the 20,000-seat residence of MLS group FC Dallas the place the FCS championship sport is ready to be performed by at the very least 2025. … There are 24 gamers from South Dakota on the Jackrabbits roster. ”I really like my residence state, and it is a privilege to have the ability to symbolize them on the highest degree potential in Division I soccer,” senior heart Wes Genant mentioned.
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Extra AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
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