JACKRABBITS SEEK MVFC TITLE

GAME 10: #1/1 South Dakota State (8-1, 6-0 MVFC) at Northern Iowa (5-4, 4-2 MVFC)

When	Saturday, Nov. 5 \| 4 p.m. Central Time
Where	UNI-Dome \| Cedar Falls, Iowa
TV	Midco Sports \| ESPN+
Radio	Jackrabbits All Access (free audio) \| Jackrabbit Sports Network
Live Stats	UNIPanthers.com
Game Notes	SDSU \| Northern Iowa \| Missouri Valley Football Conference \| FCS Insider
Social Media	Twitter \| Facebook \| #GoJacks

Top-ranked South Dakota State can clinch at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title when it closes out the road portion of its regular season schedule Saturday afternoon at Northern Iowa.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Television coverage will be available on Midco Sports Two and ESPN+.

The Jackrabbits enter the matchup alone atop the MVFC standings with a 6-0 mark. SDSU ran its overall winning streak to eight games with a 49-7 Hobo Day victory over Indiana State on Oct. 29 to improve to 8-1 overall.

UNI has rebounded from a tough start to the season by winning its last three games to up its overall record to 5-4 and 4-2 in the MVFC. The Panthers, who are receiving votes in both the Stats Perform media poll and the Football Championship Subdivision coaches' rankings this week, pulled out a 37-36 victory at nationally ranked Southern Illinois last Saturday.

THE SERIES: Saturday's game will mark the 59th meeting on the gridiron between SDSU and UNI. The two squads met regularly from the time the series started in 1935 until UNI (formerly Iowa Teachers College) left the North Central Conference in the late 1970s to join the Division I ranks.

UNI holds a 33-23-2 advantage in the series, including an 11-7 edge since SDSU joined the Football Championship Subdivision in 2004. Two of the meetings have been in the FCS playoffs, with the teams splitting matchups at SDSU's Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in both 2017 and 2019.

Home-field advantage has meant little in the recent series as the road team has won seven of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2014, including the visiting team winning each of the last three matchups.

In last season's meeting, Oct. 23, 2021, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Northern Iowa scored 13 consecutive points between the second and third quarters to record a 26-17 road victory. Panther kicker Matthew Cook was the star of the game as he made all four of his field-goal attempts, including kicks of 55 and 51 yards.

The Panther defense limited SDSU to 60 yards on the ground.

JACKS PICKED SECOND IN VALLEY: South Dakota State has been picked to finish second in the 2022 Missouri Valley Football Conference race, according to a preseason poll conducted among the league's coaches, sports information directors and a select media panel that was announced in early August.

Defending league and national champion North Dakota State earned the top spot in the poll with 446 points and 39 first-place votes, followed by the Jackrabbits with the other two first-place votes and 407 points. Missouri State (355), Southern Illinois (306) and Northern Iowa (304) rounded out the top five.

Since joining the MVFC at the start of the 2008 season, SDSU has been picked to finish second in the league standings on seven occasions and was tabbed as the favorite in 2021.

SEASON 15 IN THE MVFC: The 2022 season marks South Dakota State's 15th as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Since joining the league in 2008, SDSU is the only program in that span to not have a losing season in conference play.

The Jackrabbits hold an 82-34 record in MVFC games and have won six or more league games six times. SDSU earned a share of league titles in 2016 and during the 2020-21 spring season.

ELITE COMPANY: South Dakota State is one of only two Football Championship Subdivision programs to reach the playoffs each of the last 10 seasons, including advancing to the national semifinals or championship game in four of the last five seasons.

Defending national champion North Dakota State holds the longest active streak with 12 consecutive trips to the playoffs.

RANKINGS STREAK: By being ranked first in this week's Stats Perform FCS poll, SDSU has now appeared in the top 25 of 141 consecutive media polls dating back to October 2012. The Jackrabbits also were selected as the FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week by Stats Perform after beating top-ranked North Dakota State on Oct. 15 to move into the top spot in the poll for the first time in program history.

The Jackrabbits' second-place preseason showing in 2022 marked the highest in program history, surpassing a third-place preseason ranking three times (2018, 2019, 2021).

Following is a week-by-week listing of South Dakota State's national rankings:

WINNING STREAKS ON THE LINE: South Dakota State is in the midst of its longest winning streak of the Division I era after posting its eighth consecutive victory with its 49-7 triumph over Indiana State on Oct. 29.

SDSU previously posted seven-game winning streaks three times as an FCS program: 2006, 2017 and during the 2020-21 spring season. The Jackrabbits' 2020-21 streak began after a loss at North Dakota in the second week of the spring campaign and continued through a win over Delaware in a semifinal playoff game.

With a win Saturday, the Jackrabbits would tie the school record for most consecutive wins at nine. That mark was first set in 1928 and matched with a streak that carried over between the 1950 (last three games) and 1951 (first six games) seasons.

South Dakota State is off to its second 6-0 start in league play since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008. The Jackrabbits' previous best start in MVFC play came in 2009, when SDSU won its first six league games en route to its first FCS playoff berth. That streak ended with a 34-15 home loss to Southern Illinois.

300 AND COUNTING: The Sept. 24 league opener at Missouri State marked John Stiegelmeier's 300th game as head coach at South Dakota State. Since taking over the program at the start of the 1997 season, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to a 193-112 overall record, including an 82-34 mark in MVFC contests.

Counting his nine seasons as a full-time assistant coach at SDSU prior to becoming head coach, Stiegelmeier has been on the sidelines (or coaching booth) for 402 Jackrabbit football games, helping lead teams to a combined 249-153 record.

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team are seven captains:

Adam Bock, Jr., linebacker, Solon, Iowa;
Garret Greenfield, Sr., offensive lineman, Rock Valley, Iowa;
Mark Gronowski, So., quarterback, Naperville, Ill.;
Mason McCormick, Sr., offensive lineman, Sioux Falls;
Caleb Sanders., Sr., defensive tackle, Glenwood, Iowa;
Reece Winkelman, Grad., defensive end, Marshall, Minnesota;
Landon Wolf, Grad., wide receiver, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

McCormick is in his second season as a captain, while all other captains are in their first seasons in the role.

GRONOWSKI HONORED: South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski was honored as Co-Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after helping lead the top-ranked Jackrabbits to a come-from-behind victory at No. 20 North Dakota on Oct. 22. The award was the second of the season for Gronowski.

A sophomore from Naperville, Illinois, Gronowski accounted for a career-high five touchdowns — three passing and two rushing — in the 49-35 Jackrabbit victory. He completed 15-of-20 passes for 197 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft late in the first half that pulled SDSU to within 21-14, followed by scoring tosses of 10 yards to Jaxon Janke and 2 yards to Zach Heins in the third quarter, the last of which gave the Jackrabbits a lead they would not relinquish.

Gronowski capped a 21-point third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run, then added a 10-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. Gronowski, who shared the award with Northern Iowa running back Dom Williams, also recorded a 16-yard reception that set up his first rushing touchdown.

AWARD WATCH LISTS: Three South Dakota State standouts were among the 35 players named to the preseason watch list for the 2022 Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually by Stats Perform to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Representing the Jackrabbits on the initial watch list were running back Isaiah Davis, wide receiver Jaxon Janke and tight end Tucker Kraft.

Davis, a junior from Joplin, Missouri, has filled the featured back role after playing alongside two-time Walter Payton Award finalist Pierre Strong, Jr. the previous two seasons. Davis missed most of the 2021 regular season due to injury, but managed to finish second on the team with 701 rushing yards and seven touchdown after three consecutive 100-yard games in the FCS playoffs.

Davis averaged nearly eight yards per carry through his first two seasons in a Jackrabbit uniform. In the eight games he has played so far this season, Davis has again been a top offensive performer for the Jackrabbits, rushing 137 times for 777 yards (5.7 ypc, 97.1 ypg) with eight touchdowns, and catching 10 passes for 78 yards.

A senior from Madison, Janke posted team highs of 72 receptions and 1,165 receiving yards in 2021, while adding five touchdowns. He caught at least two passes in all 15 games last season and tallied 100-plus receiving yards in seven contests, including four in a row to close out the regular season. Janke currently leads the team with 38 receptions, 476 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.

Kraft emerged as another top receiving target for the Jackrabbits last season, catching 65 passes for 780 yards and six touchdowns.

A junior from Timber Lake, Kraft notched three 100-yard games and hauled in at least two receptions in all 15 games of the 2021 campaign. He was limited to one reception for seven yards before being injured in the season opener at Iowa. In two games since returning to the lineup Oct. 22 at North Dakota, Kraft has added eight more catches for 112 yards and touchdowns of 32 and 21 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jackrabbit middle linebacker Adam Bock was included in the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award. A junior from Solon, Iowa, Bock was the Jackrabbits' leading tackler during the 2021 season, totaling 125 stops. He also registered 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, intercepted two passes and forced a pair of fumbles. Bock tallied 10 or more tackles six times last season, including a career-high 17 tackles in an Oct. 9, 2021, game versus Southern Illinois.

Bock tied for 11th in the balloting for the 2021 Buck Buchanan Award.

Currently sidelined by injury, Bock has tallied a team-best 58 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, in eight games. In the Sept. 3 opener at Iowa, he was credited with a game-high 13 tackles and also recorded a forced fumble and fumble recovery en route to being named Missouri Valley Football Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week.

The watch lists will be updated periodically throughout the regular season, with a national media panel selecting the award winner prior to the FCS national title game.

MORE PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Besides the four players named to the Payton and Buchanan award watch lists, four other Jackrabbits received preseason All-America recognition over the summer.

Two of the preseason All-America picks were offensive linemen Garret Greenfield and Mason McCormick. Both have been multi-year starters for the Jackrabbits — Greenfield at tackle and McCormick at guard — who helped pave the way for a balanced SDSU offensive attack to average 36.1 points and 441.1 yards of total offense per game during the 2021 season.

Also earning preseason accolades were defensive tackle Caleb Sanders and senior tight end Zach Heins.

A senior from Glenwood, Iowa, Sanders led the team in sacks for the second year in a row with 6.5 and tallied 13 tackles for loss among his 34 total stops.

The other half of the top returning tight end tandem in the FCS ranks, Heins hauled in 24 receptions for 250 yards in 2021. The Sioux Falls native also tallied six touchdowns.

COMEBACK KIDS: South Dakota State trailed 21-7 in the first half in each of its last two games before rallying for wins at North Dakota State (23-21) on Oct. 15 and at North Dakota (49-35) a week later.

That marked the first time the Jackrabbits overcame double-digit deficits in back-to-back games since October 2006. In that season, SDSU came back from a 28-6 third-quarter deficit against Cal Poly for a 29-28 victory, followed by a 22-21 Hobo Day win over UC Davis in which the Jackrabbits trailed 21-7 in the second quarter.

Overall, SDSU has won 16 games at the FCS level in which it trailed by at least 10 points at some point in the game, including nine against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.

THIRD-QUARTER SUPREMACY: South Dakota State dominated the third quarter in each of the first three games of October in terms of yards and time of possession. The Jacks racked up more than 10 minutes in time of possession coming out of the locker room at halftime, running 61 offensive plays for 372 yards compared to 18 plays for 54 yards by the opposition.

Although SDSU didn't put up the same type of numbers in its Oct. 22 matchup at North Dakota, the Jackrabbits dominated on the scoreboard with a 21-point third quarter en route to their 49-35 victory.

CHAIN GANG BREAKS THROUGH: South Dakota State recorded a season-high seven sacks in its Oct. 8 victory over South Dakota. It was the most sacks in a game by a Jackrabbit squad since racking up seven against Delaware in an FCS national semifinal game on May 8, 2021.

Through six Missouri Valley Football Conference games, SDSU has racked up 20 sacks, including five Oct. 22 at North Dakota.

Twelve different players have recorded a sack so far this season for the Jackrabbits.

NEW LOWS: South Dakota State limited South Dakota to five completions and 44 passing yards in their Oct. 8 matchup at sold-out Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Those were the lowest totals against a Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent since the Jackrabbits joined the league in 2008 and were the lowest against any opponent since holding Robert Morris (Pa.) to four completions and 43 passing yards in 2015.

STUFFING THE RUN: For the sixth consecutive game to start the season, South Dakota State held an opponent under 100 yards rushing when it limited South Dakota to 92 yards on 36 attempts in their Oct. 8 matchup.

That performance extended the longest such streak by the Jackrabbits in the Division I era (since 2004). SDSU had held opponents to below the century mark in three consecutive games five times (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2021). The 2012 team also held the opponent under 100 yards rushing in six games overall.

SDSU's streak ended Oct. 15 at North Dakota State, when the Bison rushed for 127 net yards. However, NDSU mustered only 28 yards on the ground in the second half and was held below half of its season average of 265.8 rushing yards per game entering the Dakota Marker contest.

The Jackrabbits, who limited North Dakota to 74 rushing yards in their Oct. 22 contest, currently rank third in the Football Championship Subdivision by allowing 72.4 rushing yards per game, and also stand second in total defense by giving up only 260.8 yards of total offense per outing and fourth in scoring defense at 15.1 points per game.

PICKING OFF THE COMPETITION: After leading the FCS ranks with 21 interceptions a season ago, the Jackrabbit defense has continued to take the ball away from the opposition during the 2022 campaign.

SDSU defenders have recorded at least one interception in each of their first nine games, with safeties Cale Reeder and Colby Huerter, as well as cornerbacks Dalys Beanum and DyShawn Gales each coming up with two so far this season. Gales' second interception of the season resulted in a 31-yard return for touchdown Oct. 22 at North Dakota.

SDSU currently ranks seventh among FCS?teams with 12 interceptions. The Jackrabbits also rank fifth in turnover margin with an average of plus-1.33 turnovers per game after forcing 18 total turnovers compared to losing six turnovers.

Dating back to the start of the 2018 season, the Jackrabbits have intercepted at least one pass in 50 of their last 60 games for a total of 80 pickoffs.

Beanum led the Jackrabbits in 2021 with four interceptions — three of which came in SDSU's opening-round playoff victory against UC Davis, the last of which he returned 59 yards for a touchdown. Beanum also notched a pick-six on his first career interception earlier in the season against Dixie State, covering 36 yards.

As a team, the Jackrabbits tied one of their longest-standing school records with six interceptions in the playoff game versus UC Davis. SDSU also intercepted six passes in a 1950 game against Augustana and in a 1952 matchup with St. Cloud State.

In all, 11 different Jackrabbits recorded at least one interception a season ago and SDSU picked off at least one pass in 12 of 15 games.

BIG INTERCEPTION, BIG RETURN: Sophomore safety Colby Huerter's first career interception helped keep the momentum in South Dakota State's favor in the Jacks' conference-opening matchup at Missouri State on Sept. 24.

On the opening drive of the second half, Huerter stepped in front of a Jason Shelley pass deep in the red zone and his ensuing 70-yard return to the MSU 24 set up the Jackrabbits' second touchdown of the game for a 14-0 lead. Huerter's interception return — the first of his career — was the longest by an SDSU player since Winston Wright returned a pickoff 82 yards for a touchdown at South Dakota on Nov. 16, 2013.

Huerter's second interception of the season also swung the momentum in the Jackrabbits' favor as he made a leaping interception on a North Dakota State pass to the end zone late in the first half of the Dakota Marker game on Oct. 15. Huerter's interception kept the score at 21-7 in favor of NDSU and jump-started a Jackrabbit comeback as they scored all 16 second-half points to rally for a 23-21 victory in Fargo.

A WINNING COMBINATION: Jackrabbit running back Isaiah Davis recorded his fourth 100-yard game this season and 11th of his career when he gained 114 yards on 14 carries Oct. 15 at North Dakota State. SDSU improved to 10-1 in games in which Davis has topped the century mark, with the lone loss coming in the 2020-21 national championship game against Sam Houston.

GRONOWSKI BACK UNDER CENTER: The Jackrabbits welcomed quarterback Mark Gronowski back to the starting lineup in the Sept. 3 season opener at Iowa.

A sophomore from Naperville, Illinois, Gronowski helped lead SDSU to the FCS title game during the 2020-21 spring season, but sat out last fall due to an injury he suffered on the first offensive series of the championship game against Sam Houston.

Gronowski started all 10 games as a true freshman during the modified 2020-21 season and was honored as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year, as well as the league's Freshman of the Year. He completed 57.4 percent (108-of-188) of his passes for 1,565 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding another 577 yards (7.0 ypc) and seven touchdowns on the ground.

In addition, Gronowski finished as runner-up for the 2021 Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Gronowski was honored as Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season after leading the Jackrabbits to a conference-opening victory at Missouri State on Sept. 24, setting single-game career highs in completions, yards and passing touchdowns in No. 2/3 South Dakota State's 28-14 road win over the then-No. 4/6 Bears.

He completed 22-of-29 passes for 319 yards and accounted for all four Jackrabbit touchdowns through the air. Gronowski book-ended touchdowns of 3 and 40 yards to Jadon Janke, while also connecting on scoring strikes of 13 yards to Jaxon Janke and the go-ahead 21-yarder to Zach Heins early in the fourth quarter. He directed scoring drives of 70 and 84 yards in the fourth quarter that took a combined 8 minutes and 35 seconds off the clock.

JAXON FOR 2K: South Dakota State wide receiver Jaxon Janke reached a career milestone in the Sept. 3 season opener at Iowa, becoming the eighth Jackrabbit to reach 2,000 career receiving yards.

A senior from Madison, Janke caught two passes for 24 yards in that contest and has gone on to catch 38 passes this season for 476 yards to up his career receiving yardage total to 2,467 yards.

In addition, Janke has upped his career receptions to 171, putting him in sixth place on the SDSU career charts after passing Cade Johnson (162 receptions from 2017-19) in the Oct. 15 win over North Dakota State.

DAVIS, TOO: Jackrabbit running back Isaiah Davis crossed the 2,000-yard mark in career rushing during his 199-yard performance against Western Illinois on Oct. 1. He enters the week with 2,259 yards on 321 carries — an average of 7.0 yards per attempt.

Davis, who is 17th among FCS running backs with 777 rushing yards so far this season, currently stands 283 yards away from moving into the SDSU career top 10.

TWIN TOUCHDOWNS: Twin brothers Jadon and Jaxon Janke each caught a touchdown pass in the Sept. 24 victory at Missouri State. It marked the second week in a row and the sixth time in their Jackrabbit careers the dynamic duo from Madison accomplished the feat.

Jadon book-ended the SDSU scoring with a 3-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter and a 40-yard catch and run in the decisive fourth quarter. Jaxon's touchdown covered 13 yards in the third quarter.

A week earlier against Butler, Jaxon's touchdown came on a 7-yard pass in the first quarter, while Jadon tallied his touchdown on a 17-yard pass play early in the second quarter.

Both Jankes upped their career receiving touchdown total to 17 versus Missouri State. Jaxon has since added to his total with a 19-yard TD reception a week later against Western Illinois, followed by a 28-yard score Oct. 8 versus South Dakota.

Following are the games in which both Jankes have caught touchdown passes:

April 24, 2021, vs. Holy Cross — Jadon (11 yards in first quarter); Jaxon (13, 45 yards in second/third quarters);
Sept. 25, 2021, at Indiana State — Jadon (33 yards in first quarter), Jaxon (42 yards in second quarter);
Oct. 16, 2021, at Western Illinois — Jadon (8 yards in first quarter), Jaxon (21 yards in third quarter);
Nov. 20, 2021, vs. North Dakota — Jadon (17 yards in second quarter), Jaxon (21 yards in third quarter);
Sept. 17, 2022, vs. Butler — Jadon (17 yards in second quarter), Jaxon (7 yards in first quarter);
Sept. 24, 2022, at Missouri State — Jadon (3, 40 yards in first/fourth quarters), Jaxon (13 yards in third quarter).

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ... In South Dakota State's Oct. 22 game against North Dakota, Jadon Janke returned a punt 58 yards to set up a Jackrabbit touchdown as part of a 21-point third quarter. A week later, his twin brother, Jaxon, returned an Indiana State punt 49 yards to set up the Jackrabbits' second touchdown of the opening quarter.

The Jankes enter the weekend with nearly identical receiving totals for the season: Jaxon leads the team with 38 receptions for 476 yards and five touchdowns, while Jadon is right behind with 33 catches for 447 yards and four scores.

SEEING DOUBLE: The 2022 edition of the South Dakota State football team features three sets of twin brothers.

Returning for their senior seasons are wide receivers and Madison natives Jadon and Jaxon Janke. Jaxon Janke has been the team's leading receiver each of the past two seasons, while Jadon Janke hauled in 14 touchdown receptions during the 2021 calendar year split between the spring and traditional fall seasons.

Another pair of twins with South Dakota roots are sophomore linebackers Aaron and Adam Kusler. Aaron played in three games last season, while Adam contributed mostly on special teams and saw action in 14 of the team's 15 games.

New to the squad this season are freshmen Jason and Justin Harris from New Lenox, Illinois. Jason is listed as a wide receiver, while Justin plays running back.

A KRAFT-Y RETURN: All-America tight end Tucker Kraft marked his return to the South Dakota State lineup Oct. 22 at North Dakota by catching three passes for 53 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown late in the first half. Kraft missed six games after being injured in the Sept. 3 season opener at Iowa.

In addition to his contributions in the passing game, Kraft fielded an onside kick in stride in the fourth quarter, returning the ball 30 yards to the UND 10 to set up the Jackrabbits' final touchdown of the game.

Kraft added five catches for 59 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown, in SDSU's 49-7 Hobo Day win over Indiana State last Saturday.

HEINS HAS CAREER DAY: Picking up some more of the slack in the absence of All-American Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State tight end Zach Heins turned in a career day against Missouri State on Sept. 24. A senior from Sioux Falls, Heins hauled in seven passes for 127 yards, setting career highs in both categories. His final reception was a 21-yarder for a touchdown that gave SDSU a 21-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Four of Heins' receptions covered at least 21 yards and five of his catches resulted in first downs on the afternoon.

WINKELMAN, SANDERS CRACK TOP 10s: Senior defensive linemen Reece Winkelman and Caleb Sanders were not only the top two sack artists for the Jackrabbits last season, but the Jackrabbit duo have nearly identical career numbers for sacks and tackles for loss as they both have moved into the SDSU career top 10 in those categories.

A defensive end from Marshall, Minnesota, Winkelman has vaulted into fourth place on the Jackrabbit career sacks chart with 19.5 after registering a team-best 4.5 sacks so far this season. He also is fourth in career tackles for loss with 39 after posting a team-best eight tackles for loss so far this season. In 2019, Winkelman notched a team- and career-best 6.5 sacks and led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss in 2021.

Sanders, a defensive tackle from Glenwood, Iowa, currently ranks sixth in tackles for loss (36) and moved into 10th place on the career sacks chart after registering the 17th of his career Oct. 22 at North Dakota.

DOUBLE-DUTY DUSTMAN: Junior Hunter Dustman has figured prominently in the Jackrabbits' special teams efforts throughout the 2022 season.

Dustman handled all of the kicking duties in the Sept. 3 season opener at Iowa, punting 11 times for an average of 41.5 yards (long of 52) and scoring the Jackrabbits' only points on a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter. Dustman's 11 punts mark the most by an SDSU player in the Division I era (since 2004).

For the season, Dustman is averaging 43.2 yards per punt and is 8-for-14 on field goals.

SNAP. SPOT. KICK. REPEAT.: Four South Dakota State kickers have combined to make 108 consecutive extra-point tries over the last two-plus seasons.

The streak dates back to the second quarter of SDSU's Football Championship Subdivision semifinal playoff game against Delaware during the 2020-21 spring season, when Cole Frahm connected on a PAT after missing one earlier in the stanza. Frahm would close the spring with three more PATs in the national championship game, then was successful on all 65 of his attempts last fall to set the school record with 69 consecutive made PATs.

Hunter Dustman has made all 35 of his attempts so far this season after making his lone attempt in 2021. Corben Mahaffy added an extra point in 2021 to complete a perfect 67-for-67 performance for the team, and Jack Green is 2-for-2 on PATs this season as SDSU has made all 37 tries in 2022.

STAFF SHAKEUP: South Dakota State football underwent some restructuring following a successful 2021 season, with four coaches earning internal promotions and four new coaches joining the staff. The staff shakeup was the result of 2021 coordinators Jason Eck (offense) and Brian Bergstrom (co-defense) accepting head coaching positions at Idaho and Winona State, respectively.

Zach Lujan takes over as the Jackrabbits' offensive coordinator, while continuing to coach the team's quarterbacks. A former SDSU quarterback himself from 2014-16, Lujan began his coaching career in 2018 as running backs coach before moving over to mentor the quarterbacks a year later.

Also on offense, Ryan Olson has moved from coaching the Jackrabbit tight ends to offensive line coach, and has added the title of run game coordinator. Olson joined the SDSU coaching staff prior to the start of the 2020-21 spring season and previously coached the offensive line at Bemidji State from 2017-19.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jimmy Rogers has been named the team's sole defensive coordinator after splitting duties with Bergstrom the past three seasons. Rogers will continue to coach the squad's linebackers and also holds the title of assistant head coach. Another former Jackrabbit player, Rogers is the longest-tenured assistant coach on staff as he enters his 10th season this fall.

In addition, defensive line coach Christian Smith has added defensive run game coordinator to his duties. Smith has coached at SDSU since 2017.

Two of the new coaches are former Jackrabbit football players — Josh Davis as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach and Jesse Bobbit as safeties coach and recruiting coordinator. Also joining the coaching staff were Chris Meyers as tight ends coach and Mark Kubacki as assistant defensive line coach.

Davis previously served as wide receivers coach at SDSU from 2009-15, when he mentored five players currently in the Jackrabbits' top 10 for career receptions. He spent the past six years at Northwestern College (Iowa), where he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for a perennial top-10 NAIA program that reached the national championship game in spring 2021.

A standout receiver himself for the Jackrabbits from 2002-05, Davis ended his career as the Jackrabbits' all-time leader in receptions (225) and ranked second in both career receiving yards (3,192) and touchdowns (26). While those marks no longer stand as records, Davis continues to hold the SDSU single-game receptions mark with 16.

Bobbit, who played linebacker at SDSU from 2013-16, began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at SDSU in 2019. He moved on to Washington State, where he was a defensive graduate assistant and quality control coach for two years. He worked with the linebackers for a Cougar team that earned a Sun Bowl berth in 2021.

Meyers most recently served as an offensive line graduate assistant at Oklahoma State, where he worked with a unit that cleared the way for 2019 NCAA rushing champion Chuba Hubbard. The 2021 Oklahoma State team played in the Big 12 Football Championship and closed a 12-2 season with a win in the Fiesta Bowl.

Kubacki, who joined the staff in July, brings a decade of collegiate coaching experience to SDSU. He spent the last five seasons at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, following a five-year stint at St. Thomas, where he coached on both sides of the ball for a program that compiled a 56-8 record at the NCAA Division III level.

JACKS IN THE PROS: In preparation for the 2022 season, 10 former South Dakota State standouts were members of National Football League teams, continuing the Jackrabbits' long tradition of developing players into pro prospects.

Headlining the list is tight end Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles. After being drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Goedert has gone on to record 225 receptions for 2,716 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons.

Goedert set a career high with 830 receiving yards on 56 catches during the 2021 season. He established career bests of 58 receptions and five touchdowns in 2019.

Linebacker Christian Rozeboom earned a Super Bowl ring with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season. A member of the Rams' practice squad in 2020, Rozeboom made his NFL debut with the Kansas City Chiefs early in 2021 before returning to Los Angeles and seeing action mostly on special teams for the Rams for remainder of the regular season and postseason.

Rozeboom was credited with three tackles in 2021 and has registered five tackles thus far in 2022.

Making their NFL debuts in the past week were cornerback Don Gardner (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and wide receiver Cade Johnson (Seattle Seahawks). Both were activated from their respective teams' practice squads. Johnson also was a member of Seattle's practice squad in 2021.

For the first time since 1976, the Jackrabbits saw two players selected in the same NFL Draft. Running back Pierre Strong was a fourth-round selection by the New England Patriots, while quarterback Chris Oladokun was taken by Pittsburgh.

Strong has played in four games and has returned two kickoffs for 48 yards, while gaining five yards on one rushing attempt.

Oladokun was released during training camp by the Steelers, but was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs and assigned to their practice squad.

Additionally, Wes Genant (New Orleans), Michael Griffin II (Tennessee) and Aron Johnson (Baltimore) all received post-draft free agent offers.

Also on an NFL roster in 2022 as a practice squad member is cornerback Jordan Brown (New Orleans Saints). Brown, who was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019, also has spent time with Washington, the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In addition, wide receiver Jake Wieneke has caught on with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Through his first two seasons (2019, 2021), Wieneke recorded 95 total receptions for 1,467 yards with 19 touchdowns. He was named the CFL's East Division Most Outstanding Rookie.

So far in 2022, Wieneke has caught 45 passes for 589 yards and two touchdowns.

Another former Jackrabbit standout, quarterback Taryn Christion, recently retired after a brief stint playing with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL.

Headlining the list of Jackrabbit pro football alumni are Hall of Famer Jim Langer and the NFL's career scoring leader, Adam Vinatieri.

Langer who played football at SDSU from 1967-69 and also was an All-American in baseball, played center on every offensive down during the Miami Dolphins' perfect season in 1972. He was a first-team All-Pro four times and was selected to play in six Pro Bowl games. He played with the Dolphins from 1970-79 before returning to his home state to finish his career with the Minnesota Vikings from 1980-81. He passed away in September 2019.

Vinatieri wapped up his playing career after becoming the NFL's all-time scoring leader in 2018 as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. Over Vinatieri's 24 seasons, his totals include NFL bests of 599-of-715 on field goal attempts, 83.8 percent, and 2,673 career points. He also ranks second in career extra points with 874. In all, Vinatieri set 15 NFL records, including 21 100-point seasons.

Several other former Jackrabbit players and coaches have had ties to the professional game, including:

Bryan Witzmann (player from 2010-13), played for several NFL teams as an offensive lineman from 2014-20;
Steve Heiden (player from 1995-98), former tight end for the Chargers and Browns who is currently the tight ends coach for the Arizona Cardinals;
Reed Burckhart (player from 2004-07), former director of pro scouting for the Minnesota Vikings and now director of player personnel for the Denver Broncos;
Glen Fox (player from 2006-09), director of pro personnel for the Arizona Cardinals after presiouly serving as a pro scout for 10 years;
Shwn Mennenga (assistant coach from 2009-10), former special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers;
Trent Baalke (assistant coach from 1991-95), general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars and formerly the GM for the San Francisco 49ers;
Brad Seely (player from 1974-77), longtime special teams coordinator with numerous NFL teams.

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS: South Dakota State University offensive lineman Wes Genant earned his fourth career selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I Football Team and defensive end Reece Winkelman also earned first-team recognition during the 2021 season.

Genant, a Parkston native, was honored on the first team with a 3.90 grade-point average as a human biology major. A multi-year starter at center, Genant also was a first-team selection in 2018 and 2020-21 after earning second-team recognition in 2017. He redshirted during the 2019 season while recovering from injury.

Winkelman, a native of Marshall, Minnesota, was selected with a 3.87 GPA as a business economics major. On the field, he was a second-team all-MVFC selection who led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss and ranked second with 5.5 sacks.

Genant is the only Jackrabbit football student-athlete to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors four times. SDSU has placed at least one player on the squad in 15 of the last 17 seasons, including multiple selections 13 times. Overall, SDSU football student-athletes have received Academic All-America recognition from CoSIDA 44 times since 1974.

DANA J. DYKHOUSE STADIUM: Jackrabbit football moved into a new home in September of 2016 with the completion of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

The stadium, which was constructed in phases on the site of SDSU's previous home field, Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, seats 19,340 spectators and cost $65 million to build.

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium is being funded through private gifts and long-term revenue streams, including concessions and suite, loge box and ticket sales. Bonds are financing nearly two-thirds of the project's construction, with the remaining dollars coming from private support. Lead gifts totaling $12.5 million from former Jackrabbit football player and Sioux Falls banker Dana Dykhouse and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford were announced in October 2013.

The stadium officially opened Sept. 8, 2016, featuring a concert by country music superstars Luke Bryan, Little Big Town and Lee Brice as part of the Jacks Bash opening weekend.

The first football game was two days later, on Sept. 10, when the Jackrabbits defeated Drake, 56-28.

SDSU has gone on to post a 40-7 record at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium during its first five-plus seasons of operation, including an 8-1 mark in FCS playoff games.

The Jackrabbits went undefeated at home in 2018 at 7-0 and again during the 2020-21 spring season with a 5-0 mark.

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium was designed by Kansas City-based Crawford Architects, with the construction firm JE Dunn serving as the project manager at risk and Henry Carlson Company of Sioux Falls serving as general contractor.

The stadium won the 2017 Alliant Build America Award from the Associated General Contractors of America South Dakota Building Chapter.

ATTENDANCE BOOM: South Dakota State has drawn crowds of more than 15,000 for each of its first five home games, including greeting a sold-out crowd of 19,332 for the Oct. 8 game against South Dakota. It marked the second sellout in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium history and also the second-largest crowd, trailing the 19,371 fans who attended the 2019 Dakota Marker game against North Dakota State — a day SDSU also hosted ESPN's College GameDay.

SDSU is averaging 17,041 fans through five home games, with the regular season finale against Illinois State set for Nov. 12.

The school record for average attendance in a season is 13,753 over seven home dates (including postseason games) in 2016, which was the first season of operation for Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

STIG SHOW: The John Stiegelmeier Radio Show airs throughout the 2022 season.

The weekly, hour-long show begins at 6 p.m. Central Time and originates in front of a live audience once again at Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Brookings. Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the show airs along the Jackrabbit Sports Network, including flagship station WNAX 570 AM, and can be heard through the Jackrabbit app and online at GoJacks.com.

Weekly segments include interviews with Jackrabbit head coach John Stiegelmeier, student-athletes and others associated with SDSU football. Fans can submit questions through social media platforms and fans in attendance can register for weekly prizes.

The show mostly airs on Mondays, although it will move to Thursdays in early November (Nov. 10 and 17) due to conflicts with coverage of Jackrabbit basketball.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits close out the regular season Nov. 12 by hosting Illinois State. Kickoff for the Senior Day game is is set for 2 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

-GoJacks.com-

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