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2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

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This article is about the FCS (Division I-AA) championship game. For the FBS (Division I-A) championship game, see 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.

2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship
FCS National Championship Game
Montana Grizzlies South Dakota State Jackrabbits
(13–1) (14–0)
Big Sky Missouri Valley
3 23
Head coach: 
Bobby Hauck		 Head coach: 
Jimmy Rogers
STATSSeed
22
STATSSeed
11
1234 Total
Montana 0300 3
South Dakota State 70160 23
DateJanuary 7, 2024
Season2023
StadiumToyota Stadium
LocationFrisco, Texas
MVPMark Gronowski (QB, South Dakota State)[1]
FavoriteSouth Dakota State by 12.5[2]
RefereeGary Leeper
Attendance19,512
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC, ESPN+
International TV coverage
NetworkCanada: TSN+
NCAA Division I Football Championship
 < 2023 2025 > 

The 2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a college football game played on January 7, 2024, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game determined the national champion of NCAA Division I FCS for the 2023 season. The game featured the two finalists of the 24-team playoff bracket, which began on November 25, 2023.[3] The game began at approximately 1:00 p.m. CST and was broadcast on ABC and ESPN+.[4]

Defending champion South Dakota State repeated as FCS champions by defeating Montana, 23–3.[5] It was the Jackrabbits' 29th consecutive victory.[5]

Teams

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See also: 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season § Bracket

South Dakota State

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Main article: 2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team

South Dakota State played to a 11–0 regular-season record; their narrowest victory was a 20–16 win over Montana State on September 9. Seeded No. 1 in the FCS playoffs, the Jackrabbits received a first-round bye, then defeated Mercer, Villanova, and Albany, by a combined score of 123–12, to advance to the championship game.[6]

South Dakota State previously appeared in two FCS championship games—they were champions of the 2022 season (2023 game) and runners-up of the 2020 season (2021 game).

Montana

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Main article: 2023 Montana Grizzlies football team

Montana played to a 10–1 regular-season record; their only loss was to Northern Arizona in September. Seeded No. 2 in the FCS playoffs, the Grizzlies received a first-round bye, then defeated Delaware, Furman, and North Dakota State to advance to the championship game. Their latter two wins both went into overtime.[7]

Montana previously appeared in seven FCS championship games, winning two and losing five; their most recent appearance was in 2009 (December), and they last won in 2001.

Game summary

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2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 2 Montana 0 3 003
No. 1 South Dakota State 7 0 16023

at Toyota Stadium • Frisco, Texas

  • Date: January 7, 2024
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 57 °F (14 °C) • Wind: 16 mph (26 km/h) SE
  • Game attendance: 19,512
  • Referee: Gary Leeper
  • TV: ABC, ESPN+
  • Box score

Statistics

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Team statistical comparison
Statistic      Montana      South Dakota State
First downs 17 17
First downs rushing 6 8
First downs passing 10 8
First downs penalty 1 1
Third down efficiency 4/16 4/11
Fourth down efficiency 2/5 0/0
Total plays–net yards 76–259 55–363
Rushing attempts–net yards 30–47 34–188
Yards per rush 1.6 5.5
Yards passing 212 175
Pass completions–attempts
(percent)		 28–46
(61%)		 13–21
(62%)
Interceptions thrown 1 1
Punt returns–total yards 1–6 1–0
Kickoff returns–total yards 5–114 1–23
Punts–average yardage 6–40.7 6–38.7
Fumbles–lost 2 1
Penalties–yards 6–34 6–35
Time of possession 29:50 30:10

Source:[8][9]

References

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  1. ^ @DomIzzoWDAY (January 7, 2024). "#NDSU AD Matt Larsen presents Mark Gronowski with his FCS Most Outstanding Performance trophy" (Tweet). Retrieved January 7, 2024 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ McKinnell, Zach (January 5, 2024). "2024 FCS National Championship Preview & Prediction: South Dakota State vs. Montana". Sports Illustrated FCS Football News, Analysis and More. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Road to the Championship". ncaa.com. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. ^ "ABC to Broadcast 2024 FCS Championship Game from Frisco". bigskyconf.com. September 5, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "South Dakota State repeats as FCS champs with 29th consecutive win, 23-3 over Montana". apnews.com. AP. January 7, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "Gronowski, South Dakota State return to FCS title game after 59-0 rout of Albany in semifinals". MSN.com. AP. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Frisco bound! Montana races into FCS title game with wild double-OT victory over North Dakota State". montanasports.com. December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "South Dakota State 23-3 Montana | Game Stats". ESPN.com. January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "MON 3, SDS 23 - FINAL". statbroadcast.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
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