VERMILLION, S.D. — Electric South Dakota quarterback Austyn Modrzewski has been one of 30 FCS freshman or redshirt freshman to be named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, Stats Perform by Opta Analyst announced on Tuesday.
The redshirt freshman has made a name for himself through his first eight games as the starting quarterback at South Dakota. Through eight games this year, Modrzewski has thrown for 1,734 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing passes at a clip of sixty-six percent.
He’s thrown a touchdown pass in all eight games played with six of the eight having multiple touchdown passes. He enters the UND game sitting tied-second in the FCS with his 22 passing touchdowns, while leading the FCS with his 178.0 passing efficiency.
The Littleton, Colorado native became the fastest Coyote to throw for 1,000 yards in a season since 2019, doing so in just five games. His touchdown passes mark sits T5th all-time for a single season in program history, while also on track to jump into the single-season top-10 ranks for passing yards, completions, and attempts yet this season.
He’s just five touchdown passes away, in fact, from entering the USD career record book for touchdown passes. Jason Seurer (1989-92) threw for 27 touchdown passes in his Coyote career which sits No. 10 all-time in program history.
Modrzewski is one of two Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) athletes on the 2026 watch list. He’s joined by Indiana State’s freshman wide receiver Jadyn Reed.
NCAA FCS COMMITTEE TOP-10 RANKINGS
Announced on Tuesday afternoon, the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series (FCS) selection committee revealed its first in-season top-10 rankings on Tuesday’s airing of College Football Live. The South Dakota football team was ranked No. 8 in the initial committee rankings of the season, with the committee utilizing results and games played through Saturday, October 17 in their decision-making process.
The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) comprised of 40% of the top-10 with four teams ranked. Youngstown State (6-2) led the way with their No. 3 ranking, followed by South Dakota State (5-2) at No. 5, North Dakota (6-2) at No. 6, and South Dakota (6-2) at No. 8 in a congested top of the MVFC standings entering the final five weeks of the regular season.
ABOUT THE JERRY RICE AWARD
The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State University. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the Jerry Rice Award. A national media panel will select the winner from a group of finalists following the regular season.
The Jerry Rice Award is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The others are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.