South Dakota State seized the momentum with a return of a blocked punt for a touchdown late in the first half and secured another trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs behind the rushing of Isaiah Davis in the second half, defeating Villanova by a 23-12 score Saturday at a blustery Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
The top-seeded Jackrabbits improved to 13-0 and ran their overall winning streak to 27 games. SDSU advanced to the semifinal round for the fourth season in a row and sixth time in seven years, and will host the winner between Idaho and UAlbany at 6 p.m. Friday.
With the game played in sustained winds of 30 miles per hour with higher gusts, both squads were limited in the passing and kicking games for much of the contest. Villanova’s punt attempt on the opening drive of the game deflected off a member of the protection unit, giving SDSU the ball at the Wildcats’ 35-yard line. The Jackrabbits managed to pick up one first down before Hunter Dustman connected on a 42-yard field goal with the wind at his back for an early 3-0 lead.
Combined, the two squads’ next six drives all resulted in punts, including a 71-yarder by Villanova’s Nathan Fondacaro that pinned SDSU inside its own 10 as the Wildcats controlled the battle for field position for most of the first 30 minutes. Villanova forced a three-and-out after the long punt and took over at the SDSU 44 and put the first touchdown of the game on the board on a 25-yard run by Jalen Jackson midway through the second quarter. The extra-point attempt, however, was hooked left, keeping the score at 6-3.
SDSU continued to struggle against the Villanova defense, but backup safety Matthew Durrance provided the spark the Jackrabbits needed with a game-changing play on special teams. Durrance came around the left side of the formation to block Fondacaro’s next punt attempt and had the ball bounce into his hands at the VU 45, returning it all the way for a touchdown and a 10-6 Jackrabbit lead after the PAT.
Villanova responded with an eight-play, 47-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 46-yard field goal by Matthew Mercurio with just over a minute to play in the first half to cut the SDSU lead to 10-9.
After being held to 48 hard-fought rushing yards — and 64 total yards — in the first half, the Jackrabbits began to find their footing in the third quarter. Although their first possession of the half resulted in a turnover in Villanova territory, SDSU was able to extend its lead to 17-9 with its most sustained drive to that point, putting together a nine-play, 62-yard drive. Two plays after Davis broke loose for an 18-yard run to the Villanova 24, Mark Gronowski connected with Jaxon Janke over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 7:01 to play in the third quarter.
The Wildcats answered a long drive of its own, but could only come away with three points. Villanova was positioned with first and goal at the SDSU 6 as the game flipped to the fourth quarter, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Mercurio after two short runs and an incomplete pass.
Villanova’s attempt to keep the momentum on its sideline lasted all of two plays. Gronowski ran for nine yards before Davis sliced his way through the line and outran the defense for his longest run of the season — a 66-yard jaunt to the end zone for the final score of the day.
Dalys Beanum intercepted a Connor Watkins pass on Villanova’s first play on the ensuing drive and the Jackrabbits continued to ride the legs of Davis, who ground out 170 of his game-high 192 yards in the second half. Davis tied a career high with 27 carries in recording his 10th 100-yard performance in a playoff game.
SDSU finished with a 343-219 advantage in total offense as Gronowski completed 11-of-19 passes for 101 yards and added 39 rushing yards on eight carries. Jadon Janke led Jackrabbit receivers with five catches for 21 yards.
For Villanova, Jackson ended the day with 67 yards on nine rushing attempts, with Watkins adding 50 yards on 13 carries and contributing 74 yards through the air on 6-of-18 passing. Rayjoun Pringle caught two passes for 29 yards and DeeWil Barlee added a pair of receptions for 28 yards.
Adam Bock led SDSU with 11 tackles, followed by nine from Jason Freeman and a career-high seven stops, including a sack before the blocked punt, from defensive end Quinton Hicks.
Daniel Abraham led Villanova with a game-high 12 tackles.
UP NEXT
Tickets for Friday’s semifinal game will be on sale as of 5 p.m. Saturday. SDSU season ticket holders will have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to claim their same seats.
NOTES
- SDSU leads the all-time series, 3-0, with all three meetings taking place in FCS playoff games
- The Jackrabbits improved to 19-12 all-time in postseason games at the FCS level
- SDSU’s 27-game winning streak is the third-longest in FCS history after breaking a tie with James Madison (26 consecutive wins from 2016-17)
- The Jackrabbits have won 20 consecutive home games dating back to the 2021 season
- SDSU scored on its opening drive of the game for the fifth consecutive game and 10th time (7 TD, 3 FG) in 2023
- Jaxon Janke took over sole possession of third place in program history for touchdown receptions with 29, breaking a tie with Cade Johnson (2017-19) and his twin brother, Jadon
- Davis topped the 100-yard mark for the seventh time this season and 23rd time in his career
- Davis overtook Kyle Minett (4,277 yards from 2007-10) for fourth place in career rushing by a Jackrabbit, upping his total to 4,354
- Durrance’s touchdown was the second of his career, with his other coming on a fumble recovery in the end zone during a 2022 playoff game versus Delaware
- Bock registered double figures in tackles for the 13th time in his career and vaulted into eighth place on the Jackrabbit career tackles list after surpassing both Doug Miller (322 tackles from 1989-92) and Sterne Akin (325 stops from 1995-98)
- Dustman now stands alone in fifth on the SDSU charts for career field goals with 35 after passing Peter Reifenrath (34 field goals from 2008-10)
- Beanum’s interception was the fifth of his career in a playoff game and upped his career total to nine — most among active Jackrabbit players
- Attendance was 10,216