AP Photo/LM Otero
North Dakota State has a dynasty in FCS football, winning nine of the past 11 titles coming into Sunday.
Clearly, South Dakota State had seen enough.
The Jackrabbits smashed the Bison in the FCS Championship 45-21 and won their first FCS title.
NCAA FCS Football @NCAA_FCS
Isaiah Davis finds space and takes it 16-yards for the TD!
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NCAA FCS Football @NCAA_FCS
Amar Johnson house call!
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SDSU Football @GoJacksFB
A look at the Gronowski touchdown run
????ABC/ESPNGronowski has now passed and rushed for a touchdown in the same game in 14 of 25 career starts#GoJacks ???????? pic.twitter.com/AruivqnqAM
The Bison had no answer for South Dakota State’s rushing attack, with Amar Johnson (nine carries for 126 yards and a touchdown), Isaiah Davis (22 caries for 103 yards and a score) and quarterback Mark Gronowski (five carries for 57 yards and a touchdown) carving them up all afternoon.
Gronowski was nearly as effective through the air, finishing 14-of-21 for 223 yards and three scores.
SDSU Football @GoJacksFB
Michael Morgan with nothing but green grass and the Bison end zone in front of him … 44 yards and the third Jackrabbit touchdown of the second quarter
????ABC/ESPNSouth Dakota State 28, North Dakota State 7
3:30 to play in Q2#GoJacks ???????? pic.twitter.com/yW8a0EDpJT
The defense came to play as well, forcing three turnovers, including two interceptions of Bison quarterback Cam Miller.
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FUMBLE!
Steven Arrell the strip and Dalys Beanum the recovery at the NDSU 34#GoJacks ???????? pic.twitter.com/Tjl4Y0z0XG
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Jason Freeman with the HUGE INT!
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By the time South Dakota State took a 28-7 lead in the second quarter, it seemed like a Jackrabbits title was inevitable.
Suffice to say, it was a therapeutic day for a South Dakota State program that had watched its neighbor dominate FCS football for such a long time:
Chris Vannini @ChrisVannini
What a moment for South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits beat rival NDSU 45-21 for their first FCS title.
I was there a few years ago when Sam Houston beat SDSU for the title in the final seconds. Now SDSU takes down their goliath rival for the second time this season. Iconic.
Shehan Jeyarajah @ShehanJeyarajah
South Dakota State is letting out some DEMONS today against North Dakota State. John Stiegelmeier is 33 minutes away from his first national championship after 35 years with the program, including 26 as head coach.
Jackrabbits lead 28-7 in Frisco.
Barrett Sallee ???????? @BarrettSallee
South Dakota State is letting out years of frustration on North Dakota State. What a beat down.
Jason Kirk @thejasonkirk
Tbh can’t imagine happier football fans than South Dakota State’s today. Like if both Clemson’s championship wins over Bama were combined, and Clemson had been Auburn
Kirk Morrison @kirkmorrison
Don’t let Week 18 of the NFL season distract you from what South Dakota State is doing to North Dakota State. #FCSPlayoffs #FCSChampionship
Parker Thune @ParkerThune
What the streets don’t know is that I was about 48 hours from enrolling at South Dakota State back in the day. The Jackrabbits will always have a special place in my heart.
Heck of a job by John Stiegelmeier and that squad to get the monkey off their back for good. #GoJacks ????
Jeff Roberts @JeffRoberts__
South Dakota State wins the program’s first FCS National Championship. This is North Dakota State’s first ever loss in a #FCSChampionship game.
The Bison end the year 12-3.
It was a huge moment for a school that had come so close in 2020, only to lose to Sam Houston State 23-21 in the title game.
Losing championship games isn’t something North Dakota State is familiar with in the slightest, meanwhile—the school was 9-0 in such games before Sunday.
South Dakota State will be hoping it has entered its own era of dominance after dethroning the Bison.
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