If you’re like me, you might have perked up when you saw the FCS playoff bracket be announecd.
It’s second nature to not only look at the first matchup, but the road ahead. In this case, it was looking at the paths for the schools of regional interest: South Dakota and South Dakota State. What’s the road to Frisco look like?
Right away, there was the possibility of SDSU and Montana in the second round and sure enough, that’s what we’re seeing on Saturday in Brookings. You don't have to sell football fans very hard on that one.
It’s a national championship game rematch from last season. That’s something that has gotten the attention of a few national college football writers this week, and if there was a national linear TV game this weekend, SDSU-Montana probably would be the pick.
The number of elite FCS programs is small these days and the Jackrabbits and Grizzlies both make the list. That’s mainly because their teams have been strong, their fanbases care and they’ve invested plenty into their teams.
Of the football spending data available from more than 70 public institutions that play FCS football, Montana, Montana State, NDSU and SDSU all rank in the top-10 in football spending and expenses for 2023.
According to data published by the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database at Syracuse University, Montana State was the FCS leader in 2023 on football expenses, spending nearly $8.95 million. SDSU was No. 3. (William and Mary was an unexpected team at No. 2 at $8.9 million.) Montana spent nearly $7.2 million last year, which ranked No. 6 nationally, and NDSU was No. 9 at $6.4 million in football expenses in 2023. For the record, USD ranked No. 40 in 2023 for football spending at nearly $4.5 million.
Money doesn’t always equal wins but it should be no surprise that those teams are at the top of the national polls and playoff bracket each season.
Since 2018, SDSU has spent at least $8 million on football spending four out of six years, with those figures taking a dip in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, SDSU spent nearly $8.8 million on football expenses, a university record. Some of that is probably related to playing a lot of games compared to their peers but it shows that the investment and the success have gone hand in hand.
Another common thread? Their fan bases have made it a habit to show up to games. Montana ranked No. 2 nationally in average home attendance (25,845 fans per game) during the regular season, Montana State was third (21,899), SDSU was sixth (18,504) and NDSU was 10th (16,789). (HBCU power Jackson State ranked No. 1 this season in attendance at 27,213 fans per game, and the SWAC doesn’t send its best teams to the FCS postseason. It’s hosting the SWAC title game on Saturday.)
The wins have followed. We know about the national championships for NDSU — nine titles in an 11-year span — followed by back-to-back titles for the Jackrabbits. Montana’s media notes point out the Griz were the winningest team in FCS football for the first 20 years of the 21st century.
SDSU and NDSU didn’t start playing FCS football until 2004. Since then (and counting this season), NDSU has won 235 games, Montana has won 192, SDSU has 182 wins and Montana State has 163 wins. In that same span, James Madison (170), Sam Houston (161) and Jacksonville State (158) were in the same ballpark in terms of FCS wins, but they’ve all departed.
For all of the hand-wringing about the FCS being diminished — and it can’t really be argued that’s the case — feel free to celebrate weeks and games like this. Because for a non-conference game, SDSU and Montana matching up is very appealing. NDSU and Montana State in this same round last season was the same way, and even though we see it every regular season, a potential SDSU-NDSU semifinal this year or USD facing off with Montana State in the semifinals, if it comes together, would be a treat, too.
It’s no secret that FCS football goes through the Dakotas and Montana. They make the investment to make it so.
The Trust Project
