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+

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 begin 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

South Dakota State

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

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

2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
Period 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

Team statistical comparison
Statistic      Montana      South Dakota State
First downs1717
First downs rushing68
First downs passing108
First downs penalty11
Third down efficiency4/164/11
Fourth down efficiency2/50/0
Total plays–net yards76–25955–363
Rushing attempts–net yards30–4734–188
Yards per rush1.65.5
Yards passing212175
Pass completions–attempts
(percent)		28–46
(61%)		13–21
(62%)
Interceptions thrown11
Punt returns–total yards1–61–0
Kickoff returns–total yards5–1141–23
Punts–average yardage6–40.76–38.7
Fumbles–lost21
Penalties–yards6–346–35
Time of possession29:5030:10

Source:[8][9]

References

  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. 1 2 "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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