FRISCO, Texas — A different Dakota is celebrating a national championship in football, nearly two decades after a pair of border-state rivals moved up to Division I competition at the same time.
“I continue to think back to 2004 and wondering how it was going to work out. Well, this is pretty sweet how it’s worked out,” coach John Stiegelmeier said after South Dakota State University won its first Football Championship Subdivision title Sunday.
Mark Gronowski threw three touchdown passes and ran 51 yards for another score as the Jackrabbits won 45-21 over North Dakota State University, which lost for the first time in its 10 FCS title game appearances since the move from NCAA Division II.
As a freshman two seasons ago, Gronowski tore the ACL in his left knee on the opening series of the FCS title game against Sam Houston State, which went on to win 23-21. Now, nearly 20 months after a loss in that unprecedented spring finale — the result of the 2020 FCS season being pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic — and after the quarterback missed the entire 2021 season, the Jackrabbits (14-1) are national champs in Stiegelmeier’s 26th season at his alma mater.
“It’s really a storybook ending for us,” Gronowski said.