2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship
2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship
FCS National Championship Game
North Dakota State Bison	South Dakota State Jackrabbits
(12–2)	(13–1)
Missouri Valley	Missouri Valley
21	45
Head coach: ; Matt Entz	Head coach: ; John Stiegelmeier
STATS	Seed
4	3
STATS	Seed
1	1
Date	January 8, 2023
Season	2022
Stadium	Toyota Stadium
Location	Frisco, Texas
MVP	Mark Gronowski (QB, South Dakota State)
Favorite	South Dakota State by 4
Referee	Jeff Page
Attendance	18,023
United States TV coverage
Network	ABC, ESPN+
Announcers	Roy Philpott, Jay Walker and Paul Carcaterra

The 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a college football game played on January 8, 2023, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game determined the national champion of NCAA Division I FCS for the 2022 season, featuring the finalists of the 24-team playoff bracket, which began on November 26, 2022.

Top-ranked South Dakota State defeated conference rival North Dakota State 45–21 to gain their first national championship.^[2] Played on Sunday for the first time, the game began at 1:04 p.m. CST and was broadcast on ABC and ESPN+,^[3]^[4] opposite NFL regular season finales (week 18).

Teams

The participants were rivals North Dakota State and South Dakota State of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Both teams advanced through the FCS playoff bracket to reach the championship game.

Entering the game, North Dakota State led the all-time series 63–45–5 (.580), although South Dakota State had won their last three meetings, lasting back to the 2021 spring season. North Dakota State was 4–0 against South Dakota State in prior FCS playoff games; this was their first meeting in the FCS title game.

North Dakota State

North Dakota State played to a 9–2 regular-season record, suffering losses to Arizona (an FBS program) and South Dakota State. Seeded No. 3 in the FCS playoffs, the Bison received a first-round bye, then defeated Montana, Samford, and Incarnate Word to advance to the championship game.

South Dakota State

South Dakota State played to a 10–1 regular-season record; their only loss was to Iowa (an FBS program). Seeded No. 1 in the FCS playoffs, the Jackrabbits received a first-round bye, then defeated Delaware, Holy Cross, and Montana State to advance to the championship game.

Game summary

2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 3 North Dakota State	7	7	0	7	21
No. 1 South Dakota State	7	24	7	7	45

at Toyota Stadium • Frisco, Texas

Date: January 8, 2023
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 56 °F (13 °C) • Wind: 5 mph (8.0 km/h) north
Game attendance: 18,023
Referee: Jeff Page
TV announcers (ABC, ESPN+): Roy Philpott, Jay Walker and Paul Carcaterra
Box score

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	North Dakota State	South Dakota State
1	9:12	9	85	4:04	SDSU	Isaiah Davis 16-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good	0	7
1	6:31	6	75	2:41	NDSU	Joe Stoffel 27-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa kick good	7	7
2	12:50	8	77	4:37	SDSU	Amar Johnson 32-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good	7	14
2	11:03	4	34	1:31	SDSU	Jaxon Janke 18-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good	7	21
2	3:30	9	84	4:17	SDSU	Michael Morgan 44-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good	7	28
2	2:03	4	65	1:27	NDSU	Eli Green 44-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa kick good	14	28
2	0:00	6	62	2:03	SDSU	30-yard field goal by Hunter Dustman	14	31
3	13:13	3	74	1:47	SDSU	Mark Gronowski 51-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good	14	38
4	13:44	16	99	7:51	NDSU	Kobe Johnson 9-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa kick good	21	38
4	8:05	4	42	2:35	SDSU	Jaxon Janke 30-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good	21	45
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							21	45

Statistics

Team statistical comparison^[3]
Statistic	North Dakota State	South Dakota State
First downs	21	22
First downs rushing	11	10
First downs passing	10	12
First downs penalty	0	0
Third down efficiency	5–12	9–14
Fourth down efficiency	1–3	0–0
Total plays–net yards	66–420	60–522
Rushing attempts–net yards	37–160	39–299
Yards per rush	4.3	7.7
Yards passing	260	223
Pass completions–attempts (percent)	18–29 (62%)	14–21 (67%)
Interceptions thrown	2	0
Punt returns–total yards	1–(-3)	1–0
Kickoff returns–total yards	2–55	2–26
Punts–average yardage	4–45.0	4–53.3
Fumbles–lost	1–1	0–0
Penalties–yards	2–25	3–20
Time of possession	28:00	32:00

North Dakota State statistics^[3]
Bison passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Cam Miller	18–29	260	2–2
Bison rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Cam Miller	11	64	0
Kobe Johnson	11	63	1
TaMerik Williams	7	23	0
TK Marshall	4	13	0
Cole Payton	1	6	0
Eli Green	1	-9	0
Bison receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Zach Mathis	7	123	0
Eli Green	1	44	1
Joe Stoffel	3	41	1
Jake Lippe	2	26	0
TaMerik Williams	2	11	0
TK Marshall	2	11	0
Kobe Johnson	1	4	0

South Dakota State statistics^[3]
Jackrabbits passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Mark Gronowski	14–21	223	3–0
Jackrabbits rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Amar Johnson	9	126	1
Isaiah Davis	22	103	1
Mark Gronowski	5	57	1
Team	1	-1	0
Angel Johnson	1	-2	0
Jackrabbits receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Jadon Janke	5	61	0
Jaxon Janke	3	60	2
Michael Morgan	1	44	1
Tucker Kraft	2	30	0
Isaiah Davis	2	28	0
Amar Johnson	1	0	0

References

^ @FCS_STATS (January 8, 2023). "Most Outstanding Player of #FCSChampionship South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski: 280 total yards, 4 total TDs" (Tweet). Retrieved January 8, 2023 – via Twitter.
^ "South Dakota State crowned 2022 FCS champions defeating North Dakota State". NCAA.com. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "NCAA Division I Football Championship Championship Final Stats" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
^ "FCS Championship: Broadcast info". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 5, 2022.

[1] @FCS_STATS (January 8, 2023). "Most Outstanding Player of #FCSChampionship South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski: 280 total yards, 4 total TDs" (Tweet). Retrieved January 8, 2023 – via Twitter.

[2] "South Dakota State crowned 2022 FCS champions defeating North Dakota State". NCAA.com. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.

[finalstats-3] "NCAA Division I Football Championship Championship Final Stats" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.

[4] "FCS Championship: Broadcast info". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 5, 2022.

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North Dakota State Bison football
Venues	Dacotah Field (1910–1992) Fargodome (1993–present)
Bowls & rivalries	North Dakota: Nickel Trophy South Dakota State: Dakota Marker
Culture & lore	Thundar "On Bison" Gold Star Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
National championship seasons in bold

South Dakota State Jackrabbits football
Venues	Coughlin–Alumni Stadium (1962–2015) Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium (2016–present)
Bowls & rivalries	North Dakota State: Dakota Marker South Dakota
Culture & lore	Jack Rabbit "Ring the Bell"
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1889 1890–1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
National championship seasons in bold