FCS playoffs: South Dakota State hosts former Great West foe UC-Davis in first round

The first game South Dakota State ever played as a Division I football program was against UC-Davis, the team they’re hosting Saturday in the first round of the 2021 FCS playoffs.

It was back in 2004, and both teams were making their D-I debuts after beginning a transition from Division II to the Division I-AA level and helping to form a temporary home in the Great West Football Conference.

The score on that September day? Aggies 52, Jackrabbits 0.

As it turned out, that game was not a harbinger of things to come.

The Jackrabbits would make their first Division I playoff appearance in 2009, and after consecutive 5-6 seasons, returned to the playoffs in 2012, and have qualified every year since, for 11 total FCS playoff berths since the move.

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The Aggies, on the other hand, were still searching for their first FCS playoff appearance when they convinced alumnus and former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins to come back home to coach them. Hawkins finally got Davis to the tournament in 2018, when they earned a seed and first-round bye and knocked off Northern Iowa before falling to Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals.

They’re back this year, and taking on their former Great West foe for the first time since 2012 in a first-round playoff game at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. The winner travels to Sacramento State next week.

The Jacks went to the FCS title game in the spring season and were the No. 1 seed in those playoffs, and went 8-3 this fall. The Aggies began this year 8-1 but are skidding into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak. Both teams beat FBS teams in their season openers – the Jackrabbits beat Colorado State 42-23 while Davis won at Tulsa 19-17. They have one common opponent, Dixie State, whom the Jacks beat 55-7 and UC-Davis beat 60-27. The Aggies ended the year with home losses to a pair of playoff qualifiers – 38-20 to Eastern Washington and 27-7 to Sacramento State.

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The Aggies come into this game dealing with some injuries on offense, and could play three different quarterbacks. SDSU is coming off a badly-needed but nondescript 24-21 win over North Dakota in their season finale. Two of the Jacks’ three losses this year came at home.

“They’re a good football team – no weaknesses,” Jacks coach John Stiegelmeier said. “I think their skill guys, especially on defense, are really good, really fast. They’re one of those teams that on defense doesn’t do as much stuff but they’re really good at what they do. You’re going to have to beat them, they’re not going to beat themselves. Offensively they do a lot of stuff, trick plays and so on. Those teams always hold you hostage. And their special teams are excellent also.”

What channel is the South Dakota State vs UC-Davis game on?

WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m. Saturday at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium

TV CHANNEL: ESPN+

RADIO: WNAX-AM 570; Jackrabbit radio affiliates

More: How to watch, what to know about South Dakota State football vs. Cal-Davis

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SDSU football hosts UC-Davis in first round of the FCS playoffs