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South Dakota State at No. 18 Oklahoma State: Top storyline, key matchup, player to watch and who wins

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South Dakota State at No. 18 Oklahoma State: Top storyline, key matchup, player to watch and who wins​

  • Aug 31, 2024 Updated 6 hrs ago

Tyler Waldrep​

OSU Sports Writer

South Dakota State at Oklahoma State​

1 p.m. Saturday
Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater
Need-to-know info
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KTSB 1170
Records: Season opener for both
All-time series: N/A

Will Oklahoma State’s defense look improved against back-to-back FCS champions?

The Cowboys finished among the FBS’ worst in multiple categories last season. Most notably, they were 99th on third down, allowing opponents to convert 41.8 percent of the time, and 123rd in passing yards allowed after giving up 275 per game on average.

Normally, an FCS opponent would be a great warmup act, but South Dakota State enters Saturday’s contest riding a 29-game winning streak. Plus, going back to 2019, the Jackrabbits have proved to be a tough out for FBS opponents. They lost at Iowa by four points in 2022, at Minnesota by seven in 2019 and beat Colorado State by 19 in 2021.

KEY MATCHUP​

OSU’s linebackers vs. SDST QB Mark Gronowski

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South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski reportedly turned down more than $200,000 NIL deals to play for programs in the Big Ten and ACC.
Richard W. Rodriguez, AP file

Gronowski is something of a sleeper for the 2025 NFL Draft, but that might not last much longer. The South Dakota State quarterback reportedly turned down more than $200,000 NIL deals to play for programs in the Big Ten and ACC. Gronowski earned the FCS offensive player of the year award last season after he finished fifth in yards per completion (14.63) and averaged 4.3 yards per carry on 93 attempts.

Last season, the Cowboys recorded only 27 sacks, which is their worst total since 2013. According to Pro Football Focus, the defense also averaged only 14.1 total pressures (sacks, quarterback hits, quarterback hurries). Another worst finish in the last 10 years.

PLAYERS TO WATCH​


Alan Bowman

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Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 1,546 yards in the final five games of 2023.
Victor Lopez, Tulsa World

The OSU quarterback experienced quite the rollercoaster during the final five games of 2023. He threw for 1,546 yards, 45% of his 2023 total, while finishing with his first and fourth-highest single-game completion percentages. He also tossed nine of 14 interceptions.

Proving he can take better care of the football against a Jackrabbit secondary that returns two players who combined for nine of the team’s 19 interceptions would be a good start.

Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels
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Former rover Kendal Daniels (5) will spend time at starting linebacker this fall.
Daniel Shular, Tulsa World Archive

Former defensive end-turned-linebacker Collin Oliver hasn’t officially changed positions this year. However, he’s expected to split the difference and play more of an edge role both to help the Cowboys and his NFL draft stock. Meanwhile, former rover Kendal Daniels is a starting linebacker this fall. How those two handle the change and how OSU chooses to use them is worth watching.


WHO WINS AND WHY​

From columnist Bill Haisten OSU is favored by only 10 points because South Dakota State was the 2022 and 2023 FCS national champion and brings to Stillwater the momentum of a 29-game win streak. Previous Cowboy teams were uninspired and unimpressive against FCS opposition. In 2021, an OSU squad destined for 12 wins prevailed only 23-16 over Missouri State. The 2023 Cowboys would finish with 10 wins, but they defeated Central Arkansas by a modest score of 27-13. Against an experienced, talented, confident Jackrabbits team on Saturday, the Cowboys will need high levels of motivation and execution. The pick here is a 42-27 OSU victory, with Ollie Gordon totaling 165 rushing yards and two scores.

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Why is Oklahoma State playing South Dakota State? Cowboys opening 2024 season vs reigning FCS champions

OKSTATE1

Why is Oklahoma State playing South Dakota State? Cowboys opening 2024 season vs reigning FCS champions​

Portrait of Craig MeyerCraig Meyer
USA TODAY NETWORK

The early weeks of the college football season are traditionally stuffed with non-competitive matchups between the sport’s haves and have-nots.

Before the grind of conference play begins, programs from the Power Four leagues routinely schedule games against Group of Five and FCS opponents. Those contests usually have a predictable outcome, with the larger school with significantly more resources comfortably beating — and in some instances outright demolishing — its overmatched foe.

This brings us to Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys enter the 2024 season with justifiably high expectations. Coach Mike Gundy’s team brings back several key contributors from a 10-win 2023 team, most notably running back Ollie Gordon II, the leading rusher in all of the FBS last season and one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy in 2024. With those factors working in its favor, Oklahoma State is ranked No. 18 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, putting it third among teams in the reconfigured Big 12.

In their quest to live up to that hype, the Cowboys open their 2024 campaign on Saturday against South Dakota State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.

Though it may look at first glance like a typical matchup between a power conference program and an FCS opponent, it’s anything but.

Here’s what you need to know about Oklahoma State’s game against South Dakota State and why it’s being played:

Why is Oklahoma State playing South Dakota State?​

Those lopsided non-conference games that dominate the first few weeks of the college football season are the result of what’s now a well-understood arrangement by those who follow the sport.

A big school looking to pad its win total and get a needed tune-up before diving into the more challenging part of its schedule pays a smaller program six or sometimes even seven figures to go on the road for a game it’s almost certain to lose. The deal makes sense for both sides. The larger program gets what’s often a guaranteed victory while the lower-level team gets a huge pay day that it can use to help fund its athletic department.

Oklahoma State’s game against South Dakota State isn’t exactly that. Though the Cowboys are paying the Jackrabbits a reported $450,000 for making the trip to Stillwater, it’s far from an assured win.


Over the past several years, South Dakota State has been the preeminent FCS program. Since the start of the 2022 season, the Jackrabbits are 29-1 and have won two national championships. Their lone loss during that stretch was a 7-3 loss on the road to an Iowa team that went on to win eight games that season.

Those accomplishments raise a natural question as to why the Cowboys agreed to a seemingly no-win situation.

“It’s getting so hard for us to get an FBS game that whenever we get one, we rejoice,” then-South Dakota State coach John Stiegelmeier said in July 2022 after the game was announced. “We call a lot of people. When you have success it’s harder. It doesn’t help when you beat Colorado State.”

While his team’s opponent may lack in widespread name recognition, at least among casual fans, Gundy sees the Jackrabbits as a good early season challenge for Oklahoma State.

“This is a really good game for us,” Gundy said on August 22. “We’re playing a high-level non-conference schedule. This team can perform with Power Four schools. They’ve proven they can do that. We hope scheduling will be rewarded in the end.”

South Dakota State vs FBS teams​

Over the past 15 years, South Dakota State has played 10 games against FBS opponents. In those contests, the Jackrabbits have gone 2-8.

They’ve been much better lately, though, with a 2-3 record in their past five FBS matchups. Two of those three losses came by one score.

Here’s a look at South Dakota State’s recent history against FBS opponents:

  • 2022: Iowa 7, South Dakota State 3
  • 2021: South Dakota State 42, Colorado State 23
  • 2019: Minnesota 28, South Dakota State 21
  • 2016: TCU 59, South Dakota State 41
  • 2015: South Dakota State 41, Kansas 38
  • 2014: Missouri 38, South Dakota State 18
  • 2013: Nebraska 59, South Dakota State 20
  • 2012: Kansas 31, South Dakota State 17
  • 2011: Illinois 56, South Dakota State 3
  • 2010: Nebraska 17, South Dakota State 3

Mike Gundy record vs FCS teams​

Oklahoma State is 15-0 against FCS teams under Gundy, who took over as the head coach at his alma mater ahead of the 2005 season.

Last season, the Cowboys beat Central Arkansas 27-13 in their only game against an FCS opponent.

What channel is Oklahoma State vs South Dakota State on?​

Oklahoma State’s game Saturday against South Dakota State is not on traditional linear television.

Rather, the game is being shown exclusively on ESPN+, ESPN’s streaming platform. Shawn Kenney (play-by-play) and Taylor McHargue (analyst) will call the game while Tori Petry will serve as the sideline reporter.
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