2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

This article is about the FCS (Division I-AA) championship game. For the FBS (Division I-A) championship game, see 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship.

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.

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
1 2 3 4 Total North Dakota State 7 7 0 7 21 South Dakota State 7 24 7 7 45
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

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

Teams

See also: Dakota Marker

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

Main article: 2022 North Dakota State Bison football team

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

Main article: 2022 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team

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 Plays Yards TOP 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

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

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

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