Saturday night’s contest between Sacramento State (0-1) and South Dakota State (1-0) in Brookings was pegged by many to be the game of the week in FCS football. Both teams had turbulent offseasons that resulted in a lot of roster turnover. Both teams made marquee head coaching hires and both entered Week 1 as Top 15 teams in the national rankings. The more some things change, though, the more they stay the same and the Jackrabbits… in spite of all their changes over the last nine months… proved that they are
still the same power they once were.
SDSU signal caller Chase Mason, who so long served as the backup to the great Mark Gronowski, got the keys turned over to him this year and, in his first game as the starter, it seems the Jacks are in good hands. Mason completed 17 of his 23 throws against the Hornets for 190 yards and a score. Running back Julius Loughridge delivered on all his hype, rushing for 159 yards in his first game since transferring over from Fordham. The defense topped it all off by nearly pitching a shutout. The Dan Jackson era is off and running.
Despite the comfortable win, things were a little dicey for the blue and yellow early on, however. Loughridge coughed up the ball on the Jacks’ first drive Sacramento State was unable to do anything with it. The defense, as it did many times throughout the evening, squashed the Hornets offense, pushing them backwards and forcing a fast three-and-out. Mason and company responded with a field goal.
The second quarter would see SDSU start to pull away after Sac State tied it with a field goal of their own. Mason connected with tight end Andrew Gustad for a short touchdown to make it 10-3 on the heels of a long 15-play drive. The Hornets tried to answer with a lengthy march of their own but head coach Brennan Marion opted to take a gamble on fourth and one. The Jackrabbits defense buried Cardell Williams in the backfield for the momentum-swinging stop, though, and further set the tone.
Once more Mason and the offense would respond and they did so doing what their Big Sky counterparts couldn’t. On their own fourth and short from the three-yard line, receiver Lofton O’Groske took a handoff in motion and pushed his way into the end zone. The score put SDSU up 17-3 before halftime. Sacramento State was reeling and, as it turned out, that would be the one that buried them entirely.
After swapping punts throughout the entire third quarter, Sac State saw its hopes of winning fade out in the fourth as they turned it over on downs twice. One more Jacks field goal made it 20-3; the eventual final.
It was a statement win for Jackson’s team who faced so many questions this summer on what they can accomplish this year. A Missouri Valley title is not out of the question for this team and if they can continue to build on the strong foundation they established on Saturday night, there’s no telling what lies in store in 2025. Sacramento State was seen as a test and, if it was, the Jackrabbits passed.
Next week will present an even greater one, though, as South Dakota State makes the trip West to Bozeman for a date with #2 Montana State. Mason, Loughridge and this version of the Jacks will really get the chance to prove its mettle in a place that most visitors don’t fare too well in. Another strong showing against another Big Sky foe will give more credence to the notion that SDSU never really went away.
