No. 1 seed South Dakota State hosts No. 5 seed UAlbany for a Friday night FCS semifinal matchup.
What does SDSU need to do to reach its third FCS title game in four years? Here are five keys for a victory.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
Win The Physicality Battle
UAlbany is a tough squad. There is nothing finesse in their style of ball.
The Great Danes can take a good punch and land some themselves. But it’s about which teams start to falter as those punches add up. How many FCS teams in general can go punch for punch with South Dakota State for four quarters? Add in a UAlbany team that flew across the country and back last weekend, then hopped on another flight from the East Coast to the Midwest on a short week, and the question is how long can they take SDSU’s punches before their own punches start to weaken?
The Jackrabbits can’t be too hard-headed offensively and just try to weaken the middle of the FCS’ No. 1 rushing defense. Getting the star defensive linemen Anton Juncaj and AJ Simon and Buck Buchanan Award finalist linebacker Dylan Kelly running sideline-to-sideline can make their legs feel even heavier. But similar to what SDSU did against Villanova, wearing down the teeth of the defense will be key in sealing a win in the second half.
Offensive Rhythm
The fellas across the UAlbany d-line are nasty.
The Great Danes are No. 1 in FCS rushing defense (78.1 YPG). Their run defense grade on PFF is also No. 1. They average 3.57 sacks per game (1st in the FCS) and 7.0 tackles for loss per game (16th), have picked off 16 passes (5th), and allow just 17.2 points per game (6th).
Per PFF, SDSU’s overall offensive grade is 1st in the FCS, 6th in passing, 4th in pass-blocking, 2nd in receiving, 1st in rushing, and 3rd in run-blocking.
For how elite UAlbany’s defense has played, SDSU’s offense has been just as elite.
The offense was not in rhythm to start last week, although wind was a factor. But give credit to Villanova for also making it tough on SDSU. UAlbany’s defense is better than Nova’s.
Getting a push in the run game, keeping Mark Gronowski upright, preventing negative-yardage plays, and pass-catchers creating separation are key in not letting UAlbany muck this game up.
RELATED: 5 Keys For A UAlbany Victory
Playoff Zay
From his viral runs as a freshman in the 2021 spring playoffs to now, Isaiah Davis turns into “Playoff Zay” in the postseason. He goes from a dude to a dude.
Davis has rushed for at least 100 yards in 11 of 14 career playoff games, including all six in 2022 and 2023. He’ll play a large role in the two keys above.
Penalties
UAlbany has swagger, confidence, moxie, brashness. Whatever you want to call it. There will certainly be some jawing after plays from both sides. Which is fine. But neither team can let the extra-curriculars get to the point where flags are being thrown.
Unsportsmanlike conduct, taunting, late hits, those types of calls after big plays can be momentum-sucking sequences.
When it comes to penalties per game, neither team is great. UAlbany is 94th in the FCS (6.77), and SDSU is 84th (6.57).
RELATED: SDSU vs. UAlbany Tale of the Tape
Clean Coverage
Reese Poffenbarger is a baller. He’s a confident gunslinger with a rocket right arm.
UAlbany is 16th in passing yards per completion (13.66). Brevin Easton is an issue, averaging 19.91 yards per catch as a 1,000-yard receiver, which is No. 7 in the subdivision. Poffenbarger isn’t afraid to throw into tight coverage, allowing his pass-catchers to make plays.
It also allows defenders to make a play on the ball.
Dalys Beanum and DyShawn Gales are two very talented cornerbacks for SDSU. They, and the safeties, will be tested vertically. They’ll need clean coverage, not only in being right in the pocket of UAlbany’s dangerous pass-catchers. But also avoiding pass-interference calls that move the sticks.
