For the second time in four straight FCS playoff trips, Holy Cross wades into Brookings as an underdog to South Dakota State. This time around, the Jackrabbits have a national-championship makeup as the field’s top seed touting the nation’s second-ranked total defense (behind only Jackson State) and boasting a similarly imposing top-30 scoring offense.
The Crusaders carry a slight edge in the wins category entering Saturday’s 12:00 PM eastern kickoff on ESPN at 12-0 to SDSU’s 11-1, though the Jacks’ lone loss is to FBS Iowa in a 7-3 slugfest. HC has compiled an all-time resume this season, as its 12-0 mark is the first in program history and it has advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 1983.
’Saders head coach Bob Chesney is the AFCA’s 2022 FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year; John Stiegelmeier is the winningest coach in SDSU history and is seeking his legacy-cementing title this winter.
SDSU’s Offense vs. Holy Cross’s Defense
Mark Gronowski, Isaiah Davis, and Jadon and Jaxon Janke may spend some spare time shining their NIL stars in Brookings Applebee’s commercials, but it’s obvious how much more time they’ve shared in this grind-you-down SDSU offense. The Jackrabbits hardly needed to ask much of QB Gronowski through the air while they ran through second-round foe Delaware, 42-6. Gronowski and Davis give any run defenses conflicts right from the opening whistle, setting up the Janke brothers for first-down receptions and yards after the catch.
The Crusaders’ rushing defense (111.6 YPG) ranks top-20 nationally, which is a necessary start to keeping any score with South Dakota State within reason through the fourth quarter. Senior linebacker Liam Anderson leads the run-stuffing with 76 total tackles, 14.5 for loss. He will also give Gronowski reason to exercise special caution aerially, as his interception, three sacks, and four QB hurries on the season indicate.
Anderson’s single interception is just one of Holy Cross’s bracket-leading 23 takeaways (FCS-best +17 turnover margin). HC will require a continuation of this ball-hawking trend to steal possessions and momentum from an SDSU offense that becomes a freight train to stop when in rhythm (playoff-field-leading 96.2% red zone offense).
Holy Cross’s Offense vs. SDSU’s Defense
For all the Jacks’ starpower on ‘O,’ Holy Cross has the greater PPG at 38.8. The Crusaders can match Gronowski’s QB run game with the dual-threat Matthew Sluka. Sluka hands off to RB Peter Oliver (87.3 rushing YPG) to move downfield while maintaining the ’Saders’ top-25 time of possession average. Out wide, Jalen Coker and Ayir Asante are the leading receivers, posting 11 and five touchdown receptions in 2022, respectively.
Sluka’s completion percentage is just 58.75, but he is efficient and careful with the football when he’s not tucking it to run, amassing a cleanly 26:3 TD:INT ratio.
South Dakota State’s 14.75 PPG scoring defense is tops among members of playoff automatic-qualifier conferences. The Jacks would get even better with the return of junior LB Adam Bock from a leg injury. The All-American missed the blowout of UD.
For all the times it’s heard questions of its strength of schedule out of the Patriot League, Holy Cross has not seen a defense nearly as stiff as that of South Dakota State in 2022. DT Caleb Sanders and LB Saiveon Williamson will look to deny Sluka and Oliver the rushing lanes paved by four first-team All-Patriot League OL in CJ Hanson, Luke Newman, Nick Olsofka, and Eric Schon.
Special Teams
For Holy Cross, placekicker Derek Ng is first-team All-Patriot League, as is return specialist Justin Shorter. Senior P Patrick Haughney was named a semifinalist for the 2022 FCS Punter of the Year award after booting nine punts over 50 yards, including a season-long 63-yarder.
On SDSU’s end, return specialist Jadon Janke received second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference recognition to join fellow specialist Hunter Dustman, the MVFC’s honorable-mention punter.
Notably for Dustman, who also handles placekicking for the Jacks, Holy Cross has blocked eight kicks this season, which trails only the recently playoff-eliminated Furman (10) in the FCS.
