2016 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team

The 2016 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 20th-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the MVFC with North Dakota State. Due to their head-to-head victory over North Dakota State during the regular season, South Dakota State received the MVFC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Villanova in the second round, before losing in the quarterfinals in a re-match with North Dakota State. The team played home games on campus at the newly-opened Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

2016 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football
MVFC co-champion
ConferenceMissouri Valley Football Conference
Ranking
STATSNo. 6
FCS CoachesNo. 7
Record9–4 (7–1 MVFC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorEric Eidsness (11th season)
Defensive coordinatorClint Brown (8th season)
Home stadiumDana J. Dykhouse Stadium
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 3 North Dakota State +^ 71  122 
No. 6 South Dakota State +^ 71  94 
No. 2 Youngstown State ^ 62  124 
Illinois State ^ 44  66 
Northern Iowa 44  56 
Western Illinois 35  65 
South Dakota 35  47 
Indiana State 26  47 
Missouri State 26  47 
Southern Illinois 26  47 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 37:00 pmat No. 13 (FBS) TCU*No. 8FSNL 41–5943,450
September 106:00 pmDrake*No. 9ESPN3W 56–2815,171 (R)
September 176:00 pmCal Poly*No. 9
  • Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
  • Brookings, SD
ESPN3L 31–3816,887 (R)
October 16:00 pmNo. 8 Western IllinoisNo. 15
  • Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
  • Brookings, SD
ESPN3W 52–1414,155
October 86:00 pmat Southern IllinoisNo. 12ESPN3W 45–395,704
October 152:30 pmat No. 1 North Dakota StateNo. 11NBC ND, ESPN3W 19–1718,828
October 222:00 pmNo. 13 Youngstown State No. 7
  • Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
  • Brookings, SD
Midco SNW 24–1017,730 (R)
October 292:00 pmat Illinois StateNo. 7CSN CH, ESPN3L 21–387,595
November 52:00 pmMissouri StateNo. 13
  • Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
  • Brookings, SD
Midco SNW 49–2410,826
November 122:00 pmSouth DakotaNo. 11
  • Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
  • Brookings, SD (rivalry)
Midco SNW 28–2115,345
November 194:00 pmat Northern IowaNo. 8ESPN3W 45–2410,511
December 32:00 pmNo. 9 Villanova*No. 7
ESPN3W 10–76,154
December 1011:00 amat No. 4 North Dakota State*No. 7
  • Fargodome
  • Fargo, ND (NCAA Division Quarterfinal)
ESPNL 10–36**18,285
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[1][2]

  • ** Most watched FCS Game of all time - 1.98m viewers on ESPN
  • R indicates record attendance

Game summaries

@ TCU

1234Total
#8 Jackrabbits32114341
#13 (FBS) Horned Frogs717211459

Drake

1234Total
Bulldogs01401428
#9 Jackrabbits21772156

Cal Poly

1234Total
Mustangs71002138
#9 Jackrabbits7371431

Western Illinois

1234Total
#8 Leathernecks1400014
#15 Jackrabbits72124052

@ Southern Illinois

1234Total
#12 Jackrabbits141471045
Salukis71114739

@ North Dakota State

1234Total
#11 Jackrabbbits037919
#1 Bison0107017

Youngstown State

1234Total
#13 Penguins300710
#7 Jackrabbits1437024

@ Illinois State

1234Total
#7 Jackrabbits0147021
Redbirds141401038

Missouri State

1234Total
Bears1430724
#13 Jackrabbits14721749

South Dakota

1234Total
Coyotes077721
#11 Jackrabbits7014728

@ Northern Iowa

1234Total
#8 Jackrabbbits14771745
Panthers1437024

FCS Playoffs

Second Round–Villanova

1234Total
#9 Wildcats07007
#7 Jackrabbits700310

Quarterfinals–North Dakota State

1234Total
#7 Jackrabbits1000010
#4 Bison7781436

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre123456789101112Final
STATS FCS89915151211771311876
Coaches14121018161514111015121077
FCS PlayoffsNot released10Not released

References