2024 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 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.

The 2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a college football game played on January 7, 2024, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game determined the national champion of NCAA Division I FCS for the 2023 season and featured the two finalists of the 24-team playoff bracket, which began on November 25, 2023.^[3] The Sunday game began at approximately 1:00 p.m. CST and was broadcast on ABC and ESPN+.^[4]

2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship
FCS National Championship Game
Montana Grizzlies South Dakota State Jackrabbits (13–1) (14–0) Big Sky Missouri Valley 3 23 Head coach:  Bobby Hauck Head coach:  Jimmy Rogers STATS Seed 2 2 STATS Seed 1 1
1 2 3 4 Total Montana 0 3 0 0 3 South Dakota State 7 0 16 0 23
Date	January 7, 2024
Season	2023
Stadium	Toyota Stadium
Location	Frisco, Texas
MVP	Mark Gronowski (QB, South Dakota State)[1]
Favorite	South Dakota State by 12.5[2]
Referee	Gary Leeper
Attendance	19,512
United States TV coverage
Network	ABC, ESPN+
Announcers	Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (sideline)
International TV coverage
Network	Canada: TSN+
NCAA Division I Football Championship  < 2023 2025 >

Defending champion South Dakota State repeated as FCS champions by defeating Montana, 23–3.^[5] It was the Jackrabbits' 29th consecutive victory.^[5]

Teams

See also: 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season § Bracket

South Dakota State

Main article: 2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team

South Dakota State played to an 11–0 regular-season record; their narrowest victory was a 20–16 win over Montana State on September 9. Seeded No. 1 in the FCS playoffs, the Jackrabbits received a first-round bye, then defeated Mercer, Villanova, and Albany, by a combined score of 123–12, to advance to the championship game.^[6]

South Dakota State previously appeared in two FCS championship games—they were champions of the 2022 season (2023 game) and runners-up of the 2020 season (2021 game).

Montana

Main article: 2023 Montana Grizzlies football team

Montana played to a 10–1 regular-season record; their only loss was to Northern Arizona in September. Seeded No. 2 in the FCS playoffs, the Grizzlies received a first-round bye, then defeated Delaware, Furman, and North Dakota State to advance to the championship game. Their latter two wins both went into overtime.^[7]

Montana previously appeared in seven FCS championship games, winning two and losing five; their most recent appearance was in 2009 (December), and they last won in 2001.

• 
  Montana head coach Bobby Hauck
• 
  South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers
• 
  South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski

Game summary

2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 2 Montana	0	3	0	0	3
No. 1 South Dakota State	7	0	16	0	23

at Toyota Stadium • Frisco, Texas

• Date: January 7, 2024
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 57 °F (14 °C) • Wind: 16 mph (26 km/h) SE
• Game attendance: 19,512
• Referee: Gary Leeper
• TV: ABC, ESPN+
• Box score

Statistics

Team statistical comparison

Statistic	Montana	South Dakota State
First downs	17	17
First downs rushing	6	8
First downs passing	10	8
First downs penalty	1	1
Third down efficiency	4/16	4/11
Fourth down efficiency	2/5	0/0
Total plays–net yards	76–259	55–363
Rushing attempts–net yards	30–47	34–188
Yards per rush	1.6	5.5
Yards passing	212	175
Pass completions–attempts (percent)	28–46 (61%)	13–21 (62%)
Interceptions thrown	1	1
Punt returns–total yards	1–6	1–0
Kickoff returns–total yards	5–114	1–23
Punts–average yardage	6–40.7	6–38.7
Fumbles–lost	2	1
Penalties–yards	6–34	6–35
Time of possession	29:50	30:10

Source:^[8][9]