2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

The 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a college football game played on January 8, 2023, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game determined the national champion of NCAA Division I FCS for the 2022 season, featuring the finalists of the 24-team playoff bracket, which began on November 26, 2022.

2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship
FCS National Championship Game
1234 Total
North Dakota State 7707 21
South Dakota State 72477 45
DateJanuary 8, 2023
Season2022
StadiumToyota Stadium
LocationFrisco, Texas
MVPMark Gronowski (QB, South Dakota State)[1]
FavoriteSouth Dakota State by 4
RefereeJeff Page
Attendance18,023
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC, ESPN+
AnnouncersRoy Philpott, Jay Walker and Paul Carcaterra
NCAA Division I Football Championship
 < 2022 2024

Top-ranked South Dakota State defeated conference rival North Dakota State 45–21 to gain their first national championship.[2] Played on Sunday for the first time, the game began at 1:04 p.m. CST and was broadcast on ABC and ESPN+,[3][4] opposite NFL regular season finales (week 18).

Teams

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The participants were rivals North Dakota State and South Dakota State of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Both teams advanced through the FCS playoff bracket to reach the championship game.

Entering the game, North Dakota State led the all-time series 63–45–5 (.580), although South Dakota State had won their last three meetings, lasting back to the 2021 spring season. North Dakota State was 4–0 against South Dakota State in prior FCS playoff games; this was their first meeting in the FCS title game.

North Dakota State

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North Dakota State played to a 9–2 regular-season record, suffering losses to Arizona (an FBS program) and South Dakota State. Seeded No. 3 in the FCS playoffs, the Bison received a first-round bye, then defeated Montana, Samford, and Incarnate Word to advance to the championship game.

South Dakota State

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South Dakota State played to a 10–1 regular-season record; their only loss was to Iowa (an FBS program). Seeded No. 1 in the FCS playoffs, the Jackrabbits received a first-round bye, then defeated Delaware, Holy Cross, and Montana State to advance to the championship game.

Game summary

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2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 3 North Dakota State 7 7 0721
No. 1 South Dakota State 7 24 7745

at Toyota StadiumFrisco, Texas

  • Date: January 8, 2023
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 56 °F (13 °C) • Wind: 5 mph (8.0 km/h) north
  • Game attendance: 18,023
  • Referee: Jeff Page
  • TV announcers (ABC, ESPN+): Roy Philpott, Jay Walker and Paul Carcaterra
  • Box score
Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP North Dakota State South Dakota State
1 9:12 9 85 4:04 SDSU Isaiah Davis 16-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good 0 7
1 6:31 6 75 2:41 NDSU Joe Stoffel 27-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa kick good 7 7
2 12:50 8 77 4:37 SDSU Amar Johnson 32-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good 7 14
2 11:03 4 34 1:31 SDSU Jaxon Janke 18-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good 7 21
2 3:30 9 84 4:17 SDSU Michael Morgan 44-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good 7 28
2 2:03 4 65 1:27 NDSU Eli Green 44-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa kick good 14 28
2 0:00 6 62 2:03 SDSU 30-yard field goal by Hunter Dustman 14 31
3 13:13 3 74 1:47 SDSU Mark Gronowski 51-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman kick good 14 38
4 13:44 16 99 7:51 NDSU Kobe Johnson 9-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa kick good 21 38
4 8:05 4 42 2:35 SDSU Jaxon Janke 30-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski, Hunter Dustman kick good 21 45
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 21 45

Statistics

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References

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  1. ^ @FCS_STATS (January 8, 2023). "Most Outstanding Player of #FCSChampionship South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski: 280 total yards, 4 total TDs" (Tweet). Retrieved January 8, 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "South Dakota State crowned 2022 FCS champions defeating North Dakota State". NCAA.com. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "NCAA Division I Football Championship Championship Final Stats" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  4. ^ "FCS Championship: Broadcast info". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 5, 2022.