Traxler: Dakotas, Montana FCS powers ensure football spending and profits go hand in hand – Mitchell Republic

If you’re like me, you may have been startled when you saw the FCS playoff round announced.

It goes without saying that we should not only look at the first duel, but also at the path that lies ahead of us. In this case, pathways were explored for schools of regional interest: South Dakota and South Dakota State. What does the road to Frisco look like?

There was an immediate possibility of SDSU and Montana making it to the second round, and that’s exactly what we’ll see on Saturday in Brookings. You don’t have to convince football fans too much.

It’s a rematch in a national championship game from last season. That caught the attention of some national college football writers this week, and if there was a nationally televised game this weekend, SDSU-Montana would probably be the pick.

The number of elite FCS programs is small these days, and the Jackrabbits and Grizzlies are both on the list. This is largely because their teams were strong, their fan base cared about them, and they invested heavily in their teams.

Of football spending data available from more than 70 public institutions that play FCS football, Montana, Montana State, NDSU and SDSU all rank in the top 10 in football expenditures and expenses for 2023.

According to the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database at Syracuse University, Montana State was the FCS leader in football spending in 2023, spending nearly $8.95 million. SDSU was No. 3. (William and Mary was an unexpected No. 2 team at $8.9 million.) Montana spent nearly $7.2 million last year and was No. 6 nationally, and NDSU was ranked No. 9 in 2023 with $6.4 million in football spending. As a reminder, USD ranked 40th in football spending in 2023 with nearly $4.5 million.

Money doesn’t always equal wins, but it should come as no surprise that these teams find themselves at the top of the national polls and playoffs every season.

Since 2018, SDSU has spent at least $8 million on football in four of six years, with those numbers declining following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, SDSU spent nearly $8.8 million on football expenses, a university record. Part of this probably has to do with the fact that they play a lot of games compared to their competitors, but it shows that the investment and success went hand in hand.

Another common thread? Their fan base has made a habit of showing up to games. Montana ranked second nationally in average home attendance (25,845 fans per game) during the regular season, Montana State was third (21,899), SDSU was sixth (18,504) and NDSU was tenth (16,789). (HBCU power Jackson State ranked first with 27,213 spectators per game this season, and the SWAC doesn’t send its best teams to the FCS postseason. It hosts the SWAC title game on Saturday.)

David Samson/The Forum

The victories followed. We know about NDSU’s national championships – nine titles in an 11-year span – followed by back-to-back titles for the Jackrabbits. Montana’s media notes indicate that the Griz were the winningest team in FCS football for the first 20 years of the 21st century.

SDSU and NDSU did not begin playing FCS football until 2004. Since then (and counting this season), NDSU has won 235 games, Montana has 192, SDSU has 182 wins and Montana State has 163 wins. During the same period, James Madison (170), Sam Houston (161) and Jacksonville State (158) were in the same ballpark in terms of FCS wins, but they all deviated.

With all the controversy surrounding the downgrading of the FCS – and it can’t really be said – feel free to celebrate weeks and games like this. Because for a non-conference game, the combination of SDSU and Montana is very attractive. NDSU and Montana State in the same round last season were the same, and while we see it every regular season, a potential semifinal between SDSU and NDSU this year or USD vs. Montana State in the semifinals if they come together would also be a possibility be enjoyment.

It’s no secret that FCS football runs through the Dakotas and Montana. You make the investment to make this happen.

Marcus Traxler is deputy editor and sports editor at the Mitchell Republic. A former state Outstanding Young Journalist award winner and 2023 South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year, he has worked for the newspaper since 2014, covering a wide range of topics. Traxler is a Minnesota native and can be reached at [email protected].