Sam Houston defeats South Dakota State for first-ever FCS title

Photo: Daniel Steenkamer / HERO Sports

From the start of the 2020 Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff in August to Sunday's FCS Championship, the 2020-21 FCS football season has been nothing short of remarkable. Therefore, it's only appropriate that the season ended in an instant classic championship matchup between #1 South Dakota State and #2 Sam Houston.

Both the Jackrabbits and Bearkats saw firsthand the changes that COVID-19 would bring to college football, seeing their fall seasons replaced with a shortened spring season.

Heading into this spring, the main attention of many FCS football fans, writers and analysts was North Dakota State, and how they would handle the loss of standout QB Trey Lance. However, the disappointing Bison led to an opportunity for many teams to step into the spotlight.

Two teams that did this well were South Dakota State and Sam Houston. The Jackrabbits finally overcame the title of being the Bison's little brother, taking down NDSU when the two teams faced off on April 17. Additionally, Sam Houston vastly improved on their 7-win 2019 season, finishing the spring with a perfect record of 10-0.

So, it's safe to say that South Dakota State and Sam Houston facing off in the FCS Championship was destined to be an outstanding contest before the game even began.

By the time the game began in Toyota Stadium on Sunday, rain was pouring down sideways, with a flash flood watch being announced on the day of the big game. The first half weather delay caused by lightning only added to the crazy weather that the game had in store.

However, on top of all these factors, the game itself was a sight to see.

it featured outstanding performances by Bearkats QB Eric Schmid and WR Jequez Ezzard, who combined for a total of 371 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Jackrabbits, on the other hand, relied on true freshman RB Isaiah Davis for the majority of their yards after an injury to starting QB Mark Gronowski.

Davis finished the game with a total of 14 carries, 178 yards and 3 touchdowns, but South Dakota State would end up failing to contain the Bearkats' star-studded offensive attack.

In the end, Sam Houston would come out victorious, defeating South Dakota State 23-21. This marks the first time that the program has ever won the FCS title, and is a game that Bearkats fans will never forget.