Honestly, if you just glance at the final record, you’re going to miss the entire point of what happened in Brookings this year. South Dakota State football is a machine that’s been humming at a championship frequency for years, but the 2025 season felt... different. Not necessarily bad, just a massive shift in gravity. After years of Mark Gronowski basically owning the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), the transition to a new era under Dan Jackson was always going to be a bit of a rollercoaster.
We’re talking about a program that has become the gold standard of the FCS. Coming off back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, the expectations are basically "win it all or the season was a fluke." That’s a tough bar to clear. Looking at the south dakota state football stats from this most recent 2025 campaign, you see a team that finished 9-5 overall. For most schools, a nine-win season and a second-round playoff appearance is a dream. For the Jacks? It was a year of learning how to live without the "old guard."
The 2025 Breakdown: By the Numbers
The biggest headline for the 2025 season was the quarterback room. With Gronowski out of the picture, Chase Mason stepped into the spotlight, and the results were actually pretty fascinating when you dig into the efficiency metrics.
Mason finished the year with 2,005 passing yards. He completed roughly 64.9% of his throws, which is a solid number for a guy tasked with following a legend. He found the end zone 15 times through the air and only threw four interceptions. That’s the kind of ball security that keeps coaches from losing their hair. However, the offense as a whole felt a bit more deliberate—maybe even a little cautious at times.
While Mason was the anchor, the ground game remained the heartbeat. Julius Loughridge was the workhorse. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark (finishing with exactly 1,020 rushing yards), proving that even when the passing game is in a state of flux, the Jackrabbits are going to find a way to move the chains on the ground. It’s basically their identity at this point.
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Key Offensive Leaders (2025)
- Passing: Chase Mason - 2,005 YDS, 15 TD, 4 INT
- Rushing: Julius Loughridge - 1,020 YDS, 10+ TDs
- Receiving: Alex Bullock - 936 YDS (The clear WR1)
Bullock was a bright spot, nearly hitting that 1,000-yard receiving mark. He was the safety valve Mason needed, especially in those tight conference games where every third-down conversion felt like a life-or-death situation.
The Defensive Wall and the Montana Wall
Defense has always been the Jackrabbits' calling card. In 2025, they were still incredibly tough, but they ran into some buzzsaws. The season-ending 29-50 loss to Montana in the second round of the FCS playoffs was a shock to the system. Giving up 50 points? That doesn't happen to SDSU.
But look at the context. Earlier in the year, they held New Hampshire to just 3 points in the first round of the playoffs. They shut down Sacramento State (20-3) and Murray State (35-14). The defense didn't suddenly get "bad." They just hit a ceiling when they traveled to Missoula.
The stat sheet shows a team that finished with a 6-2 conference record, which is normally enough to cruise, but the MVFC was a gauntlet this year. Losses to North Dakota State (7-38) and South Dakota (17-24) showed that the gap between the Jacks and the rest of the Dakotas has tightened.
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Why the Dakota Marker Loss Mattered
You can't talk about south dakota state football stats without mentioning the Dakota Marker. The 7-38 loss to NDSU in October was the most lopsided result in that rivalry for quite a while.
What went wrong?
- Efficiency: The Jacks only converted on a handful of third downs.
- Field Position: NDSU controlled the clock and kept the SDSU defense on the field way too long.
- Big Plays: The Jackrabbits lacked the explosive 40+ yard plays that defined their 2022-2023 runs.
It was a humbling Saturday in Brookings, but honestly, it probably served as the "welcome to the head coach's office" moment for Dan Jackson.
Historical Context: The 14-Year Streak
One stat that absolutely blows my mind is the playoff consistency. SDSU has now made 14 consecutive appearances in the FCS playoffs. That is the second-longest active streak in the country.
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Think about that. High school seniors today weren't even in kindergarten the last time the Jackrabbits missed the postseason. That kind of longevity is rare in any sport, let alone a collision sport like football where one injury to a QB can tank a whole year.
Since moving to Division I in 2004, the Jacks have amassed an all-time record of 678–485–36. They’ve gone from being "that team from South Dakota" to the team everyone circles on their calendar. Even in a "down" year like 2025 (if you can call nine wins "down"), they still finished with a .667 winning percentage.
What’s Next for the Jackrabbits?
If you’re looking ahead, keep an eye on the younger guys who got reps this year. Jack Henry saw some time at QB (605 yards, 5 TDs), and Luke Marble showed flashes in limited action. The quarterback competition in the next spring camp is going to be intense.
Also, the "Big Jacks" on the offensive line like Nate Adams (6'7", 330 lbs) are seniors. Replacing that kind of size and experience is the biggest hurdle for the 2026 season.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: With the way modern football works, Dan Jackson will likely look for a veteran interior lineman or an explosive slot receiver to help Mason (or Henry) in 2026.
- Review the Turnover Margin: One of the most telling stats from 2025 was the + numbers. Despite the losses, the Jacks didn't turn the ball over much. If they can keep that discipline while adding back some "big play" potential, they’ll be back in Frisco before you know it.
- Check the 2026 Schedule: The non-conference slate will tell us a lot about whether this team is ready to reclaim the #1 spot or if they're still in a "rebuild-lite" phase.
The numbers don't lie, but they also don't tell the whole story. The 2025 season was a bridge. It was the year SDSU proved they could stay relevant without their greatest-ever player. They might not have the trophy this year, but the foundation hasn't moved an inch.