The FCS Playoffs 2024 continue this weekend with two semifinal games on the schedule. The four remaining teams are the top four overall seeds.
Semifinal round action kicks off on Saturday, December 21 at noon ET with the second-seed North Dakota State Bison hosting the third-seed South Dakota State Jackrabbits at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. The game will be televised nationally by ABC and streamed via ESPN+ and ESPN3.
North Dakota State and South Dakota State met earlier this season at the Fargodome on Oct. 19. The Bison defeated the Jackrabbits in that contest, 13-9, to extend their lead in the overall series to 64-47-5.
North Dakota State comes into the game 12-2 overall. The Bison dispatched the 15th-seed Abilene Christian Wildcats in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, 51-31, and then defeated the seventh-seed Mercer Bears last week in the quarterfinals, 31-7, both at home.
South Dakota State also heads into the matchup with a 12-2 overall record. The Jackrabbits defeated the 14th-seed Montana Grizzlies at home in the second round, 35-18, and the sixth-seed UIW Cardinals at home in the quarterfinals, 55-14.
The second semifinal round game is also set for Saturday, Dec. 21 and features the top-seed Montana State Bobcats hosting the fourth-seed South Dakota Coyotes at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Mont. The game is scheduled for 3:30pm ET and it will be televised by ABC and streamed via ESPN+ and ESPN3.
Montana State and South Dakota’s only two previous meetings on the gridiron came back in 2008 and 2009. The Bobcats defeated the Coyotes in both contests, which were both played in Bozeman.
Montana State is the only undefeated FCS team this season at 14-0. The Bobcats defeated the UT Martin Skyhawks in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, 49-17, and the eighth-seed Idaho Vandals in the quarterfinals, 52-19, both in Bozeman.
South Dakota enters the game with an 11-2 record. The Coyotes defeated the 13th-seed Tarleton State Texans in the second round, 42-31, and the fifth-seed UC Davis Aggies in the quarterfinals, 35-21, both at home at The DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.
Winners of the semifinal games will play in the Division I Football Championship Game on Monday, January 6, 2025 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game will be televised by ESPN at 7:00pm ET / 6:00pm CT.
FCS Playoffs 2024: Semifinal games
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024
(3) South Dakota State at (2) NDSU
12:00pm ET | ABC/ESPN+/ESPN3
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(4) South Dakota at (1) Montana State
3:30pm ET | ABC/ESPN+/ESPN3
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