New Era Begins in Brookings
The 2025 season marks a new chapter for South Dakota State football. After the departure of head coach Jimmy Rogers to Washington State following the 2024 season, former Jackrabbit Dan Jackson takes over the reins. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Jackson played for SDSU from 2003–2005 under legendary coach John Stiegelmeier. After his playing days, he served as a graduate assistant before making stops at various programs, most recently Idaho. This is his first stint as a college head coach, and all eyes will be on how he handles the transition.
Key Additions and Losses
Coach Jackson faces the challenge of replacing several high impact players who followed Rogers to Washington State or graduated. Among the key losses:
- QB Mark Gronowski – The face of the program for multiple seasons
- RB Angel Johnson – Explosive playmaker out of the backfield
- DL Bryce Hawthorne – Defensive anchor
- S Cale Reeder – Veteran in the secondary
- WR/KR Tucker Large and WR Griffin Wilde – Key contributors on offense and special teams
New additions expected to make an immediate impact include:
- CB/S Koby Bretz (Nebraska transfer)
- WR Alex Bullock (Nebraska transfer)
- CB Jamari Holliman
- QB Luke Marble
- WR Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda (former Nebraska wideout)
Schedule Breakdown
SDSU has a balanced schedule in 2025, featuring six home games and five road games. Most away matchups come in less hostile environments, but two games stand out as major tests:
- @ Montana State (Sep 6) – Always tough in Bozeman
- @ South Dakota (Nov 8) – Rivalry game in Vermillion
The home slate includes:
- Sacramento State (FCS villains)
- North Dakota State (bitter rival)
- Drake
- Mercyhurst
- Northern Iowa
- Illinois State
- Indiana State
Schedule Difficulty Rankings
(1 = most difficult)
- North Dakota State
- Sacramento State
- Montana State
- Northern Iowa
- South Dakota
- North Dakota
- Illinois State
- Youngstown State
- Indiana State
- Drake
- Murray State
Game by Game Predictions
| Date | Opponent | Location | Prediction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2025 | Sacramento State | Home | Win, 42–16 | Season opens with a strong win per ELO |
| Sep 6, 2025 | at Montana State | Away | Win, 26–24 | Tight road victory in a hostile environment |
| Sep 13, 2025 | Drake | Home | Win, 41–12 | Comfortable nonconference win |
| Sep 27, 2025 | Mercyhurst | Home | Win, 47–12 | Should be an easy win against an overmatched team |
| Oct 4, 2025 | at Youngstown State | Away | Win, 37–19 | Solid road performance |
| Oct 11, 2025 | Northern Iowa | Home | Win, 40–13 | Key Valley win, handled easily |
| Oct 18, 2025 | at Murray State | Away | Win, 44–13 | Another dominant road outing |
| Oct 25, 2025 | North Dakota State | Home | Win, 28–21 | Dakota Marker stays in Brookings |
| Nov 1, 2025 | Indiana State | Home | Win, 42–7 | Blowout against one of MVFC’s weaker teams |
| Nov 8, 2025 | at South Dakota | Away | Win, 26–21 | Rivalry game that stays close |
| Nov 15, 2025 | Illinois State | Home | Win, 35–14 | Bounce back game after rivalry week |
| Nov 22, 2025 | at North Dakota | Away | Win, 34–20 | Strong finish to the regular season |
Season Outlook
- 🔷 Regular Season Record: 12–0 (Undefeated)
- 🔷 MVFC Record: 8–0 (Perfect Conference Run)
- 🔷 FCS Playoff Outlook: SDSU should enter the playoffs as a top 2 seed, possibly No. 1 if they dominate convincingly throughout the season.
Final Thoughts
Dan Jackson walks into a high pressure situation with high expectations. But with a solid roster, homefield advantage in big games, and a manageable schedule, there’s a real chance SDSU could run the table in his debut season. If the Jackrabbits stay healthy and the new transfers gel quickly, another deep playoff run and potentially another national title could be on the horizon.