For the third time in the last four seasons, South Dakota State has earned the top seed for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The 24-team field was announced Sunday, with the defending national champion Jackrabbits receiving a first-round bye.

SDSU, 11-0 overall and the winner of 25 consecutive games dating back to early in the 2022 season, will host a second-round game Dec. 2 against the winner of Saturday’s opening-round matchup between Gardner-Webb (7-4) and Mercer (8-3). Kickoff for the Jackrabbits’ playoff opener is tentatively set for 1 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

The Jackrabbits will be making their 12th consecutive appearance in the FCS playoffs and 13th overall after earning the automatic bid from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SDSU has earned a top-eight seed six of the last seven seasons and advanced to the FCS national title game each of the two previous times (2020-21 and 2022) it was awarded the top seed.

As the top seed, the Jackrabbits could host up to three playoff games leading up to the Jan. 7 FCS National Championship Game in Frisco, Texas. The playoff schedule is as follows.

Nov. 25 – First-round games (Top eight seeds receive byes)
Dec. 2 – Second round games
Dec. 8/9 – Quarterfinals
Dec. 15/16 – Semifinals
Jan. 7 – FCS National Championship Game; Frisco, Texas

Tickets for SDSU’s Dec. 2 playoff game will go on sale at 5 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 19) through JackrabbitTickets.com. Prices begin at $10, with current SDSU students able to claim tickets courtesy of university President Barry Dunn.

Current Jackrabbit season ticket holders have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 29 to claim their same seats for the playoff opener. Any unclaimed season tickets, including those for premium seating areas, will be available for purchase by the general public shortly after the deadline.

TOP EIGHT SEEDS
1. South Dakota State
2. Montana
3. South Dakota
4. Idaho
5. Albany
6. Montana State
7. Furman
8. Villanova

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
Gardner-Webb vs. Mercer [winner to SDSU]
Duquesne vs. Youngstown State [winner to Villanova]
North Carolina Central vs. Richmond [winner to Albany]
Nicholls vs. Southern Illinois [winner to Idaho]
Sacramento State vs. North Dakota [winner to South Dakota]
Drake vs. North Dakota State [winner to Montana State]
Chattanooga vs. Austin Peay [winner to Furman]
Lafayette vs. Delaware [winner to Montana]