r/sdstate • u/MainMarket-Gamer • 15d ago
South Dakota State 2026 Preview (probably missed some stuff, tell me and I'll fix it)
Hey all. I built 2026 previews for every FBS team and all 124 FCS teams, because nobody does this for your league. Here's South Dakota State
Returning production, portal moves, a projected two-deep, and the schedule with model win probabilities.
Usual disclaimer: I probably got things wrong, and my roster feed hasn't fully flipped to 2026. Tell me what's off and I'll fix it.
The good: the defense was legitimately excellent. 11th in FCS in yards allowed, 6th on third down, 20th against the run, and 8th with 23 takeaways. Nine wins, a 41-3 playoff dismantling of New Hampshire, and my power rating has SDSU 8th in the subdivision.
Where my model pushes back: 9-5 hides a 4-4 conference year with three home losses, including 24-12 to an Indiana State team that finished 3-9. Chase Mason and his 2,021 yards are gone, only 36% of offensive production returns, and I have the quarterback job as unsettled rather than won. Model says 7-5.
Is the quarterback room ready, or does that defense have to carry another year?
Tell me what I got wrong.