Can FCS National Champion South Dakota State pull the upset of the year over Oklahoma State?

The first weekend of college football has a few marquee matchups, but the best one to keep an eye on is happening in Stillwater, Oklahoma as the Oklahoma State Cowboys are hosting FCS National Champion South Dakota State.

This game is a fascinating one, especially when you consider how these two teams like to play football.

2024 record: 1-0 (100%)
Career record: 164-154-5 (51.5%)

All odds from DraftKings Sportsbook unless otherwise noted

South Dakota State +9.5 (-105) vs Oklahoma State -9.5 (-115)

The Jackrabbits are an FCS powerhouse and have won the last two FCS National Championships. Led by redshirt senior and reigning Walter Payton award winner (Heisman Trophy equivalent in the FCS) Mark Gronowski, the Jackrabbits have themselves a talented offense. The intrigue with the Jackrabbits is at the skill positions.

Isaiah Davis, along with Jadon and Jaxon Jahnke have all moved on to the NFL after dominating for the Jackrabbits over their careers. They do have some talented players ready to step into big time roles.

Amar Johnson is set to take over in the backfield for the dominant Davis and he's no stranger to the spotlight. He ran for 801 yards and four touchdowns last season in a reserve role and he's ready to take control. Same goes with wide receiver Griffin Wilde. He broke through a veteran receiver room to get snaps as a freshman and is primed to take on a big role this season. This is all paired with an offensive line with the Rimington Award winner returning.

On the other side is a Cowboys team that could make a run to win the Big 12. They return a Heisman candidate running back and the nations leading rusher in Ollie Gordon, experienced quarterback Alan Bowman and a dynamite weapon in Brennan Presley. The Cowboys were explosive on offense in both the running game and a vertical passing game.

Head coach Mike Gundy has one of his best offensive squads in sometime, but the defense is worrisome. They finished 122nd the nation last season allowing 441.8 yards per game, but more importantly 96th in rushing defense at 166.8 yards per game.

The tough part here for the Cowboys is the style of play. The Jackrabbits are going to attack in the trenches and wear their opponents down. The intrigue here is the Cowboys have never lost a game against an FCS opponent and the Jackrabbits beat Colorado State 42-23 just three years ago.

If this was a team that ran a vertical passing attack, then the Cowboys would feel more comfortable. However, the Jackrabbits are a throwback team that will not only take the Cowboys punch, but fire back. Expect an old school Big Ten throwback game with one team winning by a field goal. I don't know if the Jackrabbits have quite enough to win the game, but they certainly have enough to cover.

Bet : South Dakota State +9.5 (-105)