2017 — The Ten-Win Year

South Dakota State's 2017 season (11-3) is a middle chapter: table-stakes progress, no crown in the ledger, the program still writing the book.

Record 11-3
Final Result 11-win season
AP Final — post-bowls
SP+ -1.6 last-week
Era —
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
W vs Duquesne 51-13 W @ Mont Sta 31-27 W vs Drake 51-10 L @ Youn Sta 7-19 W vs Sout Ill 49-14 L vs Nort Iow 18-38 W @ Miss Sta 62-30 W @ West Ill 52-24 W vs Nort Sta 33-21 W vs Illi Sta 27-24 W @ Sout Dak 31-28 W vs Nort Iow 37-22 W vs New Ham 56-14 L @ Jame Mad 16-51 CFP
Defining Moments
The Statement

The 2017 season's largest margin: South Dakota State 56, New Hampshire 14. A 42-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The Setback

The season's deepest loss: South Dakota State 16, James Madison 51. A 35-point margin the season is remembered by.

The Postseason

The season's last act: South Dakota State fell to James Madison 16-51 in the postseason.

"Go Jacks"
— South Dakota State fanbase voice · 2017· synthesized
What It Meant

2017 is a middle chapter for South Dakota State — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.