Venue & Game Info
Location: Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, South Dakota
Kickoff: 12:00 PM CT
Capacity: ~19,000 (outdoor stadium)
Weather Forecast: Cold, ~34–36°F, cloudy skies, NW winds 12–15 mph, chance of light snow flurries
Broadcast: ESPN+
Injury Report
New Hampshire Wildcats: RB Dylan Laube (ankle) listed as probable; WR Brian Espanet cleared after minor hamstring strain.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits: QB Mark Gronowski (shoulder) expected to play; RB Isaiah Davis fully healthy after midseason knee soreness.
Key Player Matchups
Quarterbacks:
UNH: Max Brosmer – 3,012 yards, 26 TD, 9 INT
SDSU: Mark Gronowski – 2,785 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT
Running Backs:
UNH: Dylan Laube – 1,145 yards, 12 TD (dual-threat with 400 receiving yards)
SDSU: Isaiah Davis – 1,210 yards, 14 TD
Receivers:
UNH: Brian Espanet – 865 yards, 9 TD
SDSU: Jaxon Janke – 1,002 yards, 7 TD
Defensive Leaders:
UNH: Josiah Silver – 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
SDSU: Adam Bock – 102 tackles, 3 sacks
Recent Team Form
New Hampshire:
W vs Albany (31-28)
L vs Richmond (27-20)
W vs Maine (35-14)
W vs Villanova (24-21)
L vs Delaware (30-17)
South Dakota State:
L vs North Dakota State (27-24)
W vs Northern Iowa (31-20)
W vs Missouri State (38-10)
L vs South Dakota (26-23)
W vs Illinois State (34-17)
Series History
First-ever postseason meeting between New Hampshire and South Dakota State.
SDSU has a deeper playoff pedigree, including multiple semifinal appearances and the 2022 national championship.
UNH has 14 playoff appearances, including a semifinal run in 2014.
Betting Trends:
SDSU is 6-2 ATS at home in 2025.
UNH is 5-5 ATS overall, but 3-2 ATS on the road.
SDSU games trend under in cold-weather conditions.
Historical Betting Results
South Dakota State: 30–14 all-time playoff record; covered spreads in 3 of last 4 postseason games.
New Hampshire: 14–12 all-time playoff record; last playoff win came in 2017 vs Central Arkansas.
Projected Score: South Dakota State 31 – New Hampshire 20
Reasoning: SDSU’s balanced offense and playoff-tested defense give them the edge. UNH’s Brosmer-Laube duo will keep them competitive early, but SDSU’s depth and home-field advantage in cold conditions should secure the win.
Game Odds
New Hampshire Wildcats 42.5
South Dakota State Jackrabbits – 10.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, November 28, 2025
