BROOKINGS - Even elite programs have down years.

Still, the fact remains that South Dakota State has beaten - nay, clobbered - the two teams that own more Football Championship Subdivision championships than anybody else in a span of one year and one week.

Last September, the Jackrabbits trounced Youngstown State - winner of four national titles - 40-7 in Brookings. On Saturday night, No. 21-ranked SDSU beat six-time champ Georgia Southern 44-6 in its season opener before a crowd of 12,354 at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

While beating former champs is a far cry from being champs, lopsided victories over traditional national powers can only help the confidence and reputation of a squad that is just six years removed from competing at the NCAA Division II level.

"I think that (tradition) is something we're starting to build," Jacks junior running back Kyle Minett said. "When we go play teams, that is - hopefully - something down the road they think about us."

It's a process - SDSU (1-0) lost the first meeting with GSU (1-1) by a score of 63-7 in 2004, its first year at the Division I level. The spread shrunk to 13 the next season and three in 2007. Then this - the most lopsided defeat by a Georgia Southern team since 1995. And the Eagles came into the week with a game under their belt and receiving more votes than any team not in the top 25.

"We have a ton of respect for coach (Chris) Hatcher and the Georgia Southern tradition," SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier said. "I'm very proud of our football team, but that's what we all aspire to be is that type of program."

Kicker issues

Not that it was evident in the score, but SDSU was down one all-conference player in its season opener.

Kicker Peter Reifenrath sat out Saturday - and could be ineligible for the entire season - because athletic department officials discovered last week that he does not have enough credits to meet the NCAA's progress-toward-degree requirements.

The school has filed a waiver and expects a ruling this week.

"Somewhere along the chain of checks and balances there was a mistake made," Stiegelmeier said of Reifenrath, who hit 16 of 22 field-goal attempts last season. "Hopefully because Peter is an excellent student the NCAA can (approve) our request."

Meanwhile, true sophomore Kyle Harris - a kickoff specialist last year and former prep All-American - handled placekicking duties and went 3 of 4 on field goals and 5 of 5 on PATs, earning him conference special teams player-of-the-week honors.

"When you get called on, you have to step up and do your job," Harris said.

Notes

Senior quarterback Ryan Crawford completed the first eight passes in his first career start. He suffered from leg cramps late and was chugging water during the postgame press conference. ... The $6 million Dykhouse Center is nearing completion, creating a towering presence in the north end zone. But Harris said it is kicker-friendly because it offers many visual aids for lining up attempts. ... One week after taking on a six-time national champ, SDSU will host Indiana State, holder of the longest active losing streak in the nation (29). ... SDSU totaled nine sacks Saturday. Last year, the team didn't hit that number until its fifth game.