Why these North Dakota State and South Dakota State stars stayed put this offseason - ESPN

North Dakota State left tackle Grey Zabel and South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski are two players at the heart of the highest-profile FCS upset hopes this weekend. This offseason, they both faced similar big-money crossroads and made throwback decisions.

Zabel projects as a top 100 NFL draft prospect in 2025. Gronowski has led the Jackrabbits to back-to-back national titles, a 29-game-winning streak and has a chance to leave as college football's all-time wins leader for a Division I quarterback. He's also a strong NFL prospect.

Both players had plenty of interest to play at the highest levels of the sport through third parties and direct inquiries last year, but neither jumped in the NCAA transfer portal. The reasons can be traced, in part, to a swath to 250 cornfields and the benevolence of local cattle ranchers.

Zabel, a fifth-year senior, told ESPN he had multiple offers in the «high six figures» to go play at power conference schools. Gronowski told ESPN his offers, which were heavy on Big Ten and Big 12 schools, topped out at $1.2 million.

Despite eye-popping offers, they both stuck around, reminders of an era of college football before the transfer portal when continuity offered a distinct competitive advantage.

Showcase games added to the allure of returning. Zabel's No. 2 NDSU team plays at Colorado on Thursday night in Boulder and No. 1 SDSU plays No. 17 Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Saturday with that 29-game streak on the line.

With 250 acres of corn planted on a farm nearly three hours from Fargo — «the best way to describe that is 250 football fields,» he says — Zabel literally and figuratively believes in blooming where he's planted.

«We have a senior class of 27 guys,» Zabel told ESPN, «and I