BROOKINGS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The second round of the FCS football playoffs kicked off on Saturday.
In Brookings, the Jackrabbit Former Players Association (JFPA) arrived early to set for what was a busy tailgate.
This season, they combined their tailgate area with the parents of players.
As the Jacks compete to bring home their third straight championship, the fanbase is energized and JFPA president Ryan McKnight said that the tailgating and fan culture is growing alongside the team.
They know fans are coming from all over, including from Rapids City, Minneapolis and more for the gameday experience.
“It’s awesome to see how much this has grown. You look around at the tailgate now where before it used to be a bunch of tents, now you see ice houses, you see permanent buildings, you see nice big old smokers and big TVs. The whole point of that is for the guys, to be here to support them. It is remarkable to see where we started to where …