Off comeback Dakota Marker victory, South Dakota State football earns FCS No. 1 ranking for first time
Oct. 17—BROOKINGS — For the first time in program history, South Dakota State football owns the No. 1 ranking in the Football Championship Subdivision.
After defeating No. 1-ranked North Dakota State in the Dakota Marker rivalry game for the third-straight season on Oct. 15 in Fargo, the Jackrabbits — ranked No. 2 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and No. 3 in the FCS Coaches Poll last week — were a virtual lock to ascend to the top spot in both polls this week.
On Monday, that proved to be the case, as SDSU (6-1) garnered 51 of 54 first-place votes in the Stats Perform poll and 26 of 27 first-place votes in the coaches poll. Owning such a majority of available first-place votes, the Jackrabbits have a considerable cushion on No. 2 in both polls.
In the Stats Perform poll, 103 points separate SDSU from No. 2 Sacramento State (one first-place vote), which is greater than the 98-point margin between Sac State and No. 5 Weber State. Montana State and NDSU round out the poll at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. No. 9 Jackson State has two first-place votes.
In the coaches poll, SDSU has 50 more points than Montana State at No. 2, with Sac State close behind at No. 3 and owning the only stray first-place vote. Once again, the Jackrabbits' 50 extra points are more than the 48 that separate No. 2 from No. 5 Weber State, with NDSU slotting in at No. 4.
SDSU has another road top-25 matchup this week, as the Jackrabbits return to North Dakota for a meeting with No. 20 UND on Oct. 22.
