SDSU football primer: Jacks end regular season with hopes of first outright MVFC title
Nov. 12—BROOKINGS — South Dakota State football looks to close out an undefeated Missouri Valley Football Conference slate when it hosts Illinois State for the Jackrabbits' last game of the regular season. Here's what to know ahead of the contest.
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings.
Records: SDSU 9-1 overall, 7-0 Missouri Valley; ISU 5-4 overall, 3-3 Missouri Valley.
Coaches: SDSU: John Stiegelmeier, 26th season, 194-112; ISU: Brock Spack, 14th season, 94-64.
Last meeting: ISU took down SDSU, 27-18, at Dykhouse Stadium on Nov. 9, 2019.
Series history: The Jackrabbits and Redbirds will meet for the 11th time on Saturday with the all-time series tied 5-5. The first meeting came when SDSU joined the MVFC in 2008.
Last week: SDSU won 31-28 at Northern Iowa on a field goal with no time left in regulation. ISU fell 19-17 to Youngstown State after the Penguins scored a touchdown with five seconds left.
Notes:
* SDSU marks the third-ranked team the Redbirds take on this season. In the first two meetings, ISU fell 19-14 at home to then-No. 19 Southern Illinois on Oct. 1 and lost 24-7 to No. 4 North Dakota State on Oct. 29 in the FargoDome.
* Both teams rank in the top 25 nationally in third-down percentage offense with SDSU sitting at 21st (45.6%) and ISU coming in at No. 25 (44.4%). However, each squad is also top 30 in the country in third-down defense. The Jackrabbits are No. 27 at 35.5% and the Redbirds are 29th at 35.6%, which are the best two marks in the conference.
* The game will be broadcast on Midco Sports Two and ESPN+.
About the Jackrabbits:
* With a win, SDSU can clinch its first outright MVFC title. The Jackrabbits clinched at least a share of the conference title last week with their win over UNI.
* SDSU is third in the country in turnover margin at 13, turning the ball over seven times but forcing 20. The seven turnovers lost is tied for sixth-fewest nationally but ranks third in the conference behind Southern Illinois (5) and North Dakota (6).
* Defense has been a strong suit of the Jacks all season, allowing 16.4 points per game, which leads the MVFC and is fifth in the country. The defense ranks second nationally in rushing defense (74 yards per game), total defense (270.5 yards per game) and interceptions (14).
* The Jackrabbits are a perfect 5-0 at home this season and are on an eight-game home winning streak dating back to last season.
About the Redbirds:
* ISU more than likely needs to win its final two games of the season — against SDSU and Western Illinois — in order to make the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
* Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse got the start for the Redbirds last week in place of an injured Zack Annexstad and threw for 103 yards on 7-of-14 passing without an interception or touchdown. He tacked on 81 yards and a pair of scores with his legs in the loss to Youngstown State. With Annexstad reportedly set to miss the contest against SDSU, it would put Rittenhouse in line to start again.
* Giving up 20 points a game, ISU's defense ranks tied for 15th in the country and third in the MVFC in terms of scoring defense.
* Defensively, Zeke Vandenburgh is the leading tackler for the Redbirds and with 1.6 tackles for loss per game pace the MVFC and puts him eighth in the nation.
Next week: SDSU has the last week of the FCS regular season off, while ISU heads home for its regular-season finale against Western Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 19.
