South Dakota State football primer: Surging No. 2 Jackrabbits, stalwart No. 1 Bison collide for Dakota Marker

Landon Dierks, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·4 min read

Oct. 14—BROOKINGS — The premier rivalry in the Football Championship Subdivision is taken up yet another notch, as South Dakota State and North Dakota State meet as the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked programs in the country for the first time in history this weekend in Fargo. Here's what to know ahead of the contest:

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Fargodome, Fargo, N.D.

Records: SDSU 5-1 overall, 3-0 Missouri Valley; NDSU 5-1, 3-0 Missouri Valley.

Coaches: SDSU: John Stiegelmeier, 26th season, 190-112; NDSU: Matt Entz, fourth season, 42-5.

Last meeting: SDSU ran out to a three-score lead in the first half and held on for a 27-19 victory in Brookings on Nov. 6, 2021. It was the second of two meetings between the Jackrabbits and Bison during the 2021 calendar year. During the COVD-delayed spring season of 2021, SDSU went to the Fargodome and won, 27-17.

Series history: In a rivalry dating back to 1903, Saturday will be the 113th meeting between the Jackrabbits and Bison. NDSU leads the all-time series 63-44-5, but SDSU has won the past two meetings. Since 2004, SDSU and NDSU have played for the Dakota Marker, a 75-pound stone replica of markers denoting the border between the two states. In contests for the Dakota Marker (postseason matchups do not count toward this tally), NDSU holds a 10-8 edge, though SDSU has won four of the past six.

Last week: SDSU dominated South Dakota, 28-3, in the Showdown Series rivalry. NDSU looked shaky at times, but went on the road and defeated Indiana State, 31-26.

Notes:

* Though both teams won conference games last week, the nature of those wins swayed a few votes in the Stats Perform FCS poll. SDSU received seven first-place votes this week, up from three last week, to shore up its No. 2 ranking. NDSU got 41 first-place votes (45 last week) to remain at No. 1.

* Saturday's meeting is only the second 1-vs.-2 matchup in FCS regular season history. No. 1 Northern Iowa defeated No. 2 Idaho on Oct. 24, 1992 in the last contest involving the top-two ranked teams in the regular season. Counting the playoffs, it's the seventh time it's happened since 1981.

* Televised coverage will be available through Midco Sports or ESPN+.

Keys for the Jackrabbits:

* Handle the environment. Miscues, especially in the form of false starts, hindered the Jackrabbits' offense in the season-opener at Iowa with a hostile crowd, and with the Fargodome likely to be filled to capacity, it will be imperative that SDSU not have too many self-inflicted setbacks. NDSU is 45-1 (the lone toss to SDSU) in its last 46 games at home, including an active win streak of 13 straight. Since 1993, the Bison are 16-3 against SDSU in the Fargodome, though those three SDSU wins are the most of any FCS team.

* Establish Mark Gronowski. Though the Fargodome was not filled to capacity (due to COVID-19) during the SDSU signal caller's first game inside the venue, it's hard to ignore how effective he was in the contest. In the spring 2021 meeting, Gronowski completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for 149 yards and one touchdown and rushed 16 times for 126 yards. Backfield mate Isaiah Davis also had a strong showing that afternoon, gaining 84 yards and 16 carries.

Keys for the Bison:

* Run the ball effectively. In 22 games contested between NDSU and SDSU (postseason included) in the Division I era, the Bison are 13-0 when rushing for at least 170 yards, but just 1-8 when failing to reach that mark. This season, SDSU's defense is allowing an MVFC-low 57.2 rushing yards per game, which also ranked third in the entire FCS.

* Start strong. Though there have been several tie scorelines, the Bison have not played with a lead in either of the last two meetings, both losses. NDSU's ground-based attack and possession-based style of play are much easier to stick to when not trying to make up a deficit, particularly one of multiple scores.

Next week: SDSU makes a return trip to the north up Interstate 29 for a third consecutive game against a Dakota opponent, this time facing off with the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks on Oct. 22, while NDSU remains at home to host Illinois State.