South Dakota
1-0 W1 · Warming
Youngstown State
1-0 W1 · Warming
6:00 PM · Stambaugh Stadium

Youngstown State (1-0) hosts South Dakota (1-0). No market line yet; the model calls it close to even.

What’s at stake

Youngstown State

  • Youngstown State is coming off a 33-point win.

South Dakota

  • South Dakota is coming off a 39-point win.

See this week’s biggest postseason implications ›

The series

Youngstown State leads the series 7-4

11 meetings since 2012 · South Dakota has won the last 2

  • 2024South Dakota 27–17
  • 2023South Dakota 34–31
  • 2022Youngstown State 45–24
  • 2019South Dakota 56–21
  • 2018Youngstown State 29–17

Face-off

What each fanbase carries into this one.

South Dakota

The chip · vs the national media

Fans here believe plenty of skeptics thought South Dakota would struggle with a new coach. Instead, Travis Johansen took a program that was down and brought it to 10-5 in year one. The Coyotes are knocking on the MVFC elite's door.

What this game touches

The coaching transition succeeded. South Dakota brought in Travis Johansen as a new head coach and the program immediately responded with a 10-5 season and a 6-2 MVFC record (second place). For a program that had struggled previously, this is proof that the change was right.

Youngstown State

The chip

Youngstown State doesn't carry a visible chip. The program is at peace with its place in FCS history: the keeper of the Tressel legacy, a solid regional program, a place where Beau Brungard can win the Walter Payton Award in 2025 and not feel the weight of unmet national aspirations.

Conditions

Home-field advantage: Elite

Youngstown State is 71% at home, 22% on the road since 2018 (32-13 home, 8-29 away).