South Dakota State beats South Dakota 31-21

South Dakota7-321
South Dakota State7-231Final
Sat, Oct 31 · Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, S.D. · Crowd 18,902ESPNU

South Dakota State beat South Dakota 31-21.

We had South Dakota State favored. It won.

Next: South Dakota vs Northern Iowa, Sat Nov 14 · 2:00 PM ET

Next: South Dakota State at Northern Iowa, Sat Nov 7 · 2:00 PM ET

How it swung

Before kickoff, our ratings gave South Dakota State a 54% chance, and the closing betting line (South Dakota State was a 7-point favorite) put it at 71%.

Favored the whole way: South Dakota State never fell below 67%.

South Dakota never had better than a 32% chance.

FinalSouth Dakota State 31-21 South DakotaSouth Dakota State wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.
50%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4South Dakota StateWon31-211−13Scores
50%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4South Dakota StateWon31-211Scores
50%10%25%Q1Q2Q3Q4South Dakota StateLowest 0%Lost21-311+13Scores
50%10%25%Q1Q2Q3Q4South Dakota StateLowest 0%Lost21-311Scores

The play that swung it

  1. 1Q1 12:39FumbleO'Groske run for a 1-yd loss, fumblesSouth Dakota State 81% → 68% (−13)

The play that swung it

  1. 1Q1 12:39FumbleO'Groske run for a 1-yd loss, fumblesSouth Dakota 19% → 32% (+13)
South Dakota State’s chance to win after every play.
How to read this chartStarts from the pregame line (South Dakota State -7), at 75% for South Dakota State (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores.

Every drive

South Dakota State scored on 5 of its 12 drives; South Dakota on 3 of its 12.

South Dakota State’s drives are teal, South Dakota’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.

own goalgoal lineQ1South Dakota State: Fumble, from 75 yards out to 48FumbleSouth Dakota: Punt, from 52 yards out to 56PuntSouth Dakota State: Punt, from 90 yards out to 83PuntSouth Dakota: Punt, from 65 yards out to 58PuntSouth Dakota State: Touchdown, from 87 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota: Punt, from 75 yards out to 80PuntQ2South Dakota State: Touchdown, from 64 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota: Punt, from 75 yards out to 68PuntSouth Dakota State: Touchdown, from 80 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota: Punt, from 75 yards out to 66PuntSouth Dakota State: Punt, from 80 yards out to 44PuntSouth Dakota: Missed field goal, from 70 yards out to 40Missed FGSouth Dakota State: End of half, from 60 yards out to 61End of halfQ3South Dakota: Punt, from 75 yards out to 69PuntSouth Dakota State: Punt, from 83 yards out to 83PuntSouth Dakota: Punt, from 80 yards out to 76PuntSouth Dakota State: Touchdown, from 34 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota: Touchdown, from 80 yards out to 0TouchdownQ4South Dakota State: Missed field goal, from 75 yards out to 33Missed FGSouth Dakota: Touchdown, from 67 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota State: Punt, from 78 yards out to 69PuntSouth Dakota: Touchdown, from 74 yards out to 0TouchdownSouth Dakota State: Field goal, from 75 yards out to 16Field goalSouth Dakota: Fumble, from 75 yards out to 70Fumble

From South Dakota’s side

South Dakota’s best moment: O'Groske run for a 1-yd loss, fumbles (Q1 12:39). It lifted South Dakota’s win chance by 13 points.

Box score

South Dakota State 31, South Dakota 21

South Dakota State covered −7 by 3. The total, 52, stayed under 54.5.

South Dakota leaders

  • Passing Austyn Modrzewski 21 of 27, 233 yds, 3 TD
  • Rushing Jackson Proctor 5 for 16 yds; Charles Pierre Jr. 7 for 13 yds
  • Receiving Bryce Cohoon 1 for 53 yds, 1 TD; Brayden White 4 for 45 yds, 1 TD

South Dakota State leaders

  • Passing Chase Mason 16 of 26, 232 yds, 2 TD
  • Rushing Josiah Johnson 23 for 126 yds, 1 TD; James Basinger 17 for 84 yds, 1 TD
  • Receiving Jack Smith 5 for 84 yds, 1 TD; Grahm Goering 6 for 84 yds

Before kickoff

Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.

Recent games

Last three games

South Dakota · 7-2

Rated 121st in our preseason ratings, 90th now, up 31 spots.

Three straight wins — but still hunting a ranked opponent.

W 48-20 @ Murray State No. 261 of 668 teams

won by 28 as a 28.5-point favorite

South Dakota won 48-20 at Murray State. Chance to win started at 95%, low 88%, high better than 99%.

W 31-10 vs Southern Illinois No. 171 of 668 teams

won by 21 as a 10.5-point favorite

South Dakota won 31-10 vs Southern Illinois. Chance to win started at 81%, low 73%, high better than 99%.

W 44-14 vs Indiana State No. 210 of 668 teams

won by 30 as a 16.5-point favorite

South Dakota won 44-14 vs Indiana State. Chance to win started at 88%, low 85%, high better than 99%.

L 24-38 @ Boise StateTop 25 No. 32 of 668 teams

lost by 14 as a 28.5-point underdog

South Dakota lost 24-38 at Boise State. Chance to win started at 2%, low under 1%, high 13%.

W 38-23 @ Northern Colorado No. 254 of 668 teams

won by 15 as a 20.5-point favorite

South Dakota won 38-23 at Northern Colorado. Chance to win started at 88%, low 72%, high better than 99%.

W 59-20 vs Central Connecticut No. 189 of 668 teams

won by 39 as a 20.5-point favorite

Last three games

South Dakota State · 6-2

Rated 105th in our preseason ratings, 86th now, up 19 spots.

2-1 in its last three — but nothing on this résumé beats a top-40 team yet.

Week by week

South Dakota State

Wk 3: W 27-20 vs Youngstown State▲7Youngsto…Wk 4: W 42-7 vs Eastern Illinois▲35E. Illin…Wk 5: W 31-14 at Illinois State▲17Illinois…Wk 7: L 10-21 at North Dakota▼11N. DakotaWk 8: W 42-9 vs Murray State▲33Murray S…
  • Wk 3Wvs Youngstown State27-20
  • Wk 4Wvs Eastern Illinois42-7
  • Wk 5Wat Illinois State31-14
  • Wk 7Lat North Dakota10-21
  • Wk 8Wvs Murray State42-9

South Dakota

Wk 4: L 28-47 at Youngstown State▼19Youngsto…Wk 5: W 44-14 vs Indiana State▲30Indiana…Wk 6: W 31-10 vs Southern Illinois▲21S. Illin…Wk 7: W 48-20 at Murray State▲28Murray S…Wk 8: W 26-23 vs North Dakota▲3N. Dakota
  • Wk 4Lat Youngstown State28-47
  • Wk 5Wvs Indiana State44-14
  • Wk 6Wvs Southern Illinois31-10
  • Wk 7Wat Murray State48-20
  • Wk 8Wvs North Dakota26-23

Power rating by week

South Dakota State is rated 0.2 points ahead as of week 8. Our power rating by week; higher is better.

1-3-6Wk 0Wk 4Wk 8South Dakota StateSouth Dakota

The series

South Dakota State leads the series 10-3

13 meetings since 2012 · South Dakota won the last meeting

South Dakota State wonSouth Dakota won2012: South Dakota State by 232013: South Dakota State by 152014: South Dakota State by 232015: South Dakota State by 72016: South Dakota State by 72017: South Dakota State by 32018: South Dakota State by 222019: South Dakota by 32021: South Dakota by 32022: South Dakota State by 252023: South Dakota State by 342024: South Dakota State by 32025: South Dakota by 720122025
  • 2025South Dakota 24-17
  • 2024South Dakota State 20-17
  • 2023South Dakota State 37-3
  • 2022South Dakota State 28-3
  • 2021South Dakota 23-20

Line, fans and home field

The betting line, and the fans

Our model and the betting line don’t fully agree on South Dakota State’s chances here.

50-50Model · 54%Line · 71%South DakotaSouth Dakota State

South Dakota State favored by 7 · Total 54.5

How games like this usually go

South Dakota State by 7, and it went to form

50%90%Q1Q2Q3Q450%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4

Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game

The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 426 games since 2025 with a favorite of 3.5 to 7.5 points.

The market

The spread moved 0.5 points toward South Dakota State.

opened −6.5now −7

Spread: −6.5 → −7

The books’ cut: 5.3%, the margin built into the odds

Home field

South Dakota State is worth +6.3 points (±9.1) more at home than on the road since 2018 — top third of FBS, 85th percentile.

75% at home, 47% on the road against FBS opponents (6-2 home, 7-8 away).

Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads -0.7 at home vs. away over 60 games — inside the ±7.2 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.

The visitors travel about 106 miles to get here.

Where next

Conference standings

Going into this game: place in the conference, then conference record.