South Dakota State
2-1MVFC · Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium · 19,340 · 19,102 avg in 2026
LastW 57–14 vs New Haven · Sat Sep 12 · Chase Mason 255 pass yds, 3 TD, 14 rush yds
Nextvs Youngstown State · Sat Sep 19 · 7 pm ET · Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium · series 14-3, won the last 6 · Game preview
Updated Tue Sep 15 · through week 2
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 29 | #105 | #264 | -50.5✓ | Stetson | W 70–7 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 1 | Sep 6 | #105 | #14 | +14✗ | @Northwestern | L 18–34 143 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 12 | #104 | #260 | -42.5✓ | New Haven | W 57–14 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 19 | #101 | #146 | Youngstown State | ||||
| 4 | Sep 26 | #100 | #237 | Eastern Illinois | ||||
| 5 | Oct 3 | @Illinois State | ||||||
| 7 | Oct 17 | @North Dakota | ||||||
| 8 | Oct 24 | Murray State | ||||||
| 9 | Oct 31 | South Dakota | ||||||
| 10 | Nov 7 | @Northern Iowa | ||||||
| 11 | Nov 14 | @Southern Illinois | ||||||
| 12 | Nov 21 | Indiana State |
Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, explosiveness)▼
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12 | New Haven | W 57–14 | — | — | — | +0.325 | 43.5% | 157.8% | Blowout win |
| Sep 6 | @Northwestern | L 18–34 | 432 | 1 | 34:08 | +0.128 | 42.2% | 105.8% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Aug 29 | Stetson | W 70–7 | — | — | — | +0.782 | 60.7% | 160.2% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Season average (3 games) | 432 | 1.0 | +0.412 | 48.8% | 141.3% | ||||
South Dakota State won back-to-back FCS national championships in 2022 and 2023, but faces a closing window as its primary rival North Dakota State exits to the FBS, shelving the Dakota Marker rivalry and forcing the program to reimagine its identity.
The chip is that SDSU won its first national championship and proved it could repeat it, but the moment of proof is colliding with realignment forces that scatter the competitive landscape.
The season in chapters
What fans said
Real posts from the day of the game, chosen by community score · usernames not shown
What it is like to watch them2025 · 9-5 · last season
✓ measured from 14 games · ranks are among MVFC teams the same season
Recent form · last 10 games · incl. 2025
South Dakota State has won three of its last five.
Mixed. 4-6 over the last 10, and won the last one.
Next Sep 19
vs Youngstown State · at home
Outcome band · South Dakota State · 2026
Outcome band · South Dakota State · 2026South Dakota State's most likely season is 9-4 — a bowl game. The floor is 5-7; the ceiling is 12-1.
Floor, base and ceiling come from the season-path projection, which plays out conference title games and the CFP — so a ceiling can run past 12 games.
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Game day
South Dakota State won back-to-back FCS national championships in 2022 and 2023, then extended the Jackrabbits' run as an FCS power into 2025 as the Dakota Marker rivalry faced uncertain future when rival North Dakota State joined the FBS—asking whether SDSU's title window stays open in a fractured landscape.
Roster
Roster Reload - South Dakota State
2026 snapshot - 2026-09-15Who's moved
Transfer portal snapshot
Recruiting buzz
Community pulse
No high-engagement r/cfb discussions tracked for this program in the last year.