THIS WEEK: The Dakota Marker is on the line this week when No. 1-ranked North Dakota State hosts second-ranked South Dakota State in a battle of Missouri Valley Football Conference unbeatens. Both teams are 3-0 in the league and 5-1 overall with their only losses coming against FBS opponents. Game time is 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).
THE SERIES: This is the 113th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota State dating back to 1903. NDSU leads the all-time series 63-44-5, but SDSU has won two straight including a 27-19 win in Brookings last November. The Bison are 16-3 against SDSU in the Fargodome since 1993. The Jackrabbits’ three wins in the Fargodome are the most by any FCS opponent and came by a total of 13 points in 2020-21 (27-17), 2016 (19-17) and 2008 (25-24).
DAKOTA MARKER: NDSU and SDSU have played for the Dakota Marker since 2004, the first year of Division I competition for both schools. The Bison have a 10-8 edge in the annual game; postseason games are not included. The trophy is a 75-pound model replica of the original quartzite monuments that were 7 feet long and 10 inches square and placed at half-mile intervals along the state border in 1891 and 1892.
HIGHLY RANKED: This is the eighth straight meeting between NDSU and SDSU with both teams ranked in the Top 10 of the Football Championship Subdivision, but it is the first matchup as No. 1 and No. 2 and the first 1-2 matchup in Fargodome history. NDSU has hosted the No. 2 team in the FCS polls four times — twice in the regular season against Northern Iowa (2011) and North Dakota (2020-21) and twice in the postseason against Georgia Southern (2011) and James Madison (2021). The Bison are 8-1 against FCS top-two ranked opponents.
NDSU’s Top-Two Opponents in FCS
12/11/2010 – #1 Eastern Washington 38, #21 NDSU 31 (Cheney, Wash.)
10/29/2011 – #3 NDSU 27, #2 Northern Iowa 19 (Fargo)
12/17/2011 – #4 NDSU 35, #2 Georgia Southern 7 (Fargo)
1/7/2012 – #4 NDSU 17, #1 Sam Houston State 6 (Frisco, Texas)
1/9/2016 – #2 NDSU 37, #1 Jacksonville State 10 (Frisco, Texas)
1/6/2018 – #4 NDSU 17, #1 James Madison 13 (Frisco, Texas)
1/11/2020 – #1 NDSU 28, #2 James Madison 20 (Frisco, Texas)
3/20/2021 – #4 NDSU 34, #2 North Dakota 13 (Fargo)
12/17/2021 – #3 NDSU 20, #2 James Madison 14 (Fargo)
LAST YEAR: Pierre Strong Jr. rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns including a 75-yard run on the second play of the game to set the tone for South Dakota State’s 27-19 win over North Dakota State last year in Brookings. Strong also passed for a touchdown and Cole Frahm kicked 32- and 45-yard field goals as SDSU built a 27-7 lead midway through the third quarter. NDSU quarterback Cam Miller had a career-high 277 yards of total offense rushing 13 times for 59 yards and going 15-for-23 passing for 218 yards. The Bison closed within 27-19 on Jake Reinholz‘s 33-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the game, but SDSU recovered the ensuing onside kick and kneeled out the clock for the win.
DOME VISITOR SUCCESS: No FCS team has won in the Fargodome more than South Dakota State, which has three wins in the dome (2008, 2016, 2020-21) since the Bison and Jackrabbits began Division I play in 2004. Youngstown State (2009, 2011) and Western Illinois (2008, 2010) are the only other FCS teams to win more than once in the Fargodome. North Dakota, NDSU’s opponent for the regular-season finale on Nov. 19, has the most opponent victories with four wins (1994, 1996, 1998, 2002) since NDSU’s first Fargodome season in 1993.
BIG SECOND HALF FOR MATHIS: Wide receiver Zach Mathis had career highs of five receptions and 86 yards at Indiana State with all of his catches in the second half as the Bison came back from a 13-10 halftime deficit to win 31-26. He was responsible for five first downs catching passes of 11 and 13 yards, converting third-and 7 with a 24-yard catch and third-and-19 with a 28-yard play, and scoring on a 10-yard touchdown to give NDSU its first two-possession lead with 5:49 left.
WILLIAMS SPARKS BISON ON GROUND: Running back TaMerik Williams had a career-high 145 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries at Indiana State and scored on three straight NDSU possessions to spark the Bison back from a 13-3 deficit late in the second quarter. He picked up seven first downs and averaged 11.2 yards per carry including a long of 38 yards that set up a two-yard TD run two plays later. He also scored on runs of 16 and 27 yards.
MOSTAERT HONORED: Defensive tackle Will Mostaert was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for blocking a 30-yard field goal attempt by Indiana State last week. Mostaert’s block preserved a four-point lead late in the third quarter. He also had one sack and one quarterback hurry. It was NDSU’s second blocked field goal this year.
CROSA CONNECTS: Placekicker Griffin Crosa has converted field goals three straight games including a 34-yard kick at Indiana State last week. He has made seven straight field goals dating back to March 2021 and he’s made 50 consecutive PAT kicks dating back to 2019.
VETERAN FRONT: With a combined 211 career games of experience among five starters, North Dakota State’s offensive line is a big part of a Bison offense that ranks No. 2 in the FCS this week allowing just 3.00 tackles for loss per game and is No. 5 in sacks allowed with 0.83 per game. NDSU is third nationally in rushing offense with 266.8 yards per game and ninth nationally in third-down conversions at 52 percent. The Bison are No. 5 in FCS averaging 5.97 yards per carry.
LUEPKE FOR SIX: Fourteen different players have scored touchdowns in the first six games for North Dakota State, but Hunter Luepke is doing it more often than almost everybody in the FCS. Luepke leads the MVFC and ranks seventh nationally with eight rushing TDs. He also leads the league and ranks fourth nationally with 10 total TDs including two touchdown receptions. Held without a touchdown at Indiana State, Luepke had scored in eight consecutive games prior, and he has 18 total TDs in his past 13 games played.
LATE WEEK OFF: This year is only the fourth time NDSU has gone straight from non-conference to Missouri Valley Football Conference play without an off week and the first time since 2010. NDSU’s bye next week is week 8 of the season, the third latest off week for the Bison behind 2009 (week 10) and 2010 (week 9).
GOOD WORKS TEAM: Linebacker James Kaczor was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes 11 FBS players and 11 players from FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA for outstanding contributions to their communities. Kaczor’s activities include Feed My Starving Children, Charism, River City Church and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is the ninth NDSU player named to the Good Works Team since 2004 and the third in the past five years. Fans can vote for the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once a day through Nov. 22 at ESPN.com/Allstate.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: North Dakota State has had three players combine to earn four weekly awards in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season:
— Cody Mauch, Offensive Line (9/5, 9/26)…Played 33 snaps against Drake with no sacks, quarterback pressures or tackles for loss allowed…Graded with 12 physicality points and helped the Bison rush for 274 yards and 7.4 yards per carry…Graded 93% with 25 physicality points in a 356-yard rushing performance at South Dakota.
— Griffin Crosa, Special Teams (9/25)…Converted two field goals and four extra points in the win at South Dakota…Made a 26-yard FG and his 25-yard FG with 8:27 left in the game gave NDSU its first two-possession lead.
— Will Mostaert, Special Teams (10/9)…Blocked a 30-yard FG attempt to preserve a four-point NDSU lead late in the third quarter at Indiana State…Also had a sack and QB hurry in the 31-26 win.
BISON PICKED TO WIN: North Dakota State received 39 of 41 first-place votes to claim the top spot in a preseason poll of the Missouri Valley Football Conference head coaches, media and sports information directors. South Dakota State had the remaining two votes in second place followed by Missouri State third, Southern Illinois fourth, Northern Iowa fifth, South Dakota sixth and North Dakota seventh. Illinois State, Youngstown State, Indiana State and Western Illinois rounded out the poll in order eighth through 11th.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: Twelve NDSU players were named to the Preseason All-MVFC Team including four on the first team: fullback Hunter Luepke, left tackle Cody Mauch, defensive tackle Eli Mostaert and safety Michael Tutsie. NDSU’s eight preseason second-team honorees were running back Kobe Johnson, tight end Noah Gindorff, left guard Nash Jensen, defensive end Spencer Waege, linebacker James Kaczor, cornerback Destin Talbert, safety Dawson Weber and return specialist Jayden Price.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: North Dakota State had nine players named to preseason All-America teams. Fullback Hunter Luepke, tight end Noah Gindorff, left tackle Cody Mauch and safety Michael Tutsie, left guard Nash Jensen and defensive tackle Eli Mostaert were recognized by HERO Sports. Luepke, Mauch, Tutsie, defensive end Spencer Waege, linebacker James Kaczor and punt returner Jayden Price were recognized by Stats Perform.
SENIOR BOWL WATCH LIST: North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke, tight end Noah Gindorff and left tackle Cody Mauch were among the NFL prospects on the preseason watch list for the Reese’s Senior Bowl, widely regarded as the top college football all-star game. The Bison have had 11 players selected including wide receiver Christian Watson last year.
AWARD WATCH LISTS: Fullback Hunter Luepke was named to the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award presented to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year, and defensive end Spencer Waege, linebacker James Kaczor and safety Michael Tutsie were named to the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award presented to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, NDSU’s Kaedin Steindorf was named to the FCS Punter of the Year watch list.
BISON AT HOME: The Bison have a 179-27 record in the Fargodome, 31-5 at home against FCS Top 10 ranked teams, and winners of 76 of the last 78 home games over non-conference opponents. North Dakota State has a 31-1 record in the Fargodome during the NCAA playoffs since 2010 with the only loss coming to eventual national champion James Madison in the 2016 semifinals. NDSU’s 32-game home winning streak in the Fargodome from September 2017 through April 2021 was the fourth longest in NCAA FCS history.
BISON RETURNING TO TWIN CITIES: North Dakota State will host Eastern Washington on the opening weekend of the 2023 season at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings. NDSU drew a crowd of 34,544 fans to the 2019 season opener against Butler at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins.
#PROBISON: North Dakota State has 16 former players with NFL clubs including 12 on active rosters and four on practice squads. The list includes Broncos OL Billy Turner (9th year), Commanders QB Carson Wentz (7th), Browns OL Joe Haeg (7th), Lions LB Chris Board (5th), Chargers QB Easton Stick (4th), Broncos practice squad WR Darrius Shepherd (4th), Vikings TE Ben Ellefson (3rd), Ravens practice squad OL Zack Johnson (3rd), Chargers LB Derrek Tuszka (3rd), 49ers QB Trey Lance (2nd), Titans OL Dillon Radunz (2nd), Cowboys LB Jabril Cox (2nd), Packers WR Christian Watson (1st), Bengals OL Cordell Volson (1st), Rams practice squad LB Brayden Thomas (1st) and Panthers practice squad TE Josh Babicz (1st).