JACKS HOST USD IN INTERSTATE SERIES, HALLOWEEN SHOWDOWN - South Dakota State University Athletics

Saturday, October 31

Brookings, S.D.

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

South Dakota

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Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

10/28/2026 4:15:00 PM | Football

GAME 9: South Dakota (7-2, 4-1 MVFC) at #5/5 South Dakota State (6-2, 3-1)

When	Saturday, Oct. 31 \| 3 p.m. Central \| Interstate Series Game
Where	Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium \| Brookings, S.D. [Limited Tickets Remain]
TV	ESPNU \| ESPN+
Radio	Jackrabbits All Access (free audio) \| Jackrabbit Sports Network
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	SDSU \| South Dakota \| Missouri Valley Football Conference
Game Program	Digital Game Program
Social Media	Twitter \| Facebook \| #GoJacks

State bragging rights and the chance to remain at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings will be on the line Saturday afternoon when South Dakota State hosts the University of South Dakota in the annual Interstate Series game.

Kickoff before a capacity crowd at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium is slated for 3 p.m. The game featuring two teams in the top six of the Football Championship Subdivision rankings will be televised nationally on ESPNU and the ESPN+ streaming platform.

Fifth-ranked South Dakota State enters Saturday's contest with a 6-2 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. After being knocked out of the top spot in the FCS polls with a loss Oct. 17 at North Dakota, the Jackrabbits rebounded with a 42-9 Hobo Day victory over Murray State last week.

South Dakota, meanwhile, holds a 7-2 overall record and a 4-1 mark in league play. The sixth-ranked Coyotes withstood a late charge from North Dakota last week to pull out a 26-23 overtime victory on their home field at the DakotaDome in Vermillion.

SDSU and USD are joined by Youngstown State with one loss thus far in MVFC play.

THE SERIES: According to SDSU records, Saturday's game will mark the 119th all-time meeting between the Jackrabbits and Coyotes on the gridiron. The series dates back to a 6-6 tie back in 1889, in a game that was played in Sioux Falls.

Overall, the Jackrabbits hold a 58-53-7 advantage in the series.

The two programs were longstanding members of the North Central Conference and often played season home-and-home series during their days competing at the NCAA Division II level.

After a nine-year hiatus as the institutions made their moves to Division I competition on separate timetables, the series resumed in 2012, when USD gained entry into the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SDSU has won 10 of the 13 meetings during the Division I era, including all six matchups played in Brookings.

USD ended a three-game winning streak in the series by the Jackrabbits with a 24-17 victory on Nov. 8, 2025, in the DakotaDome. L.J. Phillips' 32-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter held up as the winning score.

Last season's contest marked the seventh time in the 13 meetings since the series restarted at the Division I level that the game was decided by one score.

INTERSTATE SERIES: The all-sports rivalry series between South Dakota's two Division I athletic programs entered a new phase in September 2023 with First Interstate Bank taking over as presenting sponsor of the competition between South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota.

The Interstate Series uses the same points system first established during the rivalry series' inaugural 2012-13 athletics season, which features both athletic and academic components. On the athletics side, a total of 21 points will be up for grabs in 16 sports. Points will be awarded to winners of regular season matchups in football, men's and women's basketball, women's soccer, volleyball and softball, while the team with the higher finish in Summit League postseason events in cross country, track and field, golf, and swimming and diving will earn points in those respective sports.

Two points are awarded to the winner of the football game, with the victor of that game also holding the tie-breaker should points be equal at the end of the year.

SDSU won the Interstate Series three seasons in a row before USD claimed the title during the 2025-26 athletics season. Overall, the Jackrabbits lead the series by an 8-6 count and again hold a 2.5-1.5 advantage early in the 2026-27 series standings.

The Interstate Rivalry is managed by Learfield Sports and its respective Jackrabbit Sports Properties and Coyote Sports Properties divisions. First Interstate is a community bank with more than 300 branches across 14 states, including branches in more than 20 cities in South Dakota.

RANKINGS STREAK: South Dakota State has held a top-five ranking in all 10 Football Championship Subdivision polls conducted thus far during the 2026 season.

The Jackrabbits began the season at No. 3 in the Stats Perform media poll and held the No. 2 spot for five weeks before ascending to No. 1 in early October.
SDSU was ranked first for two weeks before falling to No. 5 after an Oct. 17 loss at North Dakota. The Jackrabbits have now appeared in the top 25 of 199 consecutive Stats Perform polls dating back to October 2012.

The Jacks previously held the top spot in 29 consecutive polls from Oct. 17, 2022, until relinquishing the top spot following their regular season loss at North Dakota State on Oct. 19, 2024.

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team are six captains:

Quinten Christensen, Sr., offensive lineman, Wessington Springs;
Logan Green, Sr., defensive tackle, Northboro, Iowa;
Coleman Kuntz, Sr., tight end, Beaumont, Calif.;
Chase Mason, Grad., quarterback, Hurley;
Dawson Ripperda, Sr., defensive end, Larchwood, Iowa;
Chase Van Tol, Jr., linebacker, Tea.

Christensen, Green and Mason are each in their second seasons as team captains while Kuntz, Ripperda and Van Tol are in their first seasons in the leadership role.

YEAR 23 IN FCS: The 2026 season marks the 23rd year South Dakota State has competed in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Since joining the Division I ranks in 2004, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 199-89 record (.691 winning percentage).

In the decade of the 2020s, SDSU has put together a 74-17 record, which is good for an .813 winning percentage.

ELITE COMPANY: With 14 consecutive appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, South Dakota State enters the 2026 season tied for the third-longest all-time streak since the subdivision was formed in 1978.

Overall, the Jackrabbits have qualified for the FCS playoffs 15 times, with the first berth coming in 2009 and followed by the current streak that began in 2012. SDSU has compiled a 25-13 record in FCS playoff games, winning back-to-back national championships in 2022 and 2023 after a runner-up finish during the 2020-21 spring season.

In addition, the Jackrabbits advanced to the semifinal round in 2017, 2018, 2021 (fall) and 2024.

Montana holds the all-time FCS playoff streak with 17 consecutive appearances from 1993-2009. North Dakota State moved its streak to 16 seasons in 2025 before departing for the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference this past offseason. SDSU's 14 consecutive appearances match New Hampshire's run from 2004-17.

MVFC HISTORY: The 2026 season also marks South Dakota State's 19th as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Since joining the league in 2008, SDSU is the only program in that span to not have a losing season in conference play.

The Jackrabbits hold a 106-40 record (.726 winning percentage) in MVFC games and have won six or more league games 10 times. SDSU has claimed five league titles (2016, 2020-21, 2022, 2023, 2024) in the past 10 seasons.

SDSU compiled a 23-1 record in league play between the 2022-24 seasons and put together a 19-game league winning streak from November 2021 until October 2024.

LEAGUE FAVORITES: South Dakota State has been picked to return to the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2026, according to a preseason poll announced in conjunction with the league's annual Media Day in mid-July.

The Jackrabbits received 28 of 36 first-place votes and tallied 312 points to out-distance Illinois State for the top spot in the nine-team poll, which was conducted among the league's head coaches, sports information directors and a select media panel. The Redbirds, who advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision national title game last season, tallied three first-place votes and 256 points, while Youngstown State was third with 235 points.

In all, five teams received first-place votes. North Dakota and South Dakota each received two first-place votes to finish fourth and fifth with respective totals of 211 and 196 points, while Southern Illinois claimed the other first-place vote to place sixth (186).

Northern Iowa (99 points), Indiana State (80) and Murray State (45) completed the poll.

In addition, 19 Jackrabbit student-athletes were recognized as MVFC Players to Watch (see list at left on previous page).

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Led by first-team selection Quinten Christensen on the offensive line, six South Dakota State football players were recognized on the 2026 Stats Perform Football Championship Subdivision Preseason All-America Team.

A senior-to-be from Wessington Springs, Christensen received his first-team nod after a 2025 campaign in which he started all 14 games at left tackle and earned second-team All-America honors from Stats Perform, as well as first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades. With Christensen in the lineup, the Jackrabbits averaged 28.6 points per game and topped the 200-yard mark for rushing five times.

Four Jackrabbits were named to the preseason All-America second team, including a pair of defensive stalwarts in defensive end Dawson Ripperda and linebacker Cullen McShane.

Ripperda, a senior from Larchwood, Iowa, ranked second on the team in both tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.0) during the 2025 season. He registered a total of 43 tackles and forced and recovered a pair of fumbles.

McShane ranked second on the squad with 88 total tackles a season ago and recorded double figures in tackles three times. A senior from Marquette, Iowa, he also posted 7.5 tackles for loss and forced a fumble while earning second-team all-MVFC honors.

Representing the South Dakota State offense on the second team was wide receiver Lofton O'Groske. A junior from Coon Rapids, Minnesota, O'Groske was the team's top receiving target during nonconference play before missing the second half of the season due to injury. He tallied 27 receptions for 355 yards and four touchdowns in six games, highlighted by a 12-catch, two-touchdown performance in a double-overtime win at eventual national champion Montana State.

Completing the Jackrabbits' list of second-team honorees was senior punter Max Pelham. The Ankeny, Iowa, native averaged 47.2 yards on 42 punts in 2025, with 18 of his attempts traveling 50 or more yards. Pelham was a first-team all-MVFC selection and an All-America selection by both the American Football Coaches Association (first team) and Associated Press (honorable mention) a season ago.

Tight end Greyton Gannon rounded out SDSU's six overall selections with third-team honors. A senior from Eagle, Wisconsin, Gannon tied for third on the Jackrabbits with 33 receptions to go along with 372 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He also was a first-team all-MVFC selection and an honorable mention All-America pick by the Associated Press.

The Jackrabbits' six honorees were the second most, trailing defending national champion Montana State's eight picks.

MASON ON PAYTON AWARD LIST: South Dakota State quarterback Chase Mason was one of 30 players named to the initial watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually by Stats Perform to the top offensive performer in the Football Championship Subdivision.

A senior from Hurley, Mason in his second season as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback in 2026. Limited to nine games in 2025 due to injury, Mason led SDSU to an 8-1 record in his starts and accounted for 21 touchdowns — 15 passing and six rushing. He also completed 64.9 percent (146-of-225) of his passes for 2,005 yards.

Sidelined since he suffered an injury late in the first half against Youngstown State on Sept. 19, Mason returned to the lineup Oct. 17 at North Dakota. In the six games he has played this season, Mason has completed 81-of-148 passes (54.7 percent) for 1,200 yards with five touchdowns and only one interception. His 23 completions and 48 pass attempts Sept. 5 at Northwestern were both single-game career highs, while his three touchdown passes Sept. 12 against New Haven marked the fourth time in his career he has pulled off that trifecta, tying a single-game career best.

A dual threat, he also ran for touchdowns in back-to-back games — scoring on a 1-yard quarterback sneak versus New Haven and an 18-yard run up the middle against Youngstown State.

The Walter Payton Award celebrates its 40th anniversary this season. Former SDSU quarterback Mark Gronowski was the award winner in 2023.

McSHANE RANKS AMONG BEST ON DEFENSE: South Dakota State linebacker Cullen McShane was named over the summer to the initial watch list for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

A senior from Marquette, Iowa, McShane was one of 30 players to receive mention on the watch list, which will be updated periodically throughout the 2026 campaign. The 32nd winner of the award will be determined by a media panel and will be announced leading up to the FCS national championship game in January.

McShane is coming off a 2025 season in which he ranked second on the Jackrabbits' squad with 88 total tackles. He added 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble en route to being named to the all-Missouri Valley Football Conference Second Team.

After not factoring in any statistics in limited action in the Aug. 29 opener against Stetson, McShane has tallied 46 tackles, including sharing the team lead with two sacks while ranking in a tie for second with four tackles for loss. He has notched double figures in tackles each of the last three games, matching a career high with 12 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss, in the Oct. 3 road victory at Illinois State, followed by consecutive 10-tackle performances Oct. 17 at North Dakota and Oct. 24 versus Murray State.

PELHAM INCLUDED IN PUNTING WATCH LIST: South Dakota State punter Max Pelham was recently named as one of 14 players included on the preseason watch list for the 2026 FCS Punter of the Year Award. The award is presented annually by the Augusta Sports Council.

A graduate student from Ankeny, Iowa, Pelham was a semifinalist for the award in 2025, when he averaged 47.2 yards on 42 punts, with 18 of his attempts traveling 50 or more yards. He was a first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection and an All-America selection by both the American Football Coaches Association (first team) and Associated Press (honorable mention) a season ago.

In the Aug. 29 opener against Stetson, Pelham's second punt of the night was a career-long 69-yarder. In eight games so far this season, he has punted a total of 27 times for an average of 47.7 yards — a mark that would lead the FCS if he had enough attempts to qualify for the subdivision lead (two attempts short). Ten of his punts have traveled 50 or more yards and 11 have pinned the opposition inside its own 20-yard line.

The award winner will be determined by the FCS Punter of the Year Award national voting body, which consists of FCS sports information directors and national sports writers. The award winner is scheduled to be announced Dec. 14.

GREEN HONORED BY MVFC: South Dakota State cornerback Myles Green was honored as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Jackrabbits' win at Illinois State on Oct. 3.

A sophomore from Homewood, Illinois, Green came away with two fourth-quarter takeaways to help secure South Dakota State's 31-14 road victory. On the first play of the final stanza with the Jackrabbits holding a 17-7 lead, Green recovered a fumble forced by Cullen McShane at the SDSU 36 and returned it five yards. A series later, Green picked off a pass at the ILS 31-yard line and returned it down the right sideline for his first career touchdown.

Green also was credited with three tackles as part of a strong defensive effort by the Jackrabbits. He is the second Jackrabbit to receive the honor this season, joining linebacker Chase Van Tol, who was honored after SDSU's season-opening win against Stetson on Aug. 29.

JOHNSON EARNS MVFC, NATIONAL HONORS: South Dakota State running back Josiah Johnson received recognition on a pair of levels, earning conference and national offensive player of the week awards after helping lead the second-ranked Jackrabbits to a 27-20 victory over Youngstown State on Sept. 19.

A sophomore from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Johnson earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after carrying 30 times for a career- high 238 yards and two touchdowns as SDSU opened league play with a home victory against the ninth-ranked Penguins. He scored on a 4-yard run on the opening drive of the game, then added a 16-yard touchdown run on the Jackrabbits' first offensive possession of the second half.

In addition, Johnson was selected as the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week after becoming the first Jackrabbit to rush for 200-plus yards since Isaiah Davis ran for 217 yards against UC Davis in a 2021 FCS playoff game. Johnson tallied seven different runs of at least 12 yards versus Youngstown State, including a career-long 39-yarder on SDSU's first offensive play of the third quarter.

Prior to his Sept. 19 outburst, Johnson's previous single-game career high for rushing yards was 79 yards in the Sept. 5 loss at Northwestern. His outing marked the 15th time a Jackrabbit running back topped the 200-yard mark in a Division I game and only the sixth time against a league opponent.

Johnson recorded his third consecutive 100-yard performance by picking up 131 yards on 19 carries Oct. 3 at Illinois State.

Entering Saturday's matchup against South Dakota, Johnson ranks 10th among FCS players in total rushing yards (826), 12th in rushing yards per game (103.3) and tied for 11th in rushing touchdowns (9).

BIG-PLAY JACKS: South Dakota State recorded 10 offensive plays of 20 or more yards, including six that resulted in touchdowns, in the Aug. 29 season opener against Stetson. In addition, the Jackrabbits turned in a pair of returns that chewed up another 65 (punt return for touchdown by freshman Alex Uchtman) and 46 (kickoff return by Ramon McKinney Jr.) yards.

In all, the Jackrabbits finished with 628 yards — 393 rushing, 235 passing — of total offense, marking the team's highest total in a game since racking up 656 yards at
Southern Illinois in 2018. SDSU averaged 11.2 yards per play versus Stetson.

The long offensive scoring plays against Stetson included:

Jack Smith 73-yard touchdown reception from Chase Mason (Q1);
Josiah Johnson 20-yard touchdown run (Q1);
Ramon McKinney Jr. 27-yard touchdown run (Q2);
Corey Blair Jr. 52-yard touchdown run (Q3);
Landon Dulaney 78-yard touchdown reception from Josh Holst (Q3);
Josh Myers 27-yard touchdown run (Q3).

Holst's touchdown pass to Dulaney was the only pass attempt by the Jackrabbits in the entire second half.

SDSU matched that big-play output Sept. 12 against New Haven with 10 more 20-yard plays, including six that resulted in scores. Jackrabbit tight ends accounted for three of the touchdowns as Coleman Kuntz scored on 25-yard pass play in the second quarter, while Greyton Gannon later tallied touchdown receptions of 24 and 29 yards.

Reserve running back James Basinger added scoring runs of 27 and 55 yards in the second half, building off Ramon McKinney's 22-yard touchdown run in the front half.

In eight games this season, the Jackrabbits have a total of 44 plays of 20-plus yards, plus five returns of 30 or more yards. James Basinger leads the SDSU offense with nine chunk plays — six of which have resulted in touchdowns. A sophomore running back, Basinger scored on runs of 39 and 48 yards Sept. 26 against Eastern Illinois and added a career-long 66-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring at Illinois State on Oct. 3. He scored the Jackrabbits' lone touchdown in an Oct. 17 loss at North Dakota on a 63-yard run on the opening drive of the third quarter.

GROUND AND POUND: South Dakota State enters this week's matchup against Murray State second among Football Championship Subdivision team in rushing offense and ranking fourth in total offense.

Highlighted by topping the 400-yard mark for rushing in a game for the first time in two seasons with 408 yards Sept. 26 against Eastern Illinois, the Jackrabbits are averaging 263.4 yards per game on the ground — trailing Southern Utah's mark of 266.1 rushing yards per game. SDSU has used a committee of running backs to get to that mark, led by Josiah Johnson's 826 rushing yards (104.9 yards per game) and James Basinger's 558 yards (69.8 ypg).

Basinger is averaging 11.6 yards per carry as his 558 yards have come on only 48 attempts, while Corey Blair Jr. has picked up 292 yards. As a team, the Jackrabbits have averaged 6.5 yards per rushing attempt thus far in 2026.

Through eight games, the Jackrabbits also rank fourth with 472.7 yards of total offense per game and rank 10th in scoring offense at 37.1 points per game. In addition, SDSU has allowed the fewest tackles for loss in the FCS at 2.38 per game.

BALANCE ON OFFENSE: South Dakota State achieved a exact 50-50 split between rushing and passing in its Sept. 12 matchup against New Haven. The Jackrabbits rushed and passed for 256 yards each for a total of 512 yards. SDSU ran 68 offensive plays — 46 rushing and 22 passing — and held the ball for 33 minutes and 43 seconds.

For the season, the Jackrabbits have rushed for 2,107 yards and passed for 1,675.

LEADOFF HOME RUNS: Jack Smith's 73-yard catch and run for the Jackrabbits' first touchdown of the season marked the second time in his career he scored on the team's initial offensive play of the game.

A sophomore from Sioux Falls, Smith also found the end zone from 75 yards on a rushing play to open the Interstate Series rivalry game at South Dakota on Nov. 8, 2025.

In addition, Corey Blair Jr.'s 52-yard touchdown run against Stetson came on the first play of the second half.

HOLST AT THE HELM: Junior transfer Josh Holst helped lead the Jackrabbits to two recent wins while filling in at quarterback.

Holst was pressed into duty midway through SDSU's league-opening game against Youngstown State on Sept. 19 after Chase Mason was injured late in the first half. He
directed the Jackrabbits on two second-half scoring drives in their 27-20 victory, the first of which came on the opening possession of the third quarter after completing a pass on fourth-and-3 from the YSU 34 to extend the drive.

In his two starts, Sept. 26 against Eastern Illinois and Oct. 3 at Illinois State, Holst completed a combined 29-of-45 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns. In the win at Illinois State, he connected on 18-of-23 passes for 153 yards and two scores.

Overall, Holst has played in six games and has completed 37-of-65 passes (56.9 percent) for 461 yards and five touchdowns. His first pass as a Jackrabbit resulted in a 78-yard touchdown to Landon Dulaney in the Aug. 29 season opener against Stetson and ranks as the team's longest offensive play so far this season.

A native of Marengo, Illinois, Holst has previous collegiate starting experience while playing at Northern Illinois from 2023-25, where he was mentored by current SDSU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Eric Eidsness. One of his three starts during the 2024 campaign came in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, a game in which he earned MVP honors after completing 18-of-30 passes for 182 yards and touchdowns, as well as rushing 16 times for 65 yards and catching a pass for a 2-point conversion.

Holst is the fourth different Jackrabbit to start a game at quarterback in Dan Jackson's two-year tenure as head coach. Mason has started a total of 13 games, with Jack Henry starting the final three games of the 2025 regular season after Luke Marble earned the start in two regular season games a year ago.

GOERING HITS HIS STRIDE: In the first half of the 2026 season, Jackrabbit wide receiver Grahm Goering has picked up where he left off in 2025.

Granted a sixth season of eligibility, Goering currently leads the team with 415 receiving yards and ranks second on the team with 28 receptions through the first eight games of 2026. He a career-high nine receptions for 117 yards Sept. 5 at Northwestern.

Over his last 11 games, dating back to the 2025 regular season finale at North Dakota, Goering has caught 40 passes for 655 yards and three touchdowns. His 23-yard touchdown in overtime last Nov. 22 at North Dakota sent the Jackrabbits to the playoffs. He then opened postseason play with six catches for 75 yards against New Hampshire, followed by four receptions for a career-best 137 yards at Montana that included a school-record 95-yard touchdown catch and run in the opening quarter.

Goering tallied his 100th career reception in the Oct. 3 win at Illinois State, becoming the 29th player in program history to reach that milestone. For his career, Goering has totaled 109 catches for 1,602 yards and eight touchdowns.

DONTAY LEADS D: Senior safety Dontay Johnson has emerged as one of the Jackrabbits' leading tacklers in October.

A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Johnson posted back-to-back double-digit tackling performances to open the month. He registered a career-best 13 tackles (10 solo) in pacing the Jackrabbit defense in an Oct. 3 road win at Illinois State, followed by sharing the team lead with 12 tackles Oct. 17 at North Dakota.

For the season, Johnson ranks second on the squad with 49 total tackles while adding three pass breakups.

100-YARD TANDEMS: For the second time this season, two South Dakota State backs topped the 100-yard mark for rushing in the same game during the Jackrabbits' 42-7 victory over Eastern Illinois on Sept. 26. In that contest, Josiah Johnson carried 14 times for 121 yards, while James Basinger racked up 116 yards on only nine carries.

Basinger (110 yards) also was part of a 100-yard tandem in the Aug. 29 season opener versus Stetson. Corey Blair Jr. (107) was the other Jackrabbit to reach the century mark, with both needed only eight carries to reach the mark.

Prior to the 2026 season opener, the last SDSU tandem of 100-yard rushers were Isaiah Davis (117) and Amar Johnson (107) against Mercer in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Dec. 2, 2023, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. It was the third — and final time — the pair accomplished the feat together.

Overall, the Jackrabbits have had two or more 100-yard rushers in the same game 14 times in the Division I era (since 2004), of which four of the performances have taken place in Football Championship Subdivision playoff games (*) . A full listing follows:

Oct. 22, 2005 vs. Missouri-Rolla: Cory Koenig (184), Trevor Hohn (161), Anthony Watson (117);
Nov. 4, 2006 vs. William Penn: Anthony Watson (159), Trevor Hohn (105);
*Nov. 24, 2012 vs. Eastern Illinois: Zach Zenner (295), Reggie Gandy (151);
Nov. 12, 2016 vs. South Dakota: Brady Mengarelli (161), Isaac Wallace (102);
Sept. 14, 2019 vs. Drake: Pierre Strong Jr. (129), C.J. Wilson (117);
March 6, 2021 vs. Western Illinois: Mark Gronowski (120), Isaiah Davis (118);
March 20, 2021 at Southern Illinois: Isaiah Davis (150), Mark Gronowski (103);
Sept. 11, 2021 vs. Lindenwood: Pierre Strong Jr. (110), Amar Johnson (105);
*Nov. 27, 2021 vs. UC Davis: Isaiah Davis (217), Pierre Strong Jr. (185);
*Jan. 8, 2023 vs. North Dakota State: Amar Johnson (126), Isaiah Davis (103);
Oct. 7, 2023 at Illinois State: Isaiah Davis (197), Amar Johnson (106);
*Dec. 2, 2023 vs. Mercer: Isaiah Davis (117), Amar Johnson (107);
Aug. 29, 2026 vs. Stetson: James Basinger (110), Corey Blair Jr. (107).
Sept. 26, 2026 vs. Eastern Illinois: Josiah Johnson (121), James Basinger (116).

MR. EFFICIENCY: South Dakota State tight end/fullback Andrew Gustad has produced every time has been called the last two seasons.

A senior from Volin, South Dakota, Gustad has either gained a first down or scored a touchdown on all 10 of his offensive touches since the start of the 2025 season. Last year, he picked up a first down on all five of his short-yardage rushing attempts for a total of 14 yards and scored touchdowns on each of his three receptions.

Gustad recorded his first touch of the 2026 season Sept. 19 against Youngstown State, when he picked up a first down on a career-long 7-yard carry on the opening drive of the game. He later made it 4-for-4 on receptions resulting in touchdowns between the 2025 and 2026 campaigns with a 12-yard touchdown catch to close out the scoring in the Jackrabbits' 42-9 Hobo Day victory over Murray State on Oct. 24.

DEPTH ON DEFENSE: A total of 32 different Jackrabbit defenders registered at least one tackle in the Aug. 29 season opener versus Stetson. Max Stanard paced the SDSU defense with a career-high six tackles. Luke Krempges, Matt Goehring and Liam Shaw were each credited with five tackles to also set or match previous career highs.

For the season, 46 defenders have registered at least one stop.

PILING UP THE POINTS: South Dakota State reached the 70-point mark for the third time in the program's FCS history (since 2004) in the Aug. 29 season opener versus Stetson. The 70-7 score matched a victory over another Pioneer Football League team, Drake, on Sept. 16, 2023, in a game played at Target Field in Minneapolis.

The Jackrabbits' single-game scoring record is 90, which was posted in a 90-6 home victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 15, 2018.

In addition, SDSU crossed the 50-point threshold for the second time this season and 33rd time in the FCS era with its 57-14 victory over New Haven on Sept. 12.

SECOND-HALF ADJUSTMENTS: The Jackrabbit offense has been on point to start the second half throughout the 2026 season.

James Basinger's 63-yard touchdown run to start the second half Oct. 17 at North Dakota marked the sixth time in seven games SDSU scored on its first offensive drive of the third quarter. The Jackrabbits have scored five touchdowns and a field goal to begin the second half en route to outscoring the opposition by a 101-21 margin in the third quarter of games so far this season.

GOING THE DISTANCE: South Dakota State embarked on a nine-play, 99-yard touchdown drive as part of its 33-point second quarter versus New Haven on Sept. 12. That marked the first drive of that maximum length by a Jackrabbit team since Mark Gronowski capped a six-play, 99-yard drive with a 67-yard touchdown run in a Football Championship Subdivision playoff game against Southern Illinois on May 2, 2021.

THE 12TH MAN: South Dakota State has benefited from large crowds coming off the program's back-to-back national championships. In 2023, the Jackrabbits averaged 18,208 fans for regular season games, followed by another record-setting year in 2024 with an average attendance of 18,504 over six regular season home games.

Since the start of the 2023 season, 17 games have been sellouts, including four of the first five home games in 2026. The attendance surge started when 19,332 fans came out for the for Sept. 9, 2023, showdown against Montana State. The crowd played a big role in the game, helping factor in nine false-start penalties by Montana State, including six in the final quarter.

The 2023 Dakota Marker game against North Dakota State, which was a rematch from the 2022 FCS national championship game, drew a then-record 19,431 fans.

SDSU also set program playoff attendance records in all three postseason games it hosted in 2023, highlighted by a crowd of 12,265 in the semifinals against UAlbany.

Large crowds continued to fill Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in 2024 as the first four Jackrabbit home games of season were sellouts and rank in the top nine for most-attended games in facility history.

Following suit, the first five home games of the 2025 season were announced as sellouts, with 19,163 fans filling the stadium for the Aug. 30 opener against Sacramento State. That came two nights after a crowd of about 22,000 attended the Jacks Bash 3 concert featuring country music stars Ty Myers, Thomas Rhett and Blake Shelton.

A stadium-record crowd of 19,477 filed into the stadium for the Oct. 25 Dakota Marker matchup against North Dakota State in a game that pitted the two top-ranked teams in the FCS. That helped SDSU attain an average attendance of 16,278 in 2025.

During the Sept. 12 game against New Haven, the 1-millionth fan for Jackrabbit football games played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium came through the turnstiles. SDSU has averaged 13,120 fans for the 81 Jackrabbit football games played at the venue.

DANA J. DYKHOUSE STADIUM: Jackrabbit football moved into a new home in September of 2016 with the completion of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

The stadium, which was constructed in phases on the site of SDSU's previous home field, Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, seats 19,340 spectators and cost $65 million to build.

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium is being funded through private gifts and long-term revenue streams, including concessions and suite, loge box and ticket sales. Bonds are financing nearly two-thirds of the project's construction, with the remaining dollars coming from private support. Lead gifts totaling $12.5 million from former Jackrabbit football player and Sioux Falls banker Dana Dykhouse and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford were announced in October 2013.

The stadium officially opened Sept. 8, 2016, featuring a concert by country music stars Luke Bryan, Little Big Town and Lee Brice as part of the Jacks Bash opening weekend. The first football game was two days later, on Sept. 10, when the Jacks defeated Drake, 56-28.

SDSU has gone on to post a 70-10 record (.875 winning percentage) at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium during its 11 seasons of operation, including a 17-1 mark in FCS playoff games.
The Jacks put together a 33-game home winning streak (including playoff games) that started with a 27-19 victory over North Dakota State on Nov. 6, 2021, and ended with a loss to the rival Bison on Oct. 25, 2025.

In 2024, the Jacks completed their fifth undefeated season while playing at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, compiling an 8-0 record. SDSU previously posted perfect home records in 2018 (7-0), the 2020-21 spring season (5-0) and both 2022 and 2023 (9-0).

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium was designed by Kansas City-based Crawford Architects, with the construction firm JE Dunn serving as the project manager at risk and Henry Carlson Company of Sioux Falls serving as general contractor.

New artificial turf was installed this past spring in preparation for the 2026 season.

WORKING OVERTIME: For the first time in program history, the Jackrabbit football team in 2025 won a pair of games decided in overtime in the same season.

The first SDSU victory in an extra session came in a Sept. 6 matchup at Montana State. After both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, Jackrabbit tight end Brayden Delahoyde hauled in a 25-yard touchdown on the first play of the second extra session to give SDSU a 30-24 lead. The Jackrabbit defense then stopped Montana State on a fourth-down play inside the SDSU 5-yard line to hand the Bobcats their only loss to an FCS opponent before going on to win the national championship.

In SDSU's second overtime contest, wide receiver Grahm Goering made a leaping catch off a pass from a scrambling Jack Henry for a 23-yard walk-off touchdown for a 34-31 victory at North Dakota that sent the Jacks into the postseason.

JACKS IN THE PROS: Nearing the start of the 2026 National Football League season, more than a dozen former South Dakota State standouts were in National Football League training camps this summer, continuing the Jackrabbits' long tradition of developing players into pro prospects.

Headlining the list are a pair of tight ends — Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles and Tucker Kraft of the Green Bay Packers.

After being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Goedert has gone on to record 431 receptions for 4,904 yards and 37 touchdowns in nine seasons. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles during the 2024 season and followed that in 2025 with career highs of 60 receptions and 11 touchdowns while tallying 591 receiving yards.

Goedert got off to a strong start to the 2026 season by catching four passes for 77 yards, including touchdowns of 17 and 43 yards in the Eagles' victory over Washington on Sept. 13. After missing some time due to injury, Goedert has marked his return by catching 17 passes over the past three games for a total of 147 yards.

Kraft put together a breakthrough second season with the Packers in 2024 and was on a pace to exceed that output with 32 receptions, 489 yards and six touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury midway through the 2025 campaign. A third-round draft choice of Green Bay in 2023, Kraft has career totals of 142 receptions, 1,848 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in four professional seasons.

Thus far during the 2026 season, Kraft has 29 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He scored his second touchdown of the season as part of a four-catch, 48-yard performance Oct. 25 against Detroit.

Joining Kraft on the active roster for the Packers recently was running back Pierre Strong, Jr. After previous stints with the New England Patriots (2022) and Cleveland Browns (2023-24), Strong has carried 16 times for 35 yards and caught eight passes for 50 yards over the last three games.

Linebacker Christian Rozeboom earned a Super Bowl ring with the Los Angeles Rams during the 2021 season and is now in his first season as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rozeboom has notched back-to-back 100-tackle seasons, registering 135 stops with the Rams in 2024 and a team-best 122 tackles last season for Carolina.

Rozeboom has been credited with 11 tackles and two pass breakups in 2026, with a season-high four stops Oct. 18 against Pittsburgh. He was recently placed on injured reserve.

SDSU had two players selected in the NFL Draft in 2024 when Mason McCormick was taken in the fourth round by Pittsburgh and Isaiah Davis was a fifth-round pick of the New York Jets. McCormick has settled into a starting role at offensive guard with the Steelers, while Davis has seen spot duty for the Jets as a running back and kick returner as he enters his third season. In his most recent action, Oct. 25 against Miami, Davis caught three passes for 49 yards and tallied one rushing attempt for five yards..

Another member of the Jackrabbits' back-to-back national championship teams in the NFL is linebacker Isaiah Stalbird, who is in his third year with the New Orleans Saints. Stalbird is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 25 total tackles while serving in a reserve role at linebacker and as a key contributor on special teams. He has registered a total of 10 tackles and two forced fumbles thus far in 2026, highlighted by three stops each against Detroit in the Sept. 13 season opener and Oct. 11 versus Minnesota.

Two former Jackrabbits have been teammates as rookie members of the Houston Texans. Earning a roster spot out of training camp was offensive lineman Sam Hagen, while quarterback Mark Gronowski has had brief stints on the practice squad and active roster this season. Hagen is currently on injured reserve.

Gronowski played his final collegiate season at Iowa in 2025 after previously earning All-America honors and winning the 2023 Walter Payton Award. He spent most of 2026 training camp with the Miami Dolphins.

Other former Jackrabbit standouts with previous professional experience who were in training camps this fall included quarterback Chris Oladokun (Kansas City), running back Amar Johnson (Los Angeles Chargers) and Dalys Beanum (New Orleans Saints). In addition, former Jackrabbit Evan Beerntsen was drafted as an offensive lineman in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by Baltimore, but is currently with the Seattle Seahawks.

Leading the list of Jackrabbit pro football alumni are Hall of Famers Jim Langer and Adam Vinatieri, both of whom are among the 23 undrafted players to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. Vinatieri was a member of the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

Langer who played football at SDSU from 1967-69 and also was an All-American in baseball, played center on every offensive down during the Miami Dolphins' perfect season in 1972. He was a first-team All-Pro four times and was selected to play in six Pro Bowl games. He played in three Super Bowl games with the Dolphins from 1970-79 before finishing his career with the Minnesota Vikings from 1980-81. Langer passed away in September 2019.

Vinatieri wrapped up his playing career after becoming the NFL's all-time scoring leader in 2018 as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. Over Vinatieri's 24 seasons from 1996-2019, his totals include NFL bests of 599-of-715 on field goal attempts, 83.8 percent, and 2,673 career points. He also ranks second in career extra points with 874.

In all, Vinatieri set 15 NFL records, including 21 100-point seasons.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits open the final month of the regular season with a Nov. 7 trip to Northern Iowa. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

-GoJacks.com-