North Dakota State Routs South Dakota State in 1 vs. 2 Battle
October 27, 2025
No. 1 North Dakota State jumped out to an early 21-0 lead over then-No. 2 South Dakota State and never looked back, cruising to a 38-7 victory. The Bison offense controlled the time of possession while the defense kept the Jackrabbits in check, allowing them only 166 total yards of offense. It was NDSU’s third straight win over South Dakota State as they move to 8-0 on the season and take control of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison remain No. 1 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while SDSU drops to No. 5.
Tarleton State now moves into the No. 2 spot. The Texans are 9-0 after handing Eastern Kentucky a 31-7 loss and will face No. 25 ACU on Saturday. Montana beat Sacramento State, 49-35, and jumps to No. 3 with their in-state rival Montana State close behind at No. 4. UC Davis, Lehigh, Tennessee Tech, Monmouth (N.J.) and North Dakota remain in the same spots as last week and round out to top 10.
Jackson State lost a close game against Grambling State, 26-24, and dropped nine places to No. 20 while Presbyterian fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, losing to Dayton, 35-19, and falling six spots to No. 22.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 North Dakota St. (25) 8-0 625 1 D. No. 2 South Dakota St., 38-7 Nov. 1 vs. No. 19 Youngstown St.
2 Tarleton St. 9-0 598 3 D. Eastern Kentucky, 31-7 Nov. 1 at No. 25 ACU
3 Montana 8-0 575 4 D. Sacramento St., 49-35 Nov. 1 at Weber St.
4 Montana St. 6-2 529 5 D. Cal Poly, 34-17 Nov. 1 at Northern Colorado
5 South Dakota St. 7-1 525 2 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 38-7 Nov. 1 vs. Indiana St.
6 UC Davis 6-1 495 6 D. Northern Colorado, 27-16 Nov. 1 vs. Idaho St.
7 Lehigh 8-0 461 7 D. Fordham, 27-6 Nov. 1 vs. Georgetown
8 Tennessee Tech 8-0 433 8 D. Southeast Missouri St., 42-23 Nov. 1 vs. Gardner-Webb
9 Monmouth (N.J.) 7-1 423 9 D. Hampton, 28-10 Nov. 1 at Bryant
10 North Dakota 6-2 401 10 D. Indiana St., 46-17 Nov. 1 at South Dakota
11 Villanova 6-2 350 12 D. UAlbany, 29-16 Nov. 8 at Towson
12 Rhode Island 7-2 340 13 D. Bryant, 38-17 Nov. 8 at Elon
13 Mercer 6-1 323 14 D. VMI, 62-0 Nov. 1 at Furman
14 Lamar 7-1 314 15 D. Northwestern St., 41-14 Nov. 1 at UIW
15 Harvard 6-0 248 17 D. Princeton, 35-14 Nov. 1 vs. Dartmouth
16 Southeastern Louisiana 6-2 235 19 D. HCU, 38-14 Nov. 1 vs. East Texas A&M
17 Southern Illinois 5-3 224 18 D. Northern Iowa, 31-17 Nov. 1 at Murray St.
18 Illinois St. 5-3 192 20 D. South Dakota, 21-13 Nov. 1 vs. Northern Iowa
19 Youngstown St. 5-3 181 21 D. Murray St., 51-17 Nov. 1 at No. 1 North Dakota St.
20 Jackson St. 5-2 126 11 Lost to Grambling St., 26-24 Nov. 1 at Florida A&M
21 Northern Arizona 5-3 108 22 D. Idaho St., 31-18 Oct. 31 vs. Idaho
22 Presbyterian 7-1 99 16 Lost to Dayton, 35-19 Nov. 1 vs. Valparaiso
23 Stephen F. Austin 6-2 89 24 D. East Texas A&M, 31-21 Nov. 1 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley
24 Austin Peay 5-3 78 23 D. North Alabama, 56-28 Nov. 1 at Southern Utah
25 ACU 4-4 36 25 Idle Nov. 1 vs. No. 2 Tarleton St.
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: UT Rio Grande Valley, 25; Western Carolina, 21; West Georgia, 18; Dartmouth, 12; Lafayette, 12; Gardner-Webb, 10; South Dakota, 9; Sacramento St., 4; Prairie View A&M, 3; Alabama St., 2; Central Connecticut St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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No. 1 North Dakota State jumped out to an early 21-0 lead over then-No. 2 South Dakota State and never looked back, cruising to a 38-7 victory. The Bison offense controlled the time of possession while the defense kept the Jackrabbits in check, allowing them only 166 total yards of offense. It was NDSU’s third straight win over South Dakota State as they move to 8-0 on the season and take control of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison remain No. 1 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while SDSU drops to No. 5.
Tarleton State now moves into the No. 2 spot. The Texans are 9-0 after handing Eastern Kentucky a 31-7 loss and will face No. 25 ACU on Saturday. Montana beat Sacramento State, 49-35, and jumps to No. 3 with their in-state rival Montana State close behind at No. 4. UC Davis, Lehigh, Tennessee Tech, Monmouth (N.J.) and North Dakota remain in the same spots as last week and round out to top 10.
Jackson State lost a close game against Grambling State, 26-24, and dropped nine places to No. 20 while Presbyterian fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, losing to Dayton, 35-19, and falling six spots to No. 22.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota St. (25) | 8-0 | 625 | 1 | D. No. 2 South Dakota St., 38-7 | Nov. 1 vs. No. 19 Youngstown St. | |
| 2 | Tarleton St. | 9-0 | 598 | 3 | D. Eastern Kentucky, 31-7 | Nov. 1 at No. 25 ACU | |
| 3 | Montana | 8-0 | 575 | 4 | D. Sacramento St., 49-35 | Nov. 1 at Weber St. | |
| 4 | Montana St. | 6-2 | 529 | 5 | D. Cal Poly, 34-17 | Nov. 1 at Northern Colorado | |
| 5 | South Dakota St. | 7-1 | 525 | 2 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 38-7 | Nov. 1 vs. Indiana St. | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 6-1 | 495 | 6 | D. Northern Colorado, 27-16 | Nov. 1 vs. Idaho St. | |
| 7 | Lehigh | 8-0 | 461 | 7 | D. Fordham, 27-6 | Nov. 1 vs. Georgetown | |
| 8 | Tennessee Tech | 8-0 | 433 | 8 | D. Southeast Missouri St., 42-23 | Nov. 1 vs. Gardner-Webb | |
| 9 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 7-1 | 423 | 9 | D. Hampton, 28-10 | Nov. 1 at Bryant | |
| 10 | North Dakota | 6-2 | 401 | 10 | D. Indiana St., 46-17 | Nov. 1 at South Dakota | |
| 11 | Villanova | 6-2 | 350 | 12 | D. UAlbany, 29-16 | Nov. 8 at Towson | |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 7-2 | 340 | 13 | D. Bryant, 38-17 | Nov. 8 at Elon | |
| 13 | Mercer | 6-1 | 323 | 14 | D. VMI, 62-0 | Nov. 1 at Furman | |
| 14 | Lamar | 7-1 | 314 | 15 | D. Northwestern St., 41-14 | Nov. 1 at UIW | |
| 15 | Harvard | 6-0 | 248 | 17 | D. Princeton, 35-14 | Nov. 1 vs. Dartmouth | |
| 16 | Southeastern Louisiana | 6-2 | 235 | 19 | D. HCU, 38-14 | Nov. 1 vs. East Texas A&M | |
| 17 | Southern Illinois | 5-3 | 224 | 18 | D. Northern Iowa, 31-17 | Nov. 1 at Murray St. | |
| 18 | Illinois St. | 5-3 | 192 | 20 | D. South Dakota, 21-13 | Nov. 1 vs. Northern Iowa | |
| 19 | Youngstown St. | 5-3 | 181 | 21 | D. Murray St., 51-17 | Nov. 1 at No. 1 North Dakota St. | |
| 20 | Jackson St. | 5-2 | 126 | 11 | Lost to Grambling St., 26-24 | Nov. 1 at Florida A&M | |
| 21 | Northern Arizona | 5-3 | 108 | 22 | D. Idaho St., 31-18 | Oct. 31 vs. Idaho | |
| 22 | Presbyterian | 7-1 | 99 | 16 | Lost to Dayton, 35-19 | Nov. 1 vs. Valparaiso | |
| 23 | Stephen F. Austin | 6-2 | 89 | 24 | D. East Texas A&M, 31-21 | Nov. 1 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley | |
| 24 | Austin Peay | 5-3 | 78 | 23 | D. North Alabama, 56-28 | Nov. 1 at Southern Utah | |
| 25 | ACU | 4-4 | 36 | 25 | Idle | Nov. 1 vs. No. 2 Tarleton St. | |
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: UT Rio Grande Valley, 25; Western Carolina, 21; West Georgia, 18; Dartmouth, 12; Lafayette, 12; Gardner-Webb, 10; South Dakota, 9; Sacramento St., 4; Prairie View A&M, 3; Alabama St., 2; Central Connecticut St., 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
