South Dakota Upsets No. 2 North Dakota State
October 2, 2023
South Dakota ended a six-game losing streak to North Dakota State, beating the Bison 24-19 on their own turf. The Coyotes scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, taking a 21-3 lead into halftime, then the defense held strong against a North Dakota State comeback to clinch the victory. The win jumped South Dakota into the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 21 while the loss dropped the Bison to No. 8.
Along with North Dakota State’s loss, there were eight other Top 25 teams that went down this past weekend causing a big shakeup in the poll. South Dakota State beat then-No. 11 North Dakota, 42-21, and remains No. 1, but Montana State is the new No. 2 team, followed by No. 3 Idaho, who handed then-No. 25 Eastern Washington a 38-22 loss. Furman moves into the fourth spot while Southern Illinois jumps five places to No. 5. William & Mary dropped from No. 4 to No. 9 after its loss to Elon, 14-6, while Holy Cross fell seven spots to No. 12 after its loss to Harvard. The 38-28 victory moved the Crimson from No. 24 to No. 19.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 5 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (26) 4-0 650 1 D. No. 11 North Dakota, 42-21 Oct. 7 at No. 22 Illinois St.
2 Montana St. 4-1 621 3 D. Portland St., 38-22 Oct. 14 vs. Cal Poly
3 Idaho 4-1 595 6 D. No. 25 Eastern Washington, 44-36 Oct. 7 at Cal Poly
4 Furman 3-1 533 7 Idle Oct. 7 vs. The Citadel
5 Southern Illinois 4-0 514 10 D. Missouri St., 33-20 Oct. 7 at Youngstown St.
6 UIW 3-1 509 8 Idle Oct. 7 vs. Southeastern Louisiana
7 Sacramento St. 4-1 505 9 D. Northern Arizona, 31-30 Oct. 14 at Northern Colorado
8 North Dakota St. 3-1 497 2 Lost to South Dakota, 24-19 Oct. 7 at Missouri St.
9 William & Mary 4-1 393 4 Lost to Elon, 14-6 Oct. 7 at Virginia
10 Delaware 3-1 390 12 Idle Oct. 7 vs. Duquesne
11 North Carolina Central 4-1 336 13 D. Campbell, 49-48 Oct. 7 at Elon
12 Holy Cross 3-2 333 5 Lost to No. 24 Harvard, 38-28 Oct. 7 at Bucknell
13 Montana 4-1 297 16 D. Idaho St., 28-20 Oct. 7 at No. 18 UC Davis
14 Weber St. 3-2 292 14 D. Northern Colorado, 28-21 Oct. 7 vs. Northern Arizona
15 North Dakota 2-2 244 11 Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 42-21 Oct. 7 vs. Western Illinois
16 Florida A&M 4-1 234 18 D. Mississippi Valley St., 31-7 Oct. 7 at Southern
17 Western Carolina 4-1 228 21 D. The Citadel, 49-14 Oct. 7 at No. 20 Chattanooga
18 UC Davis 3-2 215 20 D. Cal Poly, 31-13 Oct. 7 vs. No. 13 Montana
19 Harvard 3-0 200 24 D. No. 5 Holy Cross, 38-28 Oct. 6 vs. Cornell
20 Chattanooga 4-1 188 22 D. Wofford, 23-13 Oct. 7 vs. No. 17 Western Carolina
21 South Dakota 3-1 100 NR D. No. 2 North Dakota St., 24-19 Oct. 7 vs. Murray St.
22 Illinois St. 3-1 62 NR Idle Oct. 7 vs. No. 1 South Dakota St.
23 UT Martin 4-1 60 NR D. Tennessee St., 20-10 Oct. 7 at No. 25t Eastern Illinois
24 New Hampshire 2-3 51 17 Lost to Towson, 54-51 Oct. 14 vs. Albany
25t. Eastern Illinois 4-1 45 NR D. Northwestern St., 19-10 Oct. 7 vs. No. 23 UT Martin
25t. Rhode Island 3-2 45 NR D. Bryant, 49-26 Oct. 7 at Brown
Dropped Out: Fordham (15), Youngstown St. (19), Villanova (23), Eastern Washington (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 43; Austin Peay, 36; Fordham, 36; Central Arkansas, 34; Youngstown St., 32; Mercer, 31; Eastern Washington, 27; Hampton, 25; Albany, 10; Stephen F. Austin, 10; Villanova, 9; Jackson St., 8; Eastern Kentucky, 4; Grambling St., 4; Samford, 2; Lafayette, 1; Princeton, 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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South Dakota ended a six-game losing streak to North Dakota State, beating the Bison 24-19 on their own turf. The Coyotes scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, taking a 21-3 lead into halftime, then the defense held strong against a North Dakota State comeback to clinch the victory. The win jumped South Dakota into the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 21 while the loss dropped the Bison to No. 8.
Along with North Dakota State’s loss, there were eight other Top 25 teams that went down this past weekend causing a big shakeup in the poll. South Dakota State beat then-No. 11 North Dakota, 42-21, and remains No. 1, but Montana State is the new No. 2 team, followed by No. 3 Idaho, who handed then-No. 25 Eastern Washington a 38-22 loss. Furman moves into the fourth spot while Southern Illinois jumps five places to No. 5. William & Mary dropped from No. 4 to No. 9 after its loss to Elon, 14-6, while Holy Cross fell seven spots to No. 12 after its loss to Harvard. The 38-28 victory moved the Crimson from No. 24 to No. 19.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (26) | 4-0 | 650 | 1 | D. No. 11 North Dakota, 42-21 | Oct. 7 at No. 22 Illinois St. | |
| 2 | Montana St. | 4-1 | 621 | 3 | D. Portland St., 38-22 | Oct. 14 vs. Cal Poly | |
| 3 | Idaho | 4-1 | 595 | 6 | D. No. 25 Eastern Washington, 44-36 | Oct. 7 at Cal Poly | |
| 4 | Furman | 3-1 | 533 | 7 | Idle | Oct. 7 vs. The Citadel | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois | 4-0 | 514 | 10 | D. Missouri St., 33-20 | Oct. 7 at Youngstown St. | |
| 6 | UIW | 3-1 | 509 | 8 | Idle | Oct. 7 vs. Southeastern Louisiana | |
| 7 | Sacramento St. | 4-1 | 505 | 9 | D. Northern Arizona, 31-30 | Oct. 14 at Northern Colorado | |
| 8 | North Dakota St. | 3-1 | 497 | 2 | Lost to South Dakota, 24-19 | Oct. 7 at Missouri St. | |
| 9 | William & Mary | 4-1 | 393 | 4 | Lost to Elon, 14-6 | Oct. 7 at Virginia | |
| 10 | Delaware | 3-1 | 390 | 12 | Idle | Oct. 7 vs. Duquesne | |
| 11 | North Carolina Central | 4-1 | 336 | 13 | D. Campbell, 49-48 | Oct. 7 at Elon | |
| 12 | Holy Cross | 3-2 | 333 | 5 | Lost to No. 24 Harvard, 38-28 | Oct. 7 at Bucknell | |
| 13 | Montana | 4-1 | 297 | 16 | D. Idaho St., 28-20 | Oct. 7 at No. 18 UC Davis | |
| 14 | Weber St. | 3-2 | 292 | 14 | D. Northern Colorado, 28-21 | Oct. 7 vs. Northern Arizona | |
| 15 | North Dakota | 2-2 | 244 | 11 | Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 42-21 | Oct. 7 vs. Western Illinois | |
| 16 | Florida A&M | 4-1 | 234 | 18 | D. Mississippi Valley St., 31-7 | Oct. 7 at Southern | |
| 17 | Western Carolina | 4-1 | 228 | 21 | D. The Citadel, 49-14 | Oct. 7 at No. 20 Chattanooga | |
| 18 | UC Davis | 3-2 | 215 | 20 | D. Cal Poly, 31-13 | Oct. 7 vs. No. 13 Montana | |
| 19 | Harvard | 3-0 | 200 | 24 | D. No. 5 Holy Cross, 38-28 | Oct. 6 vs. Cornell | |
| 20 | Chattanooga | 4-1 | 188 | 22 | D. Wofford, 23-13 | Oct. 7 vs. No. 17 Western Carolina | |
| 21 | South Dakota | 3-1 | 100 | NR | D. No. 2 North Dakota St., 24-19 | Oct. 7 vs. Murray St. | |
| 22 | Illinois St. | 3-1 | 62 | NR | Idle | Oct. 7 vs. No. 1 South Dakota St. | |
| 23 | UT Martin | 4-1 | 60 | NR | D. Tennessee St., 20-10 | Oct. 7 at No. 25t Eastern Illinois | |
| 24 | New Hampshire | 2-3 | 51 | 17 | Lost to Towson, 54-51 | Oct. 14 vs. Albany | |
| 25t. | Eastern Illinois | 4-1 | 45 | NR | D. Northwestern St., 19-10 | Oct. 7 vs. No. 23 UT Martin | |
| 25t. | Rhode Island | 3-2 | 45 | NR | D. Bryant, 49-26 | Oct. 7 at Brown |
Dropped Out: Fordham (15), Youngstown St. (19), Villanova (23), Eastern Washington (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 43; Austin Peay, 36; Fordham, 36; Central Arkansas, 34; Youngstown St., 32; Mercer, 31; Eastern Washington, 27; Hampton, 25; Albany, 10; Stephen F. Austin, 10; Villanova, 9; Jackson St., 8; Eastern Kentucky, 4; Grambling St., 4; Samford, 2; Lafayette, 1; Princeton, 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.
