Fargo, North Dakota — South Dakota faces fourth-ranked North Dakota State Saturday on the final day of the regular season. The Bison (9-1, 6-1) have already clinched at least a share of their 10th conference title in 11 seasons and can win the title outright with a victory Saturday. The Coyotes (7-3) can grab a share of their first Valley crown with a win in Fargo. Not bad for a team picked to finish eighth in the pre-season poll.
South Dakota in Fargo on NDSU Senior Day is quickly becoming a Valley tradition. The Coyotes will have made five trips to the Fargodome since joining the league in 2012, and have been NDSU’s final regular season home game on the schedule for all but one of them. The lone exception, of course, was South Dakota’s improbable 24-21 win over Carson Wentz and the Bison back in 2015. That contest took place in mid-October.
This game is one of five between FCS top-25-ranked teams on the docket, which means the result will have playoff implications. South Dakota’s seven FCS wins, which include SDSU, UNI and North Dakota, should be enough for the Coyotes to grab one of 13 at-large bids available this season. A road win against NDSU would have to put the Coyotes in the conversation for a top-eight seed which comes with a first-round bye and a second-round home game. Back-to-back wins against top-10 teams, a Valley title and three close losses including one to an FBS school would be compelling. In fact, 8-3 Maine was a No. 7 seed in 2018 and 9-3 Central Arkansas was a No. 8 seed in 2019, the last two 24-team brackets. NDSU, which has the Valley’s automatic bid, may be a top-eight seed win or lose Saturday.
