South Dakota State (12-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) will travel to Fargo, North Dakota, on Saturday, December 21st, for a rematch of an earlier-season “Dakota Marker Showdown” with North Dakota State (12-2, 7-1 MVFC).
The game kicks off at 12:00 PM ET and can be seen live on ESPN and ABC.
South Dakota State squandered several opportunities in the first matchup between these familiar foes.
South Dakota State is a 3-point road favorite with a 47.5-point over/under.
This is projected to be an exceptional FCS football game between two premier powers in the subdivision.
Read on for our South Dakota State vs North Dakota State predictions and college football picks for this FCS Playoff game.
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Prediction
- South Dakota State vs. North Dakota State Pick: South Dakota State -3
My outh Dakota State vs. North Dakota State best bet is on the Jackrabbits to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at Caesars, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Odds
| South Dakota State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -110 | 48.5 -110 / -110 | -165 |
| North Dakota State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -110 | 48.5 -110 / -110 | +140 |
- South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Point Spread: South Dakota State -3 (-110) · North Dakota State +3 (-110)
- South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Total: Over/Under 48.5
- South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Moneyline: South Dakota State -165 · North Dakota State +140
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Preview
South Dakota State Jackrabbits Betting Preview: Playing Their Best Football
South Dakota State enters Saturday playing its best football of the season.
The Jackrabbits quickly dispatched Montana and Incarnate Word during this playoff run.
The Jacks are playing tenacious football at all three levels on defense, allowing just three total first-half points combined through their first two playoff games.
In fact, they’ve been excellent all year. The defensive line has registered 32 sacks and 86 tackles for loss, while the secondary has snatched 14 interceptions and registered 44 pass breakups.
On the whole, South Dakota State allows only 13 points per game.
The run game is humming behind the dynamic duo of Amar Johnson and Angel Johnson, who have rushed for a combined 1,791 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. South Dakota State is averaging 6.4 yards per rush.
Plus, South Dakota State opened up the play-calling earlier in the playoffs, which paid off tremendously.
I feel good about how the Jackrabbits match up against North Dakota State and expect a strong performance on Saturday.
North Dakota State Bison Betting Preview: Some Concerns
North Dakota State has rolled through its first few playoff opponents.
The Bison handled Mercer last week, dropping 31 points while limiting the Bears to seven points on 195 total yards and eight total first downs.
While they generated three long explosive plays in the first half, the Bison offense stalled out in the second half. That concerns me when considering the matchup against South Dakota State’s immense defense.
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Pick & Prediction
I’m going to lay the points with South Dakota State.
North Dakota State’s defense struggled to contain South Dakota State’s ground attack in the first matchup, mainly because the Bison struggled to tackle in space. The Jackrabbits will again find ways to get their running backs in advantageous one-on-one situations.
Meanwhile, the Bison struggled to get a push on the offensive line against Abilene Christian and Mercer. I don’t expect them to improve against a Jackrabbits defensive line that has surrendered 58 yards per game at 2.3 yards per carry over the past four weeks.
Cam Miller has been fantastic for the Bison, and he’s been excellent on late downs. But he will have to play his best football of the season on third downs against a Jackrabbits defense that has allowed a 28% third-down conversion rate.
Bruce Lance is the primary option for Miller, as no other receiver has 30 catches on the year. I expect the Jackrabbits to lock in on Lance during these critical third-down situations — it helps that they have four all-conference players in the secondary.
South Dakota State’s more aggressive game plans during these playoffs should be critical.
The Jacks have the best receiver in the conference, Griffin Wilde, who can make every contested catch and will blow by defenders. He has four touchdowns during this playoff run and is being utilized well as an early-game weapon.
Wilde stretching the field opens up the Jackrabbits' rushing attack and should keep them ahead of the sticks.
South Dakota State knows it missed some chances in the first matchup between these two teams and has unquestionably learned from its mistakes. I’m confident in the group’s performance and ready to back the best defense in the FCS alongside quarterback Mark Gronowski's mistake-free play.
Pick: South Dakota State -3 (-110, Caesars)
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Start Time, Channel, Streaming, How To Watch
| Location: | Fargodome, Fargo, ND |
| Date: | Saturday, Dec. 21 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ABC |
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State will be played at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. ET. You can stream the game live on ABC.
