Valley Rundown: SDSU Stumbles as the Valley Turns Upside Down

In the Valley, sometimes the only certainty is uncertainty. 

Granted, the entire FCS saw a slew of upsets in a chaotic week of action, but the Valley saw multiple results that left many in the college football world scratching their heads. 

What to make of last week? 

Let’s specifically focus on the two major upsets, both in the Mount Rushmore State. Indiana State pulled arguably the most surprising upset (neck-and-neck with Tarleton State/ACU) across the country last week, knocking off SDSU 24-12 in Brookings. Once again, without Chase Mason and others, the Jacks looked out of sorts and have dropped two straight games, both at home. 

Scary times in Brookings. SDSU’s health continues to be a detriment, with key contributors still out. All of a sudden, the future seems a bit uncertain. Postseason still doesn’t seem much in doubt (assuming they don’t lose out), but the Jacks are not the team they were at the beginning of the season. They need to get healthy and get back on track.   

Meanwhile, a few hours south in Vermillion, USD played its best game of the season, knocking off a surging, top-10 UND team 26-21. The Coyotes have had the Fighting Hawks’ number recently, with Saturday marking the third straight victory for USD. 

It’s yet another game where the Fighting Hawks lose and know they should have won. Unfortunately, that’s been a pattern in all three of their losses, all of which have been on the road and one-score games. As for the Coyotes, their playoff hopes are most certainly still alive. If they win out against SDSU and at SIU, it sure seems like they would be a good position.   

Who’s the second-best team after NDSU? 

Let me preface this: SDSU is currently not the second-best team in the conference. HOWEVER, the Jacks are far from healthy and have been without Chase Mason and other key contributors over this two-game losing streak. When they are fully healthy or at least close to 100%, I still think it’s hard to find another team outside of the Bison who are better. 

If we are talking right this very second, I truly have no idea. And I really mean that.

Youngstown State has won two of its last three and played NDSU as close as anybody this season. USD has won four of its last five, and the offense finally showed up against UND. SIU has won two straight, but has looked outmatched against other conference elite. 

Throw in Illinois State, UND and SDSU into the conversation, and it’s a tough choice at this very moment. But we may get some answers after this week, since the games on tap are among the biggest this season. 

Another critical slate of games this week 

This may be the most consequential week of conference slate this year, especially with parity running rampant throughout the Valley recently. 

We’ve got both in-state Dakota rivalries this week. UND could make a huge statement and get back on track with a victory at home against NDSU, which would be a true regular-season-defining win. On the flip side, NDSU could pick up yet another big victory against one of the better teams in the country and continue to cement its place as the top team in the nation.  

Meanwhile, in the Interstate Series, USD could put another big win on its playoff resume at home against SDSU. Whether or not Chase Mason plays, this suddenly looks like a must-win game for the Jacks, who desperately need to get back on track ahead of the playoffs. SDSU has dominated the rivalry in recent history, winning the last three games and 10 of the last 12. 

Then you’ve also got a critical game when it comes to postseason berths, as SIU travels to Youngstown State. SIU could use a victory over a surging team, and winning on the road would be a nice touch as well, considering how difficult it can be for opposing teams that come into Stambaugh Stadium. Meanwhile, the Penguins are at the point where a loss could mean the end of their postseason hopes. The margin of error for Youngstown State is minuscule.   

Finally, Illinois State will have to be wary heading into Terra Haute against Indiana State. This feels like a trap game for the Redbirds, who need to play well against a high-riding Sycamore squad following last week. Indiana State also gave teams NDSU and USD some scares at Memorial Stadium.