Venue & Game Details
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM ET
Venue: Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, Fargo, North Dakota
Capacity: ~18,700
Broadcast: ABC North Dakota statewide, ESPN+ streaming
Weather Forecast (Fargo, ND)
Kickoff Temperature: ~67°F (19°C)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, mild fall weather
Wind: 5–8 mph from the northwest
Precipitation:
Impact: Perfect football conditions; no weather-related disruptions expected.
Injury Report
South Dakota Coyotes:
QB Aidan Bouman – healthy, 559 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs.
RB L.J. Phillips Jr. – healthy, 517 rushing yards, 6 TDs (129.3 ypg).
WR Larenzo Fenner – healthy, 175 yards, 3 TDs.
No major injuries reported.
North Dakota State Bison:
QB Cole Payton – healthy, 706 passing yards, 6 TDs, 175 rushing yards, 1 TD.
RB Barika Kpeenu – healthy, 220 rushing yards, 5 TDs.
WR Bryce Lance – healthy, 239 yards, 1 TD.
WR RaJa Nelson – healthy, 125 yards, 3 TDs.
No major injuries reported.
Key Player Matchups
Aidan Bouman (USD QB) vs. NDSU Secondary
Bouman has been turnover-prone (4 INTs).
NDSU’s defense has allowed just 17 ppg through three games.
L.J. Phillips Jr. (USD RB) vs. Bison Front Seven
Phillips is averaging 129 ypg with 6 TDs.
NDSU allows under 100 rushing ypg, making this the game’s pivotal battle.
Cole Payton (NDSU QB) vs. Coyotes Defense
Payton is a dual-threat averaging 235 passing ypg and 58 rushing ypg.
USD must contain him to avoid explosive plays.
Bryce Lance (NDSU WR) vs. USD Corners
Lance is averaging nearly 80 ypg.
USD’s secondary has allowed multiple 200+ yard passing games.
Recent Team Form
South Dakota Coyotes (2–2)
W 35–14 vs. Lamar (Week 4)
L 31–24 @ Montana (Week 3)
L 28–21 vs. Northern Iowa (Week 2)
W 42–10 vs. Drake (Week 1)
Strengths: Strong rushing attack, opportunistic defense.
Weaknesses: Passing inconsistency, turnovers.
North Dakota State Bison (3–0)
W 41–14 vs. Southeast Missouri State (Week 3)
W 59–3 vs. Tennessee State (Week 2)
W 38–0 @ The Citadel (Week 1)
Strengths: Balanced offense, elite defense, home-field dominance.
Weaknesses: Occasional slow starts.
Conference vs. Conference
Both are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).
This is the conference opener for both teams.
Series History
All-time series: North Dakota State leads 59–28–2 (dating back to 1903).
Last meeting: South Dakota won 29–28 in Vermillion (2024).
Trend: USD has won the last two regular-season meetings, including a 2023 upset in Fargo.
Homecoming Note: This is NDSU’s annual Homecoming game; the Bison are 60–38–3 all-time in Homecoming contests, but USD is the only team to beat them twice on Homecoming in the Fargodome era.
Betting Trends
South Dakota Coyotes:
2–2 ATS in 2025.
4–1 ATS in last 5 MVFC games.
3 of last 4 games have gone Over.
North Dakota State Bison:
3–0 ATS in 2025.
7–2 ATS in last 9 MVFC games.
5 of last 6 games have gone Under.
Historical Betting Results
2024: South Dakota +10.5 covered in 29–28 win (Over cashed).
2023: South Dakota +14 covered in 24–19 win (Under cashed).
2022: NDSU -17 covered in 34–17 win (Push on O/U).
Game Odds
South Dakota Coyotes 52
North Dakota State Bison – 17
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
