South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Odds, Picks and How to Watch
- North Dakota State is a 1.5-point favorite over South Dakota State on Saturday (April 17, 3:30 pm ET) in MVFC play
- The Bison need a win to claim a share of their 10th straight conference title
- See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction
It’s a heavyweight FCS tilt on Saturday (April 17th), as #2 North Dakota State hosts #4 South Dakota State in the 17th annual Dakota Marker. This is the 111th meeting in the rivalry that dates all the way back to 1903. The game can be seen on the ESPN+ streaming platform, with kickoff slated for 3:30 pm ET.
South Dakota State vs North Dakota State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline at DraftKings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State Jackrabbits | +1.5 (-121) | -109 | Over 44.5 (-104) |
| North Dakota State Bison | -1.5 (+100) | -112 | Under 44.5 (-118) |
Odds as of April 14th.
NDSU opened up as a 1.5-point favorite, in a game that features a total of 44.5. The Bison enter play winners of four straight, with their most recent victory coming on the road at Northern Iowa.
Bison Barely Survive Panthers
The Bison narrowly defeated the Panthers 23-20, despite holding Northern Iowa below 300 yards on offense. They limited the Panthers to 2.5 yards per rush, and have now held all but one of their spring opponents to 20 points or less.
Snaps from the win at the UNI-Dome #GoBison pic.twitter.com/pHO1iFyWzm
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) April 12, 2021
Offensively, NDSU delivered an underwhelming performance, producing just 319 total yards and losing the time of possession battle. Zeb Noland completed only 8-of-16 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, while Hunter Luepke paced the ground attack with 95 rushing yards and a score. Luepke now has four rushing touchdowns in his past two games, after missing the first four spring contests due to injury.
TOUCHDOWN, Bison!
Hunter Luepke scores from the 2 and the Bison take a 23-12 lead with 6:17 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/ffTZ17q9Zn
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) April 10, 2021
The Bison need a victory on Saturday to earn a share of their 10th straight Missouri Valley Football Conference title, and the league’s automatic bid for the FCS Playoffs.
How Rusty Will Jackrabbits Be?
South Dakota State meanwhile, hasn’t played since March 20th after each of its past three games were either postponed or cancelled due to COVID. With nearly a month of rest under their belts, they should be healthy, but it’s fair to wonder how rusty they’ll be.
The break came at the worst possible time for SDSU, as they were in the middle of a scorching hot run. They won three straight games by a combined total of 78 points, with Southern Illinois being their latest victim.
#StatSunday – Good Things come in 3's.
3 – Interceptions Yesterday
3 – Interceptions in 3 Straight Games for @G_Man_3
3 – Straight Weeks without giving up a sack
3 – Touchdowns by @z4days #GoJacks 🐰🏈 pic.twitter.com/f9kz5u89xd— SDSU Football (@GoJacksFB) March 21, 2021
The Jackrabbits crushed the Salukis 44-3, holding the only team to beat North Dakota State to 213 total yards. They limited the passing game to 3.7 yards per pass, and forced four turnovers, including three interceptions. SDSU ranks 15th nationally versus the pass and has racked up 9 INT in just five games.
Offensively, they threw only 11 times all game, but their bread is buttered on the ground. Isaiah Davis rushed 22 times for 150 yards and 3 TD, while QB Mark Gronowski carried the ball 13 times for 103 yards and 2 TD.
Scoring Will Be Scarce
Both of these programs excel at running the ball, ranking first and second in the MVFC, but they also each play excellent run defense. NDSU allows just 112.7 rushing yards per game, while SDSU is just slightly worse at 121.8.
Stingy run D should force more passing attempts for both sides, and while we already know how well the Jackrabbits defend the pass, they’re not exactly a high octane passing offense. Gronowski has exceeded 200 yards only once this season, while Noland’s season high for passing yards for the Bison is only 159.
Last time these two teams met, the game produced just 39 points, and another low scoring outcome is likely here. As for a side, NDSU and SDSU are very evenly matched, but the layoff for the Jackrabbits coupled with the Bison’s flawless home record makes North Dakota State the play. The Bison have won 32 straight at home dating back to 2016, the fourth longest home winning streak in FCS history.
Picks: North Dakota State -1.5 (+100), Under 44.5 (-118)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
