October 18, 2024
Week 7 Preview
MADISON, S.D.—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan football team (4-2 overall record, 2-2 North Star Athletic Association record) kicks off the second half portion of the North Star Athletic Association schedule Saturday afternoon on the road. The Trojans visit Jamestown (N.D.) (0-6 overall record, 0-4 NSAA conference record). The football contest is set for a 4 p.m. kick-off at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium on Rollie Greeno Field (6000 College Lane) on the University of Jamestown's campus.
Dakota State is looking to snap their two-game losing skid, despite falling to No. 21 ranked Dickinson State (N.D.) 38-21 on Oct. 12 at Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field. The Trojans trimmed the Blue Hawks' lead to 17-14 in the early second quarter. Dickinson State outscored Dakota State 21-7 for the rest of the game to secure the game. DSU outgained DiSU 337-329 in total offensive yards in the game.
Valley City State (N.D.) kept Jamestown winless on Oct. 12 in Valley City, N.D. The Vikings opened a 14-0 halftime lead and outscored the Jimmies 24-7 in the final thirty minutes of the game. VCSU outgained UJ 343-212 in total offensive yards.
Saturday's contest could potentially be the final game of the all-time series, as Jamestown makes the move to NCAA Division II and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. DSU heads to the Frontier Conference next year.
Next Up: Dakota State wraps up their home schedule next Saturday (Oct. 26) as they host Valley City State. Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field.
Week 7 Quick Hits
+ Saturday's contest will be 30th all-time meeting between Dakota State (S.D.) and Jamestown (N.D.), in what could be possibly the last all-time series meeting before UJ makes the move to NCAA Division II and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) next season.
+ The Trojans had won the previous four meetings with the Jimmies, including five victories in the last six meetings. DSU held UJ to 12.5 points per game in the last four meetings, holding the Jimmies to six points in the last meeting on Sept. 14.
+ The second half of the North Star conference football schedule starts Saturday, with each team with four teams remaining on their 2024 schedule. Each NSAA member also will have their second NSAA conference bye week.
+ The last time Dakota State played at Jamestown was on Sept. 30, 2017, where the Trojans held on to a 20-14 overtime thriller. DSU won the last two road meetings in Jamestown since the 2015 season (won in 2015 and 2017).
+ Dakota State is 2-0 record on the road this season, defeating Nebraska Wesleyan on Sept. 7 and Valley City State (N.D.) on Sept. 21. Jamestown is 0-1 record at home.
+ The Trojans are seeking for their first win during the month of October. The last time DSU won during the month of October was during the 2022 season with three victories (defeated Valley City State, Mayville State, and Iowa Wesleyan).
+ Dakota State plays a total of three road contests during the North Star's second half portion of the football schedule. The Trojans travel to Jamestown, Mayville State, and Dickinson State (N.D.) in their remaining conference contests.
The Series (30th meeting - UJ leads series 19-10)
Last Meeting—Sept. 14, 2024, Brian Kern Family Stadium, Madison, S.D.—Dakota State won the defensive battle with Jamestown (N.D.), earning a 16-6 Trojan Day homecoming football victory. The Trojans scored all their points from their defensive unit in the game. DSU held UJ to 27 rushing yards in the game.
Kaden Eng recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown of 10 yards to give DSU a 7-0 lead after
Carson Sauseda's PAT extra point kick. There was no score until the early fourth quarter as the Jimmies scored a touchdown. UJ failed the PAT extra point kick as Eng returned a 97-yard PAT return for two points, extending the Trojans' lead to 9-7. Dakota State secured the victory as
Deveon Moses returned a 'Pick Six' return for touchdown of 60 yards. Sauseda added the PAT extra point kick to secure a 16-6 victory for Dakota State.
Tyce Ortman finished the game with 25 rushes for 84 yards.
Preston Iverson added 22 rushing yards.
JerQon Conners and
Austin Lake each had two catches for 27 yards.
Tray Hettick threw for 38 yards, while
Joseph Cole added 30 yards.
Collin Brueggeman led the defense with 12 tackles, while Moses had two interceptions.
The series began in 1982 where Jamestown won the first six meetings. The Trojans notched their first win over the Jimmies in 1994, when DSU shut down Jamestown by the score of 37-0. Both DSU and UJ were original members of the Dakota Athletic Conference and the North Star Athletic Association.
Jamestown left the North Star Athletic Association after the 2017-18 season to join the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The Jimmies returned to NSAA conference this season before moving to NCAA Division II and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) next season.
NSAA football leader #21 DiSU defeats Trojans
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 12, 2024)—A total of nine turnovers combined were committed by both teams, with six turnovers from Dakota State (S.D.) and three turnovers from Dickinson State (N.D.), at Brian Kern Family Stadium. After holding a slim 17-14 lead in the early second quarter, the Blue Hawks outscored the Trojans 21-7 for the rest of the game to secure a 38-21 victory.
Dickinson State scored the first ten points of the game, while Dakota State got on the scoreboard after
Austin Lake's 11-yard touchdown catch from
AJ Donovan (DSU trailed 10-7). The Blue Hawks closed the first quarter with a Pick Six return for a touchdown, widening their lead to 17-7.
The Trojans answered with a 18-yard touchdown reception by
Melek Ford, trailing 17-14 after
Carson Sauseda's PAT extra point kick. Dickinson State extended their lead to 24-14 by halftime and 31-14 after three quarters. DSU could get no closer than ten points at 31-21 with a 2-yard touchdown run by
Tyce Ortman and Sauseda's PAT extra point kick. Dickinson State rounded up the final score with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Donovan finished the game by completing 28 passes in 49 attempts for 272 yards with two touchdowns for the Trojans. Ford caught five passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Ortman rushed 17 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 45 yards.
Collin Brueggeman led the defense with seven tackles and a forced fumble.
Joey Hoeschen added six tackles.
Caleb Dwyer tallied five tackles and two quarterback sacks of 12 yards loss.
Dakota State outgained Dickinson State in total offensive yards, 337-329. The Trojans threw for 272 yards to the Blue Hawks 174 passing yards. DiSU rushed for 155 yards to DSU's 65 rushing yards. The Trojans had a time possession of 31 minutes, 21 seconds, while the Blue Hawks posted 28:39 of ball control.
NSAA concludes first half portion of schedule
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 18, 2024)—The North Star Athletic Association wrapped up their first half portion of the conference schedule on Oct. 12. Dickinson State leads the conference standings with a 4-0 record, followed by Mayville State (N.D.) second with 3-1 record and Dakota State (S.D.) third with 2-2 record. Valley City State (N.D.) is fourth with 1-3 record, while Jamestown (N.D.) is 0-4 record.
Dakota State is third in the North Star conference standings in scoring defense with 15.6 points per game. The Trojans are second in the conference in rushing defense with 91.8 yards per game. DSU leads the North Star conference in quarterback sacks with 14 sacks.
Tyce Ortman leads the league in rushing yards per game with 94.5 yards per game in four NSAA contests for DSU. He also leads the conference with four rushing touchdowns in the conference games.
AJ Donovan ranks second in the NSAA in passing yards with 606 yards, as well as 202.0 passing yards per game.
Collin Brueggeman is third in the North Star with 34 tackles during the conference season.
Dakota State special teams ranks
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 18, 2024)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Friday, Dakota State's (S.D.)
Carson Sauseda leads the North Star conference in most field goals made with five field goals, he had the longest field goal in the conference with a 52-yader. He is also second in the conference with 16 PAT extra point kicks made. He leads the NSAA conference in kick-off yards per game, averaging 60.7 yards per kick-off, and scoring in kicking with 31 points.
Tyce Ortman leads the league in punts, averaging 38.4 yards per punt this season for the Trojans (1,153 punting yards). He also leads the league on where the punts landed, inside the 20-yard line 13 times.
Ortman produced game-long of 50-plus punting yards three times during the season. He recorded a 55-yard punt in Trojans' season opener versus Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Aug. 29. He added a 57-yard punt versus Jamestown (N.D.) on Sept. 14 and registered a carer-long 58 yards punt versus Dickinson State (N.D.) on Oct. 12.
NSAA conference's second half overview
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 18, 2024)—All four North Star Athletic Association members have four games remaining on their 2024 schedule, starting their second half portion of the conference schedule. The second half of the conference schedule is the flip-flop of home/away contests from the first half portion of the conference schedule.
Each of the North Star member will also take a bye week during their second half of the conference schedule, where Dakota State is scheduled for Nov. 2 with a bye week.
Dakota State plays three road contests in their second half of the North Star conference schedule, including three trips to North Dakota. The Trojans make their first stop in Jamestown, N.D., Saturday, followed by back-to-back weekends in North Dakota, Mayville State (N.D.) on Nov. 9 and Dickinson State (N.D.) on Nov. 16.
DSU plays their final home game on Oct. 26 versus Valley City State (N.D.).
Trojans at Brian Kern Family Stadium
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 18, 2024)—Prior to the game next Saturday at Brian Kern Family Stadium, Dakota State (S.D.) is holding their opponents to 15.0 points per game at home this season. The Trojans are 2-2 record in the new football stadium.
Dakota State held their rival Dakota Wesleyan to three points in the season home opener on Aug. 29, followed by six points by Jamestown (N.D.) during Trojans' homecoming football game on Sept. 14. DSU is averaging 20.8 points per game at home.
DSU Football tickets available online
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 24, 2024)—The Dakota State University Athletics are going digital with tickets for their home sporting events.
Tickets to Dakota State's home football games are now online. There are options to purchase tickets for the following categories: general admission, all sports season pass, DSU student season pass, DSU staff/faculty season pass, and season ticket reserved seats.
Make sure to check out on DSU Athletics website on dsuathletics.com or download the Trojan Nation fan app to purchase the tickets DSU home sporting events.
2024 DSU Football Team Leaders
Follow DSU Athletics
· Twitter: @DSU_Trojans
· Facebook: DSUTrojans
· Instagram: trojans.athletics
· DSU Football Twitter: @DSUFootball
· DSU Football Facebook: Dakota State University Football
· DSU Football Instagram: dakotastatetrojansfootball
