August 18, 2025
MADISON, S.D. – The Frontier Conference announced their 2025 football coaches preseason poll Monday morning. Dakota State (S.D.) was picked to finish fourth in the East Division with 21 points.
DSU, along with Dickinson State (N.D.), Mayville State (N.D.), Simpson (Calif.), and Valley City State (N.D.) joined the Frontier Conference this year, expanding to 14 teams.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams in their own divisions. There are two divisions of seven teams in the Frontier Conference – East and West. First place is worth seven (7) points, second place is worth six (6) points, third place is worth five (5) points, and so on to the last place with one (1) point.
Montana Tech (9-3 overall record in 2024) edged Dickinson State (10-2 overall record and 10 consecutive North Star football regular season titles) by one point. The Orediggers tallied 34 points with four first-place votes, followed by the Blue Hawks with 33 points with three first-place votes.
Mayville State picked to finish fifth with 14 points, followed by Valley City State sixth with 13 points. MSU-Northern was seventh after recording seven points.
Two-time Frontier Conference defending champions and 2024 NAIA FCS quarterfinalist Montana Western headlined the top spot in the West Division, collecting five first-place votes and 35 points.
Southern Oregon picked a first-place vote and 30 points to finish second in the west division poll. College of Idaho was third with 26 points, followed by Carroll (Mont.) with the final first place votes and 23 points to place fourth. Eastern Oregon was fifth (16 points), Arizona Christian sixth (11 points, and Simpson seventh (6 points).
The Frontier Conference qualified three teams from the 2025 coaches' preseason poll last year in the NAIA FCS playoffs. Both the Orediggers and the Blue Hawks advanced to the NAIA FCS Second Round last season.
Dakota State was second in the final year of the North Star Athletic Association, earning their third winning season in the previous four seasons (6-4 overall record).
DSU kicks off their 2025 season on the road on Saturday, Aug. 30, visiting their long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in the annual Chamber of Commerce traveling trophy. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.
The Trojans play their first home football game at Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field on Saturday, Sept. 6 in the 10
th annual Ag Bowl contest versus Nebraska Wesleyan at 7 p.m.
After a bye week on Sept. 13, Dakota State plays a pair of cross-over contests against the West division teams. The Trojans visit Arizona Christian on Sept. 20 and return home on Sept. 27 in the Trojan Day homecoming game versus Southern Oregon.
DSU kicks off the division action on Oct. 4 with back-to-back road contests against the top two teams in the East Division preseason coaches' poll (MT on Oct. 4 and DiSU on Oct. 11).
Dakota State plays three of the final four games of the 2025 season at home (Oct. 18 versus VCSU in the Rushin' for a Cure game, Nov. 8 versus RMC, and Nov. 15 versus MSU-N). DSU's final road contest is scheduled for Nov. 1 at MSU.
The Frontier Conference will have two automatic bids for the NAIA FCS playoffs, which begin on Nov. 22 with the opening round. The national postseason action continues with the second round on Nov. 29, quarterfinals on Dec. 6, and semifinals on Dec. 13.
The NAIA Football National Championship game is slated for Dec. 20 at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Below is the complete 2025 Frontier Conference Football Coaches' Preseason Poll by divisions:
| 2025 Frontier Conference Football Preseason Coaches' Poll – East Division |
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Montana Tech (4) |
34 |
| 2 |
Dickinson State (N.D.) (3) |
33 |
| 3 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
25 |
| 4 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
21 |
| 5 |
Mayville State (N.D.) |
14 |
| 6 |
Valley City State (N.D.) |
13 |
| 7 |
MSU-Northern |
7 |
| 2025 Frontier Conference Football Preseason Coaches' Poll – West Division |
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Montana Western (5) |
35 |
| 2 |
Southern Oregon (1) |
30 |
| 3 |
College of Idaho |
26 |
| 4 |
Carroll (Mont.) (1) |
23 |
| 5 |
Eastern Oregon |
16 |
| 6 |
Arizona Christian |
11 |
| 7 |
Simpson (Calif.) |
6 |
