SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Jacks and the Coyotes will face off on Saturday night. Here is what you can expect heading into the big game.
The Jackrabbits, 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, They have landed at No. 3 in this week’s rankings conducted by the FCS Football Ranking Committee
USD is ranked No. 4 and has a 6-1 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The game will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota with the parking lots opening to tailgaters at 1:30 p.m. It marks the first night game ever in Brookings between the two teams.
Assistant athletic director for SDSU, Jason Hove, said Saturdays rivalry game has the potential to be huge and urges fans to come early.
“The games sold out and it’s the fourth sellout we have had this year and all those crowds have been right in that 19,300 range so we are expecting something very similar to that,” Hove said. “Might be a little bit of a larger crowd than we’ve seen for other SDSU, USD games in past seasons.”
Hove said the rivalry between the two schools is really a driving force.
“This will be the highest combined ranking between the two programs, with us being number three and USD being number four, so I think that certainly adds to that rivalry and just the importance of this game in terms of conference standing and positioning for the playoffs,” Hove said.
Lots will open for tailgating at 1:30 p.m. Hove said have a designated area directly north of the stadium, but there will be other secondary lots surrounding the stadium, he added that most of the lots surrounding the stadium are reserved, but parking is going to available on the south of the stadium near First Bank and Trust Arena with lots on the interior of campus being available as well.
Hove said a huge crowd turnout isn’t uncommon for a game like this.
“From a crowd standpoint it was a sold out game the last time that we played here two years ago, so it will be very similar to that,” Hove said. “This will be the eighth sellout that we will have had over the last two seasons.”
SDSU stated that Tickets for the game are sold out, with ticket prices ranging from $59 to $119 According to Seat Geek. The game will also be broadcast on ESPNU.
The manager at Cubby’s in Brookings Chris Stolpenberg said they will have a full house all day long.
“I know tailgating starts at 1:30 tomorrow, we open at 10:00 a.m. and we will get people rolling in wearing yellow and blue and we will probably see some red here as well,” Stolpenberg said. “People look forward to a big rivalry game like this for sure.”
Hove said there is a lot riding on this game.
“There always is a lot riding on this game, but then you add in some of those other components from a competitive nature and where these teams hope to be at the end of the season it certainly has added importance from some other years,” said Hove.
