""Small college football is about the old-school rivalries where they dislike each other a good bit and it shows," said Peterman, who played linebacker at Wofford before graduating from South Carolina. "It's hard-nosed football. College football has become more like a business now. I'm not saying these kids are not going to make it [to the NFL]. Some will, but the vast majority of 'em are not. But these kids are playing football to play football.""
"Since 2011, North Dakota State has won 10 national championships. South Dakota State has won two, as many as every school from the other 48 states combined. (James Madison won the title for the 2016 season and Sam Houston won the spring COVID title game in 2021, beating SDSU.) Each year, the road to those titles really begins with this rivalry game in October, in either Brookings down south or Fargo up north."
Fans make long pilgrimages to the North Dakota State–South Dakota State Dakota Marker game, sometimes preferring it over major FBS matchups. The matchup frequently features top-ranked teams and has been a rare regular-season No. 1 vs. No. 2 pairing in FCS history. North Dakota State has dominated recent championships, while South Dakota State has also captured national titles. Games are played in Brookings or Fargo each October and often set the tone for postseason success. The rivalry combines intense competition, physical play and proud, mostly polite fan bases who celebrate traditional college football values.
Read at ESPN.com
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