CHICAGO—South Dakota football is No. 20 in this week's Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll following the team's season-opening 27-20 win at Illinois State Saturday. It marks the program's first return to the top 25 since the beginning of the 2018 campaign and the team's first top-20 designation since 2017.
 
South Dakota is one of seven MVFC teams ranked in the top 20. This week's opponent, North Dakota, is up to No. 4 following back-to-back wins against Southern Illinois (No. 11 this week) and South Dakota State (No. 8). Despite its loss to the Coyotes, Illinois State (1-0) is ranked five spots higher than USD by the pollsters at No. 15.
 
South Dakota has beaten then-No. 5 South Dakota State and then-No. 7 Illinois State in its last two contests dating back to the end of last season. North Dakota will be South Dakota's third straight top-10 challenge. USD has five top-10 wins in its last five-plus seasons.
 
Stats Performer FCS Top 25 Poll
       1.  James Madison (1-0)
       2.  Weber State (1-0)
       3.  UNI (1-1)
       4.  North Dakota (2-0)
       5.  Villanova (0-0)
       6.  North Dakota State (2-1)
       7.  Nicholls (2-0)
       8.  South Dakota State (1-1)
       9.  Kennesaw State (1-0)
      10.  Jacksonville State (4-1)
      11.  Southern Illinois (2-1)
      12.  Sam Houston State (1-0)
      13.  Albany (0-0)
      14.  New Hampshire (0-0)
      15.  Illinois State (0-1)
      16.  Southeast Missouri (1-1)
      17.  Furman (1-1)
      18.  Chattanooga (1-1)
      19.  Idaho (1-0)
   T20.  South Dakota (1-0)
    T20.  Wofford (1-1)
      22.  Eastern Washington (0-1)
    T23.  Monmouth (0-0)
    T23.  Southeastern Louisiana (0-1)
      25.  Delaware (0-0)