VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota will compete in its third top-10 matchup in as many weeks. The Coyotes are No. 6 and North Dakota Fighting Hawks are No. 10 in this week's Stats Perform FCS poll. The two teams collide at noon Saturday inside the DakotaDome.
 
South Dakota (7-2, 5-1 MVFC) has faced No. 1 South Dakota State and No. 10 Southern Illinois in the last two weeks. The Coyotes also defeated then-No. 2 North Dakota State back in late September. The last time USD faced four top-10 teams during the regular season was 2017 when the Coyotes first appeared in the FCS playoffs.
 
The only other top-25 matchup this week sees No. 12 North Dakota State hosting No. 11 Southern Illinois. The loser of that game will be saddled with its fourth loss of the season.
 
Stats Perform Top 25
    1.    South Dakota State (9-0)
    2.    Furman (8-1)
    3.    Montana (8-1)
    4.    Idaho (7-2)
    5.    Montana State (7-2)
    6.    South Dakota (7-2)
    7.    North Carolina Central (8-1)
    8.    Delaware (7-2)
    9.    Sacramento State (6-3)
  10.    North Dakota (6-3)
   11.    Southern Illinois (6-3)
   12.    North Dakota State (6-3)
  t13.    Florida A&M (8-1)
  t13.    Villanova (7-2)
   15.    Northern Iowa (6-3)
   16.    Incarnate Word (7-2)
   17.    Western Carolina (6-3)
   18.    Albany (7-3)
   19.    Chattanooga (7-3)
   20.    Austin Peay (7-2)
   21.    UT Martin (7-2)
   22.    Youngstown State (6-3)
   23.    Mercer (7-3)
   24.    Harvard (7-1)
   25.    Lafayette (7-2)
 
Full story from STATS Perform: https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/11/teams-behind-no-1-sdsu-in-fcs-top-25-poll-have-their-eyes-on-the-playoff-prize/