NDSU-SDSU national championship game has strong Minnesota roots

In the event you drive to Marshall this weekend, you may see the jersey of former North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance hanging in a downtown bar. In the event you look subsequent to it, you would possibly spot the jersey of present South Dakota State defensive finish Reece Winkleman.

By that point, it could be too late. A bar with inexperienced on one facet and blue on the opposite could also be demanding you select a facet and when you’re searching for the Vikings recreation, you could be out of luck.

That is as a result of the Jackrabbits and Bison will collide for the FCS Nationwide Championship in Frisco, Texas on Sunday afternoon. Whereas the sport options two faculties from the Dakotas, it additionally has a number of ties to Minnesota.

In whole, 45 gamers from Minnesota will take the sector within the nationwide title recreation with 35 listed on the Bison roster. The expertise ranges from Moorhead to Marshall and has loads of individuals in Winkelman’s hometown prepared for the sport.

“There’s lots of Bison followers down there, however Marshall is simply an hour away from Brookings,” Winkelman mentioned to reporters throughout a media session final week. “There’s nonetheless fairly a little bit of Jackrabbit followers over there too, so…I all the time get photos of [the jerseys]. It is individuals on each ends of the spectrum saying ‘Horns Down!’ or trashing the Jackrabbits.”

Winkelman is without doubt one of the Minnesota-born gamers who could have a outstanding position in Sunday’s recreation. He leads the Jackrabbits with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks this season. One of the vital prolific defensive ends at school historical past, Winkelman will probably be trying to carry the nationwide title again to Brookings, however he will not be alone.

East Bethel’s Hunter Dustman has grow to be a strong kicker for the Jacks, changing 17-of-24 subject targets and all 53 extra-point makes an attempt. His greatest kicks have been a pair of game-winners, together with a last-second subject aim in a Nov. 5 win over Northern Iowa and a go-ahead subject aim with 3:49 to play in SDSU’s 23-21 win over NDSU on Oct. 15.

The Jacks’ win over the Bison, which featured SDSU mounting a 14-point comeback within the FARGODOME, might be recent within the thoughts of St. Cloud’s James Kaczor, who has grow to be the centerpiece of the Bison protection.

Kaczor leads NDSU with 94 tackles and is fourth on the group with 5.5 tackles for loss. With Lakeville’s RaJa Nelson serving as the first kick returner and rating third on the group with 15 receptions, there are many Minnesotans who’ve made the leap over the border to go play at two of the powerhouses of the FCS.

“If you wish to play school soccer, you need to play school soccer at an incredible establishment or play at a profitable soccer program,” SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier mentioned throughout Tuesday’s media session. “These are two establishments which might be nice academically. We have now the nice soccer packages, nice traditions that talk to Minnesota highschool soccer, which is a excessive degree of soccer.”

It is laborious to argue with the outcomes each packages have skilled after tapping into the Minnesota pipeline. NDSU will probably be searching for its 10 nationwide title prior to now 12 years whereas SDSU will probably be searching for its first after incomes its first No. 1 rating at school historical past after beating the Bison in October.

The expertise ought to maintain coming as 4 Minnesota athletes dedicated to NDSU’s 2023 recruiting class and two signed as a part of the Jackrabbits’ 2023 class.

Stiegelmeier additionally believes that proximity is an element that’s attractive to Minnesota prospects.

“From our standpoints, we’re glad they’re as shut as they’re and so they’re open to taking a look at South Dakota State,” Stiegelmeier mentioned. “We have now way more groups from Minnesota come to our camps than another state. We’ll take each alternative we are able to as a group, program and training employees to organize these guys to play at a prime degree.”

For now, it means a gathering between the 2 Missouri Valley Soccer Convention rivals for a nationwide championship. Within the case of Winkelman, it might even have some bragging rights on the road together with his fellow Marshall alum.

“There’s a bit of speak happening,” Winkelman mentioned of his conversations with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback. “[Lance] says he roots for me each recreation besides once we play the Bison, so we’ll see.”