South Dakota State football fends off South Dakota

VERMILLION — Taryn Christion threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns and South Dakota State held off upset-minded South Dakota 31-28 on Saturday.

The Jackrabbits (9-2, 6-2 Missouri Valley Football Conference) have won a series-record nine straight against their in-state rivals and lead all-time 54-51-7. The Coyotes (7-4, 4-4) haven't beaten South Dakota State at home since 1997.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Jackrabbits used a Chase Vinatieri 45-yard field goal and Christion's 11-yard TD pass to Jake Wieneke to forge a 10-0 lead at 11:54 in the second.

Michael Fredrick put the Coyotes on the scoreboard with a 49-yard run and a 17-yarder, sandwiched around a Christion-to-Wieneke 69-yard scoring strike, and South Dakota trailed 17-14 at the half.

South Dakota went back out in front 21-17 on a 10-yard TD pass from Chris Streveler to Dakarai Allen with 3:54 left in the third quarter, but Mikey Daniel's 1-yard plunge with 22 seconds left in the quarter capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive and the Jackrabbits led 24-21 heading into the final quarter.

South Dakota State added a Christion-to-Cade Johnson 17-yard scoring strike to go up 31-21 with 4:52 left to play. Allen's second TD catch of the game, this one from 3 yards out, capped the scoring for South Dakota with 2:14 remaining.

Dallas Goedert hauled in 11 passes for 117 yards for the Jackrabbits, who finished second — behind North Dakota State — in the conference and are assured a spot in the FCS playoffs.

Streveler finished with 286 yards passing and two scores for the Coyotes. Michael Frederick ran for 123 yards and two scores on 15 carries, while Kai Henry had 17 totes for 109 yards. South Dakota out-gained SDSU 583-386.

North Dakota State 20, Illinois State 7

NORMAL, Ill. — Easton Stick ran for two touchdowns and North Dakota State overcame Illinois State and a snowstorm to beat the Redbirds 20-7 on Saturday to win their third outright Missouri Valley Football Conference championship.

Stick ran 10 yards for the game's first score in the third quarter and Bruce Anderson added a 1-yard touchdown later in the period that came four plays Jabril Cox intercepted Jake Kolbe and returned it 32 yards to the Redbirds 25.

James Robinson ran in from 11 yards out with 3:21 left in the game for Illinois State (6-5, 4-4) to cut the lead to 13-7 but on the Bison's ensuing drive, Stick ran 56 yards to the Illinois State 12 and was stripped of the ball but Anderson recovered on the 1 and Stick scored on the next play.

The Bison, who wrapped up an automatic FCS playoff bid with the victory, have won or shared seven straight conference titles. Their other two outright championships came in 2012 and 2013.