Podcasts about jackrabbits

Former Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp joins Colter Nuanez to talk about the return of Keon Loud, the accelerated performance of Solomon Tuliapupu and the Griz defense morphing into an elite unit + we preview the quarterfinal game against South Dakota in Missoula on Saturday afternoon.

This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out!Is it time for the Coyotes to take a seat at the FCS "grownup" table? In other words, to make room to expand the "Big Four" of FCS football — North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Montana State, Montana — to the "Big Five?"USD has made three consecutive quarterfinals, something NDSU and SDSU — who have split the last four national titles, two apiece — can't say after losing in the round of 16 on Saturday (but the Bobcats and the Grizzlies can).Unlike the Big Four, the Coyotes haven't played in an FCS national title game within the last four years, or ever. We'll find out how they stack up against a blue blood Saturday on ABC in a time window when Army-Navy will be the only other football game to watch on over-the-air TV.But Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer and Happy Hour host John Gaskins dig in to what three years of USD reaching this round means, particularly for a 2025 team that has won five consecutive games — four against ranked teams — and left a 47-0 bruise on SoCon champ Mercer, the nation's best (statistical) offense and rush defense, by holding the Bears to 277 total yards (227 short of their average) and bulldozing them for 316 rushing yards (226 over their average).So, will the Coyotes stack up to the Grizzlies better than the Jackrabbits, who were 50-burgered? Zim and John kick that around as well in this week's edition of their five-years-and-running weekly podcast "Nobody's Listening Anyway."Also on the docket:* Why is Zim happy for Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State, and why does he find it nonsense to bash his character for leaving Washington State after less than a year to take his third head coaching job in four years? And why, in hindsight, was he still the best choice to take over for John Stiegelmeier?* Why does Zim feel Chase Mason doesn't need to go to the Big Ten or SEC or any FBS school to show NFL pros he is worthy of an early rounds NFL Draft selection?* What is Zim's sense of how many SDSU players who aren't out of eligibility will stick around?* Does NDSU's early round exit from the FCS Playoffs make the postseason more interesting or more boring? Does it make the FCS stronger? Does it strengthen or weaken the case that the Bison should want to stay in the FCS?* Oh, and should James Madison's entry into the CFB Playoffs make the case for NDSU and SDSU to "move up?" Actually, Zim says no. Why?* Bowl games — yeah, their prestige has been weakened over the decades by the sheer volume of them, the number of top players sitting them out, and now the number of teams refusing to play in them. Does that mean they should all go away? Zim says no. Hear why.

Former Montana running back Andrew Schmidt joins Colter Nuanez to talk about message boards, disagreements and the things UM showed in a 50-29 win over South Dakota State that helps make the Griz a true national title contender.

Join Jordan, Commish, Pitt Girl, Beth, and our VP of Podcast Production, Arthur. We grab our Positivity Bunny and recap Championship Week/FCS Playoffs. We go in-depth on Illinois State's monumental upset win over North Dakota State, Villanova gets Pope magic in taking down Lehigh, we're nearly Dakota-less into the FCS Quarterfinals except the Coyotes, Montana State eeks by Yale, Stephen F. Austin moves on, Montana handles the Jackrabbits, UC Davis takes out Rhode Island after Midnight Eastern. HOOTY HOO KENNESAW STATE, JMU throwing snowballs, Tulane gets 5 turnovers from the Mean Green, Boise State does it again, Texas Tech takes down BYU again, Western Michigan, Prairie View's SWAC Championship, DUKE DID IT, Indiana making history, DII and DIII Playoffs, Candy Bowl, the coaching carousel updates, ULM & The Blind Side, some bowl selections and then we talk about the College Football Playoff and much, much more!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, I recap all the FCS Playoff games from the 2nd round (outside of Montana vs SDSU; you can see that in the other recap). There were some wild games in the 2nd round, and one that is historic. Stay tuned for the entire episode this week.SPORTS BET MONTANA LINK: https://sportsbetmontana.com/en0:00 - Intro2:01 - Montana State/Yale Recap13:38 - NDSU/Illinois State Recap21:28 - UC Davis/Rhode Island Recap28:32 - South Dakota/Mercer Recap35:12 - SFA/ACU Recap41:08 - Tarleton State/North Dakota Recap47:51 - Villanova/Lehigh Recap54:39 - Final Thoughts 56:30 - End  

In this week's Akems Analysis, Keenan and I recap a wild 2nd Rd Montana playoff victory over South Dakota State. We get into the highs and some of the lows we saw on Saturday. Stay tuned for the whole episode.SPORTS BET MONTANA LINK: https://sportsbetmontana.com/en

Montana head coach Bobby Hauck, senior captain linebacker Solomon Tuliapupu and wide receiver Drew Deck + South Dakota State head coach Dan Jackson, defensive tackle Logan Green and quarterback Chase Mason addressed the media following UM's 50-29 win over SDSU in Missoula in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. 

Colter Nuanez breaks down the latest hardwood action for both the Griz and Bobcat men's and women's basketball teams. (2:16)Then Colter sits down with South Dakota State head football coach Dan Jackson to preview the Jackrabbits' upcoming showdown with Montana at Washington–Grizzly Stadium on Saturday. (12:26)Next, Geoff Safford delivers rink-side insight, featuring interviews with Bobcats captain Hayden Klem (33:45) and defenseman Mack Kline (41:46) as we gear up for the Brawl of the Wild: Hockey Edition this Friday at Glacier Ice Rink in Missoula.And finally, Colter reacts to Josh Margolis's tip about an NAIA playoff team reportedly being removed from the postseason. (50:10)

Former Griz All-American and NFL linebacker Jordan Tripp joins Colter Nuanez to talk about his impressions of Montana State's 31-28 win over Montana in Missoula plus key matchups as the Griz get ready for the FCS Playoffs with a second round matchup against No. 14 South Dakota State. 

Colter sits down with Medium contributor and South Dakota State insider Tanner Castora to break down the Jackrabbits' roller-coaster season and analyze their high-stakes showdown with Montana inside a roaring Washington–Grizzly Stadium this Saturday. Tanner brings sharp insight, key matchups to watch, and what SDSU must do to survive in Missoula. (2:24)Then, Colter catches up with Montana star running back Eli Gillman, fresh off an 11–1 regular season. Gillman reflects on the Griz's dominant year, the mindset in the locker room, and what it will take to punch their ticket past South Dakota State. (32:42)

This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out!What is the silver bullet?This is a question outside observers may ask when teams like the Jackrabbits and the Coyotes produce a late-season turnaround. Both have gone from funks — the Jacks' four-game slide after a 7-0 start and more the Yotes' haven't-figured-it-out-yet malaise at 5-4 — to heaters that make them look like dangerous playoff teams. In South Dakota State's case, the return of quarterback Chase Mason is an easy answer, given how flawless, electric, and inspired the Jacks looked in their 41-3 first round playoff win over New Hampshire. But SDSU had already turned the corner the week before in the dramatic win at North Dakota. So, what is the other silver bullet at SDSU? Hint: It lies in both the head coach and offensive coordinator. In Wednesday's "John-o-logue," Happy Hour John Gaskins plucked insight from Dan Jackson and others (like John Stiegelmeier) to pinpoint the turning points.At USD, there isn't one player or aspect that sticks out as a cure-all in their four-game win streak, which included three consecutive wins over Top 25 teams just to reach the playoffs.But there was a broad, overarching concept employed by head coach Travis Johansen that yielded powerful results. It wasn't an obvious or dramatic silver bullet, but Johansen reveals it in his weekly one-on-one 30 minute chat with Gaskins. After a close first half against Drake, the Yotes pulled away 38-17 in the first round of the playoffs as quarterback Aidan Bouman had his best game of the season.Was there a big turnaround moment for Bouman? How has Larenzo Fenner broken out into an at-times impossible-to-cover receiver? How did Mikey Munn become an All-MVFC first teammer? Johansen answers these questions and gives a glimpse into why Mercer has the nation's second-best passing yardage attack, and what kind of challenges the Bears defense will present to USD's now-humming offense.Meanwhile, Wednesday marked (Early) National Letter of Intent Signing Day for high school athletes all across the country. It is always a day for college football teams to pump up their incoming recruiting class.Gaskins chatted with two Sioux Falls standouts about their paths to CFB — Sioux Falls Washington receiver Jhace Woods (South Dakota State) and Sioux Falls Jefferson tight end Eddie Whiting (Michigan State).How did the schools they signed with first start a relationship? What led them to choosing their school, and which other schools tried to pluck them away?In both players' cases, the schools they chose went through coaching changes — Woods earlier in his process when Jacks coach Jimmy Rogers left for Washington State, and Whiting just days before signing day when MSU fired Jonathan Smith and within 24 hours hired Pat Fitzgerald.So, what kept the Sioux Falls ballers loyal to their original choice?  

In this week's Akem's Analysis, I'm previewing all the 2nd round FCS Playoff matchups. There are a lot of interesting games, for a lot of reasons. Only 8 teams will remain after this weekend. Find out what I think about all the matchups.

This week, the so-called “big names” of college football are still waiting and arguing about which teams should be selected for their upcoming 12-team College Football Playoffs. The television networks will feature a limited slate of major conference championship games this weekend.  Most of this weekend’s FBS teams (win or lose) will probably make the 12-team playoff field. Yawn! By contrast, the FCS small college playoffs are now entering week #2 of their 24-team competition.  Yes, that is double the number of playoff teams compared to the major college football teams! Here’s how the FCS Playoffs work The 11 FCS playoff conferences do not play championship games. In the event of a tie for first place, each conference utilizes a set of tiebreaker rules to determine the league’s top team. Each of the 11 conference winners received an “automatic bid” into the 24-team FCS playoff field.  The other 13 teams were selected by the FCS Playoff Committee (comprised of one Athletic Director from each of the 11 participating conferences). The 11 conference winners are not guaranteed to host a home playoff game.  In fact, the winners of the Ivy League (Yale), Northeast Conference (Central Connecticut State), and Pioneer Football League (Drake) played on the road in Week #1. Last weekend’s first round had the top eight FCS seeds with a bye.  The remaining 16 teams were in action, though.  The next eight highest seeded teams (Seeds #9-16) hosted first round games last Saturday.  Their opponents were selected by the playoff committee with geographic considerations to minimize team travel costs (a very smart idea). Three road teams pulled Week #1 upsets last weekend. Surprising North Dakota clobbered #13 seed Tennessee Tech 31-6 in Cookeville.  Yale scored the final 29 points of the game in the second half to surprise #15 seed Youngstown State 43-42.  Illinois State prevailed over #16 Southeastern Louisiana 21-3 in Hammond. The other five teams eliminated last weekend were Central Connecticut State, Harvard, New Hampshire, Drake, and Lamar. The FCS is now down to its “Sweet 16” round on Saturday.   Let’s review each of the match-ups!  (All kickoffs shown are CST) #12 Villanova (10-2) at #5 Lehigh (12-0) – 11AM on ESPN+ When you’re hot, you’re hot!  The Villanova Wildcats lost two of their first three games of the season (to FBS Penn State and 9-3 FCS member Monmouth).  Since then, Villanova has won nine straight games.  That includes last Saturday’s 52-7 opening round shellacking of formerly 9-1 Harvard.  The Coastal Athletic Association runner-up Wildcats ran for 319 yards as part of a 519-yard offensive output in their home rout over Harvard. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks of the Patriot League enjoyed a first round bye.  Lehigh features the fourth best rushing offense in the FCS with more than 235 yards per game on the ground.  Lehigh (which was the SwampSwamiSports.com #1 regular season team) has limited eight of its 12 opponents to 14 points or less during the season.  Tickets for the first Lehigh home playoff game in Bethlehem, PA since 2004 are scarce.  Saturday’s game will be played in dry but chilly (upper 30’s) weather conditions. #11 South Dakota (9-4) @ #6 Mercer (9-2) – 11AM on ESPN+ South Dakota’s Coyotes from the Missouri Valley Conference eliminated Pioneer Football League champion Drake 38-17 last week in Round 1.  USD has won seven of their last eight games.  This week’s game is the first-ever football match-up of South Dakota and Mercer.  The Coyotes have advanced into the second round of the FCS playoffs for three consecutive seasons. The pass-happy Mercer Bears had a first round bye.  Mercer is second in the FCS with nearly 334 passing yards per game.  Alas, the forecast for Macon, Georgia features a 60% chance of rain with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees.  The weather conditions may dampen the effectiveness of the So-Con champion Bears’ dangerous passing attack. Illinois State (9-4) @ #1 North Dakota State (12-0) – 12 Noon on ESPN+ This is a Missouri Valley Football Conference rematch of North Dakota State’s 33-16 win over the Redbirds on October 4th in Normal, Illinois.  That game saw the Bison leading by only two points (18-16) after three quarters before NDSU tacked-on two late scores for the final margin of victory. Indiana State’s Redbirds are led by quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse.  He passed for 28 touchdowns and ran for seven more scores this season. North Dakota State is the defending FCS champion and is participating in the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season.  The Bison score 42 points per game (#3 nationally) and are #1 in defense by allowing less than 12 points per outing.  Expect another sell-out crowd in the noisy 18,700 seat FargoDome to cheer-on the unbeaten Bison this Saturday afternoon. North Dakota (8-5) @ #4 Tarleton State (11-1) – 12 Noon on ESPN+ I admit it.  It was quite surprising to learn that the 7-5 North Dakota Fighting Hawks were being selected to participate in the FCS playoffs over several other teams with much better season records.  UND finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Missouri Valley Conference.  They were dispatched 1,200 miles to the south to play a first round road game at 11-1 Ohio Valley/Big South champion Tennessee Tech.  The Fighting Hawks soared in the final quarter as North Dakota scored 21 points to secure a 31-6 win and advance into the second round. This week’s “reward” is a nearly 1,300 mile road trip to #4 seed Tarleton State of Stephenville, Texas (runner-up in the United Athletic Conference).  The North Dakota defense forced six turnovers last week in its win over Tennessee Tech. Tarleton State is no slouch on defense, either.  The Texans lead the FCS in turnover margin with a 2.42 “plus” turnover ratio.  Quarterback Victor Gabalis passed for 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions this year to lead Tarleton State’s offense.  Sunny weather and temperatures in the mid-60’s should make for a perfect day for playoff football in north Texas. Yale (9-2) @ #2 Montana State (10-2) – 1PM on ESPN+ Yale may be destiny’s darling in this year’s FCS playoffs.  After handing unbeaten Harvard its first loss and winning the Ivy League, the Bulldogs found themselves down 35-7 at the half at Youngstown State in last Saturday’s first round playoff game.  A furious second half rally saw Yale escape with an improbable 43-42 win to advance into Round 2. This week’s opponent is also on a roll.  Montana State defeated previously unbeaten Montana two weeks ago to win the Big Sky Conference title.  After a first round bye, the Bobcats can’t wait to play Yale this Saturday in Bozeman, Montana as snow and 38 degrees await the visitors from Connecticut.  Montana State rushes for more than 230 yards per game, so expect a ball-control offensive effort from the Bobcats on Saturday. #14 South Dakota State (9-4) @ #3 Montana (11-1) – 1PM on ESPN+ It took an overtime win in the regular season finale at North Dakota for the Jackrabbits to end their shocking four-game losing streak.  South Dakota State was rewarded by the FCS Playoff committee with a playoff spot.  The Jackrabbits (which finished 4-4 in the Missouri Valley this year) quickly dispatched New Hampshire 41-3 to advance to Round 2 and earn a visit to Missoula to play the University of Montana this Saturday. The hungry Montana Grizzlies are still seething from a season-ending 31-28 loss to rival Montana State.  Even with the loss, the Big Sky runner-up received a first round bye based on their sterling 11-1 regular season record.  The Griz want to avenge last season’s 35-18 playoff loss to South Dakota State in a game played in Brookings, SD.  Running back Eli Gillman (the Big Sky offensive player-of-the-year) leads the team with 105 yards per game and a team-high 17 touchdowns.  Light freezing rain and snow showers are expected during Saturday’s game with temperatures in the upper 30’s. #10 Abilene Christian (9-4) @ #7 Stephen F. Austin (10-2) – 1PM on ESPN+ These two Texas-based conference champions will tee-it up for a second time this season.  This time, the game will be played in Nacogdoches on Saturday.  The Wildcats beat Stephen F. Austin 28-20 in Abilene in early September.  United Athletic League champion Abilene Christian has won seven of its last eight games.  ACU dispatched third-place Southland Conference finisher Lamar 38-20 last weekend in Abilene during Round #1 of the FCS playoffs. The SFA Lumberjacks went 8-0 in the Southland Conference this year to take the league title for the first time since 2010.  Stephen F. Austin has won its last ten games and is allowing only 15 points per game on defense.  SFA was awarded a first round bye, and the school is “jacked” about hosting a home playoff game against the team which beat them in Week #2. #9 Rhode Island (11-2) @ #8 UC-Davis (8-3) – 9PM on ESPN2 “Road” Island is making a 3,000 mile cross-country trip to play this game on Saturday night in northern California.  The CAA regular season champion Rams earned the trip west by winning an opening round playoff game 27-19 at home last weekend over the stubborn Central Connecticut State Blue Devils.  Rhode Island quarterback Devin Ferrell leads the Rams’ offense with nearly 3,500 yards via the air and 22 touchdowns passes. UC-Davis finished third in the Big Sky Conference behind Montana State and the University of Montana.  The Aggies’ explosive offense passes for 258 yards per game and rushes for another 180.  Saturday’s match-up against Rhode Island will be the first-ever for these two teams.  This game will kick-off under clear skies with temperatures falling into the upper 40’s. Enjoy the second round of the FCS Playoffs this Saturday! The post FCS – Previewing the “Sweet 16” Playoff games appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

South Dakota State first-year head coach Dan Jackson joins Colter Nuanez on Nuanez Now to discuss the Jacks' trip to Missoula for the third playoff matchup in as many years against Montana.

Skyline Sports analyst Samuel Akem joins Colter Nuanez to talk about final reactions to the Cat-Griz rivalry, the draws for the FCS playoffs, the results of the first round of the postseason + the matchups for the three Big Sky Conference teams playing in the second round.  

Andrew Schmidt joins Colter Nuanez to break down home renovations, Christmas options, Montana's playoff draw + the reasons Montana will and the reasons Montana will not make a run in the FCS Playoffs with No. 14 South Dakota State coming to town on Saturday.

In this week's ESPN Roundtable on 102.9 FM ESPN Montana, Colter Nuanez is joined by Tanner Castora, a journalist and author who covers South Dakota State with multiple mediums as the Jackrabbits make their way to Missoula for the second round of the FCS playoffs to play the No. 3 Montana Grizzlies. 

Montana head coach Bobby Hauck along with first-team All-Big Sky wide receiver Michael Wortham and defensive end Hunter Peck addressed the media ahead of the No. 3 seeded Grizzlies' second round playoff matchup against South Dakota State. 

It was a Monday filled with sports on the show as we were joined by our correspondent John Leahy to discuss the latest happenings in Hockey East and the NFL. Also with us on Monday, University of New Hampshire head football coach Rick Santos who will be leading his Wildcats into "the field of 24" FCS Playoffs this coming Saturday on the road to take on the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State.

NOTICE: This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out! What is there to say that hasn't already been said about South Dakota's 24-17 win over South Dakota State on Saturday, or already been written in columns like this one by Matt Zimmer or this one by John Gaskins?As it turns out, of course, plenty.In their weekly "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcast from Gibs Sports Bar in Sioux Falls, Zim and John sink their teeth into the following aftermatch topics:* Are both teams now playoff-worthy at seven wins apiece, no matter what happens in the No. 17 Coyotes' final game at No. 21 Southern Illinois on Saturday, or the No. 16 Jackrabbits' two games remaining against No. 14 Illinois State and at No. 13 North Dakota?* Why does Zim feel USD has what it takes to go on a run and contend for the national championship?* For that matter, what can SDSU's ceiling still be, with or without Chase Mason?* Would SDSU have won the game if Chase Mason had played?* How can the Jacks win either or both of their last two games if Chase Mason doesn't return?* How do we look at NDSU and UND after the Fighting Sioux almost took down the Bison?* Should Jacks fans be upset about the coaching this year, particularly the last three games?* How do we now look at the final season of Aidan Bouman and his USD legacy no matter what?* How do we see the Missouri Valley Football Conference's quality now that we've seen several Top 25 teams play each other close?* Is NDSU still head-and-shoulders above the rest of the Valley, if not the entire FCS?Then, some words about Augustana and University of Sioux Falls suffering blowout home losses in the snow. How much do those losses hurt the Div. II Sioux Falls teams' postseason picture?Next, a review of the wins for No. 1 Brandon Valley and No. 2 Lincoln in the Class 11AAA state semifinals, setting up a rematch of last year's championship game, where the Patriots repeated as champions.Will it be a Lincoln three-peat? Mark Gronowski continued to rip off monster runs and even had a couple clutch passes in Iowa's 18-16 loss to Oregon. Is Tim Tebow (Light) a fair comparison for what the former Jackrabbit has brought to Iowa City? Even further, have the Hawkeyes wasted Gronowski's arm and throwing ability by becoming so run-heavy? Finally, an examination of the wild pendulum swings of J.J. McCarthy. After a dagger-throwing, season-saving win in Detroit, the Vikings quarterback regressed to rookie mode in Sunday's loss to Baltimore, but how much was he really to blame? How much slack should we cut him and how much time should we give him?And we dare bring it up — can we now say things would have gone better if Minnesota signed Aaron Rodgers? 

NOTICE: This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out! It was brutal. It was comical. It was full of "third grade mistakes" and looked like a football team "disinterested in playing competent football.There aren't big enough words to describe South Dakota State falling behind 35-0 at home and eventually suffering a fourth consecutive loss after starting the season 7-0.Matt Zimmer tried in his game column on Saturday. With three days to process the debacle — which was followed by an inspired, dizzying 21-point SDSU comeback to lose 35-21 to Illinois State — Zim has even more words and searches for reasons for all the mistakes that had Jackrabbits made.Was it a lack of confidence? A lack of experience in facing this kind of a slump and adversity? How about coaching and play-calling?No matter what it was, it led to a chorus of "boos" from the crowd in Brookings. Was such howling warranted? Should it be in college athletics?Zim tackles all this, plus the latest Chase Mason Magical Mystery Tour that heads to Grand Forks for the regular season finale and what appears to be a "do or die" and "win and you're in" showdown with North Dakota. What is Zim's sense of Mason's availability and playability based on what Dan Jackson is saying — including here on Happy Hour — and how much difference Mason playing would make in the Jacks' chances of beating the Fighting Hawks.  If Mason plays, and plays decent, and the Jacks lose, do they still deserve a playoff spot?Other saucy topics — SDSU's offer to Brody Schafer, his older brother Tate's FCS marketability after lighting things up at USF, the screwiness of the polls, Zim and John's unworn Jackrabbit and Coyote apparel, Outkast, The Replacements, New Kids on the Block, and Larry Bird's trash talking before NBA All-Star 3-point shooting contests.Oh, and how about those USD Coyotes? Yes, Zim has plenty of thoughts on the three-game winning streak, all against Top 25 teams, to finish the season and assure a playoff spot.The Yotes deserve plenty of time. The Jacks, though — with their playoff uncertainty, wild recent tailspin, and the storylines of the game they are playing Saturday while USD is off — take up most of the hour.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, I recap Montana State's big road win against UC Davis. I also talk a bit about the missed call that took place in Sacramento. There are a ton of playoff implications in this week's results and more in the upcoming week. Is Beau Brungard the Walter Payton favorite? All of this and more in this week's Akem's Analysis. Like and comment your thoughts below! SUBSCRIBE BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!! SPORTS BET MONTANA LINK: https://sportsbetmontana.com/en0:00 - Intro2:50 - Montana State/UC Davis Recap11:19 - Idaho/Sac State Recap20:12 - SDSU/Illinois State Recap25:07 - South Dakota/SIU Recap31:47 - Lamar/SFA Recap37:17 - No Huddle Notes53:27 - Final Thoughts55:16 - End

NOTICE: This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out! You can see it in the changing color of the leaves, and then how quickly they are falling off the trees.  You can feel it in the chill of the air in the mornings, evenings, and sometimes all day. As November — which for those of us up here in the north means early winter — nears, the weather and ever-shedding trees represent the cold, harsh reality of winter drawing near, and the cold, harsh reality of some football teams' goals slipping away. South Dakota State no longer looks like a national title contender, at least in the health they are in. North Dakota State exposed that.  South Dakota not only no longer looks like a national title contender they were projected to be by most FCS experts in the preseason, the Coyotes look less and less like even an FCS playoffs team. Their failure to score more than 20 points in all but three of nine games exposed that. But that's how things look now. Both the Jackrabbits and Coytes have November to change those narratives — four regulasr seaosn games each to flip the script. The margin of error is slimmer for both. The depth of both teams is thinning, too (as injuries tend to smother all teams at all levels by this time of year). On a cold day requiring flannel for John Gaskins and a hooded sweatshirt for Matt Zimmer, the two "Nobody's Listening Anyway" hosts require just a tiny extra dose of alcoholic nourishment to adjust to the temperatures and impending winter, not to mention to digest and unpack both what the SDSU and USD seasons have become and still could be. The cold, harsh reality of the Jacks is the kind of players that led them to national titles in 2022 and '23 — Mark Gronowski, Tucker Kraft, Isaiah Davis, Pierre Strong, the Janke twins, and a host of pro-level 605 Hogs and defenders — are not walking through that door, and the injuries of Chase Mason, Lofton O'Groske and Chase Van Tol made winning an MVFC of national title even harder.But, does that mean the Jacks' chances of accomplishing something special with a brand new coaching staff and mostly-turned-over roster are toast?  The cold, harsh reality of the Yotes is they struggle to score points, which makes it hard to win games against teams that aren't the worst in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Presumably, USD must beat three consecutive top-tier league teams to reach the playoffs. But does that mean we can stick a fork in the chances of a third consecutive postseason berth in Vermillion? Fire up the Budweiser and add a shot of Rumple Minze. There's a lot of brutal reality football to talk about, and that includes the latest bumpy ride Kalen DeBoer's Alabama took in the SEC, the make-you-hurl Brian Kelly experience at LSU that is mercifully over, and the broader conversation of all these major college teams sending their head coaches packing — with suitcases full of dozens of millions of dollars in buyout money — before the leaves start falling. Zim and John cover all that, plus the surest sign that autumn is ending: The World Series, state football playoffs, and Halloween. Is Shohei Ohtani already the greatest baseball player of all time? Are Brandon Valley and Lincoln on a collision course for back-to-back meetings in the Dakota Dome in Mid-November?  Should an almost 50-year-old man still be dressing up for Halloween? You'll hear the answers, but spoiler alert — like the local college football discussions, it's complicated.

Colter Nuanez and Brooks Nuanez talk about Montana State's dominant yet not star-driven defense and how much that reflects Brent Vigen's North Dakota State roots, Paul Brott's prowess (11:23), national narratives & polls (14:00), nobody remembering Weber State won in Missoula last year (31:32), Utah coaching trees (38:00), Ed Lamb's presence at Northern Colorado (40:11) and the challenges for the Cats & Griz on the road this weekend. 

WDAY First News anchors Lisa Budeau, Scott Engen and Lydia Blume break down your regional news and weather for Monday, October 27. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. Visit https://www.inforum.com/subscribe to subscribe.

Clinton Griffiths hosts AgDay: AgDay is on the road at South Dakota State University for the College Roadshow! See what the Jackrabbits are doing when it comes to new wheat varieties, producing even tastier dairy products, and getting more people involved in caring for animals!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NOTICE: This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out! So far in this young football season, the Jackrabbits, Coyotes, and Vikings offenses — to varying degrees — continue to struggle to explode for big plays and satisfying full-game performances. At times, they implode. In the Yotes and Vikings cases, for full games.Gee, if only there was a local team to watch right now, in-person!, that has provided fireworks all season long, including a so-far spectacular postseason. Oh, wait, there is, and you don't even have to drive one to four hours to see them.The Sioux Falls Canaries — highest-scoring, most home run-hitting in their league by far — are three wins away from their first American Association championship in 17 years and only their second league title in the 33-year modern inception of the club. So far, they've averaged 10 runs in their five playoff wins, including victories of 7-2 and 11-2 in their two series-clinching win-or-go-home games, propelled by the Birds' best-ever player and league's all-time career home run king Jabari Henry's five total dingers in those two deciding games (three blasts to eliminate league leader Sioux City in the first round on the road, then a pair of homers including a grand slam and 8 RBI in The Birdcage to knock out Fargo-Moorhead). So, before Happy Hour host John Gaskins and Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer break down the bummer offenses — to varying degrees! — of this region's three most popular football teams, they celebrate the culmination of what has been a 15-year climb up a Mt. Everest of rocky obstacles for the Canaries — once the league's worst and near-lowest-budget squad — just to return to the league finals.Then, it's pick-apart time for 3-0 SDSU, 1-2 USD, and the 1-1 Vikings, their offenses, and their quarterbacks Chase Mason, Aidan Bouman, and J.J. McCarthy. How much of the team's struggles have been the field generals' faults, and where do we see things headed?Is it unfair for Jacks fans to be unsettled if not complaining about "only" 37 points and "only" a 16-point win over a non-scholarship team? Is it five-alarm fire time for USD after narrowly escaping Northern Colorado and an 0-3 start?What do we make of both the seven quarters of bumbling of young J.J. McCarthy (save from the amazing fourth quarter in Chicago, which counts for a lot) and the ankle injury that has sidelined him against Cincinnati, which gives journeyman and NDSU legend Carson Wentz his latest and maybe last-ever shot to return to his once-Pro Bowl form?John and Matt answer these questions, then toast the Sanford International and its latest winner Retief Goosen. Finally, rumination on why the once-massive Sunday crowds have fizzled a bit in the eight-year-old event that shares crown jewel status in Sioux Falls with the Summit League Tournament.

NOTICE: This weekly show is now part of the "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" daily podcast, which you can find at SiouxFallsLive.com, MidwestSportsPlus.com, and most podcast platforms like the one you find here! So, if you enjoy the topics Matt & John cover, you'll get those topics, plus relevant local guests, every Monday through Thursday on Happy Hour... so we highly recommend you check that out! You get hired to get fired. That has become the new old adage in modern day, big business college and pro sports for coaches and managers. After seven seasons, three playoff appearances, and the first playoff series win in over 20 years, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli became the latest casualty of this concept. Was it warranted? Is he the "fall guy?"Is it best the Twins move on even if Rocco is quite clearly not the primary reason for the sad state of affairs at Target Field? Beyond asinine ownership, what else besides Baldelli can we blame for the sinking ship the Twins became the last couple years?Speaking of sinking ships, has a bruised and battered Minnesota Vikings offensive line given enough reason to already believe this could be a lost season, or can a quarterback — either J.J. McCarty or Carson Wentz — and an all-of-a-sudden leaky defense keep NFC North title and even Super Bowl hopes afloat? In a monster week of football for the city of Sioux Falls and South Dakota's two Div. I teams, Happy Hour host John Gaskins and Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer lead off with these pressing Minnesota matters.Then, it is time to pick apart the South Dakota Coyotes' latest ugly loss in a revealing "measuring stick game" at No. 1 North Dakota State. Just like Monday's episode with Kurtiss Riggs, John and Matt try best to answer this question now that the 2025 season is about one-third in the books:With both the Jackrabbits and Coyotes losing head coaches, assistants & a bunch of their best players from top 5 teams in 2024, how and why have the Jacks remained national championship contenders (so it appears) while the Yotes have fallen off the radar (and out of the Top 25 rankings)?Meanwhile, Augustana will take its No. 8 ranking and 5-0 record across Sioux Falls to Bob Young Field on Saturday against now-unranked University of Sioux Falls (3-2) in the Key to the City Game. While the Vikings have the better record and momentum — the Cougars have lost back-to-back games in convincing fashion to Top 15-rated Duluth and Mankato — why does Zim feel the Coo have the advantage, and not just because USF has home field advantage?Finally, a preview of the most-anticipated game in South Dakota 11AAA high school football so far — No. 1 Lincoln at No. 2 Brandon Valley on Friday, a game you'll be able to watch on the Midwest Sports Plus app or at MidwestSportsPlus.com, where you can also download the app and start your 30-day free trial.

No. 2 South Dakota State made a 4th down stop in double overtime to secure a 30-24 win over No. 3 Montana State in Bozeman on September 6, 2025. Montana pulled away for a 42-17 win over Central Washington in their season opener in Missoula. Brooks Nuanez was in Missoula, Colter Nuanez was in Bozeman. They recap what they saw in Week 2 on both sides of the Continental Divide.

No. 2 South Dakota State made a 4th down stop in double overtime to secure a 30-24 win over No. 3 Montana State in Bozeman on September 6, 2025. A record-setting crowd watched Montana State's first regular-season home loss since 2019. MSU head coach Brent Vigen, DE Hunter Parsons, RBs Julius Davis & Adam Jones addressed the media after falling to 0-2.

In this Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem looks forward to some of the Week 2 matchups happening in the Big Sky Conference. Once again, the game of the week in FCS football involves a Big Sky team. Montana State and SDSU face off after both squads lost major talent, but are still in the conversation as top teams in the country. Montana will get their first chance to hit the field for 2025 after their Week 1 "bye". 0:00 - Intro 2:54 - Montana vs Central Washington Preview 15:57 - Montana State vs SDSU Preview 24:45 - NAU vs Utah Tech Preview 29:48 - Sac State vs Nevada Preview 36:48 - Idaho vs St. Thomas Preview 43:32 - Idaho State QB Out For At Least A Month 46:37 - Final Thoughts 47:47 - End

Award-winning broadcaster Ryan Tootell joins Colter Nuanez weekly to talk Griz, Bobcats and Big Sky Conference sports. This week, we talk about former Big Sky players in the NFL, Montana State's nationally elite home opener and the Griz getting 2025 underway.

Tanner Castora is a freelance journalist covering South Dakota State with a variety of mediums.He's also the author of "Stig and the Rise of South Dakota State Football", a biography about former SDSU head coach John Stieglemeier.Castora joined Colter Nuanez on the Big Sky Breakdown to discuss SDSU's game at No. 3 Montana State on Saturday

Montana State inside linebacker Neil Daily suffered an injury that knocked him out of MSU's 59-13 loss to Oregon.Cole Taylor, a sophomore from Great Falls who was a QB at CMR High, stepped in and performed well. Taylor joined Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports & ESPN MT to break down his standout performance.

Former Bobcat player & coach Mike Rider joins Colter Nuanez to break down Montana State's Week 1 loss at Oregon and preview the FCS game of the week between MSU and South Dakota State.

It was not a pretty first game for most of the Div. I football teams and players of interest in South Dakota. But it was a "just win, baby" week for some.No. 3 South Dakota State stopped the "Go Go" offense of No. 15 Sacramento State all night, but the Jackrabbits didn't exactly make chest-thumping offensive waves themselves. How does that translate to a road game at perennial Top 5 powerhouse Montana State, who was pulverized 59-13 at FBS No. 7 Oregon?FCS No. 4 South Dakota threw Iowa State for an early 7-7 loop before the Cyclones blew them away, 55-7. Does that mean doom and gloom for Aidan Bouman and a USD offense that mustered just 34 yards in the second half? Or is ISU perhaps a tornado that will rip through the Big 12 and leave an easy cleanup for the Yotes in FCS play?Both Augustana and the Universtiy of Sioux Falls won nail biters, but in different ways. What are some easy assessments of their returning quarterbacks?And then, there was Jimmy Rogers' Washington State Jackrabbits, who needed a perfectly-executed two-minute drill at home to survive FCS Idaho, with a new coach and offense replacing former SDSU offensive coordinator Jason Eck. What do we make of Jimmy's more-than-blunt postgame remarks?There's also the all-time Jackrabbit Mark Gronowski's less-than-impressive Iowa debut and native son Kalen DeBoer's Alabama debacle at Florida State. How much should we curb our first week spasms? The Minnesota Vikings lift off on Monday night in Chicago. Why does typically pessimistic Matt Zimmer feel like he's boarding a rocket ship?The answers to these questions and more, all over cocktails on an idle Tuesday afternoon at the Gateway Lounge in Sioux Falls as Zim and Happy Hour host John Gaskins wet their football whistles — finally!

Montana State 5th-year head coach Brent Vigen hosted his weekly press conference on Monday to help preview his team's home opener against No. 2 South Dakota State. The Bobcats lost 59-13 to No. 7 Oregon. The Jackrabbits beat Sacramento State 20-3. 

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem breaks down all of the biggest games happening in the Big Sky Conference this week. A few of the teams out of the Big Sky played in Week 0, but now we get to see more of the conference live in action. The biggest game of the weekend is Sacramento State vs South Dakota State. It could have big playoff ramifications later in the season. Montana State will play this week as well. Although it's the Oregon Ducks, it will be our first time seeing the Bobcats in the post-Tommy Mellott era. 0:00 - Intro 2:45 - Montana State vs Oregon Preview15:18 - Sac State vs South Dakota State Preview29:27 - Eastern Washington vs Incarnate Word Preview37:54 - UC Davis vs Utah Tech Preview45:39 - Idaho State vs Southern Utah Preview53:12 - Idaho vs Washington State Preview1:00:47 - Economic Impact of Montana Football1:05:02 - Final Thoughts

While waiting breathlessly for actual football games (that count) to start, South Dakota State fans and media felt an early Christmas present drop in their lap on Monday with the news of the Jackrabbits accepting an invitation to play Montana in the new Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegian Stadium — home of the Raiders — in 2029. In this week's addition of "Nobody's Listening Anyway" over cocktails at the Gateway Lounge, Happy Hour Host John Gaskins and Sioux Falls Live sports reporter Matt Zimmer dive into the relevance and meaning behind this news.Then, more preseason banter about the the Jacks and South Dakota Coyotes. SDSU quarterback Chase Mason offered another reason to brace for a breakout season with remarks he made on Happy Hour last week, but how much stock do we take in them? Plus, what is the "sneaky" significant aspect of the '25 Jacks that nobody is really talking about, and what is the most-anticipated part of USD football beyond senior QB Aidan Bouman?Meanwhile, what do we make of both the intense local and global spotlight shining brightly on South Dakota's 12-year-olds at the Little league World Series, while our high schoolers playing in recent state legion tourneys and grown men competiting in the state amateur events appear to play second fiddle?Why is Zim "not surprised buy devastated" of the Pohlad family it is not selling the Minnesota Twins after all? Enjoy a deep dive of deep-rooted contempt of 40 years of ownership. Finally, SDSU legend Zach Zenner recently remarked that he had only had five alcoholic beverages in his life, that he had never been drunk, and that alcohol doesn't enhance any situation it is consumed.As Zim and John sipped on Budweiser and Tito's on an idle Tuesday afternoon, enjoy the response. 

In this episode Matt sits down with Coach Eric Eidsness back for his Third stint with the Jackrabbits. For the 2025 season Coach Eidsness serves as both the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks' coach.

How can you not have Minnesota Timberwolves fever, especially on the precipice of a showdown full of stars, storylines, and bad blood between the Wolves and Golden State Warriors?Jimmy Butler — whose belligerence and self-engineered exit eventually sunk the squad into the abyss — returns to face unruly Target Center fans, not to mention the superstar who has lifted the Wolves from that abyss, Anthony Edwards.Steph Curry — a Hall-of-Famer who has spearheaded four NBA titles in the Bay Area while the Wolves have mostly wallowed in misery — returns to face the team that passed him over twice in the 2009 Draft. Then, there's the Big Man Battle Royale with Rudy Goebert and Draymond Green, who choked Goebert in a game last year and trash-talked him from his pulpit on the TNT set. To add to the spice: ANT said publicly before the season started he couldn't wait to face the Warriors in the playoffs because Green "talks so much trash." John Gaskins and Matt Zimmer carve into the carnival to lead off this week's "Nobody's Listening Anyway" from Gateway Lounge, then take a stab at what to make of the tepid but not terrible Minnesota Twins. How much life will the returning-from-injury Royce Lewis give them? The latest heroics of Byron Buxton lead to this discussion:Is Buxton the most electrifying Twins player of all time? Does he belong on the Mount Rushmore of Most Electrifying Minnesota Pro Sports Athletes of the last 30 years? Which Wolves and Vikings players make that cut?Closer to home, what is there to make of the recently-announced partnership between the Summit League and Missouri Valley Conference, with the commissioner of the latter league taking over as commissioner of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Summit League leader Josh Fenton being tabbed "Executive Advisor" in the MVFC?Finally, South Dakota State's 2025 season opening football opponent has an even more turned-over roster than the Jackrabbits, and the Augusta baseball and softball teams are heating up as the calendar flips to May. Why have the Vikings been so consistently successful in those diamond sports for over a decade? 

This is a free preview of a paid episode of the new Volleyball State tier of the I-80 Club! To hear the entire pod, subscribe today: https://www.patreon.com/i80club/membershipWith half of us live in Ord, Lincoln and Jeff recap Nebraska' four-set sweep of the Jackrabbits. Freshman Campbell Flynn impressive setting the whole match. Nebraska's middles dominate again. Lots of options at pin hitter and back row. Can it be August yet? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tramel Barnes is a men's basketball assistant coach at South Dakota State University under Head Coach Eric Henderson. This is Barnes' second stint as an assistant with the Jackrabbits having also served under Henderson from 2019-21. Barnes spent three seasons from 2021-2024 at the University Utah on the coaching staff led by Craig Smith. He's served as a director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Utes. Barnes had previously worked with Smith during the 2018-19 season at Utah State where he served as director of basketball operations and player development. The NABC recognized Barnes for his efforts and named him to the 2019 Under Armour 30-Under-30 Team.Barnes began his coaching career at Southwest Minnesota State in 2013 after a four-year collegiate career capped by two seasons with the Mustangs. He spent six seasons on the SMSU coaching staff. On this episode Mike & Tramel discuss the challenges posed by the transfer portal and the necessity for genuine connectivity within teams. They delve into the significance of building enduring relationships with players and their families, emphasizing the qualitative aspects that extend beyond mere athletic prowess. Coach Barnes reflects on his diverse experiences across various levels of competition, underscoring the importance of adaptability in a profession characterized by continual change. This episode hits on coaching philosophy, personal growth, and the overarching influence of integrity and community in shaping successful basketball programs.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you're subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and while you're there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you're hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Be sure to have your notebook handy as you listen to this episode with Tramel Barnes, men's basketball assistant coach at South Dakota State University.Website - https://gojacks.com/sports/mens-basketballEmail - Tramel.Barnes@sdstate.eduTwitter/X - @TramelBarnesVisit our Sponsors!Dr. Dish BasketballOur friends at Dr. Dish Basketball are doing things a little differently this month with $3,000 Off the Dr. Dish Rebel+, $3,000 Off the Dr. Dish All-Stat+, AND $3,000 Off the Dr. Dish CT+ during their first ever Semi-Annual Sales Event. Shop now and have your team more ready for the upcoming season than ever before.GameChangerIntroducing GameChanger, a free app that provides you with data to make strategic coaching decisions and to deliver memorable moments to your team and its fans. Engage your players, empower your coaching decisions, and give parents the thrill of watching every play unfold in real time this season. Download GameChanger now on iOS or Android. GameChanger equips your team with the tools they need to succeed. Download it today and make this season one for...