South Dakota State Jackrabbits Football TV Schedule, Channels, Times
How to watch live stream South Dakota State Jackrabbits football game today, tonight, or tomorrow? What channel & time?
The South Dakota State Jackrabbits compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), widely regarded as the toughest league in FCS football. All MVFC games stream on ESPN+, with select home contests airing regionally on Midco Sports. The season opener against Stetson on August 29 kicks off under the lights at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium at 6:00 PM CT, while the September 5 road trip to Northwestern falls under the Big Ten's television deal. The annual Interstate Series against South Dakota on October 31 has been selected for national linear television on an ESPN network for the third consecutive season. Home games in August and September are scheduled for 6:00 PM CT kickoffs, though start times may be adjusted for television considerations, while October and November home contests begin at 2:00 PM CT. John Stiegelman's squad plays seven home games in Brookings, South Dakota.
| South Dakota State Jackrabbits TV Schedule 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Game | Time ET | TV |
| Week 1 (Sat, Aug. 29) | vs Stetson (Season Opener) | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Week 2 (Sat, Sept. 5) | @ Northwestern (Big Ten) | TBD | Big Ten Network Family |
| Week 3 (Sat, Sept. 12) | vs New Haven | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Week 4 (Sat, Sept. 19) | vs Youngstown State * (MVFC Opener) | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ / Midco Sports |
| Week 5 (Sat, Sept. 26) | vs Eastern Illinois | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Week 6 (Sat, Oct. 3) | @ Illinois State * | TBD | ESPN+ |
| Week 7 (Sat, Oct. 10) | BYE WEEK | — | — |
| Week 8 (Sat, Oct. 17) | @ North Dakota * | TBD | ESPN+ |
| Week 9 (Sat, Oct. 24) | vs Murray State * (Hobo Day) | 3:00 PM | ESPN+ / Midco Sports |
| Week 10 (Sat, Oct. 31) | vs South Dakota * (Interstate Series) | 3:00 PM | ESPN2 / ESPNU / ESPN+ |
| Week 11 (Sat, Nov. 7) | @ Northern Iowa * | TBD | ESPN+ |
| Week 12 (Sat, Nov. 14) | @ Southern Illinois * | TBD | ESPN+ |
| Week 13 (Sat, Nov. 21) | vs Indiana State * (Home Finale) | 3:00 PM | ESPN+ / Midco Sports |
* MVFC Conference game. Home games are played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. All times listed are Eastern Time (ET). Times for games marked TBD will be announced 6–12 days before kickoff.
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Which South Dakota State Jackrabbits games are worth watching in 2026?
The September 5 road trip to Ryan Field at Northwestern is the biggest stage of the year — an FBS-level opponent and Big Ten Conference member in front of a crowd exceeding 45,000, and the only non-conference FBS game on the schedule. Broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network Family, this contest represents SDSU's highest-profile non-league matchup and a measuring stick against Power Four competition. The annual Interstate Series against South Dakota on October 31 carries extra significance as the program's most intense rivalry, with the game selected for national linear television on ESPN2 or ESPNU for the third consecutive season — a rare honor for an FCS regular-season contest.
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium hosts three MVFC home games that define the conference title race. Youngstown State visits on September 19 for the league opener, followed by Murray State on October 24 for Hobo Day — one of the program's traditional celebration games. The regular season concludes on November 21 against Indiana State, with all three home contests carrying regional Midco Sports coverage in addition to the ESPN+ stream. The Jackrabbits also face crucial road tests at Illinois State (October 3) and Northern Iowa (November 7), both MVFC contenders that have finished in the conference's upper tier in recent seasons.
