2R - UNI @ #7 South Dakota St.
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 4:16 am
The only intraconference matchup this week, which is refreshing (we get too many of those in the playoffs these days). This is also the toughest game to pick, primarily because South Dakota State has been all over the map since starting QB J'Bore Gibbs went down against NDSU. The Jackrabbits played the Bison tough & had no trouble with Missouri State, then lost to Illinois State at home, then destroyed UNI at home, then tried to throw away a seed with their first-ever DI-era loss to South Dakota. The bad performances haven't really come because of current starting QB Keaton Heide, though, and he's actually put up some good numbers in his last 2 games. Northern Iowa has been a solid team all year, but their lone inexplicably bad performance came against SDSU in Brookings a few weeks ago. I don't think this contest will be anywhere near as ugly as the regular-season meeting, but I still think the Jackrabbits have the edge at home.
- Northern Iowa 17-24 South Dakota St.