SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (9-2, 6-1) at MISSOURI STATE (8-3, 6-1)
WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m. Saturday at Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Mo.
TV: ESPN+
RADIO: WNAX-AM 570; Jackrabbit radio affiliates
RECORD LAST YEAR: SDSU 15-0 (FCS champions); MSU 4-7
SERIES: SDSU leads 13-1
LAST TIME: SDSU won 35-17 in Brookings last year
LAST WEEK: SDSU beat Southern Illinois 41-10; MSU lost 59-21 to NDSU
RANKINGS: SDSU is ranked No. 3 in FCS; MSU is ranked 18th in the coach's poll
COACHES: SDSU - Jimmy Rogers (2nd year, 24-2); MSU - Ryan Beard (2nd year, 12-10)
WHAT TO KNOW: With Missouri State off to Conference-USA and the FBS level next year, this could be the last ever meeting between the schools. Because of the transition the Bears are ineligible for the FCS playoffs, which they would likely otherwise be set to qualify for. They opened Valley play with six consecutive wins, highlighted by a 41-7 drubbing of No. 16 Illinois State. But they were humbled last week in a one-sided loss in the Fargodome, and now will face an equally formidable foe in the Jackrabbits.
SDSU has won the last eight meetings in the series - MSU's only win against the Jacks came in 2013 at Plaster Stadium. The Bears are unbeaten at home this year at 4-0. The last time SDSU played a team that was undefeated at home was two weeks ago when they visited North Dakota. The Jacks won that game 38-7.
Both teams are still in the hunt to win a share of the Valley conference title, provided South Dakota defeats North Dakota State on Saturday. If the Coyotes do win, the winner of this game will share the league crown with USD and NDSU.
SDSU has won its last three games by a combined score of 131-23. They're already a lock for the playoffs and will ensure themselves of at least a top four seed with a win.
The Bears come in averaging 37.2 points per game, third in the league (just ahead of SDSU's 35.8), but their defense has surrendered 28.8 points (SDSU leads the league at 12.7).
MSU quarterback Jacob Clark leads the Valley with 3,418 passing yards (nobody else has even 2,200) and 26 touchdown passes. He's completed 72 percent of his throws with just six interceptions.
Hunter Wood, Lance Mason and Jmariyae Robinson give him three top-flight targets to throw to, while running back Jacadia Wright has 808 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Darion Smith and Jalen Williams have six sacks apiece to lead the Bears defense, which has a league-high 12 inteceptions on the season.
Bears coach Ryan Beard is the son-in-law of Bobby Petrino, inheriting the job from him after Petrino built MSU into a contender and then returned to the FBS level to serve as offensive coordinator at Arkansas.
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