BROOKINGS, S.D. — There was a massive thud in extreme eastern South Dakota on Saturday night. A week of buildup, hype, intrigue and hot takes ended with one of the least tension-wracked Dakota Marker games since … ever?

No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the mighty Football Championship Subdivision before a packed house at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium and a national television audience in a rivalry game dubbed one of the best in college football turned into a sewing bee by the end of the first quarter.

The stuffed-to-the-gills record crowd of 19,477 was as dead as Kristi Noem’s poor family dogs.

These things tend to happen when the score is 21-0 in favor of North Dakota State in the home stadium of South Dakota State while the Jackrabbits are being outgained 154 to minus-3 and they have zero first downs.

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