One of the FCS’ most heated rivalries reignites Saturday with North Dakota State traveling to South Dakota State for the Dakota Marker. It’s a game both fan bases pack a stadium for each season, but a moose joined the party this time around.
A moose presumed to be 1 or 2 years old got loose around South Dakota State’s campus and the city of Brookings, eventually making its way into Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
“Students please be careful right now if you are out and driving around,” South Dakota State Police wrote on Facebook on Friday. “There are several law enforcement officers out attempting (to) [corral] the animal and move it out of town to keep it safe.
“This is not a joke.”
The moose’s route-running ability isn’t a joke, either. It ran a crossing pattern so crisp it might force Jackrabbits coach John Stiegelmeier to check and see whether he has any scholarships remaining.
This isn’t the first wild animal to hit a college football field this season. During the Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas on Oct. 9, a fox sprinted onto the turf mid-game and displayed some dazzling change-of-direction ability.
The Dakota Marker is set for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. NDSU leads the all-time series, 10-7, but SDSU took last season’s meeting and hopes to make it back-to-back wins at home. Perhaps the moose can serve as a good luck charm like the fox did for Oklahoma, which rallied back from 18 down to beat Texas at home.
