To the folks at College GameDay,
Hello. My name is Cody Tusler and I am a student at North Dakota State with one simple request: please do not forget about us here at North Dakota State. The last two times that you have come here to Fargo, the Bison have won both of those games. NDSU beat Delaware State on Sept. 21, 2013 with the score 51-0. Then you guys came back on Sept. 13, 2014 and the Bison played another lights out game with a score of 58-0 against Incarnate Word.
I understand that you are at Clemson this week. You can’t not go to that. Not only is it primetime coverage, but it is No. 3 Louisville and No. 5 Clemson. This head to head match up of the top two power house ACC teams should be a great game. I will forgive you for this, but just this one time.
However, if you chose not to come to Fargo on Oct. 15 against rival South Dakota State, I will be slightly disappointed. Scratch that, I will be very disappointed. There are a few reasons that you need to comeback to Fargo. First, we are five-time-in-a-row FCS champions. Winning that title five times is quite the accomplishment, let alone five times in a row.
Second, the Bison are just coming off a huge upset win over 11/13 ranked Iowa. Going into the game against Iowa, ESPN’s Power Football Index gave the Bison a nine percent chance to win. Hey, this is why you play the game right? Any team can win or lose on any given day. And the Bison proved that by playing a tough game against the Hawkeyes. Don’t you want that type of team(s) for College GameDay? Let’s not forget SDSU hung tough with TCU in Week One.
Finally, NDSU is playing SDSU, who I would say is their top rival in the conference. Every year, the game against the Jackrabbits is the biggest game of the year. Why, you may ask? It is the annual Dakota Marker game.
“Wait Cody. What is the Dakota Marker and what is so important about it?”
Well, sweetie pie, you just sit right down and let good ol’ Cody drop some knowledge.
In 2004, both NDSU and SDSU moved into Division 1 FCS and the rivalry grew to more than just neighboring state’s school battling it out for bragging rights. Both teams were a part of the Great West Football Conference until 2008 and they both joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Dakota Marker trophy is a replica of the quartzite monuments that marks the border between North and South Dakota after the Dakota Territory was split into two states along the Seventh Standard Parallel. The trophy was around 75 pounds and has the inscriptions of “N.D.,” “S.D.” and “190 M.” It is 190 miles from Fargo, ND to Brookings, SD where SDSU is located.
The series for the Dakota Marker currently stands in favor of the Bison 8-4, and they remain the holders after the trophy after winning last on 10/3/15 in Brookings with the final 28-7. NDSU has won six straight trophy meetings, and last eight games including playoffs. The Bison have the all-time record of 59-40-5 against the Jackrabbits since their first match up in 1903.
Now that you know more about the Dakota Marker, you know just how important this game is.
Now with all the information about why you guys should come with the National Championships, beating Iowa and it being the Dakota Marker game I just have one thing to say.
“I hope that ya’ll come, because if you don’t I’ll be saltier than a pretzel. Plus, I have an A+ sign idea.”
Sincerely,
Cody Tusler
P.S. No seriously, come to Fargo.