Happy Hour with John Gaskins

South Dakota State won its game 42-7 on Saturday. USD lost 47-28.   Many factors contributed to those contrasting results.    The Jacks were at home, while the Yotes made a one-time-zone trek for the second consecutive week.   The Jacks thumped a 1-3 Eastern Michigan team playing under a new head coach and a new quarterback. The Yotes trailed only 23-21 through three quarters before an avalanche h...

Dan Jackson on EIU win, Holst, Mason's status, RB distribution, stats, and Illinois State

Hawkeyes' Rock Rapids receiver is hero of wildest CFB finish of the season... and poetic justice in the Big House

Matt Vitzthum on USD's loss at YSU, Modrzewski's 3 turnovers, how 3 key defensive injuries impact Yotes

Every Friday, "South Dakota Sports Lounge" displays some of the most captivating and entertaining conversations from daily sports talk shows in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Fargo. Plus, Midwest Sports+ and KSFL-TV reporter Zach Borg provides a compelling feature story to send Dakotas sports fans into the weekend with a smile.   Here are this week's segments:   Happy Hour with John Gaskins (Sioux F...

We saw what the Jackrabbits did to Youngstown State last week in a Top Ten tilt— and for the whole second half, SDSU ran all over the Penguins in Brookings without star quarterback Chase Mason.   Now, it's the Coyotes' turn to take on the Penguins, in a Top 11 tilt tomorrow in Youngstown (USD is No. 8 and YSU is No. 11 in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 poll).   Good news for USD: The Yotes have the...

It doesn't take long for a football season to cause pain for players, coaches, fans, and even the media. Well, more psychological and emotional pain for coaches and fans. The media? It just so happens that Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer is dealing with his own physical pain currently, which he describes in leading off Thursday's Happy Hour, his weekly "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcas...

We get it.  We all waited eight months for the games to begin. They began, and mnost of you just want to watch the games, hear your sports talk hosts to talk about the games, and perhaps leave periphery topics on the back burner for the offseason. Topics like:   * Will the Jacks and Yotes go the FBS sooner than later, or ever?   * Will the meteor crash of Austyn Modrzewski, or any high-performing...

Video producer Cordell and the Happy Hour host discuss the suprising-to-most 2-0 start of the Vikings and how much this boosts their chances of reaching the playoffs, competing for the NFC North title, and even being a team that could reach the.... well, let's not say that yet.

Eidsness is not to blame for Mason injury... and the Coyotes have what could be a big injury vs. Youngstown State

Sam Herder (FCS analyst) on SDSU without Mason, Modrzewski's early theatrics, USD vs Youngstown, Montana schools, FCS vs G6 and more

From MVFC Media Day in July... Beau Brungard on this football journey to the Walter Payton Award... and back to Youngstown (Re-release)

Kurtiss Riggs weekly chat

By midnight Saturday, there may have been more eyeballs at one time on University of South Dakota football than in the history of the program.   An FCS quarterfinal game against North Dakota State in 2023 — televised on ABC and competing only against Army-Navy — might have had more.   But considering USD's tilt with Group of Six sultan Boise State was one of the few games still going, and the Coyo...

Dan Jackson on Chase Mason's injury, Josh Holst's abilities, Josiah Johnson, defensive plays and mistakes, Eastern Illinois

USD's Matt Vitzthum on the valiant loss in Boise, more Modrzewski majesty (and some mistakes), Gabe Hardman's injury, and a huge game at Youngstown State

What do we make of Dan Jackson's injury report on Chase Mason and how equipped are the Jacks to win a national title without him? Meanwhile, another highlight reel touchdown pass for USD freshman Austin Modrzewski on a big and bright late night stage on national TV has anyone who watches him thinking a lot of things.

Every Friday, "South Dakota Sports Lounge" displays some of the most captivating and entertaining conversations from daily sports talk shows in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Fargo.    Here are this week's segments:   Happy Hour with John Gaskins:  USD Athletic Director Jon Schemmel candidly offers insight into the football program's budget, finances, ticket sales, fan base development, and its expl...

A pickled egg may not look like something that will be love at first bite or go down smoothly.   After all, it is a hard-boiled egg, peeled and soaked in a savory (some would say even sour) vinegar-based brine. Those who love their pickled eggs prefer some tabasco seasoning to give them an even sharper kick.   Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer is one of those people. That's one reason he...

Rest assured, we will know a little bit more about the 2026 Jackrabbits and Coyotes by early Sunday morning.   Both Top 10 FCS squads face excellent opponents on Saturday, when No. 9 Youngstown State visits No. 2 South Dakota State, while No. 10 USD plays at FBS G6 giant Boise State.   In his weekly "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcast on Happy Hour, Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer shine...

This is an exciting week to be a University of South Dakota football player, coach, administrator, booster, or fan.   The Coyotes, ranked No. 10 nationally in the FCS, are off to a hot 3-0 start with a dazzling freshman quarterback and take their show on Saturday to Boise State, home of the best modern "Group of Six" program and current best non-power conference FBS team in the country.   USD's 9...

The Happy Hour host checks in on polarizing former SDSU national championship coach Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State. The Cyclones almost earned Rogers a major early road victory against in-state rival Iowa on Saturday.   Why is Rogers proving what the Happy Hour host proclaimed upon his hiring last December—that he was the perfect hire for that job?  

This is an exciting week to be a University of South Dakota football player, coach, administrator, booster, or fan.   The Coyotes, ranked No. 10 nationally in the FCS, are off to a hot 3-0 start with a dazzling freshman quarterback and take their show on Saturday to Boise State, home of the best modern "Group of Six" program and current best non-power conference FBS team in the country.   USD's 9...

Chase Mason knew what he signed up for when he decided to return to South Dakota State for his final year of college football eligibility instead of accepting $1,000,000-plus offers to be the starting quarterback at a Power Four program.   As a reminder, the gunslinger and freak athlete from Viborg-Hurley  first told Happy Hour last December  he was coming back to SDSU because he loves Brookings,...

Kurtiss Riggs on SDSU, USD, Alabama, NDSU, FCS wins over FBS, opening week NFL, and a little Metro prep