South Dakota State ran 88 plays, held the ball eight minutes longer and lost by 16. Watch South Dakota State vs Northwestern highlights on FOX Sports or stream on FOX One. Northwestern’s Week 1 home opener of the 2026 college football season came from Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, IL on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

The Wildcats won 34-18 in the first football game ever played between the two programs.

South Dakota State vs Northwestern Highlights

Aidan Chiles opened his Northwestern career with a 71-yard completion to Griffin Wilde on his first play from scrimmage, and less than four minutes in he found Alex Honig for an 11-yard touchdown and a lead the Wildcats never gave back. Chiles, who started 20 games at Michigan State before transferring, finished 14-of-24 for 273 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions and ran for another. Joseph Himon II broke an 80-yard touchdown run among his four carries. It was uncomfortable for a while: the Jackrabbits cut it to 20-18 with 8:16 to play on a Josiah Johnson touchdown, but the two-point try failed and Northwestern answered with two scores. The team stats read like an upset that did not happen — South Dakota State ran 88 plays to Northwestern’s 55, won time of possession 34:08 to 25:52 and led in first downs 27-19, but averaged 4.9 yards per play against Northwestern’s 9.0 and was kept out of the end zone on six of seven trips inside the Wildcats’ 25. Chase Mason threw for 285 yards and Grahm Goering caught nine for 117 for an SDSU program ranked No. 2 in the FCS with 14 straight playoff appearances and national titles in 2022 and 2023. Chip Kelly’s first game as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator produced 497 yards. You can stream South Dakota State vs Northwestern recaps on FOX One. Live FOX College Football, highlight reels, expert coverage and on-demand FOX programming all live on FOX One. Start your 3-day free trial and stream on supported devices.

Where to Watch South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs Northwestern Wildcats Football

• When: Saturday, September 5, 2026
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
• Where: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL
• Final Score: Northwestern 34 - South Dakota State 18
• TV Channel: BTN
• Live Stream: FOX One

Northwestern and South Dakota State had never met before Sept. 5, 2026, so the Wildcats’ 34-18 win opens the all-time series at 1-0. It was a demanding first meeting: the Jackrabbits arrived ranked No. 2 in the FCS with 14 consecutive playoff appearances and national championships in 2022 and 2023, and they cut the deficit to 20-18 inside the final nine minutes at Northwestern’s temporary lakefront stadium. South Dakota State ran 88 plays to Northwestern’s 55 and won time of possession by more than eight minutes in a game it still lost by 16.