Getty South Dakota State will take on Western Illinois this weekend. Here's how to watch.
The South Dakota State Jackrabbits (4-1, 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference) will travel to Hanson Field to face the Western Illinois Leathernecks (1-5, 1-2) on October 16.
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
The game (1 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch South Dakota State vs Western Illinois live on ESPN+:
With ESPN+, you’ll be able to stream hundreds of live college football games during the 2021 season. It also includes dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $6.99 per month.
Or, if you also want Disney+ and Hulu, you can get all three for $13.99 per month. Separately, the three streaming services would cost a total $20.97 per month, so you’re saving about 33 percent:
Get the ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch South Dakota State vs Western Illinois live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
South Dakota State vs Western Illinois Preview
SD State is coming off a heartbreaker, losing 42-41 in overtime to Illinois State last weekend.
“Obviously a disappointing loss,” SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier told The Brookings Register after the win. “We did a lot of really good things, but we didn’t do enough of them and we didn’t make some plays when we had the chance to. SIU is a good football team and so are we, and I think it played out that way.”
Led by quarterback Chris Oladokun, who went 23-31 for 358 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the win, the Jackrabbits are averaging 46.8 points a game on offense, and they’re allowing 15.8 points a game on defense. They’ll be going up against a Leathernecks team that is scoring 29.8 points a game while allowing 39.7 on defense.
“I think [WIU] has really good athletes,” Stiegelmeier added about his team’s opponent this week. “I think specifically their defense, and I know the stats don’t necessarily [show this], I think their defense is playing much better than when we saw them last time. I think their quarterback is a winner, I think they have good receivers. They have a good game plan based on their strengths to not do things that aren’t in their strength’s category. Their well-coached and I really respect their [Jared Elliot] because I think he’s building a program the way you’re supposed to build it. We’ll have to be ready on the road to play our best football.”
As for Western Illinois, it has lost two straight, most recently a 37-27 defeat at the hands of the Indiana State Sycamores last weekend. Leathernecks QB Connor Sampson threw for 449 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in the loss. Sampson was forced to throw so much because his running game has been virtually nonexistent. Western Illinois averaged just 1.0 yards per rush in the loss and just 80.2 yards per game on the ground so far this season.
Now, they’ll be facing a SD State team that has held opposing offenses to 2.2 yards per carry and 95.0 rushing yards a game.
“Our boys are battle-tested with the schedule we have played to this point,” Western Illinois head coach Jared Elliott said late last month, via the Prairie State Pigskin.
They’re going to get the ultimate test this weekend.