Minnesota Duluth opened its season by smashing Minot State 52-7. But way that the losing team scored its touchdown, on a 104-yard play, overshadowed everything else that happened.
In May, the MIAC Presidents' Council announced it was involuntarily removing St. Thomas, which will line up on the football field against schools that demanded the Tommies find somewhere else to play.
A state appeals court shot down a discrimination lawsuit from three former coaches at the University of Minnesota Duluth, though it does not affect the $4.2 million a federal court previously awarded to former women's hockey coach Shannon Miller.
Redshirt freshman Trey Lance completed 10 of 11 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns and added 116 rushing yards, including TD runs of 61 and 33 yards.
The Twin Cities area has more than 15,000 North Dakota State alumni, so there's a built-in fan base that can augment the caravan that will travel down I-94 from Fargo.
Coach John Stiegelmeier, who brings his SDSU team to face the Gophers on Thursday, has turned his program from a mediocre football presence in Division II to a national contender in FCS.
South Dakota State made the move to Division I and along with that came the kind of facilities, including a $65 million football stadium, that you'd expect to see at a bigger-name school.