Northern State
7-4 2025 finalNorthern State is a South Dakota regional program that won 14 state championships in the 1950s-1970s — and has spent the modern NSIC era rebuilding from a generational decline, hunting for relevance again.
The Wolves hold the line.
Northern State is a South Dakota regional program that won 14 state championships in the 1950s-1970s — and has spent the modern NSIC era rebuilding from a generational decline, hunting for relevance again.
Northern State completed a game on November 15, 2025 (defeated Jamestown 46-40), finishing a season of modest results. Head coach Mike Schmidt is in his sixth season rebuilding the program; the Wolves have not established themselv…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Northern State
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Northern State
The baseline for a successful season.
Earns a Super Region playoff qualifier bid.
Entry into the 32-team national bracket.
The Division II national championship game.
Northern State · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Fanbase Health Index · Northern State · low confidence
Growing (65)
Home-Field Advantage · Northern State · 2018-present
Strong
69% home win rate vs 40% on the road. margin runs +10.6 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Northern Sun Standing · 2025
5th in the Northern Sun
Northern State sits 5th of 13 in the Northern Sun at 7-4. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Duluth | 10-2 |
| 2 | Minnesota State Mankato | 10-4 |
| 3 | Augustana University (SD) | 9-2 |
| 4 | Minnesota State Moorhead | 8-3 |
| 5 | Northern State | 7-4 |
| 6 | Sioux Falls | 7-4 |
| 7 | Wayne State (NE) | 7-4 |
| 8 | Winona State | 6-5 |
| 9 | Bemidji State | 4-7 |
| 10 | University of Mary | 4-7 |
| 11 | Minot State | 3-8 |
| 12 | Concordia University St Paul | 2-9 |
| 13 | Southwest Minnesota State | 1-10 |
Schedule Strength · Northern State · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 45% across 11 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · Northern State · 2025
Won 26-7 vs Wayne State (NE)
Week 3 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
From the Archive — Northern State
2025: Won 31-10 vs Concordia University St Paul
In 2025, the program won 31-10 vs Concordia University St Paul — a comfortable home result that left the 21-point margin on the books.
Go Wolves.