Talk about starting the season with a bang.

Playing up to an FCS-level opponent is never easy as a DII program, but the Hardrockers certainly made it look that way on Thursday night.

South Dakota Mines drew the Drake Bulldogs in the opener, and it's safe to say that they didn't disappoint in their season debut.

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Mines trailed early in the game 10-0, but responded with a 17-point second quarter to begin an upset bid over the Des Moines-based Bulldogs. The Rockers led 17-13 at the halftime break.

Per GoRockers.com:

DES MOINES, Iowa – South Dakota Mines Football opened the 2026 season with a historic 38-35 upset victory over Drake on Thursday night.

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On Drake's first drive of the second half, the Bulldogs advanced to the South Dakota Mines 5-yard line before Charlie Johnson forced a fumble that Mason Breen recovered.

With 11:36 remaining in the third quarter, the Hardrockers added another touchdown on a nine-play drive. Baker found Blake Borchers for a 36-yard touchdown pass, and Sam Eccles' extra point made it 31-13. Both teams remained scoreless for the remainder of the quarter.

Drake responded with three consecutive touchdowns to take a 35-31 lead with 7:45 remaining in the game. The Hardrockers then embarked on a 16-play drive that drained the clock. With 1:56 remaining, Dunbar scored his second rushing touchdown of the night to put the Rockers back in front, 38-35.

The drive left Drake with less than two minutes and no timeouts. As the Bulldogs drove down the field in the final minutes, Johnson sealed the victory with a game-winning interception, giving the Hardrockers the 38-35 win.

With the victory, the Hardrockers earned their first win over an NCAA Division I opponent in program history. It also marked their first season-opening win since 2023, when they defeated Valley City State, and their first road season-opening victory since a 42-27 win at William Jewell in 2017.

What's Next

The Hardrockers return home for three of their next four games. South Dakota Mines will host Southwest Baptist on Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. at O'Harra Stadium before opening RMAC play against Colorado Mesa on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.

Source: South Dakota Mines