VALLEY CITY (VCSU) (vcsuvikings.com) – The Valley City State University football team has finalized its 2020 schedule, head coach Dennis McCulloch announced today, revealing that the Vikings will open the season at rival University of Jamestown.
The 122nd meeting of the storied Viking-Jimmie rivalry kicks off the 2020 season, Aug. 29 in Jamestown. The football rivalry with the Jimmies dates back to 1909, and the 2020 season opener will be the 74th meeting in the Paint Bucket Series, which dates back to 1961.
“That really ratchets the intensity up right away,” McCulloch said about starting the season at Jamestown. “Last year’s atmosphere in Valley City for the season opener was something special, and this year at Jamestown should be no different.”
The Vikings and Jimmies have opened the season against each other the past two seasons, with the home team winning both contests. The Vikings currently lead the all-time series with Jamestown, 63-53-5, and lead the Paint Bucket Series 42-31. The Vikings have won nine of the last 10 meetings since 2014.
Following the season opener at Jamestown, the Vikings will host Doane University for the 2020 home opener on Sept. 5. It will also be the third annual VCSU Ag Bowl, celebrating the importance of agriculture in the community. Doane has been a traditionally strong program in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, but slipped below .500 last season and finished with a 4-7 overall record.
Valley City State University is coming off a strong 2019 season that saw them finish with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-2 mark in the North Star Athletic Association. The 2020 schedule includes three non-conference games and seven NSAA games. Only four of the games are at home while six are on the road.
VCSU’s non-conference schedule includes the games against Jamestown and Doane, and a Sept. 19 road game at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire – an NCAA Division III school in the WIAC.
The Vikings open conference play Sept. 26 at Dickinson State University. VCSU will play Dickinson State and Mayville State twice during the conference schedule. VCSU’s home conference games are Oct. 3 against Mayville (homecoming), Oct. 10 against Presentation College and Oct. 31 against Dickinson.
2020 VCSU Football Schedule
Aug. 29 @ Jamestown, 1 p.m.
Sept. 5 vs. Doane University, 1 p.m.
Sept. 19 @ Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 6 p.m.
Sept. 26 @ Dickinson State*, 3 p.m.
Oct. 3 vs. Mayville State*, 2 p.m.
Oct. 10 vs. Presentation College*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 17 @ Waldorf University*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 24 @ Dakota State*, 4 p.m.
Oct. 31 vs. Dickinson State*, 3 p.m.
Nov. 7 @ Mayville State*, 1 p.m.
Nov. 21 @ NAIA Playoffs, TBD