The Dickinson State–Valley City State football rivalry is an old American college football rivalry between the Dickinson State Blue Hawks and the Valley City State Vikings.The series was first played in the 1933 and has continued through several small-college conference alignments in the North Dakota.

The rivalry has been contested in the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC), the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC), the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), and the Frontier Conference. Through the 2025 season, Dickinson State leads the all-time series 53–35–5 in 93 meetings.

The matchup became a regular conference series,, while both programs were members of the NDCAC. Valley City State had notable stretches in the late 1930s and from the mid-1970s into the very early 1980s, before Dickinson State gained greater national prominence later in the 20th century.

During the NSAA era, the rivalry often had conference-title implications. Valley City State won the league's first two football championships in the years 2013 and 2014,, while Dickinson State won ten consecutive NSAA titles from 2015 through 2024.

The end of NSAA football moved the rivalry into the Frontier Conference era without interrupting the series at all. Valley City State announced its move to the Frontier Conference for the 2025–26 academic year,, and Dickinson State's 2025 schedule was released within the same conference structure.

The teams played twice in 2025. Dickinson State won the season opener in Dickinson, while, by the other hand, Valley City State won the Frontier Conference East Division meeting at Lokken Stadium.

History Early meetings Dickinson State won the first recorded meeting in 1933, defeating Valley City State 19–0. After a scoreless tie in 1934, Valley City won five consecutive meetings from 1935 through 1939, including four shutouts. The schools tied 6–6 in 1940, and Valley City won 13–0 in 1941.

The teams met twice in 1944, tying 6–6 before Valley City won the second game 12–0. Valley City also won their meetings in 1946 and 1947.

Conference competition and coaching changes Dickinson won three consecutive meetings from 1959 through 1961, including a 46–3 victory in 1961. Valley City answered with victories in 1962 and 1963. The teams continued to exchange periods of success: Dickinson won in 1964 and 1965, Valley City won in 1966 and 1967, and the 1968 game ended in a 14–14 tie.

The rivalry entered a period of coaching continuity during the 1970s. Jim Dew became Valley City State's head coach in 1974 and remained through 1993, winning eight North Dakota College Athletic Conference championships. Hank Biesiot took over Dickinson State in 1976 and coached the program through 2013, compiling a 258–121–1 record.

Dew–Biesiot era Several meetings during the early 1980s were decided by narrow margins. Valley City won 9–7 in 1980, 7–6 in 1983, and 9–7 in 1984; Dickinson won the intervening games in 1981 and 1982.

Both programs achieved success beyond the rivalry during this period. Dew's 1980 Valley City team advanced to the NAIA national semifinals. Dickinson finished 9–1 in 1981 with an unbeaten conference record and later posted consecutive 9–1 seasons in 1986 and 1987.

The series also produced individual performances recorded among Dickinson's school records. On November 3, 1990, Rob Stanton scored five rushing touchdowns against Valley City State, a total listed as the program's single-game rushing touchdown record.

1990s and Dakota Athletic Conference Dickinson State won seven consecutive meetings from 1989 through 1995. Valley City ended the streak with a 21–7 victory in 1996, but Dickinson won the next three games.

The rivalry continued in the Dakota Athletic Conference during the 2000s. Valley City won 35–28 in 2000 and 23–20 in 2001, while Dickinson won 23–14 in 2002 and 20–7 in 2003. Dickinson's 2003 team finished 11–1 overall and 9–0 in conference play under Biesiot.

North Star Athletic Association Dickinson State and Valley City State became the leading championship contenders during the North Star Athletic Association era. Entering their November 2023 meeting, the two programs had accounted for every football championship awarded during the conference's first ten seasons. Dickinson State could secure another outright championship with a victory, while Valley City State could move into a tie for first place with one game remaining.

Valley City State's 33–21 victory at Dickinson on September 20, 2014, gave head coach Dennis McCulloch his 100th career win. The Vikings also defeated the Blue Hawks 23–22 at Lokken Stadium in 2019. Dickinson State subsequently won nine consecutive meetings before the start of the 2025 season and finished its NSAA tenure with ten consecutive conference championships.

Frontier Conference Both programs joined the Frontier Conference in 2025. They scheduled two meetings that season, with the opener at Dickinson designated a nonconference game and the October rematch at Valley City counting toward the conference standings.

Dickinson State won the opener 30–15, but Valley City State ended its ten-game losing streak in the series with a 29–21 victory on October 25. A fourth-quarter field goal and a late touchdown helped the Vikings secure the win on Senior Day at Lokken Stadium.

Valley City State won the next meeting, 28–25, on September 3, 2026, in its annual Ag Bowl. After falling behind 10–0, the Vikings scored 28 unanswered points before holding off a late Dickinson State comeback.

Game results Season Date Winner Score Loser Location Notes 1933 Unknown Dickinson State 19–0 Valley City State Unknown First meeting 1934 Unknown Tie 0–0 — Unknown 1935 Unknown Valley City State 13–6 Dickinson State Unknown 1936 Unknown Valley City State 6–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1937 Unknown Valley City State 6–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1938 Unknown Valley City State 20–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1939 Unknown Valley City State 6–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1940 Unknown Tie 6–6 — Unknown 1941 Unknown Valley City State 13–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1944 Unknown Tie 6–6 — Unknown Game 1 1944 Unknown Valley City State 12–0 Dickinson State Unknown Game 2 1946 Unknown Valley City State 19–6 Dickinson State Unknown 1947 Unknown Valley City State 33–20 Dickinson State Unknown 1949 Unknown Valley City State 21–13 Dickinson State Unknown 1954 Unknown Valley City State 32–12 Dickinson State Unknown 1955 Unknown Dickinson State 13–0 Valley City State Unknown 1956 Unknown Dickinson State 20–7 Valley City State Unknown 1957 Unknown Tie 6–6 — Unknown 1958 Unknown Valley City State 19–7 Dickinson State Unknown 1959 Unknown Dickinson State 7–3 Valley City State Unknown 1960 Unknown Dickinson State 27–13 Valley City State Unknown 1961 Unknown Dickinson State 46–3 Valley City State Unknown Largest margin of victory 1962 Unknown Valley City State 18–6 Dickinson State Unknown 1963 Unknown Valley City State 21–0 Dickinson State Unknown 1964 Unknown Dickinson State 13–6 Valley City State Unknown 1965 Unknown Dickinson State 25–12 Valley City State Unknown 1966 Unknown Valley City State 28–7 Dickinson State Unknown 1967 Unknown Valley City State 27–22 Dickinson State Unknown 1968 Unknown Tie 14–14 — Unknown 1969 Unknown Dickinson State 35–6 Valley City State Unknown 1970 Unknown Dickinson State 47–14 Valley City State Unknown 1971 Unknown Dickinson State 26–6 Valley City State Unknown 1972 Unknown Valley City State 35–8 Dickinson State Unknown 1973 Unknown Valley City State 19–17 Dickinson State Unknown 1974 Unknown Dickinson State 42–27 Valley City State Unknown 1975 Unknown Dickinson State 24–14 Valley City State Unknown 1976 Unknown Valley City State 45–18 Dickinson State Unknown 1977 Unknown Valley City State 39–6 Dickinson State Unknown 1978 Unknown Valley City State 20–12 Dickinson State Unknown 1979 Unknown Dickinson State 16–13 Valley City State Unknown 1980 Unknown Valley City State 9–7 Dickinson State Unknown 1981 Unknown Dickinson State 32–9 Valley City State Unknown 1982 Unknown Dickinson State 22–0 Valley City State Unknown 1983 Unknown Valley City State 7–6 Dickinson State Unknown 1984 Unknown Valley City State 9–7 Dickinson State Unknown 1985 Unknown Dickinson State 20–7 Valley City State Unknown 1986 October 25 Dickinson State 41–23 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1987 October 24 Dickinson State 38–12 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1988 October 22 Valley City State 21–7 Dickinson State Valley City, ND VCSU conference champions 1989 October 21 Dickinson State 27–0 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 1990 November 3 Dickinson State 37–20 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1991 November 2 Dickinson State 51–21 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 1992 October 24 Dickinson State 28–14 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1993 October 23 Dickinson State 44–7 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1994 October 13 Dickinson State 23–14 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1995 September 2 Dickinson State 13–0 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 1996 September 7 Valley City State 21–7 Dickinson State Valley City, ND VCSU 9–1 regular season 1997 September 6 Dickinson State 15–6 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 1998 September 5 Dickinson State 27–10 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1999 September 4 Dickinson State 34–0 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2000 October 14 Valley City State 35–28 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2001 October 13 Valley City State 23–20 Dickinson State Dickinson, ND 2002 October 5 Dickinson State 23–14 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2003 October 11 Dickinson State 20–7 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2004 October 2 Dickinson State 38–16 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2005 October 1 Dickinson State 13–6 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2006 October 7 Dickinson State 17–14 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2007 October 13 Valley City State 17–13 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2008 October 4 Dickinson State 28–21 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2009 September 26 Dickinson State 27–3 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2010 October 2 Dickinson State 16–6 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2011 September 10 Valley City State 28–26 Dickinson State Dickinson, ND 2011 October 15 Valley City State 23–13 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2014 September 20 Valley City State 33–21 Dickinson State Dickinson, ND 2014 October 18 Valley City State 22–17 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2015 September 26 Dickinson State 28–7 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2016 September 3 Dickinson State 38–13 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2016 October 1 Dickinson State 34–7 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2017 September 2 Dickinson State 30–21 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2017 October 7 Dickinson State 35–20 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2018 October 20 Dickinson State 31–26 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2019 October 26 Valley City State 23–22 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2020 September 26 Dickinson State 27–13 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2020 October 31 Dickinson State 26–14 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2021 October 23 Dickinson State 14–7 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2022 September 17 Dickinson State 35–10 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2022 October 29 Dickinson State 21–13 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2023 September 30 Dickinson State 34–10 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2023 November 4 Dickinson State 48–17 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2024 October 5 Dickinson State 19–6 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2024 November 9 Dickinson State 42–24 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2025 August 28 Dickinson State 30–15 Valley City State Dickinson, ND 2025 October 25 Valley City State 29–21 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2026 September 3 Valley City State 28–25 Dickinson State Valley City, ND 2026 October 24 Valley City State TBD Dickinson State Dickinson, ND

References

External links Viking football history – VCSU Athletics