Dan Jackson loves a good fight, and even more so loves one particular all-time world boxing champion.

The first-year South Dakota State football coach made it home from Saturday's underwhelming 37-21 win over Drake on Saturday night to watch fellow Omaha native Terrance "Bud" Crawford capture another world title via 12-round decision.

Before the Jackrabbits' home game, he showed his squad a Crawford highlight reel, feeling there is plenty to learn from the way Crawford fights and trains.

After the game, many SDSU fans were wondering how and why the Jacks failed to deliver a knockout blow of a non-scholarship team by halftime, like their 70-7 bludgeoning of Drake at Target Field in 2023. This included the 19,000-plus fans who spent most of the primetime Beef Bowl "on their hands" and making little noise, according to Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer.

With two national titles and five semifinal berths in the last five seasons, SDSU has become the kind of football program where a mere 3-0 start is not enough to absolve the players and coaches of any criticism or consternation — even if the roster has 67 new players (including new starters at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, offensive line, and several other spots) an entirely new coaching staff.

Zimmer wrote about this after Saturday's game and put head coach Dan Jackson on the spot about it in the post-game press conference.

Less than 48 hours removed, Jackson dug deeper with more blow-for-blow breakdown with Happy Hour host John Gaskins.

• Beyond Drake's perceived improvement from two years ago, what are some beyond-surface reasons the Jacks took so many haymakers, particularly from a backup and then third-string quarterback?
• Why does SDSU land so few walloping "death blow" explosion plays on offense? The Jacks had just two over 16 yards.
• What do we make of quarterback Chase Mason through three games?
• Why does he mean by defenders needing to "do your job all the time," as he emphasized in the post-game presser?
• How will the bye week — coined "improvement week" by Jackson's mentor John Stiegelmeier years ago — be mapped out?
• Did Jackson make it home in time to see Bud Crawford's victory?

Veteran local college and prep TV analyst Kurtiss Riggs — the well-connected director of the Sanford Academy's football program and 11-time professional indoor championship coach of the Sioux Falls Storm — was on the TV call for SDSU's win and has his own thoughts on why the Jacks are productive but not explosive. Plus:

• Why is USD struggling more than SDSU with a bunch of new players?
• Chase Mason and Aidan Bouman through 3 games
• NDSU's dominance and UND's emergence on to MVFC/national scene
• Is Mark Gronowski at all to blame for Iowa's slow offensive start?
• His best friend Kalen DeBoer and Alabama: Are they OK? Is he OK?
• Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy — one has a bright future with his team. The other? Not so much. Here's why.

Before all that, a Gaskins "John-o-logue" that features breaking Monday news:

Wait, what?

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is ruled out (sprained ankle) for Minnesota's game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Head coach Kevin O'Connell cited an ankle sprain.

Can we take this injury at face value or is it a "soft benching" as Minnesota picks up the pieces from a brutal loss to Atlanta and faces a Bengals squad without Joe Burrow, who was also hurt on Sunday and will miss at least three months with turf toe?

John leans on the football I.Q. of Riggs to speculate why McCarthy truly won't play, and how Minnesota will fare with Carson Wentz as the starter.

The Vikings' start to the 2025 slate looks and feels a lot like both South Dakota State and South Dakota, particularly all three teams' home games over the weekend, even though the Jackrabbits and Coyotes were victorious and the Vikings were flattened by the Falcons.

But what do the Jacks and Vikings have in their favor to keep fans optimistic that the Yotes don't have?