Dickinson, N.D. - Dickinson State football will open its first season back in the Frontier Conference with high expectations, as the Blue Hawks were picked second in the 2025 Frontier Conference East Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Monday.

Montana Tech edged DSU by a single point for the top spot, earning 34 points and four first-place votes, while the Blue Hawks finished with 33 points and three first-place nods. Both programs advanced to the NAIA Football Championship Series in 2024, with Dickinson State making its 10th consecutive postseason appearance.

Dickinson State enters its new conference following a decade of dominance in the North Star Athletic Association, capturing 10 straight regular-season titles and posting a 10-2 record in 2024.

"We are looking forward to competing in the Frontier Conference," said head coach Pete Stanton. "We know it is a great league, and our guys will have to compete at a high level every week. Polls are nice, but they're based on what happened last year. The most important standings are the ones in late November."

The Blue Hawks open the 2025 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 28, against Valley City State before diving into Frontier Conference crossover contests against the West Division on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27. Division play begins Oct. 4, with the East Division champion earning an automatic berth into the NAIA Football Championship Series.

The NAIA National Championship is scheduled for Dec. 20, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.

2025 Frontier Conference East Division Preseason Poll
1. Montana Tech (4) – 34
2. Dickinson State (3) – 33
3. Rocky Mountain – 25
4. Dakota State – 21
5. Mayville State – 14
6. Valley City State – 13
7. MSU-Northern – 7