Tyler Merriam Leads New Haven at South Dakota State Coverage on ESPN+ and Midco Sports
Match date:
New Haven’s trip to South Dakota State in the NCAA Division I FCS will be available for viewers in the US on ESPN Unlimited and ESPN+, with regional coverage also listed on KELOLand, Midco Sports Network and Midco Sports+. The matchup is set for Saturday, 13 September 2026, with a UK kick-off time of 00:00, and it brings one of the FCS’s newer programmes into a difficult road assignment against a perennial power in Brookings, South Dakota.
The broadcast team is led by Tyler Merriam on commentary, joined by Kurtiss Riggs as co-commentator, while Kelsey Dennehy is set to report from the sidelines. Merriam is a familiar voice around South Dakota State football coverage, while Riggs adds strong local football knowledge from his background in the sport, giving this telecast a distinctly Dakota flavour.
South Dakota State’s own athletics coverage confirms the fixture as the programme’s home meeting with New Haven, and the Jackrabbits enter the game as one of the FCS’s most recognisable names. Their official schedule lists the contest as part of the 2026 campaign at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, while ESPN’s live listings also carry the game for streaming audiences.
For British and American fans alike, the key detail is that this is not a traditional UK television pick-up, so streaming will matter most. In the United States, ESPN+ remains the main route for digital viewers, and ESPN Unlimited is also included in the published distribution. Regional viewers in South Dakota and surrounding areas can follow the game through Midco’s platforms and KELOLand.
There is also useful context on the teams themselves. New Haven, now competing in the FCS, is continuing its move into Division I football, making fixtures like this one an important benchmark against established opposition. South Dakota State, meanwhile, has been one of the standard-bearers of modern FCS football, with a strong home environment and a reputation for national relevance.
That makes the broadcast team especially important for viewers who want more than just the score. Merriam and Riggs should provide local insight into the pace and physicality of the game, while Dennehy’s reporting can add injury and momentum updates as the contest unfolds. For anyone following from the UK in the early hours, this is a straightforward streaming watch rather than a scheduled channel event on Sky, ITV or the major US national networks.
Fans wanting more information on the competition can visit the NCAA FCS football page for background on the championship structure and the wider division.
With a promising commentary line-up, a strong regional broadcast package and a compelling FCS matchup, New Haven at South Dakota State looks set to be one of the more interesting early-season college football watches of the weekend.
Article generated: 12 September 2026, 00:02 GMT