VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Viking football is set to host the 77^th battle for the Paint Bucket against the University of Jamestown on Saturday, Oct. 12. It will also serve as VCSU's Ag Bowl game to show appreciation for those that work in or with the agriculture industry – an important part of the Barnes County and North Dakota economy.
 
Tailgate setup will begin at 10 a.m. and tailgating will begin at 11 a.m. It is also Oarsmen Day at Viking Football, and all Oarsmen members will be recognized on the field 10 minutes before kickoff. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. from VCSU's Lokken Stadium. This game is the first of two meetings between VCSU and UJ this season. Their second meeting will be at Jamestown on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1:00 p.m.
 
TICKETS
Guests from the University of Jamestown must purchase their tickets online ahead of time. Both students of VCSU and UJ will get in free, but must have their student ID. VCSU is strongly encouraging fans to pre-purchase their tickets online which are available at the tickets link above. General admission is $10. For seniors 65 and up tickets are $5, and kids K-12 receive free admission.
 
WATCH | LISTEN | LIVE STATS
TV coverage will be provided by BEK Sports across North Dakota. Fans will also be able to watch the live broadcast at VCSU's YouTube page. KOVC 1490 AM/96.3 FM will have live radio coverage starting at noon available on the air or at www.newsdakota.com. Live stats can be followed with the link above.
 
Series History
Saturday is the 125^th all-time meeting in the VCSU-Jamestown rivalry, which dates back to 1909. Valley City State leads the all-time series 64-55-5. The teams started playing for the Paint Bucket traveling trophy in 1961. Valley City State leads the Paint Bucket series 43-33, and is 7-3 over the last 10 matchups.
 
Last Year
In last year's Paint Bucket game, VCSU was down early 8-0 to UJ but sprung into action just before the end of the first half, scoring seven. Earning two more touchdowns and one extra point early in the third, VCSU took a 20-8 lead. In the fourth, UJ closed the gap with a touchdown of their own making the score 20-15. With 8:05 remaining, the Vikings nailed a 31-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 23-15. After a tackle for loss and a couple of sacks, VCSU made a strong defensive hold to turn the ball over on downs and end the game. Last year's game was forfeited by VCSU due to playing an ineligible player.
 
2024 Ag Bowl Sponsors
First Community Credit Union
AgCountry Farm and Credit Services
Bank Forward
Barnes County Farm Bureau
Dacotah Bank
FEI, Inc.
John Deere Seeding Group
ProSeed
Valley Plains Equipment