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2000 Valley City State Vikings football team
| 2000 Valley City State Vikings football |
|---|
| Dakota Athletic Conference |
| 9–2 (8–1 DAC) |
| Dennis McCulloch (4th season) |
| Cory Anderson |
| Gregg Horner (4th season) |
| Jeremy Peschel |
| Lokken Stadium |
The 2000 Valley City State Vikings football team represented Valley City State University in the 2000 NAIA football season as a member of the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC). Under fourth-year head coach Dennis McCulloch, the Vikings completed one of the most dramatic turnarounds in program history, rebounding from an 0–10 season two years prior to finish 9–2 overall and 8–1 in conference play. The Vikings tied Huron for the DAC championship, and advanced to the NAIA playoffs, hosting the Carroll Saints at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, where they narrowly lost, 24–21.
Quarterback Jeremy Peschel was named DAC Most Valuable Player, and wide receiver Steve Battle earned Second-Team NAIA All-American honors. Seven Vikings were named First-Team All-Conference: Peschel, Battle, Mark Rerick, Darin Walters, Ben Aarestad, Brent Miller, and James Thornton.
After an early loss to Minot State, the Vikings caught fire, reeling off eight consecutive victories to clinch a share of the Dakota Athletic Conference title. VCSU's high-powered offense averaged more than 33 points per game, led by quarterback Jeremy Peschel and wideout Steve Battle. The defense, anchored by linemen Brent Miller and James Thornton, limited opponents to 17.5 points per game.
The Vikings earned the right to host their first-ever playoff game in the Fargodome, where they fell to Carroll (MT), 24–21, in a back-and-forth contest decided in the final minutes.
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2 | Minnesota–Morris* | No. 24 | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND | W 40–13 |
| September 9 | at Minot State | No. 24 | Minot, ND | L 12–13 |
| September 16 | Dakota State | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND | W 34–10 | |
| September 23 | Black Hills State | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND | W 28–7 | |
| September 30 | at Jamestown | No. 24 | Jamestown, ND (rivalry) | W 27–25 |
| October 7 | at No. 6 Huron | No. 22 | Huron, SD | W 51–28 |
| October 14 | No. 24 Dickinson State | No. 10 | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND (rivalry) | W 35–28 |
| October 21 | Mayville State | No. 8 | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND (rivalry) | W 45–3 |
| October 28 | at South Dakota Mines | No. 8 | Rapid City, SD | W 21–14 |
| November 4 | No. 3 Mary | No. 8 | Lokken StadiumValley City, ND | W 35–21 |
| November 18 | No. 16 Carroll (MT)* | No. 6 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NAIA First Round) | L 21–24 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from NAIA Poll released prior to the game |
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Dennis McCulloch: head coach
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Cory Anderson: assistant coach
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Gregg Horner: assistant coach
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Lenny Doerfler: assistant coach
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Dave Rausch: assistant coach
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Jeremy Peschel: Dakota Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player
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Steve Battle: NAIA Second-Team All-American
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Mark Rerick, Darin Walters, Ben Aarestad, Brent Miller, James Thornton: First-Team All-DAC
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