The University of Sioux Falls and the University of North Dakota have reached an agreement to compete in football during the 2009 and 2011 seasons.

The Cougars and the Fighting Sioux will meet for the first time when Sioux Falls travels to Grand Forks, N.D. to face UND at the Alerus Center on Oct. 15, 2009.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the Sioux Falls football program," USF Director of Athletics William Sanchez said. "We consider ourselves a championship-caliber team and this agreement with North Dakota will present a challenge to see how good we can become."

Sioux Falls recently captured its third NAIA national title with a 23-7 victory against Carroll College (Mont.) on Dec. 20 in Rome, Ga. The Cougars were also 2008 champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Sioux Falls captured the conference crown for the seventh time in eight seasons of competition.

The Fighting Sioux football team just completed its first season competing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. UND tied with the University of South Dakota for third in the Great West Conference (6-4, 1-2 GWC).

Game dates are listed below:

October 15, 2009 (Thursday Night) - 7:07 p.m.

Sioux Falls @ University of North Dakota

November 5, 2011 - TBA

Sioux Falls @ University of North Dakota