VERMILLION, S.D. — The South Dakota Coyotes (3-1, 1-0 MVFC) rushed for 300+ yards, a pair of 100-yard rushers, and putting up over 500 yards of total offense leads the Yotes to a 42-13 top-20 win over No. 17 Southern Illinois (2-3, 0-1 MVFC) to open league play with a win for the second-straight season.
“It was a tremendous win against a really good team,” commented head coach Bob Nielson. “All three phases went out and executed at a high level. I’m really proud with how our team played today and excited to keep building forward.”
It was the defense that made the statement early on in the contest, forcing a fast three-and-out with back-to-back sacks to get Southern Illinois off the field. Blake Holden (Sr., Watertown, S.D.) and Mosai Newsom (Sr., Waverly, Iowa) combined for the first sack of the day, followed by an 11-yard sack from Mi’Quise Grace (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) to close out the drive.
From that point on, it would be all Yotes. USD raced out to a fast 28-0 lead, thanks to touchdowns on their first four possessions of the game. Travis Theis (Sr., Pratt, Kan.) would get the Coyotes on the board with a one-yard score on fourth-and-goal with a direct snap, capping off a drive that started in Saluki territory.
South Dakota would strike again with seconds left in the first quarter with an eight-yard score from Charles Pierre Jr. (So., Orlando, Fla.). The first quarter alone set the pace for the day as USD had nearly 100 rushing yards as a team after the first 15 minutes of play.
Following another defensive stop early in the second quarter, the first play from scrimmage would see Aidan Bouman (Jr., Buffalo, Minn.) find a streaking JJ Galbreath (Sr., Arvada, Colo.) in the middle of the field for an 80-yard touchdown strike. By far the longest pass of the season, it also notches a career-best for both Bouman (pass) and Galbreath (reception).
Not even three game minutes later, a 24-yard run for Pierre Jr. would see him find the endzone for his second rushing score of the first half.
Southern Illinois would put their first points of the day on the board after the two-minute time out. Not to be outdone, Bouman would connect on another 50+-yard pass to keep the momentum on the side of the home team. Finding Quaron Adams (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) after exiting the pocket, Adams would weave his way for the score for a 61-yard touchdown reception and the Yotes would lead it 35-7 at the break.
The scoring would slow down in the second half with just a combined two touchdowns. The Salukis would make it 35-13 after a seven-yard touchdown pass and a failed two-point attempt. To kick off the fourth quarter, Theis scored his second rushing score of the day from 20 yards out to make it 42-13.
Theis (147 yards, 25 carries, 5.9ypc) and Pierre Jr. (124 yards, 15 carries, 8.3ypc) become the first Coyote duo to rush for 100+ yards each since Nate Thomas and Theis did it against Lamar last season.
South Dakota dominated the entire game, holding SIU to their lowest total yards rushing (60 yards) on the season and keeping par on the scoring defense (11.0ppg) with the 13 allowed points. The offense, led by a balanced passing (247 yards) and rushing (302) attack, put up 500+ yards of offense for the first time since the Western Illinois game last season. IT was the first time with 300+ rushing yards since the Lamar game in the Dome last year.
Up Next: The Coyotes will hit the road for the first time in MVFC play next week for clash with the Racers of Murray State (1-3, 0-1 MVFC) to open the month of October next weekend (Oct. 5) from Murray, Kentucky.