TERRE HAUTE, Ind.— Sixth-ranked South Dakota pieced together two long touchdown drives in the second half and the Coyote defense held serve for a 17-3 win against Indiana State Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
It is the sixth consecutive win for the Coyotes (6-1, 4-0 MVFC) who have equaled their longest winning streak at the FCS level. It sets up a clash with top-ranked South Dakota State next Saturday in Vermillion.
South Dakota reached the end zone on a 5-yard plunge from Nate Thomas and an 81-yard sprint from Charles Pierre Jr. It was part of a rushing attack that totaled 202 yards and better than seven yards a carry. Pierre Jr. finished with 107 yards – his first collegiate 100-yard day. Travis Theis had 106 yards on 17 carries for his third 100-yard effort in five games.
South Dakota’s all-conference linebackers Stephen Hillis and Brock Mogensen were credited with 14 and 12 tackles, respectively. They helped limit the Sycamores to 288 yards and a 5-for-16 showing on third down.
It was another game with few possessions and neither team committed a turnover. Indiana State (0-7, 0-4) began the game and ended the game with two long drives of 14-plus plays and came up empty both times. The opening drive of the game resulted in a missed 41-yard field. The late drive stalled on a quarterback scramble on 4th-and-goal from the 19 with less than five minutes to play.
South Dakota had three first-half possessions and the teams were tied 3-3 at the break. Pierre Jr. had a 25-yard burst on the opening drive of the second half, but a sack by Indiana State pushed South Dakota out of field goal range and resulted in a punt.
It was the fifth and sixth drives that resulted in points. USD started on its own 2 for the first one. A 59-yard pitch and catch from Aidan Bouman to JJ Galbreath was the first big strike of the game and it came after Tristan Michaud converted a 3rd-and-7 with a screen catch and run. Galbreath’s grab moved the ball to ISU’s 12 and two plays later Thomas was in the end zone for a 10-3 Coyote lead.
Defensive end Brendan Webb made an open-field tackle for loss on 3rd-and-6 to stall Indiana State’s next drive which had reached USD territory. The Sycamores punted down to the 10. Pierre Jr. broke through the line on the third play of the ensuing drive and had nothing but daylight in front of him for the score.
It was the longest play of the season for South Dakota’s offense and it left just 12 minutes on the clock. Indiana State’s long drive followed. ISU had 1st-and-goal from the 3, but a Mi’Quise Grace tackle-for-loss, an incomplete pass and a personal foul penalty thwarted a chance to make it a one-score game.
Indiana State quarterback Cade Chambers played the entire first half, but did not return for the second. He completed 10-of-15 passes for 108 yards before giving way to freshman Elijah Owens. Owens was 5-of-12 for 44 yards and ran for 28 in the second half. Tailbacks Justin Dinka and Plez Lawrence combined for 29 carries and 108 yards.
Bouman was 11-of-17 for 180 yards for South Dakota. Carter Bell caught four passes for 73 yards including a dazzling one-handed grab late in the first half that went for 36 yards. The Coyotes gained 382 yards on just 45 plays. The team ran 106 plays to the tune of more than 600 yards the last time these two teams met at Memorial Stadium back in 2018.