Yotes and Panthers Meet for 2024 Dakota Days Matchup

October 9, 2024 Travis Kriens Local, Regional and National Sport stories

VERMILLION, S.D. — The No. 4-ranked University of South Dakota football team (4-1, 2-0 MVFC) looks to continue their string of efficient offense and stingy defense as they play host to the (RV) University of Northern Iowa Panthers (2-3, 0-1 MVFC) for the 2024 Dakota Days battle inside the DakotaDome on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. and you can watch the game on ESPN+ or Midco Sports Plus.

PROMOTIONS

  • This week is Dakota Days (Homecoming) on the campus of the University of South Dakota.
  • The Dakota Days Royalty Recognition will take place at halftime.
  • This week’s game sponsor is CorTrust.
  • The first 800 students will receive a rally towel with the new turf on it.

GAME STORYLINES

  • DEFENDING THE DOME: Since the 2021 season, South Dakota is 16-6 inside the DakotaDome.
  • MVFC NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: Quaron Adams put up a career-best 83 yards against Murray State to earn his first-career MVFC weekly honor.
  • USD has won their first two MVFC games in each of the last two season, looking to make it three-straight for the second-straight year.
  • The Yotes remain No. 4 in both polls (AFCA Coaches’ & STATS Perform) entering Week 7 – marking the eighth game as a top-5 team in the Division I FCS era.
  • South Dakota has scored 40+ points in all three home games this season.
  • They’ve also scored 40-straight points in three-straight games for the first time in the MVFC era and doing so for the first time since the 2005-06 seasons.
  • The Coyote rushing attack jumped up to 7th in the FCS (248.8 yards per game) after a stellar 361 yards on the ground in the Murray State win.
  • The Coyote defense leads the MVFC in scoring defense at 9.2 ppg (third in FCS) and total defense at 276.4 total yards per game (7th in FCS).
  • Teams have struggled to score against the Yotes in the red zone, converting only 60% of the time (ninth in the FCS).
  • HC Bob Nielson has coached in 91 career games at South Dakota, sitting at 46 career wins at USD.
  • Six more wins for Nielson will put him fourth all-time in program history for games won at USD.

YOTES TO NOTE

  • Aidan Bouman has thrown for at least 200 passing yards and one touchdown in the last three games.
  • Quaron Adams has been a spark in the wide receivers group, averaging an MVFC-best 24.6 yards per catch.
  • The rushing attack of Travis Theis (96.0) and Charles Pierre Jr. (89.4) sit No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the Valley in rushing yards per game.
  • Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 35.0 tackles per game, while Dennis Shorter has a team-best two interceptions.

HIGH SCORING COYOTES!

  • South Dakota has put up 40+ points in three-straight home games, including the last two weeks.
  • The overall streak is up to three-straight games, as the Yotes now lead the MVFC in points per game (40.2).
  • It’s the first time putting up 40 or more points in three-straight games since 2006-06.
  • It marks the first time putting up 40+ points in three-straight home games in the Yotes MVFC era, last doing so back in 2009.

DOMINANT RUSHING GAME

  • Back-to-back 300-yard rushing games to open MVFC play has seen South Dakota jump up 17 spots national in rushing yards per game since heading into Valley play two weeks ago.
  • The backfield of Theis & Pierre Jr. have combined for four 100-yard rushing games (both did so against SIU).
  • The two running backs have combined for 75% of the team’s rushing yards this season, plus over 60% (62.5%) of the team’s offensive touchdowns.
  • Charles Pierre Jr. recorded a career-best three rushing scores in the win at Murray State.

STOUT DEFENSE

  • The Yotes have hung their hat with their defense early in the season.
  • South Dakota has five interceptions as a team with four different Yotes having one; Gabriel Hardman picked up his first pick as a Coyote last week against Murray State.
  • The five team interceptions sits 31st-best in the nation.
  • LB Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 36 tackles this season.
  • Nick Gaes leads the team in sacks (4.5), while Gaes and Mi’Quise Grace sit tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (5.5).
  • The duo up front sit tied for second in the MVFC in TFLs per game (1.10), while Gaes sits second in the Valley with his 4.5 sacks.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES & MILESTONES

  • Keyondray Jones-Logan is one of two FCS athletes to return two kickoffs back for touchdowns this season.
  • At Wisconsin, Aidan Bouman cracked the top-10 in program history for career passing yards.
  • Last week against SIU, he became the ninth Coyote to eclipse 4,000 career passing yards.
  • He sits eighth with 4,329 passing yards, aiming to move into seventh this week (Dante Warren, 4,361).
  • Bouman now also sits in sole possession of T9th all-time in program history in career passing touchdowns (27).
  • Travis Theis continues to move up the USD rushing record book, entering the week: second in carries (619), fourth in rushing yards (2,974), and T6th in rushing touchdowns (28).
  • He needs just 26 yards to become the third Yote with 3,000 career rushing yards.
  • Carter Bell moves up to fourth in receiving yards (2,368) and T5th in touchdown receptions (16).
  • He also now sits third in career receptions (154), now eyeing the program’s all-time receptions lead (Brooks Little, 2004-07, 165 receptions).

INSIDE THE NORTHERN IOWA SERIES

  • South Dakota and Northern Iowa will meet for the 53rd time on Saturday. The Panthers lead the all-time series, 31-20-1.
  • It will be the 24th meeting in Vermillion with UNI leading 13-10.
  • This is just the fourth meeting in USD’s Division I era where the Panthers have not been ranked nationally inside the top-25.
  • It’s also the fourth meeting where the Yotes themselves have been ranked, including once inside the top-10 (2017).

NORTHERN IOWA QUICK HITS

  • UNI enters the contest with a 2-3 record, falling in their last three games (Nebraska, Hawai’i, and No. 1 SDSU) under 24th year head coach Mark Farley.
  • The Panthers rank 120th in the FCS in scoring offense (13.0ppg) of 123 FCS programs.
  • The UNI defense hangs their hat on the rushing defense, allowing just over 100 rushing yards per game (117.6) that sits 22nd in the nation (5th in the MVFC).