USD (3-1) avenged a tough one-point loss to SELU in 2008 thanks to a solid outing from their offense and a big effort defensively. USD held the Lions, who were averaging 38.7 points per game, to 25 points below their season average.

The Coyotes held SELU to 15 yards of total offense in the second half and outscored the Lions, 30-0 over the final 30 minutes.

Also in the game, senior Noah Shepard (Thornton, Colo.) tied the USD career record for touchdown passes. Shepard threw for two scores on Saturday and now is tied with current Coyote offensive coordinator Wesley Beschorner for the career lead with 64.

SLU (2-2) got on the board first with an 11-play, 48-yard drive, capped off by a 52-yard field goal by Jeffrey Turner with 10:21 left in the opening quarter. But it would be the Lions' only lead of the contest.

The Coyotes answered on their next possession, going on a 10-play, 70-yard drive, with two key plays being a 16-yard scramble by Shepard and a 12-yard pass from Shepard to Tom Flanagan (Fr.,Lakewood, Colo.). Chris Ganious (So., Houston, Texas) capped off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, putting USD up 7-3 with 5:44 left in the first quarter.

That score stood until the second quarter when USD put together another impressive offensive drive. USD went 77 yards on nine plays, scoring on a 14-yard pass from Shepard to Will Powell (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D.), who scored his first collegiate touchdown, to go up 14-3 with 12:16 left in the opening half. A key play of the drive was an 18-yard pass from Shepard to Flanagan that brought USD well into Lion territory.

The Lions moved deep into USD territory on their next possession but the Coyote defense rose to the occasion and held SLU to a 20-yard field goal by Turner, cutting the Coyote lead to 14-6 with 8:04 left in the half.

After a Coyote turnover in SLU territory in the closing minutes of the first half, the Lions answered to cut the Coyote lead to 14-13 with 55 seconds left in the half as Sim Yarborough caught a touchdown pass from Brian Babin. The Coyotes took a 14-13 lead into halftime.

USD held a 252-232 edge in total yards in the first half, including a 100-76 advantage in rushing yards. Shepard was 14-of-17 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown, and also had 59 yards rushing.

USD took control in the third quarter.

The Coyotes caught the Lions off guard to start the second half with an onside kick by Justin Veazie (Sr., Chino, Calif.), and USD's Eric Leon (Jr., Rosamond, Calif.) recovered. Two plays later, Shepard connected with Ben Oberle (Sr., Vermillion, S.D.) for a 54-yard touchdown, putting USD up 21-13 just 47 seconds into the second half.

USD's defense then came up big with a turnover, as Wayne Curry (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) forced a fumble, which was recovered by Adam Broders (So., Bloomfield, Neb.) in Lion territory.

USD converted the turnover into a touchdown, as Ganious scored from 12 yards out to extend the Coyote lead to 27-13 with 8:13 left in the third.

The Coyotes added to the lead when Dustin Nowotny (So., Rapid City, S.D.) connected on a 47-yard field goal with 5:57 left in the third. In the fourth, USD put together two long drives and capped them off with a pair of Shepard touchdown runs, putting USD in total control, 44-13.

USD's defense finished with six sacks, with Curry leading with two. Ryan Routh (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) had 1.5 sacks, while Abe Booker (Sr., Bloomington, Minn.) had one. Jim Thompson (So., Hayward, Wis.) had three pass breakups. Bogan had an interception. Broders and Shea Williams (So., Alexandria, S.D.) led with seven tackles each, while Routh and Curry added six apiece.

Shepard finished 21-of-29 passing for 259 yards and two scores; he also rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Ganious led the ground game with 101 yards and two touchdowns. Oberle had a big day with seven catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.

The Coyotes resume action on at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2 at North Dakota. It will mark the Great West Conference opener for both teams.

Notes: USD is now 29-2 at home under Coach Ed Meierkort...USD is 3-0 at the DakotaDome this season.