VERMILLION, S.D. - For the second consecutive season, the South Dakota football team looks to upset a Big Ten team on the road as the Coyotes head to Madison, Wis., for a date with the No. 6/7 Wisconsin Badgers. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Coyotes enter with a 2-1 record and are ranked No. 20 in the latest FCS Coaches' Poll. The Badgers are 3-0 on the year and ranked No. 7 according to the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the Associated Press Poll. Last season, the Coyotes upset fellow Big Ten foe Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn., 41-38, Sept. 11, 2010.

Scouting the Badgers The Badgers enter the week with a 3-0 record after a 49-7 neutral site win over Northern Illinois last weekend at Soldier Field in Chicago. This season, the Badgers have put up the points, outscoring their opponents 135-24 in three games. They lead the Big Ten in scoring at 45 points per game ranking them 11th nationally and are allowing a league-best 8.0 points per game ranking fourth nationally. Leading the way for the Badgers this season is senior quarterback Russell Wilson who is 50 of 66 for 791 yards and eight touchdowns after transferring to Wisconsin from North Carolina State. He leads the conference in passing efficiency and is second in passing yards per game at a 263.7 clip. He also leads the league in total offense at a 300.3 average. The running back duo of Montee Ball and James White also has been effective this season as Ball is fourth in the league in rushing with 272 yards and seven touchdowns for a 90.7 average. White has 208 yards and two touchdowns. As a team the Badgers are averaging 238.3 yards on the ground ranking 16th nationally. Nick Toon leads the team in receiving with 198 yards and three scores for a 66.0 average. He ranks eighth in the league in receiving. Jacob Pedersen leads the team with four touchdowns and a 54.7 average. Defensively the Badgers have been just as tough. Chris Borland leads the team with 27 tackles, including 12 solo stops. Mike Taylor is second in tackles with 20 and Louis Nzegwu leads the team with two sacks. Borland ranks sixth in the league in tackles at a 9.0 average per game. This season the Badgers were picked by many to be the inaugural Leaders Division champions and earn a berth in the Rose Bowl. Losing All-Americans Gabe Carimi at left tackle and John Moffitt at guard will hurt on the offensive line, but returning are Peter Konz (center) and Kevin Zeitler (right guard), as well as honorable mention all-league honoree Rick Wagner. Defensively the Badgers lost defensive end J.J. Watt, however the team should be strong up front with Pat Muldoon and Louis Nzegwu, as well as tackles Patrick Butrym, Beau Allen, Ethan Hemer and Jordan Kohout. Borland, a linebacker, was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2009 and missed last season due to injury. In the secondary, the Badgers are stacked with Antonio Feneulus who has 12 tackles so far. Second team all-conference pick Aaron Henry has 11 tackles on the year, too.

Scouting the Coyotes Four Coyotes who hail from Wisconsin return home this weekend to face the Badgers. Junior punter Cole Zwiefelhofer (Chippewa Falls, Wis.), senior defensive lineman Jesse Weisbrod (Waupaca, Wis.), senior defensive back Jim Thompson (Hayward, Wis.) and sophomore Taylor Moore (Milwaukee, Wis.) all return home. Coyote head coach Ed Meierkort began his head coaching career in Wisconsin at Wisconsin-Stout from 1993-2003. There, he compiled a 55-55 record in 11 seasons. Leading the way for the Coyotes this season is senior quarterback Dante Warren (Arlington Heights, Ill.) He is 34 of 60 for 488 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. He is averaging 162.7 yards per game. Senior running back Chris Ganious (Hosuton, Texas) has 187 yards with one touchdown and is averaging 62.3 yards per game. Ganious moved into third all-time in school history earlier this season with 2,187 career rushing yards. The receivers are led by junior Will Powell (Sioux Falls, S.D.) as he is averaging 59.3 yards per game with a team-high 12 receptions. Senior return specialist and wide receiver, Jeremy Blount, leads the team with three touchdowns and is averaging 58 yards on eight catches. He set the school record earlier this year for kick return yards and leads the team with 395 all-purpose yards. Defensively the Coyotes are led by senior Adam Broders (Bloomfield, Neb.) who has 27 tackles on the year. He tied his career-high with 15 stops against Eastern Washington Sept. 10 earned Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Senior Shea Williams (Alexandria, S.D.) is second with 22 stops, while sophomore Tyler Starr (Little Rock, Iowa) is third with 17 stops, including 15 solo tackles. Starr leads the team with five sacks for 26 yards, three forced fumbles and six tackles for a loss of 28 yards. Coyote History Versus the Badgers Wisconsin leads the all-time series 1-0. The Badgers won the last meeting 48-7 Sept. 20, 1975, in Madison, Wisconsin. It was the third game under former Coyote head coach Bernard "Beanie" Cooper (1975-78).

Last Time Out: No. 23 South Dakota 48, Northwestern Oklahoma State 10 VERMILLION, S.D. - Senior quarterback Dante Warren threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown to help the South Dakota football team roll to a 48-10 rout of Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The Coyotes (2-1) won their second straight game and improved to 36-5 at the DakotaDome under head coach Ed Meierkort. Several players shined in Saturday's win, including Warren (Arlington Heights, Ill.), while Junior Marcus Sims (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) had 92 yards rushing and a touchdown on just four carries and junior receiver Will Powell (Sioux Falls, S.D.) had four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Senior receiver Jeremy Blount (Tampa, Fla.) also had four catches for 77 yards and hauled in a score. The defense also added another stellar performance, forcing three turnovers and holding the Rangers to just 128 rushing yards on 39 attempts. Senior linebacker Shea Williams (Alexandria, S.D.) had seven tackles, while sophomore Tyler Starr (Little Rock, Iowa) had two sacks and five tackles. Junior Jordan Eaton (St. Paul, Minn.) also had two sacks. Sophomore Dametrius Turner (Tampa, Fla.) had a sack and a forced fumble, while junior Charlie Goro (Park Ridge, Ill.) had an interception. Sophomore Kevin Robb (Rapid City, S.D.) made two field goals and also converted 7-of-7 extra point attempts.

"We were dominant from the start," Meierkort said. "I thought we looked really good defensively in the first half, and I thought we looked really good offensively in the first half and our kicker was fantastic today." The Coyotes didn't take long to strike in Saturday's contest. After forcing a three-and-out by the Rangers on the opening possession of the game, the Coyotes took two plays to find the end zone, as Warren find a wide-open Powell for a 45-yard score, giving the Coyotes an early 7-0 lead just 2:11 into the game. South Dakota's defense forced a second-straight three-and-out, and the Coyotes quickly added to their lead. They went on an eight-play, 75-yard march and capped off the drive with a 38-yard touchdown run by Marcus Sims to make it 14-0 with 7:50 left in the first half. The Coyote defense then came through with one of two first-half turnovers, as Dametrius Turner sacked Kyle Jech and forced a fumble, which was recovered by senior David Giese. Two plays later, Ganious broke through a group of Ranger tacklers for a 10-yard score, giving the Coyotes a 21-0 lead with 3:39 left in the opening quarter. South Dakota wasn't done in the first quarter, as Warren broke free for a 62-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left to push the lead to 28-0. "We were running smooth offensively," Powell said. "We played well. You can't ask for anything more than four touchdowns right off the bat. The offensive line played incredible." The Coyote defense - which held the Rangers to just 96 yards of offense on 33 plays in the first half - forced a second turnover when Jech was hit and fumbled, which was recovered by Hogans. South Dakota methodically moved the ball, going on a 10-play, 42-yard drive, that was capped off by a 30-yard field goal by sophomore Kevin Robb (Rapid City, S.D.), who was also 4-of-4 on extra points in the first half. That field goal with 9:03 left in the half pushed the Coyote lead to 31-0, which was the score at halftime. 2011 South Dakota Football Media Guide Season Outlook Facing one of the toughest schedules in school history along with the loss of 12 starters, the South Dakota football team posted a 4-7 overall mark and a 1-3 mark in the Great West Conference in 2010. This fall finds the Coyotes with a much more seasoned roster as they return 19 of 22 starters from the 2010 squad, plus the 2010 Great West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, punter Cole Zwiefelhofer, kicker Kevin Robb and kick returner Jeremy Blount. The Coyotes, under eighth year head coach Ed Meierkort, return 13 players who received All-Great West honors in 2010.

Offense Lettermen Returning/Lost: 26/5 Starters Returning/Lost: 9/2 The offensive line remains a consistent strength of the Coyotes, who lose starting guard Scott Slotten, but return four starters. That group is led by first-team all-conference selection Tom Compton, a senior now entering his fourth year as a starter. Compton, an emerging NFL prospect, anchors the left-tackle position for the Coyotes and earned All-America status from PhilSteele.Com in 2010. All-GWC honorable mention selections Brent Johnson, a senior, and Tim Ross, a junior, return at right guard and center, respectively, while senior RJ Polley returns at right tackle. Other players battling for time on the offensive line include Broc Gullet, Steve Nelson, Cody O'Neill, Matt Porisch, Marc Murtha, Adam Praska and Andrew Schofield. Senior Erik Helland will likely start at fullback for the fourth consecutive season and will be supported by junior Quintin McMartin. Both will block for senior starter Chris Ganious at running back. Ganious earned All-GWC first team honors in 2010 for a second straight year after rushing for 817 yards. The Coyotes are deep in the backfield as junior Marcus Sims and sophomores Michael Burrus and Earv Archambeau, as well as freshman Noah Pearl all could factor into the mix. Senior Dante Warren is back for his second year as the Coyotes' starting quarterback. The versatile Warren, a threat to pass or run, was an All-GWC second team selection in 2010 after accounting for 2,530 yards of total offense. Redshirt freshman Josh Vander Maten and sophomore Kyle Cichos are battling for the backup spot. The Coyotes graduated the top two tight ends on the depth chart, London Landry and Mitch Mohr, both of whom earned All-GWC honors. Junior Joel DeJongh returns to lead the way at the position. Tyler Wilhelm, a converted quarterback, Michael Neilson, and junior college transfer Jay Burns provide depth at the position. Another position of strength for the Coyotes is wide receiver, led by junior Will Powell. Powell, a second team All-GWC selection a year ago, caught 47 passes for 933 yards and 10 touchdowns, all team highs. Senior Dustin Nowotny, senior Jeremy Blount, and sophomore transfer Anthony Williams give the Coyotes a diverse, talented receiving corps.

Defense Lettermen Returning/Lost: 32/3 Starters Returning/Lost: 10/1 The defensive line returns a strong core group, led by seniors Jesse Weisbrod and Evan Capper. Juniors David Giese and Jordan Eaton also return. Adding to the mix on the defensive line are senior Andrew Meier, a converted linebacker, redshirt sophomore Tyler Starr, senior Sidney Bazemore, redshirt freshmen Chase Irvin-Salazar and Kenny Greer, and sophomores Mike Pharis and Taylor Moore. South Dakota's linebacking core has plenty of experience and depth returning. Inside linebacker will be anchored by returning senior starters Shea Williams and Adam Broders. The 'Yotes must replace starting linebacker Cory Kuehl, but have plenty of players in contention for spots, including senior Kyle Wheeler, juniors Darius Hogans, Tim Marlette, D'Angelo Butler, Kyle Shanker and Zack Wilson, along with sophomore Kelan Richardson and redshirt freshman Kyle Guziec. Defensive back returns all four starters from a year ago. Senior Shane Potter is back at strong safety, with sophomore Aaron Swift returning at the free safety spot after taking over for the injured Jim Thompson early in 2010. Thompson is healthy and is a strong contender to return at the free safety spot. At corner, senior Marquis Butler and sophomore Dametrius Turner are back as starters, with junior Alphonso "Rico" Valdez, sophomore Chris Frierson and redshirt freshman Chris Lundy pushing for playing time.

Special Teams Starters Returning/Lost: 3/0 The Coyotes welcome back the key pieces of their special teams, including Zwiefelhofer, one of the nation's top punters. Zwiefelhofer averaged 43.2 yards per punt in 2010, which was good for fourth in the nation, placing 18 inside the 20-yard line. Kevin Robb returns at kicker after a solid freshman campaign, with Blount back as a kick returner after another solid campaign in 2010.

Count on Coach Ed Meierkort wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the best head football coaches in USD history. He is 50-31 in his eighth season with the Coyotes, including 23-16 in conference play, as his teams have broken more than 100 school records during that span. USD posted nine wins in his first three seasons, the first time in school history the Coyotes had accomplished the feat. His 49 wins put him fourth on USD's career victories list, while his .615 winning percentage also ranks fourth. Meierkort has posted a 35-5 record in the DakotaDome, including a 23-game win streak.

Coyotes Ranked in FCS Coaches Poll For the second consecutive week, the South Dakota football team is ranked the FCS Coaches Poll. This week the Coyotes are No. 20 which ties the highest they have been ranked since moving to Division I. Last season, going into the North Dakota State game (Sept. 25, 2010), the Coyotes also were ranked 20th.

Coach To Cure MD This weekend, the Coyotes will be participating in the Coach to Cure MD presented by the AFCA. On Sept. 24, AFCA members will wear a Coach to Cure MD logo patch on the sidelines and college football fans will be asked to donate to research projects supported by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused entirely on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Football fans can donate by either going online www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 90999 (a $5 donation will automatically be added to your next phone bill).

Versus The Big Ten The Coyotes had one of the biggest upsets of the season on a national level with a thrilling 41-38 win at Minnesota on Sept. 11, 2010. It was the second win against a Big Ten school in the history of the Coyote program.

Meierkort Wins 50 Saturday's 48-10 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State was the 50th win for head coach Ed Meierkort in his eight years at the helm of the program. He is just one win shy of tying Joe Salem (1966-74) for third all-time in wins in school history.

Getting Time A number of Coyotes had the opportunity to see significant playing time this past Saturday as true-freshman Noah Pearl (Kansas City, Mo.) rushed the ball seven times for 35 yards, while redshirt-freshman quarterback Josh Vander Maten (Rock Valley, Iowa) went 5 of 7 for 46 yards and his first collegiate touchdown pass. Defensively, junior Jordan Eaton (St. Paul, Minn.) had a big game as he tallied three tackles with two sacks for 15 yards.

Goro Does It All Junior transfer Charlie Goro (Park Ridge, Ill.) saw action on both sides of the ball and speical teams Saturday as he had one tackle along with a 25-yard interception return on defense. He then returned a kick for 22 yards and caught a pass for eight yards as a wide receiver.

All-Purpose Blount Senior return specialist and wide out Jeremy Blount (Tampa, Fla.) hauled in four catches tying a team-high 77 yards and a touchdown. He also had two punt returns for 35 yards and two kick-off returns for 55 yards. For the day, Blount had a season-high 167 all-purpose yards.

Nowotny Seventh in Receptions Senior wide receiver Dustin Nowotny has 94 career receptions ranking seventh all-time in school history. He has 1,153 career yards.

Big Time Broders Senior linebacker Adam Broders (Bloomfield, Neb.) tied his career-high with 15 tackles (seven solo and eight assisted) versus Eastern Washington Sept. 10. He was named Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Broders leads the team with 27 tackles (13 solo and 14 assisted).

Robb Earns Player of the Week Sophomore Kevin Robb (Rapid City, S.D.) had three huge field goals Sept. 10 helping the Coyotes to a thrilling 30-17 win over then-No. 1 Eastern Washington. It was the first time Robb has converted three field goals in a game. He was good from 33, 33, and 30 yards all in the second half. Robb is a perfect 5 for 5 in field goals this season and 11 for 12 in PATs.

Thompson Interception Senior Jim Thompson (Hayward, Wis.) has two interceptions on the season to lead the team. His second pick came at the right time as he took a 4th and 3 Bo Levi Mitchell pass to the house for a thrilling 67-yard pick-six Sept. 10 as the Coyotes upset defending national champion Eastern Washington.

Ganious Gaining Senior Chris Ganious (Houston, Texas) had 85 yards rushing against Eastern Washington as he moved into third-place on the school's all-time rushing yards record. He now has 2,589 career yards surpassing Jared Schwenn (1994-1997) who with 2,513 yards.

Blount Sets Career Mark Senior wide receiver/return specialist Jeremy Blount (Tampa, Fla.) returned the first kick of the game 25 yards setting the school record for career kick return yards against Eastern Washington Sept. 10. Blount entered the season 47 yards behind James Vann (1985-89). Blount now has 1,431 career kick return yards.

Against Ranked Teams With the win over Eastern Washington Sept. 10, the Coyotes snapped an 11-game losing skid to ranked teams dating back to a 31-28 win over then-No. 17 ranked Northwood University (Michigan) in the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament Nov. 18, 2006.

Starr Sacks Sophomore defensive end Tyler Starr (Little Rock, Iowa) continued his strong start to the season. He leads the team and the conference with five sacks on the year for 26 yards. He has 17 total tackles and 15 solo stops on the year. After the Air Force game where he had seven tackles, six solo, one sack, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. He earned Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors and National Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.

Strong-Legged Zwiefelhofer Junior punter, Cole Zwiefelhofer (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) had a career-long 72 yard punt on at Air Force Sept 3. He was named CFPA Honorable Mention National Punter of the Week for his efforts. Zwiefelhofer then followed with a 61-yard punt against then-No. 1 Eastern Washington Saturday. He has punted 13 times this season for a 42.2 average.

Strong 4th Quarter Last season the Coyotes started fast and faded in the fourth quarter. That was not the case in the season opener at Air Force as the Coyotes outscored Air Force 13-0 in the fourth quarter against a majority of the Falcons' first string players. The Coyote defense also stood strong late in the game, forcing a pair of fumbles and an interception. The Coyotes then added six points in the final frame to keep then-No. 1 Eastern Washington at arm's length en route to a 30-17 upset win Sept. 10. Neilson Makes Impact Senior Michael Neilson (Gilbert, Ariz.) made his first catch as a Coyote in the season opener for 13 yards setting up the first touchdown of the season in the second quarter. Neilson started as a tight end last season, but switched to the defensive line. Neilson also had a big catch against EWU for 17 yards setting up another touchdown in the first half. He has two catches for 30 yards this season.

Coyotes in the GWC The Coyotes rank high in a number of areas within the Great West Conference. They are second in scoring offense (32.7) and first in scoring defense allowing 21.3 points per game. They are tied for first in sacks (3.33 per game). South Dakota is second in total offense (388.7) and are first in red zone offense and red zone defense, as well as both offense and defense on fourth down. Individually, Blount is second in the league in all-purpose yardage at 131.7, while Broders is second in tackles per game at a 9.0 clip. Starr is first in sacks (1.67), tackles for loss (2.0), fumbles forced (1.0) and is tied for first in fumbles recovered. Robb is first in scoring (8.7) and field goals (1.67).

Nationally Speaking The Coyotes are tied for first nationally in fourth down percentage converting their one opportunity against Eastern Washington. They are eighth nationally in interceptions and seventh in turnovers gained. South Dakota is 12th in sacks and 17th in turnover margin. Starr ranks tied for third nationally in sacks and tied for second in fumbles forced. Robb is tied for eighth in field goals and Blount is 14th in punt returns.

Good on 3rd Down The Coyotes lead the conference on third down percentage at a 47.6 clip. Nationally, they are 18th in third down percentage.

Tough Opening Month The Coyotes open the first month of the season with two FBS teams (Air Force, Sept. 3) and Wisconsin (Sept. 24) along with the FCS defending national champion Eastern Washington in the DakotaDome Sept. 10.

Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield 3-Point Play With each field goal the Coyotes make, the Vermillion Parks and Recreation Department also scores thanks to Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. It's all part of Wellmark's 3-Point Play - where Wellmark donates $300 for each successful Coyote field goal - while encouraging fans to eat right, move more, and feel better. This season, the Coyotes have made five field goals for a total of $1500 dollars going to Vermillion's Parks & Rec Department. Wellmark, USD, and the fans all win with 3-Point Play.

Coyotes Picked Fourth in Preseason GWC Poll The Coyote football team has been picked to finish fourth in the Great West Conference in a vote of the league's coaches, the conference office announced, Aug. 11. Defending champion Southern Utah was chosen to repeat, while Cal Poly and UC Davis rounded out the top three.

Catching Coyote Football in 2011 Fans unable to visit the DakotaDome this fall can still catch South Dakota football action several ways. South Dakota is teaming with Midcontinent Communications to two home games, while the Coyotes have strong radio coverage support. The Midco Sports Network, which serves over 200,000 customers in the region, will broadcast Coyote home games against No. 1 Eastern Washington (Sept. 10) and Missouri S&T (Nov. 12) live on cable channel 26. The Coyotes will also be available through the radio on flagship radio station B102.7 FM. Warren Swain returns for his fourth season as the "Voice of the Coyotes", as fans can catch all of USD's 2009 football games on B102.7 FM (Sioux Falls), KYNT 1450 AM (Yankton), KORN 1490 AM (Mitchell), KCCR 1240 AM (Pierre), or KAOR 91.1 FM (Vermillion). Steve Thum will serve as the color man. The Coyotes added two more stations this season with the addition of KIMM (106.7 FM and 1150 AM) in Rapid City), along with KKSD 104.3 FM in Watertown, S.D. Live stats, audio and subscription video will also be available for all Coyote home games through USDCoyotes.com.

Coyote Coaches Corner The University of South Dakota's Coyote Coaches Corner continues all season long and the next Coaches Corner is scheduled for Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at Calloway's in Sioux Falls. Coach Meierkort and his staff will break down game film from the previous week, answer questions and preview the upcoming opponent. Media is encouraged to attend and interviews can be done in advance from 6:45 p.m. to 7 p.m.