The GameSouth Dakota and South Dakota State are set to renew a rivalry that dates back to 1889. The Coyotes enter having won three of their last four including a 34-31 win against Southern Illinois at home last weekend. The team's five wins are the most in four seasons and the team would be in the running for its first FCS playoff appearance if it can get past the fifth- and sixth-ranked teams in consecutive weeks to close out the regular season.
Fifth-ranked South Dakota State is coming off its best win of the season, a 25-20 victory against defending national runner-up and then No. 2 Illinois State last Saturday in Brookings. It likely secured the Jacks' fourth consecutive playoff bid and puts the team in position to earn one of eight top seeds. The team is 4-1 since adding freshman dual-threat quarterback Taryn Christion to the mix.
The SeriesSouth Dakota and South Dakota State enter Saturday's game with the all-time series tied at 51-51-7. It's the first time the series has been tied in 115 years and South Dakota has never trailed during the series. The Jacks have won the last six meetings including the last four in Vermillion. The teams did not meet for eight years, from 2004-11, after SDSU made the jump to FCS.
New QBs Add to the RivalrySouth Dakota junior
Ryan Saeger is expected to square off (eventually) with SDSU freshman Taryn Christion. Saeger played one series in last year's meeting, but will be starting in the rivalry game for the first time. He's coming off a three-touchdown, 269-yard performance in last week's win against Southern Illinois. Christion didn't start last week, but passed for 307 yards, ran for 65, and accounted for three scores in the Jacks' win against Illinois State. He's been SDSU's leading rusher and passer since entering the lineup five games ago.
Strength of the JacksBall security and defense has been the key for the Jacks. SDSU is the only team in the nation that has not lost a fumble all season, and the quarterbacks have thrown only five interceptions. On the other side of the ball, SDSU has held six of nine opponents to 10 points or less. The pass defense ranks 14
th nationally at 170 yards per game. Seven different Jacks have one interception.
Strength of the PackRunning the ball and defending the run continues to be the mantra for the Coyotes. In five wins, South Dakota has outgained opponents on the ground 224-110 on average and outscored them 35-16. In four losses, the Coyotes have been outgained on the ground 180-101 and outscored 31-8 on average.
True freshman
Michael Fredrick has averaged 82 yards and has a touchdown in three games in place of injured starter
Trevor Bouma. He and Saeger have taken 93 of the team's 128 carries in that span.
In the Passing GameLook for SDSU's Jake Wieneke and South Dakota's
Brandt Van Roekel. Both are sophomores. Wieneke is one of the nation's top receivers with 51 catches for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns. Only NDSU (3 catches, 39 yards) and Youngstown State (2 catches, 39 yards) have had success defending him. He's caught 11 passes for 265 yards and three scores in the last two weeks. He had six catches for 177 yards and a score in last year's Showdown Series game.
Van Roekel's lone catch last week was an 80-yard touchdown from Saeger that gave USD a 17-14 lead in the second quarter. He has 14 catches for 255 yards and two scores in his last three games and has caught a touchdown in four of his last five.
One Final NoteSaturday is Senior Day at the DakotaDome and 15 Coyote seniors will be recognized prior to the game down on the field. Of those 15, nine have been full-time starters this season including
Micheal Lilly,
Ryan Hillier,
Chris Tyler,
Keyen Lage,
Nick Jacobs and
Drew Iddings on defense; and
Eric Shufford,
Derek Chancellor and
Thomas McGuire on offense.
