VERMILLION, S.D.—Western Illinois forced a fumble at the goal line, drove 80 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, and survived South Dakota's long field goal attempt at the horn to pull out a 35-34 win against the Coyotes Saturday inside the DakotaDome.
 
It was the first top-25 matchup inside the DakotaDome since 2011. South Dakota (4-4, 3-2 MVFC), new to the polls this week at No. 25, had its three-game winning streak come to an end. The 15^th-ranked Leathernecks (6-2, 3-2) beat South Dakota for the fifth straight year and bounced back from last week's loss to defending national champion North Dakota State.
 
South Dakota led 31-14 at the half and 34-28 with the ball at the Western Illinois 1-yard line with 4:35 remaining. On the ensuing play, Leatherneck cornerback Josh Smith forced a fumble on USD ball carrier Trevor Bouma and linebacker Brett Taylor recovered inside the end zone for a touchback. It was the first fumble by Bouma in 249 touches dating back to game two of last season and his first lost fumble in 376 touches dating back to the 2014 season opener at Oregon.
 
But the fumble, USD's only turnover of the game, left work to do and Leatherneck quarterback Sean McGuire carried the load. He completed 6 of 9 passes on the game-winning drive for 73 yards, including a 28-yard pass to Jaelon Acklin on 4^th-and-10 from midfield with two minutes left. His 8-yard quarterback draw from the USD 10 set up 3^rd-and-goal at the 2 with 36 seconds left, and on the next play he hit Joey Borsellino across the middle of the end zone for the tying score. Nathan Knuffman's extra point made it 35-34 with 32 ticks remaining.
 
Following a touchback, USD quarterback Chris Streveler threw a 12-yard out to tight end Aaron Ramsey and hit Trystn Ducker across the middle on catches of 10 and 11 yards to reach the Western Illinois 42. An offsides penalty moved the ball to the 37 with 12 seconds left. The Coyotes' threw two incomplete passes before sending Miles Bergner out to attempt what would have been a career-long, 54-yarder. The kick missed just short to the left for Bergner's third miss in his last 27 attempts dating back to last season.
 
Streveler, who had missed the previous three halves of football due to a head injury, returned to complete 28 of 39 passes for a career-high 378 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 21 times for 102 yards and a score. He is the Coyotes' first 300-yard passer since 2013.
 
Coyote junior receiver Brandt Van Roekel returned from an injury that forced him to miss four games and caught four passes for 137 yards. His 69-yard catch setup 1^st-and-goal at the 8 with six minutes to go ahead of the turnover. It was the first 100-yard effort by Van Roekel.
 
On the other side for Western Illinois was Lance Lenoir's six catches for 111 yards and a score. His first catch of the game, a 7-yard touchdown reception with 6:09 left in the first quarter, tied the MVFC record for career catches of 250 held by Tyrone Walker (Illinois State, 2009-12). His 35-yard catch on the first drive of the second half was the record breaker. He stands with 253 career catches for 3,634 yards and 26 touchdowns.
 
The two teams combined for 31 points and 345 yards of offense in the first quarter. Danny Rambo intercepted McGuire midway through the second quarter and returned it to the WIU 10 to setup a 4-yard Bouma touchdown run that put USD ahead 24-14. Streveler's 1-yard bootleg score capped a 12-play, 62-yard drive just before halftime that made it 31-14.
 
South Dakota outgained Western Illinois 320-179 in the first half, totaling 55 plays to 22 for the visitors. USD was 8 of 13 on third down while the Leathernecks were 0 of 5. In the second half, the script flipped. Western Illinois ran 44 plays for 275 yards while converting 7 of 11 third downs. The Coyotes ran 35 plays for 207 yards, but were 0 for 6 on third down in addition to being stopped on a 4^th-and-1 run at the Western 28 early in the third quarter.
 
McGuire finished 20 of 39 for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Steve McShane, the Valley's leading rusher entering the weekend, carried 13 times for 112 yards. His 55-yard touchdown run with 8:52 left in the first quarter tied the game at 7-7.
 
South Dakota is back in action next week against Southern Illinois in Carbondale. The Salukis fell to 2-6 overall and 0-5 in the Valley following a 38-35 loss at Missouri State Saturday in Springfield, Mo.