Dakota Days Fan Guide
The Game
It's No. 6 vs. No. 3 before a sold out DakotaDome crowd in what is one of the most anticipated Dakota Days contests in recent memory. The Coyotes are off to their best start at the Division I level, and yet will be playing the underdog role for the fourth straight week. That's because their opponent, Youngstown State, is the defending national runner-up and coming off an impressive 19-7 shellacking of South Dakota State, a game in which the Penguins hogged the ball for 45 minutes and allowed the Jacks to run 11 plays in the entire second half!
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Despite losing two outstanding defensive ends to the NFL Draft, Youngstown State's defense is one of the best in all of FCS. The Penguins have allowed a combined 16 points to three FCS foes and rank fifth nationally in yards allowed. As South Dakota tight end
Josh Hale put it to the Argus Leader's Mick Garry this week, "they got some dudes who can play some good football."
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South Dakota's main 'dude' remains senior quarterback
Chris Streveler, arguably off to the best start of any offensive player at the FCS level. He has averaged 292 yards passing, 80 yards rushing and accounted for 17 touchdowns in four games against no turnovers. A year ago, Youngstown State held him to 15 yards rushing on 14 carries, and 10 of 27 passing for 141 yards in a 30-20 victory in Ohio.
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The Coyotes are winless in five tries against Youngstown State. Of course that was the same scenario last week in Macomb when South Dakota jumped out to a 38-6 lead on Western Illinois and held on for a 38-33 win, its first in six tries against the Leathernecks.
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What to Look For
South Dakota hasn't trailed in a game all season. In fact, the Coyotes have started so fast that they have led for 227 of 240 minutes of action. They are also one of two teams at all levels of college football that has yet to commit an offensive turnover (Alabama being the other). It would be wonderful for all of those trends to continue today. But if they don't, how will this team respond?
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The Other Matchup
While much of the focus will be on South Dakota's offense against Youngstown State's defense, the other side of the coin is just as flashy. Penguin quarterback Hunter Wells, a near 6,000-yard collegiate passer who led Youngstown's charge to the championship game, is likely out of this one with a shoulder injury. Backup Nathan Mays, a sophomore, is a capable dual-threat backup who is averaging 10 yards per carry and run for four scores in three games this season. He also has talented receivers and junior Tevin McCaster, the nation's ninth-leading rusher, in his backfield.
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Youngstown State averages 288 yards rushing behind a physical offensive line. Meanwhile, South Dakota has allowed 289 yards rushing all season. Against SDSU, the Penguins ran for 310. They averaged 4.9 yards on 34 first down plays against the Jacks. Of those 34 first down plays, 27 were runs that averaged 5.6 yards. That formula has translated to a nation's best 59 percent third down conversion rate for YSU.
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Trump Card
South Dakota is playing at home for just the second time this season. Youngstown State is playing on the road for the first time since opening weekend. The DakotaDome will be filled to the brim, and all but say 100 will be cheering on the Yotes. It will truly be a rowdy and raucous Dakota Days crowd!
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Game of the Week
South Dakota is one of nine unbeaten FCS teams and is seeking its first 5-0 start since 2005. This is the only FCS matchup of top-10 teams on the docket and one of two top-25 matchups (Western Illinois at UNI). The Coyotes are 62-33-5 all-time on Dakota Days and have won 12 of their last 16 homecoming matchups. One of those four losses was a 31-3 drubbing at the hands of Youngstown State two years ago.
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