GAME 1: SOUTH DAKOTA (0-0, 0-0 MVFC) AT DRAKE (0-0, 0-0 PFL)
When	Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017 | 6 p.m. CDT
Where	Drake Stadium (14,557) | Des Moines, Iowa
Television	None
Watch Online	GoDrakeBulldogs.com
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (Joe Van Goor, Gary Culver, John Thayer)
Live Stats	Live Stats
South Dakota Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Coyote Tailgate
Drake Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Stats
MVFC Links	MVFC Notes | Website | MVFC Stats
Social Media	Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Game
South Dakota and Drake are meeting for the second time in the last three years and for the first time at Drake Stadium since 1971. The Coyotes have won the last three meetings including a 52-0 trouncing inside the DakotaDome near the start of the 2015 season. USD won the first meeting between the two programs back in 1919, but Drake leads the all-times series 11-7.
 
Both teams return starting quarterbacks, both feature 18 players on the two-deep who have started games for their respective teams, and both are trying to replace a specialist who performed both punting and place-kicking duties for the team a year ago.
 
South Dakota begins year two under Bob Nielson with eight starters back on offense and five on defense. Senior quarterback Chris Streveler earned all-MVFC honors last season and was named 2016 Valley Newcomer of the Year after accounting for 31 of South Dakota's 41 touchdowns a year ago (22 pass, 9 rush). He returns nearly all of his receivers and three offensive linemen. Junior Michael Fredrick, who averaged 80 yards rushing in five starts as a true freshmen, enters a season as the No. 1 back for the first time.
 
Drake senior quarterback Grant Kraemer passed for 23 touchdowns and more than 2,400 yards last season. He is without his top running back and top six pass catchers from 2016, but has three captains who are fifth-year seniors on the offensive line.
 
Rick Fox is in his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Like his offense, his defense is highlighted by senior linemen. Mack Marrin is a preseason all-conference pick who battled through injuries last season, but had 8.5 sacks and 12.5 TFLs two seasons ago. He is joined by three other senior returning starters along the line including Tanner Evans who had 4.0 sacks and 59 total tackles a year ago.
 
Yotes on Defense
The focus since the end of last season has been improving a unit that allowed 250 yards rushing per game last season. To that end, the Coyotes brought in eight true freshmen defensive linemen on Signing Day, moved end Jake Leohr, a returning starter, to defensive tackle, and welcomed back starting middle linebacker John Wessel, a captain who missed all but three plays of 2016 due to injury.
 
Defensive ends Darin Greenfield and Kameron Cline are expected to earn their first collegiate starts Saturday. They combined for six sacks and 10 TFLs while rotating in last season. They are the only two underclassmen amongst the projected starters for the Yotes defensively.
 
Cornerbacks Adam Harris and Danny Rambo along with safety Andrew Gray return to the starting lineup. The Coyotes intercepted 12 passes in 11 games last season while allowing 233 yards passing per game. South Dakota also registered 26 sacks.
 
Drake and the Pioneer League
Drake won seven Missouri Valley Conference (not MVFC) championships from 1928-81 before choosing not to award athletic scholarships to football players in 1986. The Pioneer League, a football-only league consisting of institutions that choose not to award athletic scholarships, was created in 1991 and Drake is a charter member. The Bulldogs have won six PFL titles since 1995 including back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012.
 
Special Teams
South Dakota is replacing All-American punter/place-kicker Miles Bergner. Drake is replacing PFL Special Teams Player of the Year Josh Lee, who also provided double duty. Junior Paul Anderson has been the Yotes' punt/kick returner since he arrived back in 2015. On the other side is senior Terry Wallen, a preseason All-American after averaging 14 yards per punt including one he returned for a touchdown.
 
Final Facts
Drake, which won its final four games last season, is 29-6 at home since 2008 … USD is opening on the road for the seventh time in the last eight years (UC Davis, 2013) … South Dakota is 7-3 against unranked FCS foes during the last two seasons … outside of Michael Fredrick, no other running back has attempted a carry in a Coyote uniform … Fredrick (980 yards) can become the 12^th Coyote since 2000 to reach 1,000 yards rushing … Brandt Van Roekel (983 yards) can become the eighth Coyote since 2000 to reach 1,000 yards receiving … Chris Streveler can become the eighth quarterback since 2000 to reach 2,000 yards passing