Pregame Tailgate
Headed to the game on Saturday? Join fellow friends and fans for a pregame tailgate next to the UNI-Dome in Parking Lot #1 located north of the UNI-Dome off of P E Center Drive. Howling Pack members eat and drink free while supplies last. Not a member? No problem! The cost is just $10 or join the Howling Pack today and enjoy these pregame parties all season.
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The Game
The Coyotes have come a long way from an 0-3 start and have earned the right to make an even bigger splash Saturday against the No. 14/15 Northern Iowa Panthers. South Dakota has outscored its last three foes 97-16 and outgained them 1,364-745. But UNI represents the Coyotes' toughest test dating back to opening week games against Montana and Oklahoma.
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The game is just as important for UNI, which also enters with a 3-3 mark. The Panthers' losses, though, are to Iowa State (in triple overtime) and top-five FCS teams Weber State and North Dakota State. All three of those games were on the road. The Panthers are 3-0 at home including a 21-14 win against then-No. 18 Youngstown State two weeks ago. Tough road games at Illinois State and South Dakota State remain, so this matchup will be front and center for the Panthers.
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The Series
South Dakota was 2-0 in the Valley last year when UNI scored a 42-28 victory inside the DakotaDome. The Panthers forced three turnovers and cashed touchdowns on all three. Two years ago, it was four USD turnovers inside the UNI-Dome that gave the Panthers a come-from-behind, 34-29 victory. South Dakota has outgained UNI six times in seven meetings as MVFC foes, but the Panthers own a 5-2 record in that span.
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The Panthers
UNI features a talented front-seven on defense, a redshirt freshman quarterback who has tossed just one pick all season, and perhaps the best wide receiver in the conference.
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Defensively, the Panthers have produced 17 sacks and 47 tackles-for-loss in their 3-4 system. Defensive end Elerson Smith ranks second in the Valley in both categories with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 TFL. Offensively, UNI is playing without all-Valley tight end Briley Moore, but sophomore wide out Isaiah Weston has carried the load. He has three 100-yard efforts this season and hauled in a touchdown in five straight. Quarterback Will McElvain is averaging 218 yards passing, is the team's second-leading rusher if you discount sacks, and has accounted for nine touchdowns with one turnover.
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The Coyotes
South Dakota has averaged 246 yards rushing during its three-game win streak with
Kai Henry and quarterback
Austin Simmons leading the charge. In the passing game,
Caleb Vander Esch has been USD's leader in each of the last four games, catching 20 balls for 323 yards and three scores in that time. Simmons is the Valley's leading passer and is coming off his best game from an efficiency standpoint. He has put it in the air just 46 times in two blowout Valley wins after averaging 43 passes per game through four weeks.
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Defensively, the Coyotes' run defense has been solid all season and the pass defense has improved. Like UNI, the strength of the unit may be its defensive line where USD rotates four seniors. Two-time all-American
Darin Greenfield is Division's I's active leader in tackles-for-loss with 50.0 and the Coyotes' record is 50.5 held by Bill Gassen (1999-2002). Linebackers
Jack Cochrane and
Jakari Starling are the team's second- and third-leading tackler, respectively, and in the secondary, USD is hopeful to have
Mark Collins Jr. back in the starting lineup at cornerback.
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One last thing…
Which team can get the ground game working? South Dakota's defense has held FCS foes to an average of 61 yards rushing while UNI, prior to last year's romp in Fargo, was holding FCS foes to an average of 72 yards rushing. The longest run by an opposing running back in the last two weeks against the Coyotes? Seven yards.
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