Full Game Notes (.pdf) | North Dakota State Notes (.pdf)

The Basics
South Dakota (4-6, 3-3 MVFC) at North Dakota State (10-0, 6-0 MVFC)
Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2:30 p.m. CST
Fargo, N.D. (Fargodome)
TV: MidcoSN (Jay Elsen, Andre Fields, Kelly Stewart)
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (Joe Van Goor, Gary Culver, John Thayer)
Watch Online: ESPN+ (subcription required)
Series: NDSU leads 55-26-2 (won last three)

About the Coyotes:  South Dakota is coming off one of its best performances of the year ... the Coyotes  ran for a season-best 327 yards on the ground, the team's third 300-yard performance of the season ... RB Kai Henry became the first USD back since 2007 to rush for 100 yards in three consecutive games ... QB Austin Simmons threw four TDs for the third time this season and fourth time in his career ... the Coyotes totaled five sacks and have 25 sacks on the season ... USD played turnover free for the first time last weekend ... Caleb Vander Esch (44 rec, 638 yds, 6 TDs) is the Valley's third-leading receiver

About the Bison:  New head coach, new quarterback, same results ... the two-time defending national champions have won 31 consecutive games dating back to the middle of the 2017 campaign ... that's the second-longest streak in FCS history and two shy of the record ... the Bison are amongst the nation's leaders in most offensive and defensive categories ... QB Trey Lance has thrown 182 career passes without an interception, a program record ... Lance is also the team's second-leading rusher behind Ty Brooks ... a plethora of backs and outstanding line help the Bison average 294 yards on the ground per game ... just two opponents have reached 170 yards passing

Quick Hits
-South Dakota's win in 2015 ended the Bison's 26-game Valley home win streak
-QB Austin Simmons (Offensive) and LT Alex Jensen (Offensive Line) were named Valley POW's for their play against Youngstown St
-Simmons (6,162 passing yards) needs 79 yards to pass Wesley Beschorner for second place on the Coyotes' all-time passing list
-RB Kai Henry has totaled 391 yards and two touchdowns in his last three games
-Caleb Vander Esch has led USD in receiving in seven of the last eight games
-NDSU and USD are 1-2 in scoring offense and total offense in Valley play
-ILB Jack Cochrane (5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 FF) is the Valley's third-leading tackler
-Two-time All-American DE Darin Greenfield (24 career sacks) is three sacks shy of the program record

The Notes
South Dakota will look to play spoiler for the second week in a row when the Coyotes meet North Dakota State Saturday inside the Fargodome. USD is coming off a convincing 56-21 win against Youngstown State, a victory that effectively ended the Penguins' playoff aspirations. A Coyote win Saturday certainly wouldn't have that drastic an affect on NDSU, but it would end the second-longest win streak in FCS history, and possibly delay the Bison's Valley championship by a week. A win would also mark the first time the Coyotes won two road games inside Valley play since joining the league back in 2012.

For a chance at an upset, the Coyotes will have to somewhat duplicate their play from last weekend. South Dakota scored touchdowns the first four times they had it against Youngstown State, racked up more than 300 yards rushing and played turnover free for the first time all season. Both Kai Henry (130) and Canaan Brooks (112) surpassed 100 yards on the ground. The Coyote defense produced five sacks and held the Penguins to 66 yards rushing and 312 yards in all.

The Coyotes, behind Henry, have averaged 266 yards rushing and 5.8 yards per carry over their last three games. Henry has totaled 391 yards and two scores in that span, and is the first USD running back since Amos Allen in 2007 to rush for at least 100 yards in three consecutive games. South Dakota has three 300-yard rushing efforts and ranks 27th nationally on the ground.

Like NDSU, the Coyotes are better when their talented quarterback doesn't have to throw. In four wins, Austin Simmons has averaged 22 pass attempts and 200 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception. In losses, Simmons has averaged  42 pass attempts and 304 yards. Simmons has completed 55 more passes than NDSU quarterback Trey Lance has attempted (236-181).

Simmons and Lance are the top-two running quarterbacks in the Valley. Not accounting for sacks, Lance has run 84 times for 657 yards while Simmons has totaled 648 yards on 94 carries. Lance had been sacked just seven times and opponents have been credited with five quarterback hurries all season. Simmons has been knocked down 24 times and faced 35 quarterback hurries.

Austin Simmons ranks seventh nationally in total offense (312 ypg), 14th in completion percentage (65 percent) and 22nd for passing (262 ypg). His 25 touchdown passes lead the Valley and rank ninth nationally.
    Here is where Simmons stands on USD's all-time lists:
    USD career touchdown pass leaders:
    3. Chris Streveler (2016-17)    54
    4. Austin Simmons (2016-pres.)    50
    
    USD career passing leaders:
    1. Noah Shepard (2006-09)    8,936
    2. Wesley Beschorner (2002-05)    6,240 (+78)
    3. Austin Simmons (2016-pres.)    6,162
    4. Chris Streveler (2016-17)    6,081

Simmons has found 19 different receivers this season. Last week, Caleb Vander Esch led the team in receiving again, tight end Brett Samson caught a touchdown for the third consecutive game, and true freshman Carter Bell got in on the fun. Bell's 15-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was his third career reception and it came in his third collegiate game. At the other end of the spectrum, senior Dakarai Allen nabbed his 100th (and 101st) career pass and caught his 13th career touchdown.

Bell, a former high school quarterback from Bettendorf, Iowa, has been valuable as a return man and receiver in recent weeks. He has played in three consecutive games, meaning USD can use him just once in these last two weeks while preserving his freshman status for next season. Similarly, true freshman running back Travis Theis had played in three of the last four games and is allowed one more appearance.

Bell has become valuable in his role as redshirt sophomore Kody Case has battled injuries for most of this season. Case caught 17 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns thru the first two weeks of the season. But an ankle injury ruined what looked to be a promising campaign. He has played in three games and caught just six passes since the injury. Interesting enough, Case has caught just one fewer pass than NDSU's leading receiver Phoenix Sproles who has 24 catches and two scores in 10 games.

Right guard Mason Scheidegger has started all 34 games since the start of the 2017 season, and has played all five positions during his career. Both tackles, redshirt freshman Isaac Erbes and sophomore Alex Jensen, have earned Valley Offensive Lineman of the Week honors this year. Jensen competed at tight end the previous two seasons. Another redshirt freshman, Kian Rexroat-Potts, starts at center. Austin Wallace has started at guard the last six games.

Turnovers certainly had an impact during the Coyotes' three-game losing streak. South Dakota committed 13 of them during the skid after posting 10 in games 1-6. But consider this resolve by the Coyote defense: USD is minus-8 in turnovers this season, but USD's points off turnovers trails its foes by just three, 55-52. Opponents have totaled 55 points off 23 USD turnovers.

Penalties have also played a role of late. The Coyotes were flagged 14 times for a season-high 160 yards in their loss to Western Illinois and 13 times for 124 yards last week against Youngstown State. By comparison, USD averaged 40 yards in penalties during Nielson's first year in Vermillion back in 2016.

South Dakota is working in a new "positionless" defense headed by coordinator Travis Johansen, who was the defensive coordinator at Grand View (Iowa) from 2013-18. In those six seasons, the Vikings were 61-11 with five conference championships and the 2013 national title (14-0). Under Johansen, 10 different Coyotes have registered a sack this season.

Two-time All-American Darin Greenfield is tied with co-captain DeValon Whitcomb for the team lead with 5.0 sacks this season. Greenfield is already USD's all-time leader in tackles-for-loss with 52. He stands three sacks shy of the career record of 27.0 shared by A.J. Schable and Tyler Starr.

Junior linebacker Jack Cochrane leads the Coyotes and ranks third in the Valley in tackles with 87. Just two South Dakota players since 2000 have recorded 100 tackles in a single-season. The list is Jet Moreland (106) in 2016 and Adam Broders (102) in 2011. Cochrane has been USD's tackle leader six times in 10 games this season.

North Dakota State earned a 59-14 win against USD last season in Vermillion. Austin Simmons passed for 152 yards and ran for 115 including a 62-yard quarterback draw he took to the house for a score midway through the third quarter. The Bison possessed the ball for 23 minutes in the second half and put it in the air six times in that span.

Canaan Brooks scored his first collegiate touchdown last season against North Dakota State. Brooks has set a new career mark in each of his last two games including last week's 11-carry, 112-yard performance against the Penguins. Brooks has found the end zone in each of the team's last two games.

Junior Brady Schutt leads the Valley and ranks third nationally in punting at 45.7 yards per boot. He pinned three of four punts inside the 12 last week against Youngstown State. The Coyotes, behind Schutt, rank ninth nationally in net punting at 40.0 yards per punt.

South Dakota has converted 51 percent of its third downs since playing Oklahoma in week two. The Coyotes rank 15th nationally in third-down percentage. USD also has the second-most first downs in the FCS at 263 (26 per game).