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A-Z Guide Football
The Game
Welcome to one of the premier week one matchups in the FCS! South Dakota, receiving votes in the top-25 rankings, is striving to get back to the playoffs behind second-year starting quarterback
Austin Simmons and a new-look defense headed by new coordinator
Travis Johansen. Montana, No. 25 in the STATS preseason poll, was one yard away from a playoff bid last year, but a fumble at the goal line at home against rival Montana State on the final week of the regular season has the Griz itching to get back on the field.
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The Streak
South Dakota has won 16 consecutive home openers dating back to 2003. That is tied for the sixth-longest streak in the FCS. This is the first time the Coyotes are opening at home since a 10-7 win against UC Davis back in 2013, and just the second time USD has opened its season at home since 2010.
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The Dome
The DakotaDome is undergoing a $26.3 million renovation to its west side that will be ready ahead of the 2020 home opener. Construction is ongoing and will create a unique environment on game day.
Check here for more information on the renovation.
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The Griz
Montana, 6-5 a year ago, returns its entire offense and eight defensive starters. Three of the team's five losses were by four points or less, and the Griz led their opponent heading into the fourth quarter in all but one game. Dual-threat quarterback Dalton Sneed is the 2018 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year. He passed for 2,723 yards and ran for 675 while combining for 28 touchdowns. Senior linebacker Dante Olson finished third in the voting for national defensive player of the year last season and is the only FCS player on the Butkus Award Watch List heading into this season. Olson set a Montana record with 151 tackles last season.
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The Coyotes
South Dakota's stars include Simmons, the Valley's leader in passing yards and total offense last season, and two-time All-American defensive end
Darin Greenfield. The Coyotes under Johansen are debuting a "positionless" defense that utilizes mainly a 3-4 look. Middle linebacker
Jack Cochrane is a true junior, one of five co-captains, and the leader of a young linebacker corps. On offense, Simmons returns nearly all of his weapons at receiver, running back and tight end.
Mason Scheidegger has started all 24 games along the line the last two years, but the four men joining him are week one starters for the first time.
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The Series
South Dakota's last win in the series was 1974 in Vermillion. Montana has won all five meetings since which includes four in Missoula. The team's most recently played a three-game series from 2012-14.
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