VERMILLION, S.D.—The South Dakota Coyotes earned their most lopsided win in the South Dakota Showdown Series presented by South Dakota Corn. The Coyotes topped the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 14.5-6.5 to bring the trophy back to Vermillion for the third time in the last four years. South Dakota Corn Utilization officials made the official announcement Thursday during a virtual press conference.
 
The South Dakota Showdown Series is a point-based athletic and academic competition between the two in-state university rivals. The Series also aims to raise awareness, funds and donations for Feeding South Dakota, a statewide not-for-profit with the goal of eliminating hunger in South Dakota.
 
South Dakota won 10 of 13 athletic competitions with South Dakota State and split a point with a tie in women's soccer. Head-to-head competitions and Summit League Championship finishes in 11 sports factored into the scoring. Five sports – men's and women's golf, softball, and men's and women's outdoor track and field – had their seasons cut short and could not factor into the scoring. Both programs scored the maximum three points allotted for academic achievement by compiling a student-athlete grade point average above 3.0.
 
"It was certainly an outstanding year for South Dakota Coyote athletics in the sense that our programs enjoyed incredible successes both on the field and in the classroom," said USD Athletic Director David Herbster. "Of course our hearts broke when winter and spring sport athletes had their seasons end abruptly. This Showdown Series and those who support it serve to remind us how important communities in this great state are to one another in times of need."
 
Feeding South Dakota, the Series' philanthropic partner, will be able to provide more than 300,000 meals for adults and children throughout the state because of a $100,000 donation from South Dakota Corn. Funds were raised through yearlong activities and efforts of SDSU and USD fans, students and campus communities. One of those promotions, now in its fourth year, encouraged fans and the community to come together and "Get off the Bench," to provide much-needed funding towards the state's fight against hunger.
 
"Through our continuing partnership with Feeding South Dakota, our farmers are making a commitment to provide hundreds of thousands of nourishing meals each year to men, women and children throughout the entire state," said South Dakota Corn Utilization Council President Robert Walsh. "The Showdown Series helps raise awareness of this fight against hunger, which has never been more important than during these troubling times."
 
Fans can visit www.sdcornshowdown.com, www.goyotes.com, or www.gojacks.com to track progress and see point totals. Spearheading the initiative between the athletic departments and South Dakota Corn are Coyote Sports Properties and Jackrabbit Sport Properties, the multimedia rights holders for USD athletics and SDSU athletics, respectively. Both are properties of Learfield IMG College.
 
A breakdown of the scoring and the Showdown Series history follows:
 
South Dakota (14.5)
3 – cumulative GPA above 3.0
2 – football
2 – volleyball sweeps Summit series 2-0
2 – women's basketball sweeps Summit series 2-0
1 – women's cross country
1 – men's basketball
1 – women's swimming & diving
1 – men's swimming & diving
1 – women's indoor track & field
0.5 – women's soccer
 
South Dakota State (6.5)
3 – cumulative GPA above 3.0
1 – men's cross country
1 – men's basketball
1 – men's indoor track & field
0.5 – women's soccer
 
Showdown Series History
2013 – SDSU wins 14-13
2014 – SDSU wins 18-9
2015 – USD wins 14-13
2016 – SDSU wins 16-11
2017 – USD wins 14-13
2018 – USD wins 14-13
2019 – SDSU wins 14.5-11.5
2020 – USD wins 14.5-6.5