The Game
Two teams desperate for a win square off at Stambaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio, Saturday. South Dakota (1-2) is trying to pick itself up following a 27-24 loss at home to Missouri State. The setback came after promising performances at top-10 teams Illinois State and North Dakota. Youngstown State (0-4) on the other hand is under a coaching staff seeking its first win. The Penguins have come close in recent games against Southern Illinois and South Dakota State. That followed season-opening losses to North Dakota State and UNI in which YSU totaled seven points.
 
The Series
The two teams first met as Valley foes in 2012 and have met every year since. The teams were not originally scheduled to compete against one another this season, but that changed when Indiana State pulled out. The Penguins are 4-0 at home against the Coyotes and lead the series 6-2 overall. But South Dakota scored four straight touchdowns en route to a 56-21 win inside the DakotaDome last season. Running back Kai Henry ran 13 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns to pace USD.
 
The Offenses
They couldn't be much different. Youngstown State will try to shorten the game with a ball-control offense led by running back Jaleel McLaughlin and quarterback Mark Waid. McLaughlin was a Division II star in 2018 and 2019. He has run for more than 120 yards in back-to-back games after totaling just 57 yards in his first two. Waid has ran the ball nearly as much as he's passed it this season. The Penguins have averaged 83 yards passing in four games.
 
South Dakota, meanwhile, has used an up-tempo offense to lead the Valley in passing in each of the last three seasons. True freshman Carson Camp has taken the reins and is the second-leading passer in the conference at 251 yards a game. He threw for a season-high 339 yards and a touchdown last week against the Bears. Redshirt freshman Carter Bell has 13 catches for 227 yards and two scores and has been USD's leading receiver in all three games.
 
The Defenses
Are looking to make a statement. Neither has been great in stopping the run and that has led to manageable down-and-distances for opposing offenses. Both units have allowed third-down conversions at better than a 50-percent clip.
 
South Dakota has used nine turnovers to counter the yardage surrendered and seven of them came in the season-opening win at Illinois State. Youngstown State has yet to allow a team to pass for more than 178 yards and has an interception in three straight games.
 
The Matchup
The trenches are certainly going to factor in this one. The Coyotes are without senior left guard and team captain Mason Scheidegger for the second time this season. The unit has been charged with 15 sacks in three games, but certainly not all 15 are attributable to the line. On the other side, Youngstown State, a team known for its physical defenses, has yet to produce a sack in four games.
 
One Last Thing
Special Teams. It was a rare off day for the Coyotes' specialists last week. Missouri State ran a kickoff back for a score, blocked a field goal and USD missed a chip-shot field goal in last week's three-point loss. It overshadowed another terrific performance by preseason all-American punter Brady Schutt. Youngstown State's kicker Colt McFadden is 2-for-4 on field goals and has also had one blocked. The Penguins have also used two different punters.