SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Eighteenth-ranked Missouri State came up with a pair of big defensive stops in the fourth quarter and posted a 31-23 win over South Dakota in a Missouri Valley Football Conference game played in front of 12,738 fans on Saturday evening inside Robert W. Plaster Stadium.
 
The Coyotes final two drives of the game took them inside the Missouri State 10-yard line. However, an interception and a turnover on downs foiled the comeback attempt.
 
Missouri State shutout South Dakota in the second half after trailing 23-14 at halftime, coming up big defensively in a drama-filled contest that featured plenty of excitement.
 
The Coyotes were limited to three first downs in the second half, all coming in the fourth quarter, while only being able to convert two of five trips into the red zone into points ended up spelling the difference in the contest.
 
South Dakota had the ball on four possessions in the fourth quarter, but failed to score, having to punt once, throwing two interceptions, sandwiched around a turnover on downs.
 
The immediate drive after Missouri State took a 31-23 lead saw the Coyotes drive to the six-yard line. A big Carson Camp to Carter Bell pass completion went for 69 yards, but a touchdown saving tackle from Titus Wall ended up looming large in the contest. Three subsequent plays from the six-yard line resulted in three straight incomplete passes from Camp.
 
A big play from Myles Harden, who forced a fumble on the ensuing Missouri State possession gave the Coyotes the ball back with 1:20 left in the contest. A sack on first and goal from the nine pushed South Dakota back to the 14 where an interception sealed the win for Missouri State.
 
Missouri State quarterback Jason Shelley, a transfer from Utah State, contributed to all four touchdowns in the contest. Shelley threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 17 times for 62 yards and a pair of scores.
 
Shelley found Kevon Latulas on a three-yard touchdown reception to give the Bears the lead at 24-23 with 13:02 to play. Shelley, then, closed the scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run with 4:42 to play.
 
South Dakota capitalized on two Missouri State miscues in the first half to jump out to a 14-0 lead.
 
The Coyotes opening drive stalled at the 40 yard-line, but Brady Schutt's punt was muffed by Missouri State and recovered by Dalton Godfrey on the eight-yard line.
 
It took just one play for South Dakota to get into the end zone as Travis Theis rushed eight-yards to pay dirt to open the scoring in the contest.
 
DeValon Whitcomb jumped on a Missouri State fumble on the very next possession and South Dakota pushed the lead to 14-0 when Camp found Kody Case on a 21-yard score, on another one-play drive.
 
Missouri State evened the game at 14-14 as Shelley capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a 26-yard run to the end zone.
 
The Bears evened the game late in the second quarter as Shelley connected with Tyrone Scott on a 46-yard touchdown reception that capped a one-play drive.
 
South Dakota, responded and regained the lead in a big way as Wesley Eliodor returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. It was the Coyotes first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2008.
 
South Dakota's defense forced a punt right before halftime and the offense put Mason Lorber in position to connect on a 27-yard field as time expired in the first half.
 
Camp completed 12 of 29 passes for 231 yards in the game, but threw his first interceptions of the season. Nate Thomas led the rushing attack with four carries for 60 yards and Carter Bell caught three passes for 102 yards.
 
Missouri State held the ball for nearly 36 minutes of the 60-minute contest and outgained the Coyotes 439-361.
 
South Dakota's defense was paced by Jack Cochrane with 10 solo stops, including a tackle for loss while Nick Gaes had two of the team's six sacks.
 
The Coyotes, who have played three of their first four games away from the DakotaDome, return to host Indiana State on Dakota Days on Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.