The Game
Conference play is here and it starts Saturday with a 7 p.m. kickoff against 18^th-ranked Missouri State at Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Missouri. The Bears (1-1), who had lived near the bottom of the Valley standings, have caught fire under veteran head coach Bobby Petrino. Missouri State captured a share of the conference championship last spring and qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1990. The Bears' title defense begins with a Coyote team that has been clicking on all cylinders the last two weeks.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota (2-1) notched its second straight first-half TKO last week in a 48-14 road win at Cal Poly. The Coyotes rushed for 353 yards and four touchdowns behind freshmen running backs Mike Mansaray and Nate Thomas while quarterback Carson Camp passed for 226 yards and two scores. That run game, which has averaged 221 yards through three games, will match up against a Missouri State squad that ranks 12^th nationally against the run.
 
The Bears
A seven-point loss at Oklahoma State to start the season was backed up by a 43-34 upset of 16^th-ranked Central Arkansas two weeks ago in Springfield. Missouri State has had an extra week to prepare for this one as their third non-conference game comes at the end of the season at Dixie State.
 
Missouri State beat South Dakota 27-24 last year in Vermillion behind a pick-six and a 100-yard kickoff return both by cornerback Montrae Braswell, who also returned a kick for a touchdown against Central Arkansas. Braswell is back on a defense that has allowed 647 through the air in two games. Offensively, the new faces for MSU are Utah State transfer Jason Shelley at quarterback and Western Kentucky transfer Xavier Lane at wide out. The two have connected 17 times for 226 yards and a score.
 
The Defense
South Dakota's defense ranks 12^th in points allowed and 18^th in yards allowed heading into this one. Opposing running backs have carried 58 times for 110 yards with no scores. The issue has been forced by solid defensive line play in front of all-Valley linebackers and leading tacklers Jack Cochrane and Brock Mogensen. The unit will be tested by Shelley, another quarterback who is a threat to run, and an offense that's averaging 122 yards rushing and 232 passing against solid competition.
 
One Last Thing
South Dakota has won its last four Valley openers. Missouri State has won its last three Valley openers. The Coyotes blitzed the Bears 45-10 back in 2019 in the series' last meeting in Missouri.