VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota football was ranked 18^th in the final Stats Perform FCS poll and 20^th in the final AFCA poll announced Monday.
 
The Coyotes finished with a 7-5 record including a program-best 5-3 mark inside the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The résumé was good enough to secure the program's second at-large bid to the FCS playoffs and the Coyotes hosted an FCS playoff game for the first time.
 
South Dakota first entered the rankings in mid-October following back-to-back wins against Indiana State and then-No. 13 North Dakota. The Coyotes reached as high as No. 15 in both polls and were ranked in all seven polls to conclude the season.