The Pregame
It is Military Appreciation Day Saturday as South Dakota hosts the Missouri State Bears in a 1 p.m. kickoff inside the DakotaDome. It is also the first half of a football-volleyball doubleheader. Coach Leanne Williamson's first-place volleyball team (23-2) hosts St. Thomas at 4:45 p.m. in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
Military vehicles will be displayed along Coyote Alley Tailgate located directly east of the DakotaDome. Food trucks and music will also be featured.
 
The Game
Two FCS playoff teams from last fall meet Saturday for the third time in less than two years. Missouri State beat South Dakota in both the spring and fall of 2021 in a pair of closely contested contests to even the young series at 4-4. The Bears are coming off a 64-14 drubbing of winless Western Illinois last week that ended a five-game skid. South Dakota is looking to bounce back from a 45-24 loss at Youngstown State.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota is taking a look at redshirt freshman quarterback Aidan Bouman, who helped rally the Coyotes to victory on Dakota Days and was rewarded with his first collegiate start last week. He passed for 254 yards and accounted for two touchdowns in that start. He will try to boost those numbers against an MSU defense that has allowed an average of 289 yards passing and ranks 102^nd overall.
 
South Dakota's defense is led by the top two tacklers in the Valley in linebackers Stephen Hillis and Brock Mogensen. Injuries have piled up of late and coach Bob Nielson hinted younger players who will redshirt this season may get an opportunity on that side of the ball Saturday. They face a Missouri State team led by reigning Valley Offensive Player of the Year Jason Shelley at quarterback.
 
The Bears
Missouri State made two playoff appearances in 2021. That led to a preseason top-10 ranking. Two impressive wins at the start made it a top-five ranking, but a close loss to the SEC's Arkansas was followed by an 0-4 start inside the Valley and a third straight postseason appearance seems unlikely.
 
Even if you take out the 64 points last week, Shelley and the Bears' offense was averaging better than 21 points per game. Shelley has passed for more than 2,000 yards with 16 touchdown tosses and has ran for three more. Ty Scott has 36 catches for 537 yards and four touchdowns. The defense is led by defensive linemen Kevin Ellis and Jalen Williams who have combined for 5.5 sacks.
 
One Last Thing
South Dakota is 2-1 at home this season and has averaged 27 points in those three games. The Coyotes host UNI for Senior Day Nov. 19 on the final day of the regular season. It will be another doubleheader Saturday for South Dakota as volleyball hosts North Dakota on its own Senior Day.
 
There are also four men's and women's basketball games in a span of six days next week inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Head to GoYotes.com/tickets for information on those events.