The Pregame
Coyote Alley is back for game two! It is a pregame gathering located along Taylor Street just east of the DakotaDome. This week's live music performance will be Vermillion's own Kobe Jordan. The area also features food trucks, vendors and yard games. It is free for the public to access and is home to alumni, Coyote Sports Properties and student tailgate programming.
 
The Game
Another great challenge awaits – this one at home – as the Coyotes host top-ranked North Dakota State in a 1 p.m. kick from inside the DakotaDome. The Bison have won nine of the last 11 FCS championships, but proved mortal in a 31-28 loss at Arizona last week. It is the Valley opener for both teams, ironic in that these two teams met in the Valley finale a year ago. North Dakota State jumped out to a 28-0 lead and rolled to a 52-24 victory inside the Fargodome. Had South Dakota won, it would have captured a share of its first Valley championship.
 
The Coyotes
South Dakota is coming off a 38-21 win against Cal Poly in its home opener last week. Quarterback Carson Camp threw for a career-high 355 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a 75-yard score. Running back Travis Theis had 90 yards on the ground and is the fourth-leading rusher in the Valley through three games. The defense got a career-high nine tackles from cornerback Myles Harden who forced a fumble and notched his second interception in as many weeks. The Coyotes have forced four turnovers and Harden is responsible for each of them.
 
The Bison
North Dakota State met little resistance from outmatched Drake and North Carolina A&T at home in weeks one and two. The Arizona result was surprising in that the Bison had won their last six FBS games and the Wildcats were 1-11 last season. Still, the Bison outgained their counterparts 407-394. In true NDSU fashion, the team ran 45 times at 6.3 yards per carry and put it in the air just 12 times. Do-it-all back Hunter Luepke is a true weapon on offense. Defensive tackle Eli Mostaert and safety Michael Tutsi are the veteran names on a well-balanced NDSU defense.
 
The Notes
North Dakota State is playing in Vermillion for just the fourth time since 2002 … the Coyotes are opening the conference season at home for just the second time in seven seasons under Bob Nielson … USD had a string of four consecutive Valley-opening wins halted last year in a road trip to Missouri State … South Dakota's last win in the series was a 24-21 shocker against a Carson Wentz-led Bison team in Fargo in 2015.
 
One Last Thing
The Coyotes are facing the toughest FCS schedule in the nation. The team took on Kansas State and third-ranked Montana in non-conference play. Six of South Dakota's eight Valley foes are currently ranked inside the top-25. Indiana State and Western Illinois – two MVFC teams not in the rankings – are not on South Dakota's schedule.