The Pregame
Heading to Macomb, Illinois? Join USD fans and friends for a pregame tailgate Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at WildFire Bar & Grill located at 928 W Jackson St. in Macomb. Parking is available in the nearby parking lots. Tailgating is free to attend, but your can RSVP here to let us know you are coming.
 
The Game
Fifth-ranked South Dakota (8-2, 6-1 MVFC) can seemingly clinch a top-eight national seed in the upcoming FCS playoffs with a win at Western Illinois (0-10, 0-7 MVFC) Saturday at Hanson Field. It would be the first time the Coyotes would have earned a seed. It would mean a first-round bye to the sweet 16 and a second-round home game in Vermillion.
 
It will be a bittersweet day for Western Illinois. The Leathernecks are a charter member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference but are leaving for the Ohio Valley Conference next season. It will end a near 40-year run with the MVFC.
 
The Coyotes
Win or lose Saturday, South Dakota should have a resume good enough to qualify for the FCS playoffs for the third time in the last six full seasons, quite an achievement for a team picked to finish ninth in the MVFC. It's trying to become the first Coyote team at the FCS level to win nine games in a season and the ninth team in program history to reach the mark. The Coyotes can also clinch a share of their first MVFC championship with a win coupled by a Missouri State victory at South Dakota State.
 
The defense has carried the load in recent weeks and has held six of nine FCS opponents to seven points or less. South Dakota is looking for its offense to gain more confidence against a team that has allowed an average of 46 points in conference play. The Coyotes haven't topped 17 points since a 34-31 victory against Youngstown State back in game six.
 
The Leathernecks
Western Illinois is playing for pride, its seniors and coach Myers Hendrickson who is still looking for his first win with the program. The Leathernecks have lost 23 consecutive games, a streak that started with a home loss to South Dakota in 2021. They rank last in the FCS in total offense and last in scoring defense.
 
A bright spot is true freshman running back Dylan Van who is taking advantage of the four-game redshirt rule here late in the season. He ran it 16 times for 57 yards at Indiana State last week. Quarterback Matt Morrissey is a transfer from UNI. He threw for 392 yards and three scores against Lindenwood earlier this year. He's averaging 189 yards passing and has 12 touchdowns against seven interceptions on the year.
 
Senior safety Bradyn Smith is the team's leading tackler despite missing a few games to injury. He also has one of the team's three interceptions. Juan DelaCruz and Ryan Crandall are the linebackers for a unit that's produced six sacks and recovered seven fumbles.
 
One Last Thing
South Dakota has won three of the last four matchups including a 42-21 win in Macomb back in 2021 … the teams did not face off in 2022 … USD linebacker Brock Mogensen (97 tackles) has a two-tackle lead on Indiana State's Maddix Blackwell and Missouri State's Todric McGee for the regular season leader … Travis Theis (2,355) needs 59 yards rushing to break into the top five of the Coyotes' all-time rushing list … Carter Bell (1,914) needs 96 yards receiving to break into the top five of the Coyotes' all-time receiving list … Aidan Bouman (1,910) is trying to become the seventh quarterback in program history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season.