Full Game Notes (.pdf) | North Dakota State Notes (.pdf)

The Basics
No. 8 North Dakota State (10-3, 5-3 MVFC) at No. 3 South Dakota (10-2, 7-1 MVFC)
Saturday, Dec. 9 at 1:30 p.m. (CST)
Vermillion, S.D. | DakotaDome (9,100)
TV: ABC (Roy Philpott, Roddy Jones, Lauren Sisler)
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi)
Watch Online: ESPN+ ($)
Series: NDSU leads 57-27-2 (USD won 24-19 in Fargo, N.D., back on Sept. 30)

About the Coyotes:   It's a season of firsts:  first 10-win season at the FCS level, first-time receiving a top-eight seed, and first trip to the quarterfinals ... the program is making its third playoff appearance in six full seasons under Bob Nielson, the MVFC Coach of the Year ... LB Brock Mogensen led the Valley in tackles in conference play and was voted MVFC Defensive Player of the Year ... he leads a defense that has held seven of 11 FCS offenses to seven points or less ... RB Travis Theis is the fifth-leading rusher in program history ... WR Carter Bell is the fifth-leading receiver in program history ... QB Aidan Bouman's 2,352 yards this season are seventh-most in USD history ... K Will Leyland hasn't missed

About the Bison:  North Dakota State is making its 14th consecutive quarterfinals appearance ... this is the Bison's fifth true road game in 51 FCS playoff contests ... QB Cam Miller was 11th in the voting for national offensive player of the year ... Miller and fellow QB Cole Payton have combined for 22 rushing TDs this season ... TaMerik Williams ran 11 times for 162 yards and two scores in last week's overtime win at Montana State ... the Bison average 244 yards rushing per game, fourth-best nationally ... safety Cole Wisniewski (78 tckls, 6 INT) and LB Logan Kopp (73 tckls, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT) lead a Bison defense that has limited seven teams to 10 points or less ... NDSU leads the nation with 18 interceptions

Quick Hits
-We are the KIGH-yotes (two syllables)
-USD is making its third FCS playoff appearance in the last six full seasons ('17, '21)
-A win Saturday would equal the program record for wins in a season (11 in 1986 as the NCAA Division II national runner-up)
-This is the sixth NCAA playoff game inside the DakotaDome; third FCS game ('21, '23)
-South Dakota and SDSU are the only FCS teams with more than one win against NDSU since 2011 (USD won in 2015 & 2023)
-USD had five offensive possessions in its win at NDSU this season (3 TDs, 1 FG, 1 punt)
-LB Brock Mogensen is the second Coyote to be named MVFC Defensive Player of the Year
-USD had seven all-MVFC honorees and another five who earned honorable mention (see page 11 for full list of honorees)
-RG and co-captain Isaac Erbes is expected to make his 52nd consecutive start Saturday

The Notes
South Dakota, the No. 3 national seed in the FCS playoffs, has advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time following a 34-24 win against Sacramento State last week. The Coyotes forced two turnovers and turned them into touchdowns for an early 17-0 lead. One of those was a 54-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive end Mi'Quise Grace. Offensively, Charles Pierre Jr. ran 13 times for a career-high 123 yards and quarterback Aidan Bouman completed 11-of-16 passes for 174 yards and two scores. Tight end JJ Galbreath's 75-yard touchdown catch is USD's longest pass this season.

That win coupled with North Dakota State's overtime victory at Montana State Saturday sets up a Missouri Valley Football Conference rematch in the quarterfinals. South Dakota beat then No. 2 North Dakota State 24-19 in Fargo in the conference opener for both teams. The Coyotes scored touchdowns on all three drives in the first half, led 21-3 at halftime and held on to post their second win in Fargo since 2015. Aidan Bouman threw for 168 yards on 10-of-12 passing and connected with Carter Bell on touchdowns of 50 and 52 yards.

The Coyotes are making their seventh NCAA playoff appearance and third at the FCS level. Bob Nielson first took the Coyotes to the FCS playoffs in his second season with the team back in 2017. South Dakota beat Nicholls 38-31 in Louisiana before falling 54-42 at Sam Houston State (Texas) in the round of 16. USD dropped a first-round game at home to Southern Illinois 22-10 in 2021. The Coyotes are 6-6 all-time in the NCAA playoffs.

Bob Nielson is MVFC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award presented annually to the FCS Coach of the Year. He has orchestrated the best turnaround in FCS football this season. Nielson took a Coyote team picked to finish ninth in its own conference to the No. 3 overall seed. It is the first top-eight seed in program history. The Coyotes' No. 3 ranking in the polls is their highest at the FCS level.
     Nielson is a three-time national coach of the year recipient. He was Football Gazette's NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1998 when he led Wisconsin-Eau Claire to the national semifinals. He was NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2010 when he led Minnesota Duluth to national titles.

Nielson's 228 career wins are second-most among active FCS coaches and eighth-most among all active NCAA football coaches. He is taking his 13th team to the NCAA playoffs in 31 seasons as a head coach. This is his fourth time leading a team to the FCS playoffs.

South Dakota played the toughest FCS schedule last year and went 3-8. The Coyotes are 10-2 this year for the best win differential among FCS teams. The defense, behind three first-team all-MVFC honorees, ranks fifth nationally in fewest points allowed. The offense, directed by new offensive coordinator Josh Davis, has effectively utilized a pro-style attack predicated on a strong rushing attack.

MVFC Defensive Player of the Year Brock Mogensen has been at the heart of South Dakota's defense for the last four seasons. He is a three-time all-MVFC linebacker with 395 career tackles which ranks third among active FCS players. He led the Valley with 85 tackles in eight conference games and his 109 stops this season rank 15th nationally.

Cornerback Myles Harden and rush linebacker Brendan Webb are the other two first-team honorees.
    Harden boasts one of the best comeback stories in FCS. His last two seasons were cut short due to injury, but has started all 11 games this season. Harden recently accepted an invitation to compete in the East-West Shrine Bowl and has a high NFL Draft grade. He has forced eight turnovers in 18 games since the start of last season.

Webb leads a talented front four that includes tackles Blake Holden and Nick Gaes along with defensive end Micah Roane. Webb led the Valley and ranked seventh nationally with 9.5 sacks during the regular season. He tied a program record by recording 4.0 sacks in a 14-7 win against Southern Illinois in week eight.
    Holden boasts the fourth-most tackles on the team with 53, an incredible feat for a defensive tackle. Gaes (6.0) and Roane (4.5) have combined for 10.5 sacks. Mi'Quise Grace (3.5 sacks the last two games) and Mosai Newsom (run stopper) add depth.

South Dakota's defense ranks 15th nationally and third among playoff teams in passing yards allowed. Shahid Barros has a team-high two interceptions and has been a talent opposite Myles Harden at cornerback. Safety Dennis Shorter is an honorable mention all-MVFC honoree who is second on the team in tackles. He led USD with 10 stops and broke up three passes in last week's win against Sacramento State. Josiah Ganues, the safety opposite Shorter, had an interception last week that led to South Dakota's first touchdown.

Josh Davis is South Dakota's new offensive coordinator this season. Davis was a standout wide receiver at South Dakota State and won a national title on the coaching staff at SDSU last season. The Coyotes' pro-style offense is in contrast with the no-huddle approach that Bob Nielson incorporated at USD upon arrival. It has led to fewer possessions, but more complementary football.

Wide receiver Carter Bell surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards in the final game of the regular season and ranks fifth on the Coyotes' all-time list (not bad for a high school quarterback). Running back Travis Theis moved into the top five of South Dakota's all-time rushing list during last week's win.

Theis is the bell cow back for South Dakota but he has been aided by a bevy of talented running backs. Nate Thomas, injured all last season and in the middle of this one, had a 164-yard performance early in the season (Lamar) and an 8-carry, 102-yard effort in the regular season finale. Charles Pierre Jr. has run for 443 yards and four scores in just seven games. That includes last week's career-high 123 yards against Sacramento State.Keyondray Jones has touched the ball 19 times on offense and scored four touchdowns. Mike Mansaray, like Theis, doubles as a lead blocker in USD's two-back sets.

Aidan Bouman is the seventh quarterback in program history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. He had a 369-yard, 3-touchdown performance against Youngstown State and has averaged 250 yards over his last three games. He manages an offense that has turned it over just eight times this season which is fourth fewest nationally.

JJ Galbreath is a weapon at tight end for South Dakota. Galbreath is the Coyotes' second-leading receiver with 36 catches for 579 yards and five touchdowns. That includes his 75-yard touchdown catch in last week's win. Galbreath has the second-most receiving yards and touchdown catches among tight ends in the conference. Twice he has totaled 101 yards receiving in a game this season.

All-MVFC center Joey Lombard and right guard Isaac Erbes, who earned MVFC honorable mention, have combined to start 84 football games. Joe Cotton has started all 12 games at left tackle and was named to the Valley's All-Newcomer Team. Sam Kohls has made 10 consecutive starts at left guard. Bryce Henderson began at left guard before moving to right tackle.

South Dakota has boasted strong specialists throughout Nielson's tenure. This year's unit features all new starters. Punter Tyler Ebel is a redshirt freshman, Zeke Mata arrived from LSU and handles kickoff duties, and long snapper Caden Pellizzer came from Northern Michigan. 
    Will Leyland, a fourth-year sophomore, is the only FCS kicker yet to miss this season. He is 12-for-12 on field goals and 36-for-36 on extra points. He drilled a game-winning, 41-yard field goal to beat Youngstown State inside and hit a career-long 50-yarder against SDSU. Five of his field goals have been 40 yards or longer.

South Dakota is 6-1 at home this season. The Coyotes have forced at least one turnover in all seven home games. Travis Theis has averaged 79 yards at home. JJ Galbreath and Carter Bell combine to average 123 yards receiving there. Brock Mogensen has 56 tackles in seven home games and the Coyote defense boasts 17 sacks and six interceptions.