VERMILLION, S.D. — The No. 4-ranked University of South Dakota football team (3-1, 1-0 MVFC) is set to make their first Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) road trip this weekend as they head to the state of Kentucky for the first-ever meeting with the (RV) Murray State Racers (1-3, 0-1 MVFC) in Murray on Saturday. You can catch this week's MVFC Game of the Week on ESPN+ with kickoff set for 2 p.m.
 

Game 6 | No. 4/4 South Dakota (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) at (RV) Murray State (1-3, 0-1 MVFC)
Date | Time	Saturday, October 5 | 2:00 PM (CT)
Location	Murray, Ky. | Roy Stewart Stadium (16,800)
Fan Information	Tickets | Fan Information & Parking
Television	ESPN+ - Scott Warman (PxP) & Dana Hughes & Kelly Burke (Analysts)
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi) [KVHT 106.3 FM]
Live Stats	(Murray State): SIDEARM | StatBroadcast
Game Notes	South Dakota | Murray State | MVFC
Social Media	@SDCoyotesFB  | #GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota | @sdcoyotesfb  | Facebook

GAME STORYLINES

• DEFENDING THE DOME: Since the 2021 season, South Dakota is 15-6 inside the DakotaDome.
• After last week's dominant 42-13 win over No. 17 SIU, the Coyotes are now 5-7 in MVFC openers with all five wins being under Nielson (5-3).  
• The Yotes move up a spot in both polls to No. 4 (AFCA Coaches' & STATS Perform) entering Week 6 – moving up a spot in each of the last two weeks.
• South Dakota has scored 40+ points in all three home games this season.
• For the second-straight week, the pass game was hot with Aidan Bouman throwing for 247 and throwing a pair of touchdown passes (80 and 61 yards).  
• The Coyote rushing attack jumped up to 11^th in the FCS (220.8 yards per game) after a stellar 302 yards on the ground in the Southern Illinois win.
• The Coyote defense leads the MVFC in scoring defense at 11.5 ppg (third in FCS) and total defense at 292.3 total yards per game (13th in FCS).
• Linebacker Gary Bryant III sits fourth in the MVFC with his 8.8 tackles per game.
• HC Bob Nielson passed Ed Meierkort for fourth-most games coached at USD last week against Drake (90 games).
• Seven more wins for Nielson will put him fourth all-time in program history for games won at USD.
• South Dakota is now 3-0 against teams with an opponent's mascot being in the canine family.

 
HIGH SCORING COYOTES!

• South Dakota has put up 40+ points in three-straight home games, including the last two weeks.
• It's the first time putting up 40 or more points in consecutive games since 2010.
• It marks the first time putting up 40+ points in three-straight home games in the Yotes MVFC era, last doing so back in 2009.

 
DOMINANT RUSHING GAME

• The dominant rushing performances from the Coyotes has been led by the MVFC's leading rusher entering the week in Charles Pierre Jr. (94.5 yards per game).
• South Dakota has a duo of rushers in the MVFC top-5 in yards per game, as Travis Theis (87.0 ypg) sits fifth in the Valley.
• After putting up a season-best 302 yards on the ground against SIU, the Yotes rush offense now sits at 220.8 yards per game which sits fourth in the MVFC.
• USD is one of 17 FCS programs to average 200+ yards on the ground per game.
• Led by Pierre Jr. who has 378 yards on 51 carries (7.4 yards per carry), while averaging 94.5 yards per game.
• Travis Theis also broke the 300-yard mark on the season last week against SIU with his 147 yards on 25 carries.
• He sits at 348 yards on 55 carries (6.3 yards per carry).

 
STOUT DEFENSE

• The Yotes have hung their hat with their defense early in the season.
• South Dakota has three interceptions as a team with three different Yotes having one; Mike Reid picked up his first pick as a Coyote last week against Drake.
• LB Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 35 tackles this season.
• Nick Gaes leads the team in sacks (3.5) and Mi'Quise Grace leads the team in tackles for loss (5.5).

 
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES & MILESTONES

• Keyondray Jones-Logan is one of two FCS athletes to return two kickoffs back for touchdowns this season.
• At Wisconsin, Aidan Bouman cracked the top-10 in program history for career passing yards.
• Last week against SIU, he became the ninth Coyote to eclipse 4,000 career passing yards.
• He sits ninth with 4,108 passing yards, needing just 16 yards to surpass Carson Camp (4,123).
• Bouman now also sits in sole possession of 10^th all-time in program history in career passing touchdowns (26).
• Travis Theis continues to move up the USD rushing record book, entering the week: second in carries (605), fourth in rushing yards (2,834), and T7th in rushing touchdowns (26).
• Carter Bell moves up to fourth in receiving yards (2,318) and T5th in touchdown receptions (16).
• He also now sits third in career receptions (151), now eyeing the program's all-time receptions lead (Brooks Little, 2004-07, 165 receptions).  

 
INSIDE THE MURRAY STATE SERIES

• Saturday marks the second-ever meeting between South Dakota at Murray State, after MSU joined the MVFC last season.
• South Dakota won the first-ever meeting between the two last season in Vermillion (38-7).
• USD was ranked No. 15/21 in last year's meeting, making it back-to-back meetings with USD ranked at the time of the game.

 
MURRAY STATE QUICK HITS

• The Racers are led by first-year head coach Jody Wright and enters with a 1-3 record.
• The lone win this season came in non-conference play against Mississippi Valley State (59-8) back on Sept. 14.
• MSU dropped their MVFC-opener last week on the road at North Dakota (72-35).
• The Racers sit 10^th in the Valley in both total offense (302.8 yards per game) and total defense (436.5 yards allowed per game).