VERMILLION, S.D. — The No. 6-ranked University of South Dakota football team officially turns the page to FCS football this weekend for their first regular season meeting with an opponent out of the Big Sky Conference since 2022 in Portland State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM (CT)/1:00 PM (PT) and can be watched live on ESPN+ or heard on the Coyote Sports Network (Varsity App/KVHT 106.3 FM).
 

Game 3 | No. 6/6 South Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC) at Portland State (0-2, 0-1 Big Sky)
Date | Time	Saturday, September 14 | 3:00 PM (CT) / 1:00 PM (PT)
Location	Hillsboro, Ore. | Hillsboro Stadium
Fan Information	Tickets | Parking
Television	ESPN+ - Matt Richert (PxP) & Scott Hermo (Analyst)
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi)
Live Stats	(Portland State): StatBroadcast
Game Notes	South Dakota | Portland State | MVFC
Social Media	@SDCoyotesFB  | #GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota | @sdcoyotesfb  | Facebook

GAME STORYLINES

• This weekend's game will see HC Bob Nielson pass Ed Meierkort for fourth-most games coached at South Dakota (90^th game). Three more games will put Nielson into third, passing Joe Salem.
• Portland State marks the second to last non-conference game of the season with Drake to follow next weekend in Vermillion.
• The Yotes enter the weekend ranked No. 6 in both the STATS Perform and AFCA Coaches' polls.
• USD averages +2 turnovers per game and sits +4 on the season.
• Keyondray Jones-Logan has touched the ball three times this season and twice has scored a touchdown (kickoff return & rushing score).
• Will Leyland and Zeke Mata have both converted on a field goal this season. Mata holds the Yotes season-long with a 52-yard FG against Northern State.
• Nine more wins for Nielson will put him fourth all-time in program history for games won at USD.

RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE…

• The Yotes rushing attack has been nothing short of spectacular to begin the 2024 season.
• Averaging just under 200 rushing yards per game (194.5), the mark sits 13^th in the FCS and fourth in the MVFC.
• Led by Charles Pierre Jr. who averages over 100 yards on the ground per game (109.5), has led the team in rushing in both games this year.
• He averages 8.76 yards per carry which currently sits fourth in the FCS entering the weekend.
• Pierre Jr. leads the team with his 219 rushing yards (25 carries) and with his two rushing scores.

DOMINANT DEFENSE

• The Yotes have hung their hat with their defense early in the season.
• Besides forcing turnovers, the total defense mark (296.0 ypg) sits 19^th in the FCS, while the passing defense mark (137.0 ypg) sits 17^th.
• LB Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 19 tackles this season, leading the way in tackles in both games so far this season.
• Nick Gaes leads the team in tackles for loss (3.0) and sacks (2.0).

INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES & MILESTONES

• Keyondray Jones-Logan still holds the longest kickoff returned for a touchdown in the FCS this season and just one of three to do it in 2024, earning him MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 2).
• Last week at Wisconsin, Aidan Bouman cracked the top-10 in program history for career passing yards (3,642 & counting).
• Travis Theis continues to move up the USD rushing record book, entering the week: second in carries (571), fourth in rushing yards (2,601), and T10th in rushing touchdowns (22).
• Carter Bell sits fifth in receiving yards (2,221) and T5th in touchdown receptions (16).

INSIDE THE PORTLAND STATE SERIES

• This weekend marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools in the sport of football.
• However, this past Sunday (Sept. 8) the two schools met on the soccer pitch in Vermillion. Portland State took the match 3-2.

PORTLAND STATE QUICK HITS

• Portland State looks for their first win of the season (0-2) under 10^th year head coach Bruce Barnum.
• The schedule is not easy for the Vikings, facing six of the top nine teams in the preseason polls on their schedule this season.
• This weekend is the home opener for the Vikings, holding a 13-8 record at Hillsboro since it became their permanent home in 2019.