VERMILLION, S.D. — The No. 6-ranked University of South Dakota football team returns to the DakotaDome on Saturday to close out the non-conference slate when they play host to the Drake University Bulldogs for a 1:00 p.m. kick on ESPN+ and Midco Sports Plus.
 

Game 4 | No. 6/6 South Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC) vs. (RV) Drake (1-0, 0-0 Pioneer League)
Date | Time	Saturday, September 21 | 1:00 PM (CT)
Location	Vermillion, S.D. | The DakotaDome (9,100)
Fan Information	Tickets | Parking | Clear Bag Policy | A-to-Z Guide
Television	ESPN+ / Midco Sports Plus - Jay Elsen (PxP) & Andre Fields (Analyst)
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi) [KVHT 106.3 FM]
Live Stats	(South Dakota): SIDEARM | StatBroadcast
Game Notes	South Dakota | Drake | MVFC
Social Media	@SDCoyotesFB  | #GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota | @sdcoyotesfb  | Facebook

GAME STORYLINES

• LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN: 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.
• Both Drake (weather) and South Dakota (pertussis outbreak) have had a game nullified this season.
• The Yotes enter the weekend ranked still at 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 17^th in the FCS and fifth 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 ninth 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 18^th in the FCS, while the passing defense mark (137.0 ypg) sits 8^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).
• Two weeks ago, 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 DRAKE SERIES

• Drake leads the all-time series in the 19 meetings, 11-8.
• The Yotes have won four-straight games in the series, including a 77-7 beat down against the Bulldogs back in 2017 in Des Moines.
• The Coyotes have scored 50+ points in each of the last three meetings, all being in the turn of the century. Averaging 60.0 points per game in those three contests.
• USD has won the last three meetings in Vermillion (2015, 2009, 1972) with this being the first meeting in Vermillion since 2015. 

DRAKE QUICK HITS

• The Bulldogs are led by sixth-year head coach Todd Stepsis. He has turned the program around…going 3-8 in 2022 before flipping the script to an 8-4 season in 2023.
• The 2023 season saw the Bulldogs win the Pioneer League and earn the program's first trip to the FCS Playoffs.
• Since losing to NAIA Northwestern College (Iowa) last season, Drake is 9-1 with an eight-game regular season win streak.
• The Bulldogs bring a top-10 offense to Vermillion that saw them put up 460 yards of offense in their only game this season against Eastern Washington (Sept. 7).
• That offense is led by graduate QB Luke Bailey, who threw for 393 yards in the win over the Eagles.