VERMILLION, S.D. – After jumping out to a fast 17-0 lead in the first quarter, the No. 6/8-ranked South Dakota football team survived the second-half comeback against No. 8/6-ranked North Dakota with a 26-23 overtime victory in front of 8,000 strong inside the DakotaDome Saturday afternoon.
"I thought we came out of the locker room and threw the first haymaker … finding our way out into a big lead. Just like any good team, I knew (North Dakota) would come back and not stay down on the mat," said head coach
Matt Vitzthum at his postgame press conference. "Incredibly proud of our team. Not one time did I feel like there was panic or worried and working the 'so what, now what mentality.'"
For the second-straight week, the Coyote defense swarmed the football and forced multiple turnovers and the Coyote offense put points on the board in the first four possessions of the day. Two fumbles lost for North Dakota quarterback led to seven Coyote points on the board, as the Yotes took control early in front of 8,200+ crowd and the historic 1985-86 Coyote football teams inside the DakotaDome.
South Dakota received the opening kick and put the first points on the board with a career-long 47-yard field goal on the first possession of the game. Forcing a UND punt on their first drive of the game, the Yotes responded with a touchdown as
Jackson Proctor capped off an 87-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown scamper to make it 10-0 Yotes in the first quarter.
The ensuing drive, North Dakota coughed the ball up deep in their own territory as Jerry Kaminski was immediately under pressure from the Coyote defensive line. The turnover put the Yotes in prime real estate with the ball at the UND 20-yard line.
Austyn Modrzewski would capitalize on that drive with his ninth-straight game with a touchdown pass, finding
Tysen Boze, who tip-toed the back of the end zone, giving USD the 17-0 lead.
At the break, the Coyotes took a 20-3 lead into the locker room. North Dakota, however, would not be deterred and controlled the second half. The Fighting Hawks were the only team to score in the second half (third and fourth quarters), outscoring the Yotes 17-0 to make it 20-20 with under a minute to play. As such, it forced the 20
th overtime game in front of the historic 1985 and 1986 Coyote football teams.
Though the Fighting Hawks stepped it up in the second half to make it a true top-10 battle for the second half. Asked at the postgame press conference,
Brayden White summed up the team's mind set: "So what, now what mentality. Just next play. Control what we can control, just keeping playing."
South Dakota won the coin toss to star the overtime period, which saw North Dakota go on offense first. Faced with a third down in the OT period, North Dakota would utilize a swing play out to the running back on the near side who would make a couple moves to find the end zone. However, it came back due to a holding call, then immediately followed by a false start. Stagnated, the Fighting Hawks settled for three to take the 23-20 lead.
The Yote offense came onto the field, knowing a touchdown wins the game. The first play from scrimmage saw
Charles Pierre Jr. run it up the middle for 11 yards and a first down at the 14-yard line. The very next play saw a beautiful ball delivered from Modrzewski to White in the corner of the end zone to secure the game-winning score – taking it 26-23.
"Championship level teams find ways to win games like that," concluded Vitzthum in his opening comments. "We found a way to win today."
Modrzewski finished the day going 15-for-22 for 159 yards and two passing touchdowns.
Charles Pierre Jr. had a day on the ground with his 11
th career 100-yard rushing game, going for 128 yards on 21 carries for 6+ yards per carry.
Modrzewski moves into sole possession for fifth all-time at South Dakota in a single season for passing touchdowns, making it nine-straight games with a passing score. For White, he extends his team-leading touchdown reception number to eight on the season as he collects his first career 100-yard receiving game with 101 yards on six receptions.
On defense,
Wade Abrams now sits with
Gabe Hardman tied for the MVFC lead with their three forced fumbles.
Tim White led the defense with his eight tackles, Abrams and
Jaylen Boehm-Peterson both adding seven in the victory.
UP NEXT: South Dakota will square off against South Dakota State next weekend, on Halloween (Oct. 31), on their second nationally televised game of the season with a 3 p.m. kickoff from Brookings on ESPNU.
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