VERMILLION, S.D. – The defense showed out in front of a record Dakota Days crowd Saturday afternoon in the DakotaDome that saw the Coyotes pick up win No. 100 as an FCS program. The No. 13-ranked South Dakota football team forced five turnovers and scored 34 points off those takeaways in the program's 10
th-straight Dakota Days victory with a 44-14 win over Indiana State.
The defense stepped up this week and the offense scored a touchdown on three of their first four possessions, all of which the offense got the ball via interceptions.
For the entire first 30 minutes of the contest, South Dakota controlled every aspect of the football game, aided by the largest Dakota Days crowd in program history at 9,002 fans. The play of the defense fed the crowd and the crowd fed the Yotes and, before long, South Dakota held a 30-0 lead at the halftime break.
"I want to thank Coyote Nation. I can't tell you how important it is and how awesome today was," said head football coach
Matt Vitzthum right off the bat at the postgame press conference. "When we walked out of the locker room and that Dome was buzzing. We've got three home games left … it takes everybody, everyday needs to be D-Days in the Dome!"
The defense came out with their hair on fire and set the tone early, leaving no doubt on the day. Four plays into the first drive of the afternoon,
RJ Stewart high-pointed the football and brought down his first interception of the season and immediately get the offense the football.
Almost immediately following the turnover,
Austyn Modrzewski found one of his favorite targets this season in
Brayden White open over the middle for a 30-yard gain into Sycamore territory.
Jesse Miller would cap off that first drive with a four-yard touchdown reception.
Charles Pierre Jr. would score two of his three total scores in the first half, finding the end zone on the ground and a receiving touchdown. Modrzewski would find White for a second time for a 30+ yard reception, this time for a 37-yard touchdown connection.
"Awesome win for our football program. Awesome bounce back after getting put down on the mat last week," noted Vitzthum. "Really proud of the bounce back, the leadership, and our resiliency after a couple of tough loses. That was Coyote football, that's the team I know and recognize. This week we stepped up."
A slower start to the second half comparative to the first half. The Yotes punted on their first three possessions, but the defense held firm, only allowing two Indiana State touchdowns the entirety of the second half.
Back-up quarterback
Jackson Proctor connected with
Tysen Boze in the fourth quarter from 27 yards out to throw his first touchdown pass as a Coyote, making it back-to-back weeks Proctor has been responsible for a touchdown.
Modrzewski finished the day going 16-for-23 for 196 yards and three passing scores. He's now thrown a touchdown pass in all six games to start his career as the starter and threw a touchdown to three different Yotes on the day. Pierre Jr. recorded his 10
th career 100-yard rushing day with 109 yards on 15 carries and cracked the South Dakota all-time top-10 list for career rushing yards on the day.
Defensively,
Harrison Brun led the unit with his six tackles. Stewart had his first multi-interception day of his career, and
Kael Kolarik got his first pick as a Coyote as the defense held the Sycamores to just 113 rushing yards.
UP NEXT: The Yotes will remain at home next weekend when they welcome No. 25-ranked Southern Illinois to Vermillion. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. on October 10 from the Dome.
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