VERMILLION, S.D. — The No. 10/12-ranked South Dakota football team remains at home for the second consecutive week to play host to their first ranked opponent of the season when they welcome the No. 25-ranked Southern Illinois Salukis to the DakotaDome on Saturday as the Yotes look to make it seven-straight win at home.
 
Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. (CT) on ESPN+ and Midco Sports with Jay Elsen (PxP) and Andre Fields (analyst) on the call. You can listen to the game on Coyote Sports Network with the voice of the Coyotes John Thayer beginning the pre-game show at 12 p.m. (CT). Gary Culver and Jerry Palleschi will join him for the game action in the Dome.
 

GAME 7 | No. 10 SOUTH DAKOTA (4-2, 1-1 MVFC) vs. No. 25 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (3-3, 1-1 MVFC)
Date | Time	Saturday, October 10 | 1:00 PM (CT)
Location	Vermillion, S.D. | The DakotaDome (9,100)
Fan Information	Tickets | Parking | Game Day Info | 2026 Hall of Fame Class
Television	ESPN+ / Midco Sports - Jay Elsen (PxP), Andre Fields (Analyst)
Radio	Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi) [KVHT 106.3 FM]
Live Stats	StatBroadcast | USD Season Stats (PDF)
Game Notes	South Dakota | Southern Illinois | MVFC | College Pressbox
Digital Program	Digital Program
Social Media	@SDCoyotesFB  | #GoYotes | @sdcoyotesfb  | Facebook

PROMOTIONS

• Saturday is Hall of Fame Weekend at the University of South Dakota. The Coyotes will induct seven individuals (six athletes, one special contributor) and the 2015-16 Women's Basketball team.
• Former Coyote football player Brooks Little (Castlewood, S.D.) is one of the six inductees to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
• This week's game sponsor is First Premier Bank.

 
SETTING THE SCENE

• South Dakota picked up FCS win No. 100 with the 44-14 Dakota Days victory over Indiana State last week. It also marked the 70^th Dakota Days win in program history for USD.
• Southern Illinois is the second top-25 opponent for the Yotes this season (@ No. 11 Youngstown State) and the first to be played at the DakotaDome.
• USD is one of the least penalized teams in the FCS this season. With just 26 penalties through six games, the 4.3 average per game sits No. 7 in the FCS.
• The Yotes started the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2017 season under Bob Nielson.
• The Coyotes check in at No. 10 in the Stats Perform media poll and at No. 12 in the AFCA Coaches' poll.
• It's the second time this season the Yotes have appeared inside the top-10 of the Stats Perform poll.
• SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Punter Brook Honore Jr. is the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his career-best 70-yard punt and three of his six punts being 50+ yards against the Sycamores.
• Southern Illinois is led by 11th year head coach Nick Hill. He's 3-6 all-time against South Dakota.

 

𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 😎 Take a bow, Brook! » 51.5 punt average » 3 50+ yard punts » Career-long 70-yard punt 🔥 📰 » https://t.co/SEtdNi7oHH #GoYotes x @HonoreBrook https://t.co/xwVjELCV4P

— South Dakota Football (@SDCoyotesFB) October 5, 2026

NEWS & NOTES

• South Dakota is in their 131st season of college football and with their 32^nd head coach in program history and embarking on the 15^th season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
• In his first season as head coach, Matt Vitzthum holds a 4-2 record [4-1 vs. FCS opponents].
• QB Austyn Modrzewski has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in five of his first six games as the starter at South Dakota.
• Modrzewski's 180.9 QB rating sits SECOND in the FCS.
• His 18 touchdown passing touchdowns sits SECOND in the nation (FCS). He became the fastest Yote in program history to reach 18 passing touchdowns in a season (min. amount to crack single-season top-10), doing so in just six games.
• RB Charles Pierre Jr. eclipsed 2,000 career rushing yards against Eastern Washington (Sept. 12), becoming the 15^th Coyote in program history to achieve 2,000 rushing yards.
• His 27 career rushing scores which sits 8th all-time at South Dakota and second-best in the FCS era.
• LB Wade Abrams sits second in the MVFC and leads the USD defense with his 50 tackles this season. After his career-high 14 tackles against the Broncos, Abrams now sits second in the MVFC in total tackles (50) and tackles per game (8.3).
• DL John Starman leads the team with his 3.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
• K Bohdie Ing connected on a USD- and career-long 43-yard field goal to tie the game at 24-24 in the fourth quarter at Boise. He's 5-for-5 on field goals this season.
• THE CAPTAINS: The Yotes have named three season-long captains for the 2026 season in Tysen Boze (offense), Gabriel Hardman (defense), and Keyondray Jones-Logan (special teams).
• Announced earlier during Fall Camp, senior defensive lineman Chris Dixon was named a top-10 (No. 9-ranked) prospect in the 2027 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft.
• South Dakota has won 190 games in the DakotaDome (190-83) since it opened in 1973.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• South Dakota and Southern Illinois are set to meet for the 12^th time in series history.
• USD leads the all-time series, 7-4, and has won four-straight meetings.
• The two teams have met once in the FCS Playoffs (2021) which SIU won, it being the last Saluki victory in the series.