After double overtime win Coyotes hope to keep rolling

After giving up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Coyotes managed to best Indiana State in double overtime this past weekend.

Indiana State was on the board first with a field goal, but USD struck right back when junior quarterback Chris Streveler found junior wideout Alonge Brooks for a 69-yard touchdown pass.

Streveler would go down with a head injury, which brought in senior, and last year’s starter, Ryan Saeger. Saeger connected with senior tightend Drew Potter for a three-yard touchdown and the Coyotes went into the fourth quarter up 27-17.

The next man up mentality and strong play from all three quarterbacks this year has been a big factor for USD’s offense.

“We’ve done that a couple times this year,” said head coach Bob Nielson. “We’ve had guys that have stepped forward and played in critical times. Our team has a lot of confidence in Ryan and he took advantage of his opportunity.”

In the final two minutes of regulation, the Sycamores scored a touchdown and notched a 42-yard field goal with just 12 seconds left to bring the game to overtime.

Neither team could make any headway in the first overtime, as both teams settled for long field goals.

The second overtime saw the Coyotes take first possession. It was a three-and-out for USD, capped with a 41-yard field goal from senior Miles Bergner. It came down to Indiana State, who on third down threw a backwards pass to the wideout, who in turn threw an interception to Coyote senior defensive back Jacob Warner to end the game.

“It was a good feeling,” Warner said. “We battled hard all game and knew it would come down to which team made a final stand last and luckily they called a somewhat questionable play. The receiver just ended up throwing it up and I just went and got it.”

The win marked the Coyotes’ third of the season and second in Missouri Valley conference play. It was also the third time this season a game has gone to double overtime.

For Nielson the win is appreciated, but it would be better to secure it during regulation.

“We’ve got to finish games better,” Nielson said. “I’m pleased with the way we won, obviously never disappointed with a win, but at the same time we had opportunities to put that game away and made it a little harder on ourselves than we should have.”

Giving up a lead late in the fourth quarter was reminiscent of the University of North Dakota game earlier this season, in which the Coyotes gave up a 34-17 lead in the fourth quarter and went on to lose in double overtime. This time the Coyotes didn’t want to watch a game slip away.

“We’ve been in that position before,” Warner said. “We knew what it felt like to give up a fourth quarter lead and eventually lose a game. We were just all really fired up about not doing that and making sure that didn’t happen. We gave it our hardest effort and ended up coming out with a win.”

On the back of the win was a big honor for Bergner. Not only was he named Missouri Valley Special Teams Player of the Week, but he also collected the STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week. For Bergner the win was unexpected.

“It’s good. Honestly I was not expecting that,” Bergner said. “It was a really awesome surprise today. I think in my own opinion I don’t think I played as well as I possibly could. If other people think that I did, I’ll take it.”

On top of his awards, Bergner’s 49-yard field goal in the first quarter made him USD’s all-time leading scorer, he now has 247 career points for the Coyotes.

Bergner’s knack for delivering is nothing new. After his field goal defeated North Dakota State University last year and he sunk Weber State with a kick in double overtime, he has been the go-to guy for the Coyotes.

“It’s awesome — there’s really no other way to describe it,” Bergner said. “NDSU was life-changing, that moment was life-changing. I think after that as it progressed having that special moment happen over and over again, as it kind of has, that’s definitely strengthened all of us. I think we might be getting tired of the overtime games a little bit, but being able to go out there and knowing everyone has my back out there, it’s definitely reassuring and definitely a big confidence boost.”

The ability to consistently hit field goals is often an overlooked ability in college football, and Nielson is appreciative of Bergner’s ability to knock them down.

“You really do forget, you think of field goals as extra points, but he came through in the clutch and I’m confident that he’ll continue to do that for us,” Nielson said.

With the win, the Coyotes improve to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in Missouri Valley play.

The Coyotes now prepare to face Illinois State. The Redbirds started the season strong defeating Valparaiso and Northwestern, but they have since hit a skid going 1-4 in their past five games. Their most recent game was a win over Southern Illinois, which gave them their first win in the Missouri Valley.

Nielson sees the Redbirds’ recent struggles not as something against them, rather a testament to how strong the Valley is.

“You read it that that’s how good our league is,” Nielson said. “They’re an outstanding football team. I think they were ranked as high as top five in the country at one time this year. Personnel wise, they’ve got all the pieces, but our league is so tough winning games in our league is one of the most difficult things that you can do and I think they’re playing well right now obviously — big win for them against Southern.”

Illinois State will be traveling to Vermillion this Saturday to face USD. Kickoff time is set for 2 p.m.

“They’re a good team, as every team in the Valley,” Warner said. “They lost a couple guys on offense that they had last year that were real good players for them, but their quarterbacks very good, their receivers are good, their o-line is good, their running backs good, so they’re a good team just like any team in the Valley and we’ve got to prepare like we do every week and just focus on getting a win.”