Column: Ignore the score, Coyotes showed life in Oregon

The game hadn’t even started when cheers from the Old Lumber Company Grill and Bar signaled the life of a fan base. The University of South Dakota Coyotes were halfway across the country in one of the most famous college football stadiums, playing against one of the most prestigious programs.

In every sports betting book, Coyotes football was out-classed in every respect. And the final scoreboard would generally agree with the betting sites. But a different story was unveiled in Vermillion.

It was Jasper Sanders, the senior captain who missed the entirety of last season to injury, juking out some of the fastest defenders in the nation. It was Trevor Bouma breaking through for the Coyotes first touchdown. It was Kevin Earl consistently finding open receivers for first downs.

Those small plays showed promise to fans at OLC. Those plays drew massive cheers and “U-S-D COYOTES! WHOOP! WHOOP!” chants ensued.

Those plays have fans hopeful for a new season — a season where the annoying thorns of the first years of Division 1 football will come to fruition. This year feels like a year where USD wants to take down their rivals from Brookings.

Players and coaches feel a winning season is on the horizon.

And the feeling only grew in a 62-13 blowout at Oregon? Yes.

Everybody in the right mind knew there was no stopping Oregon’s offense. The story was more likely to be Coyotes breaking 20 than Ducks held under 60.

But a first half with multiple drives into the red zone, a couple nice field goals, and a revived captain running back had fans around OLC — and more than likely around Vermillion — waiting for the first home game. Even from 1,500 miles away, a football team’s revival was felt.

And cheers at the television greatly outweighed cursing at the television for fans in downtown Vermillion.

Oregon was only a footstool. There’s not much to say by stats, but Coyote football has its head pointed up, not simply straight.