Coyotes fall to Indiana State in triple overtime
It took 31 drives to decide a winner in USD’s contest with Indiana State Saturday afternoon, a triple-overtime shootout that the Coyotes lost 51-48.
After three-and-a-half hours of game time, both offenses combined for 1,111 yards of total offense. USD ran 106 plays and gained 39 first downs, both new school records. Despite the loss, USD gained almost 100 more yards (602) than ISU (509).
Trailing 21-7 midway through the second quarter, Austin Simmons threw a touchdown to junior Dakarai Allen before halftime and then to sophomore Levi Falck with three seconds left in the third quarter to tie the game. After falling behind once more with under three minutes to play, Simmons led a 13 play, 81-yard game-tying drive capped off by an 11-yard touchdown catch by sophomore tight end Brett Samson with 16 seconds left on the game clock.
The two teams traded shots through two periods of overtime. Simmons ran for a touchdown on the first play of overtime before ISU quarterback Ryan Boyle fired a 25-yard scoring strike on the Sycamore’s first play of overtime, before coming back on the next series to throw another touchdown pass. Sophomore running back Henry tied the game at 45-45 three plays later with a ten-yard rush.
The Coyotes failed to score a touchdown in the third overtime period, settling on a field goal from Mason Lorber. This allowed Boyle to seal the victory on the following possession with a three-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman Dante Hendrix, Boyle’s seventh touchdown of the game.
Austin Simmons threw for 375 yards and 3 touchdowns, completing 38 of his 54 pass attempts and falling one completion short of USD’s single-game record.
Senior wide receiver Shamar Jackson led the team with 94 receiving yards on seven catches. Allen added 88 yards on a career-high nine catches with a touchdown.
Kai Henry had a strong day on the ground, notching a career-high 113 yards and two scores on 22 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Henry is the first USD rusher to break 100 yards this season. Freshman Canaan Brooks added 40 yards and scored his second touchdown of the season.
Ryan Boyle led the attack for the Sycamores, scoring a total of seven touchdowns. Boyle completed 20 of his 27 passes for 193 yards and five touchdowns, and was lethal with his legs, rushing for 194 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns.
USD had trouble stopping Indiana State’s rushing attack as ISU sophomore Titus McCoy added 125 yards on 21 carries. The Sycamores tallied 316 of their 509 total yards on the ground.
This marks USD’s fourth consecutive loss as the team falls to 3-6 on the season, while Indiana State climbs to 5-4 a year after going 0-11.
USD will return to Vermillion for their final home game of the season against Western Illinois (5-4) next Saturday at 1 p.m.
