Coyotes Stun No. 8 North Dakota, Host Jackrabbits Next

Coyote football delivered the DakotaDome moment fans have been waiting for last Saturday, with an upset against North Dakota. Behind a stingy defense, a blocked punt safety and an 80-yard scoop-and-score, the Coyotes handed No. 8 North Dakota its first Missouri Valley loss of the season with a 26-21 win Saturday afternoon.

Quarterback Aidan Bouman quietly made history, becoming just the second player in USD program history to eclipse 8,000 career passing yards while tying Chris Streveler for fourth all time with 54 touchdown passes. Bouman went 14-for-20 for 173 yards and a touchdown for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes’ energy was electric from the opening kick. After stalling on a fourth-and-1 at the goal line, USD’s defense forced back-to-back deep stops. Freshman Jaden Brown then burst off the edge to block a punt for a safety, which was the team’s first of the season. This gave South Dakota an early 2-0 lead.

L.J. Phillips Jr. capitalized on the next drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, extending the advantage to 9-0. After UND answered with a short rushing score, Bouman found Larenzo Fenner on a 43-yard catch-and-run touchdown that sent USD into halftime up 16-7.

In the second half, kicker Will Leyland made a 36-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 19-7 before defensive tackle Chris Dixon jarred the ball loose on the next drive. DeJuan Lewis scooped it up and sprinted 80 yards for the decisive score, which was USD’s first defensive touchdown of the year.

North Dakota clawed back late, trimming the deficit to five, but the Coyotes’ defense slammed the door with consecutive fourth-down stops to seal their fourth home win of the season.

Phillips Jr. rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown, marking his sixth 100-yard game of the year, while Fenner hauled in 83 yards and a score on two receptions. Linebacker Nate Ewell led the defense with 10 tackles.

The Coyotes will close their two-game homestand and regular season Saturday with the annual Interstate Series against newly ranked No. 9 South Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits, the defending FCS national champions, were upset last week by Indiana State 24-12.
Indiana State’s Rashad Rochelle scored three times in the game, while the Sycamores forced three turnovers. South Dakota State entered that game 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference but fell to 7-2 and 2-2 after the loss.

Under head coach Travis Johansen, the Coyotes have won three of their last four games and will face an SDSU team that has won the last several meetings in the series.

The Jackrabbits feature a balanced offense typically led by quarterback Chase Mason. Mason’s status for Saturday is questionable, as he did not play in the game the week before.

The Jackrabbits are facing an injury bug at the position. SDSU backup quarterback Luke Marble left the game late with an injury in the second half against Indiana State. Jack Henry is the third quarterback for the Jackrabbits and may be the man under center on Saturday.

Kickoff between South Dakota and South Dakota State is set for 3 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU. The game will also serve as Senior Day for the Coyotes inside the DakotaDome.