PREVIEW: Yotes and Panthers meet for 2024 Dakota Days matchup

VERMILLION, SD – The No. 4 ranked University of South Dakota football team (4-1, 2-0 MVFC) looks to continue its winning streak of efficient offense and stingy defense as it hosts the (RV) University of Northern Iowa Panthers (2-0). 3, 0-1 MVFC) for Saturday's 2024 Dakota Days bout at the DakotaDome. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and you can watch the game on ESPN+ or Midco Sports Plus.

Game 7 | No. 4/4 South Dakota (4-1, 2-0 MVFC) vs. (RV) Northern Iowa (2-3, 0-1 MVFC)
Date | Time	Saturday, October 12th | 2:00 p.m. (CT)
Location	Vermillion, SD | The DakotaDome (9,100)
Fan information	Tickets | Parking | Bag Clearance Policy | Guide from A to Z
TV	ESPN+ / Midco Sports Plus – David Brown (PxP) & Andre Fields (Analyst)
radio	Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi) (KVHT 106.3 FM)
Live statistics	(South Dakota): SIDEARM | StatBroadcast
Game notes	South Dakota | Northern Iowa | MVFC
Social media	@SDCoyotesFB | #GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota | @sdcoyotesfb | Facebook

ACTIONS

• This week is Dakota Days (Homecoming) on ​​the campus of the University of South Dakota.
• The Dakota Days Royalty Recognition will take place at halftime.
• This week's game sponsor is CorTrust.
• The first 800 students will receive a rally towel with the new turf on it.

GAME STORIES

• DEFENSE OF THE DOME: Since the 2021 season, South Dakota is 16-6 in the DakotaDome.
• MVFC NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: Quaron Adams posted a career-best 83 yards against Murray State, earning his first career MVFC weekly honor.
• USD has won its first two MVFC games each of the last two seasons and is hoping to make it to third in a row for the second straight year.
• The Yotes remain No. 4 in both polls (AFCA Coaches' and STATS Perform) heading into Week 7 – marking their eighth game as a top-five team in the Division I FCS era.
• South Dakota has scored more than 40 points in all three home games this season.
• They also scored 40 points in three straight games for the first time in the MVFC era and the first time since the 2005-06 season.
• The Coyotes' rushing attack increased to 7^Th in the FCS (248.8 yards per game) after an outstanding 361 yards on the ground in the Murray State win.
• The Coyote defense leads the MVFC in scoring defense with 9.2 ppg (Third in FCS) and a total defense of 276.4 yards per game (7th in FCS).
• Teams struggled to score in the red zone against the Yotes, converting just 60% of the time (9th in the FCS).
• H.C Bob Nielson Coached 91 career games at South Dakota and recorded 46 career wins at USD.
• Six more wins for Nielson puts him fourth all-time in program history for games won at USD.

TO NOTE

• Aidan Bouman has thrown for at least 200 passing yards and a touchdown in the last three games.
• Quaron Adams was a spark in the wide receiver group, averaging an MVFC-best 24.6 yards per catch.
• The rushing attack of Travis Theis (96.0) and Charles Pierre Jr. (89.4) rank 1st and 2nd in the Valley in rushing yards per game, respectively.
• Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 35.0 tackles per game while Dennis Shorter has a team-best two interceptions.

HIGH RATED COYOTES!

• South Dakota has put up over 40 points in three straight home games, including the last two weeks.
• The overall streak is up to three games in a row as the Yotes now lead the MVFC in points per game (40.2).
• It is the first time since 2006-06 that they have scored 40 or more points in three consecutive games.
• It is the first time in the Yotes-MVFC era that more than 40 points have been scored in three consecutive home games, most recently in 2009.

DOMINANT RUSH GAME

• With back-to-back 300-yard rushing games to open the MVFC game, South Dakota has improved 17 spots nationally in rushing yards per game since entering the Valley game two weeks ago.
• Theis & Pierre Jr. backfield have combined for four 100-yard rushing games (both did so against SIU).
• The two running backs have combined for 75% of the team's rushing yards and over 60% (62.5%) of the team's offensive touchdowns this season.
• Charles Pierre Jr. posted a career-best three rushing scores in the win at Murray State.

STRONG DEFENSE

• The Yotes hung their hat on their defense early in the season.
• South Dakota has five interceptions as a team, with four different Yotes having one; Gabriel Hardman earned his first pick as a Coyote last week against Murray State.
• The five team interceptions are 31^st-Best in the nation.
• L.B Gary Bryant III leads the defense with his 36 tackles this season.
• Nick Gaes leads the team in sacks (4.5), while Gaes and Mi'Quise Grace are tied for the team lead in duels resulting in defeat (5.5).
• The duo at the top is tied for second in the MVFC in TFLs per game (1.10), while Gaes is tied for second in the Valley with 4.5 sacks.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS & MILESTONES

• Keyondray Jones-Logan is one of two FCS athletes to return two kickoffs for touchdowns this season.
• In Wisconsin, Aidan Bouman cracked the top 10 in program history for passing yards.
• Last week against SIU, he became the ninth Coyote to surpass the 4,000-yard mark for his career.
• He ranks eighth with 4,329 passing yards and is aiming to move up to seventh this week (Dante Warren4,361).
• Bouman is also now tied for T9 all-time in program history in passing touchdowns (27).
• Travis Theis continues to climb the USD rushing record list, starting the week second in carries (619), fourth in rushing yards (2,974) and T6. in rushing touchdowns (28).
• He needs just 26 yards to become the third Yote with 3,000 rushing yards in his career.
• Carter Bell moves to fourth in receiving yards (2,368) and fifth in touchdown receptions (16).
• He also now ranks third in career receptions (154) and is now eyeing the program's all-time top spot (Brooks Little, 2004-07, 165 receptions).

WITHIN THE NORTH IOWA SERIES

• South Dakota and Northern Iowa will meet for the 53rd time^approx time on Saturday. The Panthers lead the all-time series 31-20-1.
• It will be the 24th^Th Meeting in Vermillion with UNI leadership 13-10.
• This is just the fourth meeting in USD's Division I era in which the Panthers were ranked outside the top 25 nationally.
• It is also the fourth meeting in which the Yotes themselves have been ranked, including once in the top 10 (2017).

NORTH IOWA QUICK HIT

• UNI enters the contest with a record of 2-3 and has fallen under 24 in its last three games (Nebraska, Hawaii and No. 1 SDSU).^Th Year head coach Mark Farley.
• The Panthers are ranked 120th^Th in the FCS in scoring offense (13.0 ppg) out of 123 FCS programs.
• The UNI defense places a heavy emphasis on rushing defense, allowing just over 100 rushing yards per game (117.6), 22^nd in the country (5^Th in the MVFC).