USD routs Drake in final non-conference game, With extra energy and motivation

The Coyotes had their most complete performance of the season against the Bulldogs, improving to 2-1

VERMILLION — Fueled by extra energy and motivation after last week’s unexpected game cancellation, the South Dakota football team delivered a dominant performance, defeating Drake 42-3 in their final non-conference game of the season at the DakotaDome.

Aidan Bouman had an outstanding game, throwing for 219 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-24 passing. Travis Theis was the standout in the backfield, rushing for 94 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Carter Bell led the receiving corps with 56 yards and also contributed a rushing touchdown. On defense, Nick Gaes shone with 1.5 sacks, while Mike Reid intercepted a pass.

Head coach Bob Nielson expressed his satisfaction not only with the win but also with the team’s commanding performance.

“From the first kickoff, our guys were ready to play,” Nielson remarked. “After last week’s cancellation, there were concerns about losing focus and the frustration of not playing. However, our players handled the situation with maturity, and I thought they played with a sense of urgency today. … We showed better offensive balance, which was something we knew we needed to improve, while continuing to play strong defense and making key plays in the kicking game.”

One area Nielson was concerned about was the number of penalties. USD accumulated 14 penalties, giving Drake 110 yards in free yardage.

“That’s far too many,” Nielson stated. “Some of those were undisciplined, which is disappointing for me as a head coach. We’ll work on correcting those issues, but some penalties were a result of our players playing hard. These things happen, and we need to find ways to overcome them.”

After Drake won the toss and chose to defer until the second half, USD wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Keyondray Jones-Logan showcased his speed and explosiveness, returning the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, quickly putting the Coyotes ahead 7-0.

The Coyotes extended their lead on their second offensive drive, with Travis Theis scoring on a 25-yard run to make it 14-0. The Bulldogs attempted to narrow the gap, driving down to the Coyote six-yard line with the help of two late hit penalties, but USD’s defense held strong, allowing only a field goal which brought the score to 14-3.

Following the Drake field goal, USD’s offense responded with a solid drive, scoring in just seven plays over 71 yards, culminating in a six-yard touchdown run by Carter Bell for a 21-3 lead. Charles Pierre then added another touchdown on the next drive, bringing the halftime score to 28-3.

Similar to the first half, USD opened the second half explosively. On the very first play, Mike Reid intercepted a pass, giving the Coyotes possession at their own 44-yard line after a subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Reid. However, the offense could not convert this opportunity into points and ended up punting shortly after.

The defense stepped up once more, forcing Drake to punt again. This time, the offense crafted a methodical drive, culminating in Theis’ second touchdown of the day and increasing the lead to 35-3 with 6:31 remaining in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, at the 12:24 mark, the Coyotes scored again. Bouman connected with Pierre for a 20-yard touchdown, marking Bouman’s first touchdown pass of the season and extending the lead to 42-3. This final score sealed the game, giving the Coyotes their second victory of the season.

USD (2-1) will remain in Vermillion to take on Southern Illinois in their first conference matchup of the season on Saturday, September 28.