The 2018 South Dakota Coyotes football team represented the University of South Dakota in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Bob Nielson and played their home games in the DakotaDome. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 4–7, 3–5 in MVFC play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place.
2018 South Dakota Coyotes football | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Conference | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
Record | 4–7 (3–5 MVFC) |
Head coach |
|
Offensive coordinator | Ted Schlafke (3rd season) |
Co-defensive coordinator | Brian Mohnsen (1st season) |
Co-defensive coordinator | Atiba Bradley (1st season) |
Home stadium | DakotaDome |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 1 North Dakota State $^ | 8 | – | 0 | 15 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 3 South Dakota State ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 23 Northern Iowa ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana State | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Illinois | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois State | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youngstown State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Dakota | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri State | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southern Illinois | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Preseason
editAward watch lists
editAward | Player | Position | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Buck Buchanan Award[1] | Darin Greenfield | DE | JR |
Preseason MVFC poll
editThe MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Coyotes predicted to finish in sixth place.[2]
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
---|---|---|
1 | North Dakota State | 390 (39) |
2 | South Dakota State | 270 |
3 | Northern Iowa | 258 |
4 | Youngstown State | 248 |
5 | Illinois State | 248 |
6 | South Dakota | 206 |
7 | Western Illinois | 163 |
8 | Southern Illinois | 139 |
9 | Missouri State | 90 |
10 | Indiana State | 41 |
Preseason All-MVFC Teams
editThe Coyotes placed seven players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.[3]
Offense 1st team Shamar Jackson – WR 2nd team Tyler Ciurej – OL Nick Jensen – OL Mason Scheidegger — OL
|
Defense 1st team Darin Greenfield – DL Andrew Gray – DB 2nd team Brady Schutt – P |
Schedule
editDate | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | at Kansas State* | ESPN3 | L 24–27 | 50,063 | ||
September 8 | 2:00 p.m. | Northern Colorado* | No. 23 | ESPN+ Midco | W 43–28 | 9,143 | |
September 15 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 11 Weber State* | No. 22 | KELOland Pluto TV | L 10–27 | 8,455 | |
September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | at Southern Illinois | ESPN+ | W 31–24 | 8,546 | ||
October 6 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 24 Missouri State |
| ESPN3 | W 35–28 | 10,092 | |
October 13 | 6:00 p.m. | Northern Iowa | No. 24 |
| ESPN+ Midco | L 28–42 | 9,513 |
October 20 | 5:00 p.m. | at Youngstown State | ESPN+ | L 17–29 | 11,112 | ||
October 27 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 1 North Dakota State |
| ESPN+ Midco | L 14–59 | 9,589 | |
November 3 | 12:00 p.m. | at Indiana State | ESPN+ | L 48–51 3OT | 5,816 | ||
November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | Western Illinois |
| ESPN+ Midco | W 17–12 | 8,761 | |
November 17 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 5 South Dakota State | ESPN+ Midco | L 27–49 | 8,517 | ||
|
Game summaries
editAt Kansas State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coyotes | 10 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Wildcats | 3 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 27 |
Kansas State's Isaiah Zuber was credited for saving the game with two key plays: an 85-yard punt return with South Dakota leading 24–12. Later in the game caught a touchdown pass from Skylar Thompson with 7:21 left to give K-State its first lead of the second half.
Kansas State scored all but seven of its points on field goals and special teams. Sophomore kicker Blake Lynch scored Kansas State’s first 12 points on field goals of 22, 24, 38 and 44 yards. Kansas State racked up 13 penalties for 129 yards, but maintained more control of the ball with 37:39 of offense compared to South Dakota's 22:21.[4] going over 100 years for the first time since 2016 against Florida Atlantic.[5]
South Dakota quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 257 yards and one touchdown, continually finding receiver Levi Falck (11 catches, 140 yards) open against top K-State cornerback Duke Shelley. The Coyotes led 24–12 at halftime.[6] ESPN reported "... one solid takeaway is how well the Coyotes were in control for much of the game. They did a great job limiting the Kansas State offense for three quarters and had many Kansas State fans, players and coaches frustrated throughout the night."[5]
Northern Colorado
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
No. 23 Coyotes | 14 | 20 | 0 | 9 | 43 |
At Weber State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 22 Coyotes | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
No. 11 Wildcats | 11 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 27 |
At Southern Illinois
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coyotes | 7 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 31 |
Salukis | 14 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
Missouri State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 24 Bears | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
Coyotes | 14 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 35 |
Northern Iowa
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panthers | 0 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
No. 24 Coyotes | 3 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 28 |
At Youngstown State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coyotes | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
Penguins | 19 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 29 |
North Dakota State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 1 Bison | 21 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 59 |
Coyotes | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
At Indiana State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | 3OT | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coyotes | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 48 |
Sycamores | 14 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 51 |
Western Illinois
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leathernecks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
Coyotes | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
At South Dakota State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coyotes | 7 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 27 |
No. 5 Jackrabbits | 28 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 49 |
Ranking movements
editWeek | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
STATS FCS | RV | 23 | 22 | RV | RV | RV | 24 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | |
Coaches | RV | RV | 24 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — |
References
edit- ^ "FCS football: 2018 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced". August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
- ^ "North Dakota State Picked to Win 2018 MVFC Title".
- ^ "Preseason All-Conf and Team (PDF) - Missouri Valley Football Conference" (PDF).
- ^ "South Dakota Coyotes vs Kansas State Wildcats (team stats)". ESPN. September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ a b "Kansas State scores 2 late TDs, edges South Dakota 27–24". ESPN. September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ Robinett, Kellis. "Kansas State survives against South Dakota 27–24 in season-opener". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved September 5, 2018.