South Dakota Coyotes Fall in Tight Game at Wisconsin

The USD Coyote football program had the daunting task of playing up a class this weekend against the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, and they didn't back down.

The final score may have been decided by two touchdowns on Saturday, but those that watched the game know just how close the Yotes were to pulling a massive upset.

Here's the game recap from GoYotes.com:

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It was a four-point game heading into the fourth quarter on a clear and sunny day at Camp Randall Stadium, but the valiant second half comeback attempt falls short for the University of South Dakota football squad Saturday afternoon. The Wisconsin Badgers prevailed the Coyotes, 27-13, in front of a sold-out Badger crowd.

Wisconsin fumbles on the first play from scrimmage but would recover and connect on a 32-yard pass play into Coyote territory. The Badgers would push the ball deep inside the red zone and running back Chez Mellusi would score the game's first touchdown with a run up the middle.

The offense would first take the field with 12 minutes left in the first quarter. The Badger crowd got to the offense early but Aidan Bouman (Jr., Buffalo, Minn.) would connect with Travis Theis (Sr., Pratt, Kan.) out of the backfield for a 25-yard connection.

After the offense drive stalled out, the USD defense showed out and got the Badgers off the field setting up the offense with their second possession of the day, trailing just 7-0. Both defenses would start to take control through the mid-part of the first quarter, trading defensive stops.

Wisconsin would use some trickery for their second score of the afternoon when Tyler Van Dyke would find CJ Williams streaking down the far sideline all alone to make it 14-0 Badgers with 4:48 to play in the opening frame.

Charles Pierre Jr. (So., Orlando, Fla.) would take the next play from scrimmage for 16 yards, nearly breaking the last man to beat for the score, looking to ignite the Coyote offense. Bouman would then find Carter Bell (Sr., Bettendorf, Iowa) for the first South Dakota third down conversion of the day and moving the ball into Badger territory for the first time on the afternoon. The drive would stall out and Wisconsin would hold a 14-0 lead after the first 15 minutes of play.

Bouman would find JJ Galbreath (Sr., Arvada, Colo.) for 24 yards and back into Wisconsin territory to open the second quarter. Later, a powerful run from Theis would put the Yotes at the Badger 11-yard line midway through the second quarter. Though the drive would stall, Will Leyland (Jr., Souderton, Pa.) would put the first Coyote points on the board with a 25-yard field goal to make it 14-3 Badgers.

Wisconsin would hold a 17-3 advantage at the halftime break.

South Dakota wasted no time out of the halftime break, relying heavy on Pierre Jr. and the rushing attack to push into Badger territory on the first two plays from scrimmage. Keyondray Jones-Logan (So. Orlando, Fla.) would ignite the USD crowd in attendance with a 35-yard touchdown score for the first Coyotes touchdown of the day, cutting the Badger lead to 17-10 on the first possession of the second half.
The defense would force a stop and the Coyotes would immediately return to the ground game. The drive would stall in Badger territory, but a Badger muffed punt would see the ball back to the Yotes inside the Badger 10-yard line with 6:50 to play in the third quarter.

When it looked like the Badger defense would hold firm, a targeting penalty gave the Yotes new life with a new set of downs at the four-yard line. Again, the Wisconsin defense held firm, but the Yotes cut the deficit to just four with a 32-yard field goal, making it 17-13 Wisconsin with 5:06 to play in the third.

A bend but don't break mentality for the Coyote defense on the next possession, limiting the damage to just a field goal as Wisconsin pushes their lead to 20-17 with a little over two minutes to play in the third frame.

The Badgers would take the touchdown lead (20-13) into the final frame. Another defensive stop for the Yotes early in the fourth would give the ball back to the USD offense who had been extremely efficient on the ground in the second half.

However, a rushing score from Wisconsin's Chez Mellusi would prove to seal the deal for the Badgers in front of a sold-out Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers would take the game, 27-13, behind 385 yards of total offense and converting 7-of-14 third down opportunities.

Next up for USD is another road game, this time out West as the Yotes take on Portland State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:00 CT, and you can follow along with the action on the Coyote Sports Network from Learfield.

Source: Go Yotes - Football