Main Story

No. 10 South Dakota hosts Northern Iowa at 1 p.m. CT Saturday for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day, aiming to stay unbeaten at the DakotaDome and strengthen its FCS playoff position. The Coyotes are coming off a bye and close their regular-season home schedule against a Panthers team they’ve beaten in two straight meetings.

By the Numbers
  • South Dakota is 7-3 overall and 2-2 against ranked opponents.
  • The Coyotes have won eight straight games at the DakotaDome and 10 straight November games.
  • Quarterback Austyn Modrzewski has thrown 27 touchdown passes, third-most in the FCS.
  • Northern Iowa leads the all-time series, 31-21-1; South Dakota has won three of the last four matchups.
Yes, But

Northern Iowa has the historical edge in the series and leads 11-10 in games played in Vermillion. The Panthers have also won their last four November meetings with South Dakota, though the Coyotes’ most recent November win over UNI came in 1981.

State of Play
  • South Dakota is ranked No. 10 in both major FCS polls and is 5-0 at home this season.
  • The final two regular-season games—against UNI and at Illinois State—could affect the Coyotes’ playoff position.
  • Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+ and Midco Sports; the Senior Day ceremony begins 25 minutes before kickoff.
What's Next

A win would give South Dakota a 6-0 regular-season home record and keep its playoff push on track ahead of the season finale at Illinois State.

Bottom Line

The Coyotes have momentum, a strong home streak and playoff stakes on their side—but Northern Iowa’s history in November makes this more than a routine home finale.