USD football comes up short in near-upset matchup at Boise State
· Yahoo Sports
Sep. 20—BOISE, Idaho — The South Dakota Coyotes were just a few plays away from a stunning upset on Saturday night.
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With 4:54 remaining and Boise State clinging to a 31-24 lead, the Coyotes had one more chance to force overtime after Boise State returner Cam Bates muffed a punt, giving USD possession at the Broncos' 38-yard line.
For a moment, the upset felt within reach. USD moved inside the red zone, and on third-and-11, former Coyote Roman Tillmon was flagged for holding, giving USD a first down at the Boise State 18-yard line at the two-minute warning.
Then the Broncos' defense slammed the door. USD quarterback Austyn Modrzewski could not connect on three consecutive passing attempts, with Boise State bringing pressure on third and fourth down to force a turnover on downs and preserve its seven-point advantage.
The Broncos took over at their own 17. One play later, Dylan Riley ended the Coyotes' hopes. Riley broke loose for an 83-yard touchdown run with 1:33 remaining, stretching Boise State's lead to 38-24 and putting the game out of reach. Modrzewski threw an interception on South Dakota's ensuing possession, allowing the Broncos to kneel out the final seconds and escape with the victory.
For South Dakota, the final margin did not reflect how close the Coyotes came to pulling off one of the biggest wins of their program's history.
The four-touchdown underdog Coyotes jumped out to a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter, but Boise State gradually settled into the game. The Broncos scored 17 unanswered points, taking their first lead with two minutes remaining in the first half.
After a Boise State field goal pushed the deficit to 24-14 early in the third quarter, South Dakota answered again. Modrzewski found Tysen Boze behind the Boise State defense for a 59-yard touchdown with less than three minutes remaining in the quarter, cutting the Broncos' lead to 24-21.
The Coyotes' defense then delivered a massive play when John Starman recorded a fourth-down sack, giving USD the ball back and an opportunity to tie the game.
Bohdie Ing did just that, drilling a 43-yard field goal with just under 11 minutes remaining to make it 24-all. Boise State responded with a 75-yard, nine-play drive. Riley accounted for 52 rushing yards on the possession before punching it in from two yards out to put the Broncos ahead 31-24 with 6:25 remaining.
That set up the frantic final sequence, when USD appeared to have another opportunity to tie the game before Boise State's defense finally held.
Modrzewski finished 12-for-27 passing for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Charles Pierre Jr. led the Coyotes with 47 rushing yards on 14 carries. Tennel Bryant hauled in three passes for 104 yards, while Boze finished with three receptions for 73 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Defensively, Wade Abrams paced South Dakota with 14 total tackles. RJ Stewart added eight tackles, while Starman recorded the Coyotes' lone sack. Kael Kolarik had a fumble recover to set up USD's first touchdown in the opening quarter.
South Dakota moves to 3-1 and will now turn its attention to Missouri Valley Football Conference play. The Coyotes travel to Youngstown, Ohio, to face Youngstown State at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, in their conference opener.