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South Dakota Announces Schedule

Coyote Football Unveils 2012 Schedule

VERMILLION, S.D. – University of South Dakota Director of Athletics, David Sayler, announced Wednesday the 2012 Coyote football schedule which features five home games in the DakotaDome, including Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) defending national champion North Dakota State as the Coyotes move into the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  The 11-game schedule features four teams who were ranked in the final FCS Coaches' Poll of 2011.

"The chance to renew rivalries makes for a real exciting and challenging 2012 schedule," Sayler said.  "Our football program needs all of Coyote Nation to rally around Coach Glenn and our tremendous student-athletes."

South Dakota opens the 2012 schedule under first year head coach Joe Glenn at perennial FCS power Montana on Sept. 1, 2012, in Missoula, Mont.  The Grizzlies finished fourth nationally this past season with an 11-3 record and a national semifinal loss to FCS runner-up Sam Houston State.

The Coyotes will receive a cash guarantee for the game next fall and, as a result of scheduling the game, the two schools also have negotiated a home-and-home series in 2013 and 2014.  Montana will visit the DakotaDome on Nov. 9, 2013, while the Coyotes will return to Missoula Sept. 13, 2014.  All dates are subject to change.

"All of Coyote Nation should be excited about this agreement with Montana," Sayler said.  "Getting an established FCS program, such as Montana, to visit Vermillion continues our push to bring the best possible opponents we can into the DakotaDome for our fans, the city of Vermillion and the State of South Dakota."

Glenn will have a homecoming of sorts as he was the head football coach at Montana from 2000-02.  Glenn guided the Grizzlies to the 2001 National Championship and a runner-up finish in 2000.  He led the Griz to a 39-6 record, including a 20-2 mark in the Big Sky Conference as he won two conference titles and tied for a third.  His 86.7 winning percentage was the best in the history of the Big Sky Conference.  From the third game of the 2001 season to the 10th game of the 2002 season, Montana won 24 consecutive games, tying the I-AA all-time record. His 2001 squad set a school record with 15 wins en route to a 15-1 record and the national title.

"What a terrific way to begin our season with such a quality opponent," Glenn said.  "Certainly this will be an emotional game for me, however this will be a terrific marking point for our program.  We respectfully accept the challenge."

The Coyotes then open the 2012 home slate Sept. 8 versus Colgate in the DakotaDome.  South Dakota went 6-0 at home last season and have gone 39-5 in the last eight years at home.  Colgate was 5-6 last season and 2-4 in the Patriot League.

South Dakota has its bye week scheduled for Sept. 15 and returns to action Sept. 22 at Big Ten Conference member Northwestern.  The Wildcats went 6-7 last season with a 3-5 mark in conference play and lost 33-22 to Texas A&M in the Meineke Car Care Bowl Dec. 31.

The first month of the season closes as Illinois State comes to Vermillion to begin MVFC play.  The Redbirds defeated the Coyotes 28-3 Oct. 15 in Normal in a non-conference game and finished the season 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the MVFC.  Illinois State finished the season ranked 22^nd nationally. 

The Coyotes open October at home with an Oct. 6 matchup with Western Illinois, followed by a trip to Missouri State (Oct. 13) and then will host North Dakota State Oct. 20.  It will mark the second consecutive year the defending national champion has come to the DakotaDome as the Coyotes downed Eastern Washington Sept. 10, 30-17.

Road games at Indiana State and Youngstown State follow as the Coyotes return home Nov. 10 for the home finale versus Northern Iowa.  The Panthers finished 10-3 with a quarterfinal loss to Montana.  UNI finished the season ranked fifth.

The 2012 regular season closes with the highly anticipated series renewal with South Dakota State.  The Coyotes and Jackrabbits will battle in Brookings Nov. 17 for the first meeting since 2003.  The Coyotes lead the all-time series with South Dakota State 51-48-7.