MIRACLE FINISH DOOMS JACKRABBITS

Saturday, November 13

Vermillion, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

7-3 , 4-3

South Dakota

7-3 , 5-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Dakota State

South Dakota

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

11/13/2021 7:13:00 PM | Football

Box Score

VERMILLION — South Dakota's Jeremiah Webb hauled in a 57-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game, lifting the 17th-ranked Coyotes to an improbable 23-20 victory over South Dakota State in their Showdown Series matchup Saturday afternoon at the DakotaDome.

USD improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while the Jackrabbits, ranked fourth in the Stats Perform media poll and seventh by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches, dropped to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in league play.

The Coyotes' game-winner came after a single second was put back on the clock after a replay review following an SDSU attempt to run out the clock on a pass deep downfield on a play that began with eight seconds remaining. On the game-winner, USD quarterback Carson Camp eluded the Jackrabbit pass rush and heaved the ball down the right side of the field to about the 5-yard line, where it was batted around twice before falling into the waiting arms of Webb, who finished the game with six catches for 153 yards.

SDSU had taken a 20-17 lead with six minutes and 10 seconds remaining, putting together a methodical 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Walter Payton Award candidate Pierre Strong, Jr.

USD moved into scoring position on the ensuing drive, but Adam Bock stuffed the USD ball carrier on a fourth-and-inches play from the Jackrabbit 28 to turn the ball over on downs with two minutes to play. The Jackrabbits were able to pick up one first down as the Coyotes burned their timeouts, but failed to completely run out the clock.

The Jackrabbits scored the first 10 points of the game as Cole Frahm kicked a 37-yard field goal on SDSU first drive of the game and Zach Heins hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Chris Oladokun early in the second quarter.

The Coyotes, who missed two field goals earlier in the opening half, got on the board with 76 seconds remaining in the first half on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Camp to Caleb Vander Esch.

Frahm booted his second 37-yard field goal of the game to open the second half, but USD gained a 17-13 lead with 10 consecutive points bridging the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth on a 13-yard touchdown run by Nate Thomas and a 37-yard field goal by Mason Lorber.

USD finished with a 422-348 advantage in total offense as Camp completed 19-of-27 passes for 288 yards and the two scores. Thomas carried 16 times for 90 yards.

Oladokun ended the afternoon 22-of-30 passing for 220 yards. Jaxon Janke was on the receiving end of seven of those completions for 105 yards, with Strong crossing the 100-yard mark for the eighth time in 10 games this season with 103 yards on a career-high 28 carries.

Bock led the Jackrabbit defensive effort with 14 tackles, including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Michael Griffin II added eight tackles.

Jack Cochrane paced USD with nine tackles and had one of the Coyotes' two interceptions.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits close out the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 20) by hosting North Dakota. Kickoff for the Hall of Fame Game and Miltary Appreciation Day is set for 2 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 54-52-7, including a 7-2 advantage in the Division I era
USD has won the last two meetings by a total of six points
The Jackrabbits scored on their opening drive of the game for the sixth time in 10 games this season
Strong became the fourth Jackrabbit to top 4,000 career rushing yards, ending the day with 4,086
Jaxon Janke went over the 100-yard mark for receiving for the third consecutive game and fourth time in the last five contests
Bock recorded double figures in tackles for the fifth time this season and eighth time in his career
Attendance was 9,068