JACKRABBITS TRIPPED UP AT USD

Saturday, November 8

Vermillion, S.D.

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

7-3 , 3-3

South Dakota

7-4 , 5-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Dakota St.

South Dakota

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

11/8/2025 7:13:00 PM | Football

Box Score

VERMILLION — South Dakota running back L.J. Phillips Jr. rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns, including a 32-yarder for the only points of the second half, as the Coyotes knocked off South Dakota State, 24-17, in the Interstate Series game Saturday afternoon at the DakotaDome.

USD, ranked 22^nd in the Stats Perform media poll and 24^th by the American Football Coaches Association, improved to 7-4 overall and 5-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SDSU dropped its third consecutive game, falling to 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the MVFC. The Jackrabbits entered the game ranked eighth in the media poll and ninth by the coaches.

The Jackrabbits provided the opening salvo 11 seconds into the game as wide receiver Jack Smith lined up in the backfield and took a pitch through a seam on the right side and outraced the USD secondary down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown run.

USD also found the end zone on its first possession, stringing together a 15-play, 70-yard drive in which the Coyotes extended the march by converting on fourth-and-3 from the Jackrabbit Phillips closed out the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run.

SDSU regained the lead on a 40-yard field goal by Eli Stader later in the first quarter, which was answered by a 34-yard field goal by the Coyotes' Will Leyland at the 4:14 mark of the second quarter. Smith hauled in a 28-yard pass from quarterback Jack Henry on a third-and-6 play that moved the ball into Coyote territory to set up the field goal.

The Coyotes came up with a quick strike of their own as they grabbed the lead for the first time late in the front half. After a personal foul against SDSU on the first play of a Coyote drive, Aidan Bouman found Larenzo Fenner down the left side for a 37-yard gain before the duo hooked up a play later in the right corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown with 1:03 to play in the first half.

Henry, who became the third SDSU starter at quarterback this season, ran the two-minute drill to near perfection to knot the game for a third time. The redshirt freshman who won two state championship games at the DakotaDome while playing at Dell Rapids High School, completed 5-of-6 passes over a 52-second span, three of which were completed to Alex Bullock. Henry's final pass of the drive covered 27 yards on a post route to Bullock with five seconds remaining in the half to make the score 17-all.

USD put together what would prove to be the game-winning drive on the first possession of the second half. Facing third-and-6 at the SDSU 32, Phillips took a handoff and knifed his way through the middle of the Jackrabbit defense for his second touchdown of the afternoon.

The Jackrabbits were unable to move the ball into USD territory on their two possessions of the third quarter, but were in position to tie the game early in the fourth quarter behind an 18-yard pass from Henry to Smith and a pair of first-down runs by Julius Loughridge that advanced the ball to the Coyote 23. The drive would end, however, when Henry's pass to the end zone was intercepted by Dejuan Lewis.

The SDSU defense came up with a much-needed stop to get the ball back at its own 41 with a few ticks under five minutes to play following a 24-yard punt return by Myles Taylor. Once again, the offense couldn't convert as the Jackrabbits turned the ball over on downs and USD was able to run out the clock when Phillips picked up two first downs on the ground.

USD finished with a 333-330 advantage in total offense. Bouman completed 14-of-21 passes for 158 yards, with Fenner catching four balls for 68 yards.

For the Jackrabbits, Smith ended the day with 197 all-purpose yards, including 82 on the ground after his opening touchdown. He also led the SDSU receiving corps with a career-high six catches for 61 yards.

Loughridge added 44 yards on 10 carries, with Henry ending the day 13-of-24 passing for 139 yards.

Joe Ollman led all players with eight tackles for SDSU, followed by Jalen B. Lee, Koby Bretz, Kytan Fyfe and Cullen McShane all with seven stops.

Gabriel Hardman and Roman Tillmon each registered seven tackles to lead USD.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits close out the home schedule Nov. 15 with a Senior Day matchup against Illinois State. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 58-53-7, including by a 10-3 margin in the Division I era for both programs
The Jackrabbits lost three games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2013
SDSU scored on its opening possession of the game for the third time in the last four games and fifth time this season
The Jackrabbits committed a season-high 10 penalties
Attendance was 9,159

-GoJacks.com-