USD football set to face Drake in the opening round of FCS playoffs

Nov. 23—VERMILLION, S.D. — After a full week of waiting to learn their postseason fate, the University of South Dakota football team has its FCS playoff path and a familiar opponent standing in the way.

The No. 11-seeded Coyotes (8-4) will host Drake (8-3) for the second time this season in the first round, kicking off at noon on Saturday, Nov. 29, at the DakotaDome. The Coyotes are hosting a playoff game at the Dome for the fourth time, and are in the playoffs for the third year in a row.

A win would send USD to No. 6 Mercer for the second round on Dec. 6. But for a Coyote program once left for dead at the mid-season mark, simply being in this position feels like a revival in itself.

It wasn't long ago that the idea of any playoff scenario, let alone a top-12 seed seemed far-fetched. At the midway point of the schedule, inconsistency and a tough Missouri Valley Football Conference slate had the Coyotes drifting toward the wrong side of the playoff bubble.

But a late surge over three-straight ranked opponents steadied and reshaped the season, setting the Coyotes on a path from playoff hopefuls to potential contenders.

When South Dakota and Drake met back in Week 4, both programs were still trying to find their identity.

In the early season matchup against the Bulldogs on Sept. 20, the Coyote offense piled on 508 total yards behind standout running back L.J. Phillips Jr.'s 143-yard rushing day and four scores on their way to a 42-21 home victory. Aidan Bouman tallied 226 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Larenzo Fenner who finished the day at 101 receiving yards on two receptions for two scores.

Now, months later, the two teams that take the field in the FCS playoffs hardly resemble the versions that squared off early in the season. Adversity, growth, and late-season momentum have reshaped each roster, setting the stage for an opening-round matchup where past results mean little and anything can happen.

Since its loss to South Dakota with a 1-2 record, Drake has rattled off seven wins in its last eight games to draw an at-large bid into the playoff picture after winning the Pioneer Football League for the third consecutive time. In their recent eight-game span, the Bulldogs are averaging 25.1 points per game on offense and only giving up 11 points per contest on defense.

Out of the 2025-26 FCS playoff 24-team bracket, the Missouri Valley Football Conference had the most teams with six. That included No. 1 North Dakota State, No. 11 South Dakota, No. 14 South Dakota State, No. 15 Youngstown State, North Dakota and Illinois State.