What to know about South Dakota at Western Illinois
Nov. 15—SOUTH DAKOTA (8-2, 6-2) AT Western Illinois (0-10, 0-7)
WHEN/WHERE: 1 p.m. Saturday at Hanson Field in Macomb, Illinois
RADIO: KQSF-FM 95.7 Sioux Falls, KVHT-FM 106.3 Yankton
STREAMING: ESPN+
RECORD LAST YEAR: USD 3-8; WIU, 0-11
SERIES: WIU leads 6-5
LAST TIME: USD beat WIU 42-21 in 2021 in Macomb
LAST WEEK: USD beat North Dakota 14-10, WIU lost to Indiana State 27-6
RANKINGS: USD is ranked 5th; WIU is unranked
COACHES: USD — Bob Nielson (8th year, 40-44), WIU Myers Hendrickson (second year, 0-21)
After navigating the gauntlet of four ranked opponents in the past five games, South Dakota gets some reprieve to close out the regular season when it visits winless Western Illinois on Saturday.
It's the final Missouri Valley Football Conference game for a WIU side that will join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024. Riding a 23-game losing streak, the Leathernecks are likely eager to end a futile season, and turn the page to an era of more manageable competition in the OVC.
However, WIU's struggles don't diminish the importance of the game for the Coyotes. Win, and USD wraps up a nine-win regular season, which, barring a shocker from the playoff committee, would secure the squad its first-ever seed and first-round bye in the FCS playoffs.
USD coach Bob Nielson, who was the head coach of Western Illinois from 2013-15, acknowledged the game's stakes in his weekly press conference Monday.
"It's an opportunity to close the regular season schedule and accomplish a lot of goals that this team set from the start," Nielson said. "You always want to be in that situation where the last game of the year means a tremendous amount, and it does for our team."
The Leathernecks are in the cellar of the FCS on each side of the ball, ranked last nationally in total offense, and last in scoring defense. WIU averages just 1.5 yards per rush, and against MVFC foes, it's been outscored by an average of 46-8.
The limited success WIU does garner offensively comes from its passing attack, as it averages 193 passing yards per game. Northern Iowa transfer quarterback Matt Morrissey is 193-of-314 passing this season for 1,894 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Defensively, the Leathernecks are allowed 6.5 rushing yards per play and 236.2 passing yards a game. Senior defensive back Bradyn Smith leads the team with 73 tackles, while senior linebacker Juan DeLaCruz has 58 tackles.
"I know a lot about that place and coached there for three years. I know they always have tough, hard-nosed players that are going to play hard," Nielson said. "You're going to have to go down there and execute in all three phases of the game. They've got good offensive skill, and defensively, they play a real aggressive style of defense that can cause some confusion."
It's likely, however, that USD's stiffest opponent Saturday will be itself. Show up on the field and play hard, and the Coyotes will have a relaxing Saturday night as they await Sunday's playoff selection show.
