2021 record: 7-5 (5-3)
Missouri Valley Conference Standings: Third (Tie)
Best wins: FCS No. 13 North Dakota, FCS No. 16 Northern Iowa, FCS No. 4 South Dakota State.
Notable losses: Lost to Kansas in Lawrence by three. Lost to Southern Illinois 22-10 in the first round of the FCS playoffs as an at-large team.
Head Coach: Bob Neilson. He enters his seventh season with South Dakota and has a record of 29-34. He has led the Coyotes to their only two FCS playoff appearances since moving up from Division II to FCS in 2008.

South Dakota finished No. 18 in the final FCS STATS Poll last year, No. 20 in the final FCS Coaches Poll and No. 17 in Bill Connelly’s FCS SP+ ranking.

Their offense ranked No. 71 in FCS in Connelly’s ranking by finishing No. 52 in scoring offense (27.0 points per game), No. 48 in total offense (376.8 yards per game), No. 32 in rushing offense (170.2 yards per game), No. 65 in passing offense (206.6 yards per game) and No. 21 in passing efficiency.

The defense was No. 7 in Connelly’s ranking, which included No. 23 in scoring defense (20.7 points per game), No. 35 in total defense (343.3 yards per game), No. 24 in rush defense (120.9 yards per game), No. 63 in pass defense (222.4 yards per game) and No. 74 in pass efficiency defense.

Most preseason Missouri Valley Conference projections have South Dakota picked to finish fifth or sixth in the league for the 2022 season. However, the Missouri Valley Conference is brutal. Six teams were in top 25 at the end of the year last season and two in the top five.

They return a young core on offense that includes their starting quarterback, top five rushers and leading receiver. On the other hand, they did lose five of their top seven receivers.

Defensively, they lost FCS All-American Jack Cochrane (currently at Kansas City Chiefs training camp as an undrafted free agent) and three of their top four tacklers from one of the best defenses in the FCS a year ago.

They still have a few solid pieces with leading tacklers, five thru nine, still being on campus.

OFFENSE

1. RB Travis Theis (5-11/215): Honorable Mention All-Missouri Valley. Theis rushed for 696 yards at 4.5 yards per carry and finished with eight touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes for 154 yards.

2. QB Carson Camp (6-3/210): He passed for 2,252 yards, completed 65 percent of his passes and logged 17 touchdowns and seven Interceptions. Camp recorded a passer rating of 149.0 and threw for 8.2 yards per attempt. He only ran for 97 yards and one score in 12 starts.

3. RB Nate Thomas (5-8/220): He led South Dakota in rushing with 726 yards and 6.3 yards per carry. Thomas scored five touchdowns and also caught 13 passes for 69 yards.

4. WR Carter Bell (5-10/170): Honorable Mention All-Missouri Valley. Bell led the Coyotes with 673 yards, 41 catches and five touchdowns. He averaged 16.4 yards per reception, with a long of 91 yards.

5. RB Shomari Lawrence (6-0/210): As a redshirt, Lawrence only played in four games before injury, but finished with it 160 yards rushing at 4.8 yards per carry and a score. Also caught six passes for 77 yards.

6. OL Alex Jensen (6-7/280): Jensen was the leader of the USD offensive line and the only offensive player that landed on preseason All-Missouri Valley offensive lists. He finished 2021 on the All-Missouri Valley second team.

DEFENSE

1. LB Brock Mogensen (6-2/230): Preseason All-Missouri Valley selection. He was second for South Dakota in tackles with 86, recorded six tackles for loss, a sack, broke up one pass and forced one fumble.

2. S Josiah Ganues (5-11/170): Preseason All-Missouri Valley selection. Ganues finished with 31 tackles and two passes broken up.

3. LB Tre Thomas (6-1 220): He finished with 36 tackles and was third on the team with 11.5 havoc plays, which included 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, and breaking up six passes.

4. CB Daraun McKinney (5-10/195): McKinney was fifth on the team in tackles with 48 and led the team with eight passes broken up.

5. DL Nick Gaes (6-4/275): Gaes led the Coyotes with seven sacks and was second on the team with 10 tackles for loss. He finished sixth in tackles with 36.

6. CB Tre Jackson (5-10/170): Jackson was solid with six passes broken up, logged an interception and made 33 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS

1. KR Wesley Eliodor (6-0/200): Honorable Mention All-Missouri Valley. Eliodor returned 18 kicks for 516 yards for an average of 28.7 per return and had a 99-yard score.

2. PR Carter Bell (5-10/170): He returned 14 punts for 132 yards for an average of 9.4 per return and one touchdown.

FAN: Kansas State wins if…

The Wildcats show up to play and don’t overlook the Coyotes.

South Dakota is a decent FCS program and will probably push for a top 25 FCS finish and playoff spot once again, but it shouldn't be close if K-State is ready to take the next step forward under Chris Klieman.

Although the Coyotes' strength in 2021 was defense, it might be flipped in 2022 since the returners are on the offensive side of the ball for South Dakota. Kansas State should be able to exploit the losses on the South Dakota defense and contain the young returning core on their offense.

Prediction: Kansas State 45, South Dakota 3

DY: Kansas State wins if...

They don't defeat themselves. It's that easy for me.

South Dakota isn't good enough to defeat them, unless the Wildcats shoot themselves in the foot. If it were to happen, that'd be the most disappointing thing I've seen since I've covered the team.

Perhaps it is a slow start for the Wildcats. There's a lot of novelty on the offensive side of the ball since they are introducing a new system for the first time, but they also have plenty of experience at nearly every spot within that group.

Defensively, the Coyotes can probably challenge K-State a little more. South Dakota is a work in progress when replacing all their contributors from a year ago on that side of the ball, but their offense should take a step forward.

Unfortunately for Neilson's team, I think the Wildcats will be much better on defense to begin the season. Because of that, it's a sour matchup for the Coyotes.

Prediction: Kansas State 40, South Dakota 6