Badgers Hold On Against Feisty South Dakota Coyotes

© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers (2-0) defeated the South Dakota Coyotes (1-1) 27-13 on Sept. 7 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. The Badgers led 17-3 at halftime, but the Coyotes outscored them 10-3 in the third quarter, tightening the game heading into the fourth quarter. A late touchdown secured the Badgers' lead and Wisconsin remained undefeated for 2024.

Game Summary

The first quarter started just as Badgers fans had hoped, with Wisconsin jumping out to a 14-0 lead on the strength of several explosive plays. Running back Chez Mellusi narrowly avoided disaster on the first drive when he fumbled, but the Badgers recovered. Mellusi capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to put Wisconsin up 7-0. Later in the quarter, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke kept his eyes downfield and connected with a wide-open CJ Williams for a 50-yard touchdown. Both teams traded field goals and Wisconsin entered halftime with a 17-3 lead.

Much of the confidence gained by Badgers fans in the first half vanished in the third quarter as the Coyotes scored 10 unanswered points, cutting the lead to 17-13. A 50-yard field goal by kicker Nathanial Vakos extended Wisconsin’s lead to 20-13 late in the third.

The Badgers finally sealed the game with a 1-yard touchdown run by Mellusi with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter, securing a 27-13 victory.

Turning Point for Badgers

With 7 minutes left in the third quarter and Wisconsin leading 17-10, Vinny Anthony fumbled a punt, which the Coyotes recovered at the Badgers' 8-yard line. South Dakota was in prime position to tie the game with a touchdown and had five attempts at the end zone due to a targeting penalty on Badgers linebacker Jake Chaney. However, the Wisconsin defense held firm, forcing the Coyotes to settle for a field goal—their last points of the game.

What it Means

Another week brought another mixed performance from head coach Luke Fickell's Badgers. On the positive side, they notched seven explosive plays—four in the passing game (125 yards) and three on the ground (54 yards). However, they failed to rush for 200 yards for the second consecutive week, finishing with just 171 rushing yards and allowing a weaker opponent to stay in the game way too long. Next week's home matchup against Alabama will reveal much about the strengths and weaknesses of this Badgers team. For now, Wisconsin deserves credit for making enough plays to start the season 2-0 and finding ways to win.

South Dakota battled throughout the game and had a chance to win in the second half. Ranked No. 6 in both the STATS Perform and AFCA Coaches’ FCS polls, the Coyotes showed why they are highly rated, hanging tough with Wisconsin. This experience will only improve South Dakota. They'll be a formidable opponent in the FCS playoffs, which they are almost certainly to appear in this season.