VERMILLION, S.D. – No. 16/13 South Dakota scored 34 points off five Indiana State turnovers in the game as the Sycamores fell in Missouri Valley Football play to the Coyotes on Saturday afternoon inside the DakotaDome, 44-14.
South Dakota (4-2, 1-1) built a 30-0 halftime lead courtesy of their defense as the Coyotes forced three interceptions and recovered an Indiana State (2-4, 0-2) fumble. The short field led to Charles Pierre Jr. scoring twice on a 10-yard carry and 17-yard reception, while Jesse Miller and Brayden White also hauled in touchdown receptions from USD quarterback Austyn Modrzewski.
Indiana State battled back after the break with quarterback
Brady Allen bouncing back from the first half to find
Torey French for a 63-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, while a 50-yard pass to
Jayden Reed in the fourth quarter led to
Max McCool's one-yard touchdown plunge.
USD was able to take advantage of a fifth Sycamore turnover to score on Pierre Jr.'s 24-yard touchdown run and Tysen Boze added a 25-yard reception from USD quarterback Jackson Proctor to help the Yotes put the game away late.
Allen was 15-for-27 through the air for 233 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions on the day in his second collegiate start. Reed was the top receiver for the Sycamores with four catches for 63 yards, while
Tyler Stewart had a season-high three catches for 31 yards overall.
Max McCool led the Sycamores' rushing efforts with 10 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively,
Braxton Sampson had a game-high nine tackles on the contest, while
Xavier McIntyre added seven stops.
Alex Rose and
Mason Knipp both recorded sacks in the Sycamore loss.
Modrzewski finished 16-for-23 through the air for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the game with White the top receiver finishing with five receptions for 90 yards and a score. Pierre Jr. finished with 15 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while adding three receptions for 24 yards and another touchdown through the air.
RJ Stewart recorded two of South Dakota State's three interceptions in the game and finished with four tackles, while Kael Kolarik added five tackles and an interception. The Yotes pass defense added five additional pass breakups in the win.
How They Scored
- South Dakota took the early 7-0 lead as Jesse Miller hauled in the four-yard touchdown reception from Austyn Modrzewski with 9:38 left in the first quarter to cap the nine-play, 68-yard drive.
- Charles Pierre Jr. put the score at 14-0 with 1:01 left in the first quarter on a 10-yard touchdown run to end a three-play, 30-yard drive.
- Brayden White hauled in a 37-yard touchdown reception from Austyn Modrzewski with 12:41 left in the second quarter to stretch the lead to 20-0 after Mason Knipp blocked the extra point attempt.
- Charles Pierre Jr. found the end zone for the second time in the first half on a 17-yard reception from Austyn Modrzewski to put the lead at 27-0 with 4:21 left on the clock.
- South Dakota added to the lead as time expired as Ford Hamilton converted the 49-yard field goal attempt at the break to make it a 30-0 lead.
- The Sycamores struck with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter as Brady Allen found Torey French for a 63-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit down to 30-7.
- Charles Pierre Jr. scored on a 24-yard touchdown rush with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter to end a four-play, 35-yard drive to put the USD lead at 37-7.
- Tysen Boze hauled in a 25-yard touchdown reception from Jackson Proctor with 10:07 remaining in the game to cap a nine-play, 80-yard drive and put the margin at 44-7.
- The Sycamores scored with 7:00 left as Max McCool went up the middle for the one-yard touchdown plunge on a drive aided by a 50-yard completion from Brady Allen to Jayden Reed to move the ball into South Dakota territory. The McCool touchdown provided the final 44-14 scoring margin.
News & Notes
- Indiana State turned the ball over five times in the contest with three interceptions and two lost fumbles in the game. It marked the first time the Sycamores turned the ball over at least five times in the same game since Indiana State surrendered six turnovers (four interceptions, two fumbles) against Eastern Illinois on August 31, 2023.
- Jayden Reed continues to be the big-play receiver as the freshman recorded his third 40-plus yard reception and seventh 20-plus yard reception of the 2026 season with the 50-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
- Torey French broke loose for the 63-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, marking his longest reception since going for a 72-yard score on November 22, 2025.
- Aaron Ball's touchdown streak came to an end at three consecutive games on Saturday afternoon as the junior running back finished with 10 carries for 32 yards.
- The Sycamores extended their team passing touchdown streak to 11 consecutive games following Brady Allen's 63-yard connection to Torey French in the third quarter.
- Brady Allen recorded his second consecutive 200-yard passing effort after going 15-for-27 through the air for 233 yards and a score.
- Braxton Sampson led the Sycamores with a team-high nine tackles in the game for a season-high for the Indiana State senior linebacker.
- Alex Rose took over the team lead in sacks on the season with his stop in the third quarter, giving him a Sycamore-high 2.5 quarterback sacks on the year.
Postgame Press Conference
Up Next
Indiana State returns home to Terre Haute, Ind. and Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 10, as the Sycamores host Youngstown State. The Sycamores' annual Homecoming game is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
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