Preview: USD football travels to Youngstown State for MVFC opener
· Yahoo Sports
Sep. 23—YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — After taking Boise State down to the wire, the No. 8-ranked South Dakota Coyotes will hit the road again to start Missouri Valley Football Conference play with their first ranked game of the season when they visit No. 11 Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon.
USD has a 6-8 all-time record in conference openers and a 2-5 mark on the road since joining the league ahead of the 2012 season.
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How to watch the Coyotes and what to know about both programs:
Week 4: No. 8 South Dakota Coyotes (3-1, 0-0 MVFC) at No. 11 Youngstown State Penguins (2-2, 0-1 MVFC)
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m.
Where: Stambaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio
TV: ESPN+ — Drae Smith (Play-by-Play), Chris Sammarone (Analyst)
Radio: Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver, Jerry Palleschi) [KVHT 106.3 FM]
Streaming: ESPN+
Records last year: USD 10-5, Youngstown State 8-5
Series: Youngstown State leads the all-time series over USD, 8-4
Last time: USD and YSU did not play one another in 2025. In 2024, USD won 27-17 in Youngstown.
Last week: USD lost to Boise State on the road 38-24, while YSU lost to South Dakota State in Brookings 27-20.
Rankings: USD is ranked No. 8, while Youngstown State is ranked No. 11 in the FCS.
Coaches: USD — Matt Vitzthum (first year, 3-1); Youngstown State — Doug Phillips (seventh year, 33-37)
Leading passers: USD — Austyn Modrzewski (58-for-93, 970 yards, 14 TDs, 3 INTs); Youngstown State — Beau Brungard (90-for-122, 1,057 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs)
Leading rushers: USD — Charles Pierre Jr. (308 yards, 49 carries, 4 TDs); Youngstown State — Beau Brungard (291 yards, 60 carries, 4 TDs)
Leading receivers: USD — Tennel Bryant (8 receptions, 291 yards, 3 TDs); Youngstown State — Lynn Wyche-el (25 receptions, 343 yards, 5 TDs)
Top defenders: USD — Wade Abrams (38 total tackles, 25 solo tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 PBUs, 2 QBHs); Youngstown State — Cam Smith (27 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, 1/2 TFL)
Quick game hits: South Dakota and Youngstown State meet for the 13th time in series history in one that dates back to USD joining the MVFC in 2012, and the Penguins are 6-1 in Youngstown. The Coyotes, however, look to make it three-straight overall wins in the series and two-straight in Youngstown after winning in 2024. ... Saturday will mark USD's conference opener, but Youngstown State opened its league slate last weekend at South Dakota State in a 27-20 loss. ... USD enters Saturday with 99 wins as an FCS program since its first season back in 2008. ... The Coyotes have 23 explosive plays (20-plus yards) with half of them (12) resulting in touchdowns. ... USD quarterback Austyn Modrzewski has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in his first four games as the starter, and his 14 touchdown passing scores leads both the MVFC and the nation in the FCS. ... Coyote wide receiver Tennel Bryant has been an explosive deep threat for Modrzewski, averaging 36.4 yards per catch with three touchdowns going for 48-plus with back-to-back 100-yard games. ... USD linebacker Wade Abrams now leads the Valley in total tackles (38) and tackles per game (9.5) after his career-high 14 tackles last week against Boise State. ... Coyote defensive tackle John Starman has 2 1/2 sacks, which is the second-best mark in the Valley behind Southern Illinois' Ibrahim Sanogo. ... Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard leads the conference in passing yards (1,057) and yards per game (264.3) with Modrzewski sitting right behind in both categories. ... Both losses for the Penguins have been either to an FBS school (Kentucky) or a top-5 FCS program (SDSU). ... Lynn Eyche-el is Youngstown State's leading receiver at 343 yards and five touchdowns on 25 receptions, while Dorian Williams is the deep threat, averaging 15.1 yards per catch with 8 receptions and 121 yards on the year. In total, four YSU wide receivers already have 100-plus receiving yards this season and five have a touchdown grab.