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South Dakota State football primer: Jackrabbits host Butler to close nonconference slate

landon dierks, the daily republic, mitchell, s.d.
·4 min read

Sep. 16—BROOKINGS, S.D. — After picking up its first win of the season last weekend, the South Dakota State football team wraps up nonconference play at home against Butler University (from Indianapolis) on Saturday. Here's what to know ahead of the contest:

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings.

Records: SDSU 1-1 overall, 0-0 Missouri Valley; Butler 2-0, 0-0 Pioneer League.

Coaches: SDSU: John Stiegelmeier, 26th season, 186-112; Butler: Mike Uremovich, eighth season (first at Butler), 35-45 (2-0 at Butler).

Last meeting: SDSU and Butler opened the 2013 season against one another, with the Jackrabbits rolling to a 55-14 home victory.

Series history: The 2013 season opener was the only time the Jackrabbits and Bulldogs have met, though both schools have recent history against the others conference peers.

Including the first and only SDSU-Butler contest, Saturday will be the Jackrabbits' fifth game against a current Pioneer League (a Division I conference that does not offer athletic scholarships) school in 10 seasons. SDSU's past three matchups against Pioneer opponents were all against Drake University (2016, 2017 and 2019), with the Jackrabbits winning all three by a combined score of 145-48.

Over the same timeframe, Saturday will be Butler's ninth meeting with an MVFC opponent. In the previous eight contests, the Bulldogs are 1-7 against five different schools, though the lone win came against 24th-ranked Youngstown State, 23-21, in 2018. In the other seven games, MVFC teams defeated Butler by an average margin of nearly 37 points.

Last week: SDSU earned its first win of the season in its home-opener against the University of California, Davis, 24-22. Butler defeated in-state NAIA opponent Taylor University, 45-10.

Notes:

* SDSU held firm at No. 2 in the Stats Perform Top 25 with two first-place votes, with Montana just 21 votes behind at No. 3. Butler is not receiving votes in the Stats Perform poll but got seven votes in the most recent FCS coaches poll.

* Televised coverage will be available through Midco Sports or ESPN+.

About the Jackrabbits:

* Through two games, the SDSU offense has been outgained by both opponents, committed three turnovers (all against UC Davis) and amassed 370 total yards, a stark contrast to the 441.1-yard per-game average posted by the 2021 national semifinalist team. On a per-play basis, the 2022 team is averaging 3.0 yards, while last season's team posted an average of 6.9 yards.

* The Jackrabbits' defense has allowed just 53 yards rushing per game to start the season, which included limiting all-Big Sky talent Ulonzo Gilliam, of UC Davis, to 33 yards last week.

* Saturday marks the 55th Beef Bowl game, with the Jackrabbits owning a 33-21 record, though they've won four in a row and 13 of 15. The last time SDSU lost their Beef Bowl game was in 2016, a 38-31 defeat to Cal Poly. In the past four Beef Bowl games, the Jackrabbits have not allowed more than 10 points in a single contest and outscored opponents by a combined 239-30, including a record-setting 90-6 win in 2018.

About the Bulldogs:

* Both of Butler's wins have come against NAIA competition (St. Thomas (Fla.) and Taylor (Ind.)), and SDSU will be the Bulldogs' lone Division I nonconference opponent. The Bulldogs last played an MVFC opponent in the 2021 season opener, which Butler lost, 49-7, at Illinois State.

* The Bulldogs have averaged 437 yards of offense through two games with a nearly perfect 50/50 balance (216.5 rushing, 220.5 passing). However, Butler has committed five turnovers, losing three fumbles and throwing two interceptions.

* Quarterback Bret Bushka is the clear leader of the Butler offense, as the redshirt junior has completed nearly 71% of his passes for 426 yards and five touchdowns to go with a team-highs in rushing attempts and yards (25 carries for 140 yards and one touchdown) on the ground. Tyler Adams is Bushka's favorite target, hauling in 16 passes for 182 yards and two scores, while three additional Bulldogs have double-digit rushing attempts alongside Bushka, led by A.J. Deinhart with 20 carries for 125 yards and one touchdown.

* On defense, the Bulldogs have limited their NAIA opposition to 36 total points but forced just two turnovers, both interceptions. Three players have at least 10 tackles, led by defensive back Will Mason, a true freshman who has a team-high nine solo stops along with one interception and two more pass breakups.

Next week: SDSU begins MVFC play with a road date at No. 5 Missouri State on Sept. 24, in Springfield. Butler is on the road for its first Pioneer League action of the season against Davidson, also on Sept. 24, in Davidson, North Carolina.