UNI football 2024 opponent preview: South Dakota

Editor’s note: Sixth in a 12-part series looking at the Northern Iowa football opponents in 2024

CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa’s 2024 schedule offers no relief after opening Missouri Valley Football Conference play at home against top-ranked South Dakota State.

After taking on the Jackrabbits at home in Week 6, UNI travels to Vermillion to take on South Dakota at the DakotaDome on Oct. 12.

Coming off a 10-3 season in 2023, the fifth-ranked (HERO Sports) Coyotes were picked third in the MVFC preseason poll and boast the return of former Iowa State quarterback Aidan Bouman.

Beyond Bouman, USD’s offense has a formidable duo at running back with Travis Theis and Charles Pierre Jr. The two combined to average more than 123 yards per game last season. The Coyotes also return their top eight pass catchers from 2023, led by Carter Bell, who eclipsed 900 yards receiving and had four 100-yard games in conference play. On the offensive line, four starters return, led by four-year starter Joey Lombard at center.

The Coyotes have many more questions on defense with only five starters returning — none of them among their linebacker group in their 3-4 scheme.

Preseason All-MVFC honorees Dennis Shorter — who finished second on the team in tackles (97) and first in pass breakups (6) — and defensive lineman Nick Gaes — who finished second on the team in sacks (6) — will need to increase their productivity while assuming leadership of what will be an inexperienced unit.

3 things to watch

Regardless of the result of this particular game, it’s the sixth of UNI’s 2024 season and its second conference opponent. Needless to say, the Panthers’ offense in Year 1 of the “Air Raid” scheme should have its identity established by the time they travel to the DakotaDome.

Whether it’s full-throttle “Air Raid,” or more “Air Raid-adjacent,” as head coach Mark Farley said jokingly during spring practices. Not having a clear identity by Week 7 could make for a long season.

While the offense will definitely need to know its identity by this point of the season, Farley’s defense also will need to know who its most impactful players are and how best to scheme them toward success.

If starters still are rotating at positions besides defensive line, and blitzes are coming from various places, it’ll likely be indicative of a unit that has failed to develop any gamebreakers.

Our 2024 predictions have UNI entering this game 2-3, and if the Panthers want to be in the hunt for the playoffs, they’re going to have to win at least two MVFC road games they won’t be favorites in, so a win against South Dakota would be an ideal boost of momentum for a young team looking to prove its doubters wrong.

Prediction

Farley is 9-3 all-time against South Dakota and his success continues as the Panthers take much-needed steps forward in all three phases to earn a much-needed road win that keeps playoff hopes intact.