# 2016 South Dakota Coyotes football team

The 2016 South Dakota Coyotes football team represented the University of South Dakota in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Bob Nielson and played their home games in the DakotaDome. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 4–7, 3–5 in MVFC play to finish in a tie for sixth place.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 pm | at New Mexico* | University StadiumAlbuquerque, NM | RTRM | L 21–48 | 20,221 |
| September 10 | 2:00 pm | Weber State* | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | Midco SN | W 52–49 $^{2OT}$ | 8,114 |
| September 17 | 4:00 pm | at North Dakota* | Alerus CenterGrand Forks, ND (Potato Bowl, Sitting Bull Trophy) | Midco SN | L 44–47 $^{2OT}$ | 11,477 |
| October 1 | 3:00 pm | at No. 20 Youngstown State | Stambaugh StadiumYoungstown, OH | ESPN3 | L 20–30 | 15,151 |
| October 8 | 2:00 pm | No. 11 Northern Iowa | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | Midco SN | W 28–25 | 10,221 |
| October 15 | 2:00 pm | at Indiana State | Memorial StadiumTerre Haute, IN | ESPN3 | W 33–30 $^{2OT}$ | 3,297 |
| October 22 | 2:00 pm | Illinois State | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | ESPN3 MVC TV | W 27–24 | 7,416 |
| October 29 | 2:00 pm | No. 13 Western Illinois | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | Midco SN | L 34–35 | 8,412 |
| November 5 | 2:00 pm | at Southern Illinois | Saluki StadiumCarbondale, IL | ESPN3 MVC TV | L 28–35 | 5,689 |
| November 12 | 2:00 pm | at No. 11 South Dakota State | Dana J. Dykhouse StadiumBrookings, SD (rivalry) | Midco SN | L 21–28 | 15,345 |
| November 19 | 2:00 pm | No. 4 North Dakota State | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | Midco SN | L 21–28 | 10,011 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS FCS at time of game Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
* Source: Schedule

## Game summaries
### At New Mexico

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coyotes | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Lobos | 14 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 48 |

### Weber State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| Wildcats | 28 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 49 |
| Coyotes | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 52 |

### At North Dakota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| Coyotes | 3 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 44 |
| Fighting Hawks | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 47 |

### At Youngstown State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coyotes | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
| #20 Penguins | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 30 |

### Northern Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #11 Panthers | 14 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 25 |
| Coyotes | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |

### At Indiana State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| Coyotes | 17 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 33 |
| Sycamores | 10 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 30 |

### Illinois State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redbirds | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Coyotes | 17 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 27 |

### Western Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #13 Leathernecks | 14 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| Coyotes | 17 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 34 |

### At Southern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coyotes | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
| Salukis | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |

### At South Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coyotes | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| #11 Jackrabbits | 7 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 28 |

### North Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #4 Bison | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Coyotes | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | |
| Coaches | RV | — | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | 25 | RV | — | — | — | |