The No. 9 South Dakota football team had a successful road trip to Murray State, winning its third consecutive game despite some key absences by beating the Racers 48-20 on Saturday, Oct. 17.
South Dakota (6-2) was without star running back Charles Pierre Jr., cornerback RJ Stewart and defensive lineman Isaiah Wray. Running back Keyondray Jones-Logan also missed his second game in a row with a leg injury.
The Coyotes were down 7-0 through a quarter, then ripped off a 41-7 run to take total control. That included three passing touchdowns and a rushing score from QB Austyn Modrzewski, as well as rushing touchdowns for Tennel Bryant and Reid Watkins.
Courtney Rivers punched in the Coyotes' final score with 1:12 left in the game.
Carson Fletcher, Watkins and Rivers took the majority of the carries for South Dakota with its top two running backs out. Fletcher went for 56 yards on 12 rushes, Watkins had 38 yards on 11 attempts and Rivers notched 35 yards on 10 runs. Modrzewski and backup QB Jackson Proctor combined to run the ball nine times for 34 yards.
Modrzewski was mostly efficient throwing the ball, going 17-for-27 for 153 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
Brayden White had another big day out wide, catching seven passes for 78 yards and two scores. Chris Herrin pitched in three catches for 12 yards and a touchdown, Bryant had two catches for 23 yards, Tysen Boze recorded two catches for 28 yards and Fletcher caught two passes for 11 yards.
The defense was able to turn Murray State over, with Harrison Brun recovering two of the Racers' three fumbles. Gabe Hardman, Wade Abrams and Crew Heier all forced a fumble. Hardman led the defense with eight tackles and a tackle for a loss, Heier had four tackles with a TFL and Abrams made seven tackles.
South Dakota figures to move up in the upcoming polls after losses by No. 1 South Dakota State, No. 4 Lehigh and No. 7 Montana.
That sets up a big matchup with No. 11 North Dakota at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in the DakotaDome a week after the Fighting Hawks took down the Jackrabbits in Grand Forks.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota football runs away from Murray State in second half