Boise State to take on dangerous FCS opponent in Week 3

After opening the season against a pair of teams with College Football aspirations in Oregon and Memphis, Boise State will face a different level of opponent in Week 3 when FCS South Dakota comes to town.

The two programs last faced off in 1973 with Boise State securing a 53-10 victory at Albertsons Stadium (then Bronco Stadium).

The Coyotes placed second in the Missouri Valley Conference last season behind North Dakota State and finished with a 10-5 overall record after falling to Montana in the FCS quarterfinals. Head coach Travis Johansen left to become Rutgers’ defensive coordinator, and South Dakota promoted offensive coordinator Matt Vitzthum to the head chair in February.

Vitzthum takes over a program that has won double-digit games in three straight seasons. The Coyotes have a soft schedule to begin the year and should enter Albertsons Stadium with a 3-0 record.

Game 3: South Dakota at Boise State

Date: Saturday, Sept. 19

Kickoff time: 8 p.m. Mountain time

Location: Albertsons Stadium | Boise, Idaho

TV/Streaming: CBS Sports Network

South Dakota offense preview

The Coyotes are starting over at quarterback following four spectacular seasons from Aidan Bouman, who threw for 9,278 career yards and 68 touchdowns with just 18 interceptions in 46 starts.

Redshirt freshman Austyn Modrzewski is considered the frontrunner to take over for Bouman. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Modrzewski is a pocket passer who earned two Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year honors during his time at Mountain Vista High School.

Charles Pierre Jr. ran for 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024 but missed most of last season due to injury. Pierre Jr. projects to be an MVC Offensive Player of the Year candidate as a senior.

Keyondray Jones-Logan is an electric running back while Tysen Boze and Tennel Bryant are back at receiver. The Coyotes are also counting on big things from junior tight end Jesse Miller.

The offensive line will be anchored by returnees Caden Ellingson and Brock Woolf and UTEP transfer Jake Utley. Outside of those three, the line is largely unproven at the Division I level.

South Dakota defense preview

Chris Dixon is back at defensive tackle after starting all 15 games last season and recording 69 total tackles. Nathan Laperi also returns on the defensive line while the Coyotes will be counting on transfers John Starman (Brown), Tyler Sapit (Bemidji State) and Isaiah Wray (Concordia-St. Paul) to produce.

Linebacker should be a strength with Gabriel Hardman (90 total tackles in 2025) and Wade Abrams (49 tackles).

Freshman All-America cornerback RJ Stewart (58 total tackles, seven pass breakups, three interceptions) is the lone returning starter in the secondary. The Coyotes’ defensive back losses include Roman Tillmon, who is the frontrunner to start at nickelback for Boise State this year.

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