South Dakota vs Central Connecticut

Central Connecticut struck first, taking a 7-0 lead, but the response was immediate and relentless. Modrzewski connected on a 68-yard quarterback draw for a touchdown late in the first quarter, then on the next drive hit Keyondray Jones-Logan for a 61-yard scoring strike on the second play. That was the pattern all night.

South Dakota led 42-10 at halftime after scoring 28 points in the second quarter alone. The Coyotes added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, and the only blemish on the scoring run came in the fourth when the drive stalled at the 12-yard line, forcing a 30-yard field goal from Bohdie Ing.

Quarter scores: 14-7 (USD), 28-3 (USD), 14-7 (USD), 3-3.

After going three-and-out on their opening drive, the Coyotes scored touchdowns on the next eight possessions — a sequence that effectively ended the contest by the midway point of the second quarter. Modrzewski's 68-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter flipped the momentum and triggered the avalanche.

Austyn Modrzewski, QB, South Dakota — 16-of-20 passing for 304 yards and six touchdowns, plus two carries for 81 yards and a rushing touchdown. The redshirt freshman accounted for seven total scores in his college debut, breaking the program's single-game passing TD record (AP). Player of the match.

Keyondray Jones-Logan, WR, South Dakota — Two catches, 103 yards, one touchdown. His 61-yard score was the explosive play that broke the game open.

Charles Pierre Jr., RB, South Dakota — The Walter Payton Award candidate and senior running back returned from an injury-shortened 2025 and gained 77 yards on 10 carries, providing balance.

Connor Kenyon, QB, Central Connecticut — Completed 9 of 18 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, but the Blue Devils managed only 248 total yards against a stout Coyotes defence.

South Dakota's 594 total yards (304 passing, 290 rushing) to Central Connecticut's 248 tells a story of total dominance that raw possession stats only hint at. After the opening punt, the Coyotes scored on every drive until a fourth-quarter field goal — a 94.1% drive-efficiency rate that is virtually unheard of. Modrzewski's 16-of-20 passing (80% completion rate) for 304 yards and six scores produced a passer rating north of 280.

South Dakota (1-0), ranked No. 12 in FCS, opened its season with a statement win under a new head coach. The Coyotes travel to Northern Colorado on 5 September. Central Connecticut (0-1), the two-time defending NEC champion and coaches' pick to win the conference again, will look to regroup before visiting Toledo on 12 September.

This was as dominant a season opener as a ranked FCS programme could ask for. Modrzewski's historic debut will grab the headlines, but the Coyotes' ability to score on eight straight drives suggests an offence that could cause problems well beyond this one-sided affair.