Salukis faced the South Dakota Coyotes today and left with a 48-28 win.

On the first Saluki drive, senior wide receiver Avante Cox had a big play on a 65-yard run all the way to the 10 yard line. 

Two plays later, freshman running back Javon Williiams had a six-yard touchdown run giving the Salukis a 7-0 lead.

On the next drive, senior safety Jeremy Chinn had a touchdown saving drive as senior Austin Simmons ran the ball 21 yards to the Coyotes 46-yard line.

The Coyotes were able to get a fourth-and-one on the drive, but the Saluki defense was able to hold them to only a field goal try. However, the junior kicker Mason Lorber missed the 27-yard field goal. 

The Salukis still had a 7-0 lead with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter.

Simmons had a key third down and eight completion to sophomore wide receiver Kody Case taking it to the Salukis 43-yard line. 

Simmons looked like he had completed a pass to sophomore running back Canaan Brooks, but upon further review it was an incomplete pass. 

On the following play, Simmons threw an 18-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Caleb Vander Esch.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied 7-7 with the Salukis driving at the Coyotes 48-yard line. 

At the start of the second quarter, Williams had a 48-yard run for a touchdown on a fourth down and one call. The Salukis went up 14-7 with just eight seconds gone in the second quarter.

On South Dakota’s next drive, Williams threw an interception to senior cornerback Madre Harper taking it to the Salukis 40-yard line.

Williams would score his third touchdown of the game on a 23-yard run giving the Salukis a 21-7 lead, 28 seconds later.

On the Coyotes next drive, Simmons lost the football on a sack by junior Anthony Knighton recovered by the Salukis at the South Dakota 28-yard line.

On the Salukis next drive, Davis had a big run for 14 yards giving the Salukis a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. That led up to Williams scoring another touchdown on a 7-yard run, but freshman kicker Griffin Cerra missed a point after attempt giving the Salukis a 27-7 lead. 

On the Coyotes next drive, Chinn got an interception in the end zone as the Coyotes were threatening to put up some points.

On the Salukis next drive, Cerra made a field goal to go up 30-7, but the Coyotes committed a penalty, which gave the Salukis another crack at the end zone. 

On the next play, junior quarterback Kare Lyles threw an 11-yard touchdown to Cox giving the Salukis even a bigger lead of 34-7.

The Salukis had a commanding 34-7 lead going into halftime.

On the following Salukis drive, Lyles was sacked by junior linebacker Jake Richardson recovered for a touchdown by senior defensive back Mike Johnson. 

The Salukis went for it, again, on fourth-and-one at the Coyotes 41-yard line, and were able to keep their drive alive as they got to the Coyotes 38-yard line. 

Two plays later, Lyles threw a 33-yard pass to Cox increasing the Salukis’ lead to 41-14.

The Coyotes were able to score on a 2-yard touchdown from Simmons to junior tight end Brett Sampson with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. 

On the Coyotes next drive, the Salukis had a big sack on a third-down to make South Dakota punt, again.

At the end of the third quarter, the Salukis were leading the Coyotes 41-21. 

The Salukis had a key unsportsmanlike conduct on Cox that made the Salukis punt the ball to the Coyotes. 

On the Coyotes following drive, Simmons was sacked by sophomore linebacker Luke Giegling, and the Coyotes fumbled the ball. It was recovered by junior defensive end Jordan Berner.

On the very next play, D.J. Davis had a 31-yard run taking it to the South Dakota 7 yard line. Cox had a 5-yard touchdown on that drive making it a 48-21 lead.

The Coyotes had a 20-yard pass from Simmons to Case down to the Southern Illinois 25-yard line, on the Coyotes’ following drive.

Simmons scored a touchdown on that same drive from 6-yards out, making it a 48-28 game with under eight minutes left in the game.

On the next drive for the Salukis, Chinn sealed the deal with an interception. 

The Salukis would milk the clock on their next possession and didn’t allow South Dakota to have another chance of attempting a comeback. 

The Salukis will travel to Indiana State on Nov. 2, with kickoff at noon.

Sports reporter Zach Kramer can be reached at [email protected].

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