Tyler Van Dyke completed 17 of 27 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown and Chez Mellusi ran for 60 yards and two scores Saturday to help Wisconsin to a 27-13 victory over South Dakota in Madison, Wis.
The Badgers, who are off to their first 2-0 start since 2020, improved their nonconference home record over the last 10 seasons to 18-2. They will face their toughest test of the season next Saturday when they host No. 4 Alabama.
After trailing 17-3 at halftime, the Football Championship Subdivision Coyotes (1-1) started the second half by driving 75 yards in four plays. On Keondray Jones-Logan’s first carry of the game he sprinted 35 yards for a touchdown to cut it to 17-10.
South Dakota had an opportunity to tie the game when Wisconsin’s Vinny Anthony II fumbled the ball on a punt return and Nyle Dickel recovered at the Badgers’ 8-yard line.
Two plays later, Wisconsin’s Jake Chaney was ejected for targeting Javion Phelps, giving the Coyotes the ball at the Badgers 4. But after losing 11 yards on the next three plays, the Coyotes had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Will Leyland with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter.
Wisconsin’s Nathaniel Vakos answered with a 50-yard field goal minutes later to push the cushion to 20-13. Mellusi, starting in place of Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker who did not play, sealed the win with a 1-yard touchdown run with 7:41 left. The drive was kept alive when South Dakota’s Dennis Shorter was ejected for targeting Mellusi on a pass play.
Aidan Bouman, who completed 12 of 23 passes for 114 yards, was unable to drive the Coyotes past their own 39-yard line the rest of the game.
The Badgers jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on the opening drive as Mellusi ran 9 yards up the middle for a touchdown. Later in the first quarter, Van Dyke increased the margin to 14-0 when he faked a run and threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Williams, who was wide open.
The Coyotes drove into Wisconsin territory three times in the first half but could only muster Leyland’s 25-yard field goal with 7:14 left in the second quarter. Wisconsin followed with a 13-play drive that culminated with Vakos’ 24-yard field goal seven seconds before halftime.
–Field Level Media
