USD ‘did a good job’ with third straight quarterfinal appearance

VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — USD reached the FCS quarterfinals for the third straight season this year, but the 11th-seeded Coyotes’ run came to an end with a 52-22 loss at No. 3 Montana Saturday.

South Dakota opened the season ranked No. 4 following the program’s first trip to the semifinals last season. The Coyotes dropped the first two games of the campaign, and then suffered a 51-13 loss at NDSU to open Missouri Valley play and drop to 2-3. The Yotes proceeded to win eight of their next nine games to reach the quarters once again.

“Nobody thought we’d get here the way we started the year out,” USD redshirt senior quarterback Aidan Bouman said. “That didn’t matter to us. We didn’t listen to the noise. I feel pretty confident that we did a good job. Us seniors have changed the culture that we have there in Vermilion. I feel really proud of that.”

The Coyotes were led by first-year head coach Travis Johansen, who was elevated from defensive coordinator in January. The career of three-year starting quarterback Aidan Bauman comes to a close as he leaves with the program record in passing yards and completions.

“I’m indebted to Aidan Bauman,” USD head coach Travis Johansen said. “As a first-year head coach, you think you’re going to end up maybe with the program that’s beat up a little bit. To have a kid like that step up in today’s day and age and decide to come back, I owe a lot to Aidan Bauman.”

USD finished this season with a 10-5 record, which marked a third straight 10-win campaign.

“Couldn’t be more proud to coach that group of guys,” Johansen said. “They’ve left this place right where it needs to be: with the opportunity to continue to build, to continue to chase national championships.”

The Coyotes compiled a cumulative 31-11 record over the last three years.

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