USD Drops Season Opener

VERMILLION, S.D.—Montana senior quarterback Dalton Sneed passed for a career-high 427 yards and three touchdowns to lead the 25th-ranked Grizzlies to a 31-17 win against South Dakota Saturday inside the DakotaDome in the season opener for both teams. South Dakota quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-33 passing. Kody Case, a redshirt sophomore who missed much of last season with an injury, tied USD’s single-game record with 11 catches. Case caught a 3-yard touchdown and a 9-yard touchdown while totaling a career-high 144 yards. Montana outgained USD 510-352. A missed 37-yard field goal on their first possession and two interceptions by Sneed were the Grizzlies’ lone blemishes. The setback marked the first loss by the Coyotes in a home opener since 2002, ending a streak of 16 consecutive games, which was tied for sixth in the FCS entering the season. South Dakota started its season at home for the first time since 2013.