2017 South Dakota Coyotes football team

2017 South Dakota Coyotes football
ConferenceMissouri Valley Football Conference
Ranking
STATSNo. 15
FCS CoachesNo. 16
Record8–5 (4–4 MVFC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinators
  • Ted Schlafke (2nd season)
  • Bill O'Boyle (2nd season)
Offensive schemePro-style
Co-defensive coordinators
  • Atiba Bradley (2nd season)
  • Tyler Yelk (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumDakotaDome
2017 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 North Dakota State $^  7 1   14 1  
No. 3 South Dakota State ^  6 2   11 3  
No. 19 Northern Iowa ^  6 2   8 5  
No. 13 Western Illinois ^  5 3   8 4  
No. 15 South Dakota ^  4 4   8 5  
Illinois State  4 4   6 5  
Youngstown State  4 4   6 5  
Southern Illinois  2 6   4 7  
Missouri State  2 6   3 8  
Indiana State  0 8   0 11  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2017 South Dakota Coyotes football team represented the University of South Dakota in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Bob Nielson and played their home games in the DakotaDome. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in MVFC play to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, which was the schools first ever FCS Playoff bid, where they defeated Nicholls State in the first round before losing to Sam Houston State in the second round.