1977 South Dakota Coyotes football team

On September 3, South Dakota opened its season with a 17–16 loss to the Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks. The game drew a record crowd of 10,000 to Al F. Caniglia Field in Omaha, Nebraska. Nebraska-Omaha took a 9–0 lead at halftime on a touchdown run by Bobby Bass and a safety. South Dakota came back with 16 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters to take a 16–9 lead. South Dakota running back Mike Maguire, who totaled 155 rushing yards in the game, scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game. His second touchdown came on an 82-yard run with 2:49 remaining. Nebraska then drove down the field for a touchdown and successfully converted a two-point conversion with 1:31 remaining.[10]

On September 10, South Dakota won its home opener, defeating the Morningside Chiefs by a 24–10 score before a crowd of more than 7,000 at Inman Field in Vermillion, South Dakota. Morningside led, 7–3, at halftime, but the Coyotes outscored Morningside, 21–3, in the second half. Quarterback Steve Winkel led the comeback with key passes, and running back Mike Maguire ran for a total of 146 yards on 16 carries, including a school-record 89-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The victory was the 100th of Beanie Cooper's head coaching career. Linebacker Dave Combs recorded 17 tackles for the Coyotes.[11]

On September 17, South Dakota played a road game against the Northern Colorado Bears, losing by a 13–10 score at Greeley, Colorado. The Coyotes led, 10-3, at halftime following a 48-yard field goal from Knud Nielsen and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Steve Winkel to Jerry Biezuns. The Coyotes were unable to score in the second half while Northern Colorado scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. Late in the third quarter, Mike Maguire fumbled a punt, giving Northern Colorado possession at the Coyotes' 28-yard line. A personal foul penalty advanced the ball to the 14, and Jim Goodenberger ran for the tying touchdown. Late in the game, Northern Colorado converted a fourth-and-six play to advance the ball to the Coyotes' 27-yard line. With six seconds remaining in the game, Dale Stone kicked the game-winning field goal. South Dakota out-gained Northern Colorado by 257 yards to 178, but the Coyotes turned the ball over six times.[23]

On September 24, South Dakota lost a road game against Northeast Missouri State, falling by a 19–7 score in Kirksville, Missouri. Due to injuries, the Coyotes played the game without the team's star running back Mike Maguire (twisted knee) and without starting quarterback Steve Winkel (broken hand). Coach Cooper's son, Tim Cooper, took over at quarterback and fumbled in the first quarter, leading to Northeast Missouri State's first touchdown. Northeast Missouri running back rushed for 184 yards on 25 carries. Northeast Missouri State out-gained the Coyotes by 367 yards to 202.[13]

On October 8, South Dakota was shut out, 20-0, in its annual rivalry game with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. North Dakota scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and one in the fourth. Two of the touchdowns came after the defense intercepted Coyote passes. In all, North Dakota's defense tallied four interceptions and recovered three of six South Dakota fumbles. South Dakota had a touchdown erased due to a penalty and also missed a field goal.[15][16]

On October 15, South Dakota defeated the Western Illinois Leathernecks, 17–16, at Hanson Field in Macomb, Illinois. The Coyotes trailed, 16–10, at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Coyotes drove 80 yards beginning with 5:35 remaining in the game. Kevin Cusick scored on a one-yard run, and Knud Nielsen's extra point gave South Dakota the led with 56 seconds remaining. The Coyotes rushed for 274 yards, led by Mike Maguire with 120 yards and Scott Pollock with 87 yards. Western Illinois quarterback completed 7 of 23 passes for 178 yards. The victory snapped South Dakota's four-game losing streak.[17]

On October 22, South Dakota won its annual "Hobo Day" rivalry game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits by a 15–10 score. The game was played before a crowd of 15,193 at Coughlin–Alumni Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. South Dakota State took an early lead when Gary Maffett ran 81 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Coyotes came from behind, scoring touchdowns in the second and third quarters and kicking a field goal in the fourth quarter. Mike Maguire rushed for 112 yards on 30 carries, while Kevin Cusick and Scott Pollock added 70 and 65 rushing yards, respectively.[18]

On October 29, South Dakota lost to the North Dakota State Bison by a 9–6 score. Despite the loss, the Coyotes' defense held the Bison to 159 rushing yards (half of their season average) and nine points (24 points lower than their season average).[24]

On November 12, South Dakota closed its 1977 season with a 35–14 victory over Nebraska–Omaha at Inman Field in Vermillion. It was the second game of the season between the two schools. South Dakota rushed for 399 rushing yards while holding Nebraska–Omaha to only 31 rushing yards. Running back Mike Maguire led the attack and set school and NCC records with 271 rushing yards on 37 carries. He concluded the season with 983 rushing yards in nine games, having missed two games with a knee injury. Defensive back Bill Moats intercepted a pass and also threw a 13-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal. Moats was also the team's punter and broke the school's season record with an average of 42.1 yards per punt.[3]