South Dakota enters the 2026 season with something to prove.

The Coyotes were selected fifth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s 2026 preseason poll, receiving two first-place votes despite coming off one of the program’s strongest seasons in recent memory. South Dakota finished 10-5 overall in 2025, reached the FCS quarterfinals, and earned signature wins over both South Dakota State and North Dakota, two teams expected to contend for the conference title again this fall.  

The preseason rankings place South Dakota State atop the conference, followed by Illinois State, Youngstown State, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

For a program that spent much of last season climbing the national rankings and proving it belonged among the Valley’s elite, a fifth-place projection may provide extra motivation entering the first season under head coach Matt Vitzthum. The Coyotes return with expectations of competing for another playoff berth and will have plenty of opportunities to outperform their preseason ranking.

If last season showed anything, it’s that preseason polls don’t determine championships. They’ll simply give the Coyotes another chip to carry into the 2026 campaign.