The South Dakota Coyotes have scheduled two future football games against the Drake Bulldogs, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the contract for both games was obtained from the University of South Dakota via a state public records request.
South Dakota will host Drake at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D., on Thursday, August 26, 2027. The Coyotes will pay the Bulldogs a $200,000 guarantee for the contest, according to the copy of the contract.
Two seasons later on Thursday, August 23, 2029, Drake will return to the DakotaDome, this time receiving a $220,000 guarantee from the Coyotes for its participation in the game.
South Dakota, a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), and Drake, a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL), first met on the gridiron in 1919 and have met 23 times overall. The Coyotes have won seven consecutive games in the series, most recently by a 38-17 score in 2025, but the Bulldogs still cling to a one-game lead in the series at 12-11.
Drake is the third scheduled non-conference opponent for South Dakota in 2027. The Coyotes also have road games scheduled at Kansas State on Sept. 4 and at Eastern Washington on Sept. 18.
During the 2029 season, South Dakota is also scheduled to host Idaho on Sept. 8.
South Dakota is the second scheduled non-league opponent for Drake in 2027, joining a Sept. 11 road tilt at Montana State. The Coyotes are the first known non-conference opponent for Drake for the 2029 season.
South Dakota is scheduled to open the 2026 season on Saturday, August 29 at home against Central Connecticut (2:00pm ET, ESPN+/MidCo Sports). Drake opens its campaign two days earlier on Thursday, August 27 at home against South Dakota Mines (7:30pm ET, ESPN+).
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