South Dakota
Wisconsin seeks its first 2-0 start since 2020 when it hosts FCS program South Dakota
South Dakota (1-0) at Wisconsin (1-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
BetMGM College Football Odds: No line
Series record: Wisconsin leads 2-0
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Wisconsin is seeking its first 2-0 start since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Wisconsin is 19-1 against teams from the Missouri Valley Conference, a Football Championship Subdivision league. South Dakota will be aiming for its first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision program since winning 35-27 at Bowling Green in 2017.
KEY MATCHUP
South Dakota’s running game vs. Wisconsin’s run defense: Wisconsin won its season opener 28-14 over Western Michigan but allowed the Broncos to have some success running the ball. The Broncos gained 120 yards on 33 carries. South Dakota is eager to see how it handles a giant step up in competition after rushing for 266 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-3 blowout of Division II program Northern State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
South Dakota: WR Carter Bell is coming off a 2023 season in which he caught 52 passes for 908 yards. He has 140 career catches for 2,164 yards and 16 touchdowns. He’s also dangerous on special teams. In South Dakota’s season opener, Bell scored on a 55-yard punt return.
Wisconsin: RBs Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker combined to run for 140 yards on 34 carries against Western Michigan. Mellusi had 74 yards and a touchdown on 19 attempts in his return from a leg injury that limited him to four games last season. Walker, an Oklahoma transfer, rushed for 66 yards and one score on 15 carries. On each of their touchdowns, they bounced off defenders on their way to the end zone.
FACTS & FIGURES
Wisconsin is 17-2 in nonconference home games over the last 10 seasons. The only losses came against BYU in 2018 and Washington State in 2022. … South Dakota scored on a kickoff return and a punt return in its season opener. Keyondray Jones-Logan had a 97-yard kickoff return to go along with Bell’s punt return. … Wisconsin had two 16-play drives and two 14-play drives against Western Michigan, though it also didn’t have a single play from scrimmage go longer than 17 yards. … South Dakota coach Bob Nielson is seeking his 230th career victory. … South Dakota linebackers coach Elijah Hodge played at Wisconsin from 2006-08. … Wisconsin defensive coordinator Mike Tressel was a graduate assistant at South Dakota from 1996-97.
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South Dakota
Fatal single-vehicle crash near Newell, SD
![Fatal single-vehicle crash near Newell, SD Fatal single-vehicle crash near Newell, SD](https://gray-kota-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LS4QXWMJ5HYJETINR6OTCH37Q.jpg?auth=5587a9d786f43bc3078e84676a190785e9fa585e38c5cf5821ef7d332e3bc60b&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A 56-year-old woman died last month in a single-vehicle crash near Newell County.
South Dakota Highway Patrol said the crash occurred on Aug. 8 when the driver of a 2001 Harley-Davidson traveling on Highway 79 near mile marker 157 drifted from the road and struck a pole. She was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but later died on Sept. 3.
The name of the driver has not been released, and highway patrol is still investigating the crash.
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South Dakota
California wildfires grow as heat wave creates worry; South Dakota conditions improve
South Dakota
Fears decrease but work remains to control wildfire near Rapid City • South Dakota Searchlight
![Fears decrease but work remains to control wildfire near Rapid City • South Dakota Searchlight Fears decrease but work remains to control wildfire near Rapid City • South Dakota Searchlight](https://southdakotasearchlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_8445-1-2048x1536.jpg)
RAPID CITY — A leader in the fight against a wildfire near South Dakota’s second largest city said Wednesday morning he’s less concerned, even as work to contain the fire continues.
“My comfort level is a lot higher now than it was yesterday,” said Brandon Sanchez, the U.S. Forest Service official who serves as incident commander.
The First Thunder Fire began Monday evening in a rocky and forested area cut by deep canyons in the Black Hills, several miles west of Rapid City. Since then, crews of local, state and federal firefighters have worked to keep the flames from spreading toward residential areas on the city’s western edge.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause, Sanchez said. The fire is burning an area of the Black Hills National Forest that’s mixed with parcels of private land. There have been no reports of injuries or damaged structures.
Some road closures remained in effect Wednesday morning, as did a flight restriction aimed at preventing drones and other aircraft from interfering with helicopters and tanker planes used by firefighters.
Authorities are asking those who live near the fire to stay prepared in case they’re ordered to leave, said Lt. Jason Mitzel of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
![A map of the First Thunder Fire area provided by the U.S. Forest Service on Sept. 4, 2024.](https://southdakotasearchlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_8432-scaled-e1725469571947.jpg)
“Right now we’re not doing any evacuations, and it doesn’t look like there’s going to be a need for any evacuations,” he said. “However, whenever there’s an incident like this, we always just ask people to be prepared in case that time may come.”
The estimate of the fire’s size Wednesday morning was 155 acres, only 5 acres larger than Tuesday’s estimate. About 150 firefighting personnel were on the scene.
Sanchez said firefighters have established a perimeter around the fire. The perimeter consists of earthen lines dug by hand or bulldozer, and also includes manmade and natural fire breaks such as roads and rocky outcrops. Tanker planes have dropped retardant chemicals ahead of the fire’s advance, and helicopters have dropped water.
Despite those efforts, estimated containment of the fire remained at 0%. That’s because fire remained close to the lines in some areas, and firefighters were working to knock those flames down. Sanchez said an updated containment estimate would probably be issued later Wednesday.
Weather remains a wild card. Clouds gathering Wednesday over the Black Hills were expected to bring helpful rain, but Sanchez said firefighters were also monitoring potential thunderstorms that could produce fire-fueling wind.
Sept. 2-3, 2024, images of the First Thunder Fire just west of Rapid City.
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