1971 South Dakota Coyotes football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1971
| team = South Dakota Coyotes
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = North Central Conference
| short_conf = NCC
| record = 3–7
| conf_record = 3–3
| head_coach = Joe Salem
| hc_year = 6th
| captain =
| stadium = Inman Field
}}
{{1971 North Central Conference football standings}}
The 1971 South Dakota Coyotes football team was an American football team that represented the University of South Dakota in the North Central Conference (NCC) during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. In its sixth season under head coach Joe Salem, the team compiled a 3–7 record (3–3 against NCC opponents), tied for fourth place out of seven teams in the NCC, and was outscored by a total of 191 to 172.{{cite web|title=2017 Coyote Football Media Guide|publisher=University of South Dakota |year=2017|page=49|url=https://issuu.com/sdcoyotes/docs/2017_fbmediasupplement}} The team played its home games at Inman Field in Vermillion, South Dakota.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1971
| rankdivision = small college
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 4
| time = 9:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Montana
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Great Falls, MT
| score = 7–14
| attend = 8,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-grizzlies-defeat-sou/160900530/|newspaper=Great Falls Tribune|title=Grizzlies defeat South Dakota 14–7|date=September 5, 1971|accessdate=December 14, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 11
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Wyoming
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| score = 28–42
| attend = 20,899
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader-wyoming-wins-over-coyotes/155567375/|work=Argus-Leader|title=Wyoming wins over Coyotes|date=September 12, 1971|accessdate=September 18, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 18
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Idaho State
| site_stadium = Inman Field
| site_cityst = Vermillion, SD
| score = 6–10
| attend = 9,700
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-forum-idaho-state-tumbles-coyotes-10/160904655/|work=The Forum|title=Idaho State tumbles Coyotes 10–6|date=September 19, 1971|accessdate=December 14, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 25
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = North Dakota State
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Dacotah Field
| site_cityst = Fargo, ND
| score = 15–16
| attend = 11,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86505334/north-dakota-state-slips-past-coyotes/|work=Argus-Leader|title=North Dakota State slips past Coyotes|date=September 26, 1971|accessdate=October 4, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 2
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Northern Iowa
| site_stadium = O. R. Latham Stadium
| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA
| score = 0–8
| attend = 5,300
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 9
| w/l = l
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1971|team=Morningside Chiefs|title=Morningside}}
| site_stadium = Inman Field
| site_cityst = Vermillion, SD
| score = 35–6 (forfeit)
| attend = 10,700
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 16
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1971|team=South Dakota State Jackrabbits|title=South Dakota State}}
| site_stadium = Coughlin–Alumni Stadium
| site_cityst = Brookings, SD
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 37–18
| attend = 10,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 23
| w/l = l
| away = y
| nonconf = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1971|team=Drake Bulldogs|title=Drake}}
| site_stadium = Drake Stadium
| site_cityst = Des Moines, IA
| score = 7–49
| attend = 6,800
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 30
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1971|team=Augustana (South Dakota) Vikings|title=Augustana (SD)}}
| site_stadium = Inman Field
| site_cityst = Vermillion, SD
| score = 8–7
| attend = 800
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 6
| w/l = w
| opponent = North Dakota
| site_stadium = Inman Field
| site_cityst = Vermillion, SD
| gamename = Sitting Bull Trophy
| score = 29–21
| attend = 1,200
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1971 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (South Dakota) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/650/stats/12713 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 23, 2022 }}