SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 11, 2010
Dante Warren threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns as the University of South Dakota held off Minnesota for a 41-38 win in one of the early college football season’s biggest upsets.

Warren added 81 yards and two touchdowns rushing for the Coyotes (1-1), whose only deficit against the Golden Gophers was 3-0 in the first quarter. They led by as many as 18 in the third quarter.

Adam Weber threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns for the Golden Gophers, who also got 104 rushing yards and two scores from Duane Bennett.

South Dakota took a 21-10 lead into halftime on the strength of Warren’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Chris Ganious with 1:51 left in the second quarter. Gainous had a one-yard run for the Coyotes’ first score, and Warren added a 14-yard touchdown pass to Will Powell for a 14-3 second-quarter lead.

In its season opener, South Dakota, an FCS program, played a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time in 25 years when it lost 38-7 to Central Florida.

Coyotes coach Ed Meierkort and several players said the experience would make them much better prepared to face Minnesota, which beat Middle Tennessee State 24-17 in its first game of the season.

Minnesota (1-1) has been susceptible to early season upsets. North Dakota State beat the Gophers in 2007 after narrowly missing an upset of them the previous year. Minnesota coach Tim Brewster told the media earlier in the week he knew South Dakota would be prepared for the game.

“It’s very special for them to be able to play a Big Ten opponent in our house, and we understand that,” Brewster said.