The No. 11 seed South Dakota Coyotes (9-4), riding momentum from a commanding 38-17 first-round playoff rout of Drake, travel to Macon, Georgia, to challenge the No. 6 seed Mercer Bears (9-2) in a high-stakes FCS second-round showdown at Five Star Stadium. As the MVFC’s at-large representative after a rollercoaster regular season that saw them upset rivals like South Dakota State and North Dakota, the Coyotes boast a potent rushing attack led by L.J. Phillips Jr. (1,556 yards, 15 TDs, 3rd in FCS), but they’ll face a Mercer defense ranked 4th nationally against the run (90.5 YPG allowed, 2.86 YPC). The Bears, SoCon champions on a nine-game FCS win streak capped by a 63-17 demolition of Chattanooga, enter as slight favorites with the FCS’s No. 1 scoring offense (39.5 PPG, 7th in total yards at 505.5 YPG). This rare MVFC-SoCon playoff clash—Mercer’s first home postseason game since 2014—presents a classic stylistic battle: South Dakota’s grind-it-out ground game (193 rush YPG) vs. Mercer’s explosive aerial assault (335.8 pass YPG). With no head-to-head history and both squads healthy, expect a defensive battle in the Georgia chill—projected final: Mercer 31-24, advancing behind QB Braden Atkinson’s arm and a swarming front seven stifling Phillips.
Venue, Date, and Time
Venue: Five Star Stadium (also known as Bear Field), 300 College St, Macon, GA 31206. Capacity: 20,000 (FCS standard; expected sellout of 15,000+ for playoffs). This on-campus fortress, opened in 2014, features a passionate SoCon crowd and artificial turf that favors Mercer’s up-tempo style—home to three straight Bears shutouts in non-conference play earlier this season.
Kickoff: 12:00 PM ET (9:00 AM PT).
Broadcast: ESPN+ (national streaming), FloFootball (FCS exclusive), Mercer Sports Network (local radio). Pre-game tailgates and student sections will crank up the energy for this noon kickoff, aligning with Southern playoff traditions.
Weather Forecast
Macon-area weather on December 6, 2025, anticipates mild early-winter conditions, with highs reaching 58°F (14°C) and kickoff temps around 52°F (11°C)—above historical averages (average high 57°F, low 36°F). Expect partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of scattered showers (0.1 inches total precipitation), light winds (5-8 mph from the NE), and no frost risk. Conditions should support a clean, pass-friendly game on the turf, though the humidity (60-70%) could wear on defenses late; layers recommended for fans. (Forecast based on long-range models; check Weather.com for updates.)
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away/Neutral Split | MVFC/SoCon Standings | Key Stats (PPG / Opp PPG / Rush YPG Allowed) |
| South Dakota Coyotes | 9-4 | 5-1 Home / 3-3 Away / 1-0 Neutral | 3rd (5-3 MVFC) | 26.0 / 26.4 / 153.4 |
| Mercer Bears | 9-2 | 5-0 Home / 4-2 Away / 0-0 Neutral | 1st (8-0 SoCon) | 39.5 / 23.5 / 90.5 |
South Dakota ranks 57th in scoring offense but 59th in rush D, while Mercer’s explosive attack (7th in PPG) meets a stout ground game (MVFC’s 2nd at 193 rush YPG), setting up a “something’s gotta give” clash.
Recent Team Forms
South Dakota builds playoff steam; Mercer rides a dominant close to the regular season.
Coyotes (4-2 in last 6): USD exploded for 38 points in their playoff opener vs. Drake on November 29 (Aidan Bouman: 4 TD passes, Larenzo Fenner: 130 rec yards/3 TDs), avenging a regular-season loss and extending a three-game win streak that included a 53-51 5OT thriller over Southern Illinois (November 22, Bouman: 4 TDs). Earlier: 24-17 upset of No. 3 South Dakota State (November 15). Averaging 32.5 PPG in the surge with 370.2 total YPG (55th in FCS), but red-zone woes (19th-24th defensively) linger—road form gritty (3-3, +0.2 margin).
Bears (6-0 in last 6): Mercer’s regular season ended with a 63-17 rout of Chattanooga on November 15 (Braden Atkinson: 426 pass yards/4 TDs), following a 52-28 win at Furman (November 8, Atkinson: 538 yards, school record) and 49-47 thriller over Western Carolina (November 1). Their lone losses: Early non-con to Presbyterian and Princeton. Averaging 45.8 PPG with 505.5 YPG (1st in FCS), their D has held foes to 17.3 PPG in wins—home unbeaten (5-0, +16 margin).
Conference vs. Conference
This MVFC (South Dakota) vs. SoCon (Mercer) playoff tilt underscores regional contrasts: MVFC’s physical, run-first ethos (avg. 48.2 combined PPG, top-5 rush offenses) vs. SoCon’s balanced, high-scoring shootouts (avg. 52.6 combined PPG, top-10 pass games). Historically, MVFC teams hold a 14-9 edge in FCS playoff meetings vs. SoCon foes since 2000, with South Dakota 1-0 in such crossovers (def. Samford 2016). Mercer’s 2-1 in playoffs vs. MVFC (wins over Missouri State 2014, Indiana State 2019), but their rush D (4th FCS) neutralizes MVFC’s 22nd-ranked ground attack. Expect a hybrid total (proj. 49.5 points), favoring Mercer’s versatility in a dome-like stadium.
Injury Report
Mercer benefits from a bye-week reset; South Dakota largely intact post-Drake. Updates as of December 5, 2025 (FCS official report).
| Team | Player | Status | Injury Details | Impact |
| Coyotes | Travis Christian (LB) | PROBABLE | Shoulder (limited vs. Drake; full practice Dec. 3, 85% chance). | Leading tackler (92 stops); D holds if active. |
| Coyotes | Keytaon Thompson (WR) | OUT | Knee (IR since Nov. 15; multi-week). | Slot speed (28 rec, 2 TDs); Fenner absorbs targets. |
| Coyotes | Several OL (unnamed) | DAY-TO-DAY | Minor bumps from Nov. 29 (per coach Johansen); bye aided. | Protection intact; Bouman sacked 1.2/gm. |
| Bears | None listed | All available | Clean slate post-bye; Atkinson/Ferguson lines full go. | Depth boost—D eyes 4th straight shutout streak. |
Bears’ health amplifies their D; Coyotes’ absences test receiving corps.
Key Player Matchups
Mercer’s rush D vs. USD’s ground game spotlights; these could flip the script.
Aidan Bouman (Coyotes QB) vs. Mercer Secondary (Led by S A.J. Oliver): Bouman’s efficiency (215 PYPG, 22 TDs) challenges Oliver’s picks (4 INTs); expect 220+ yards if lanes open—Bouman eyes 2 TDs vs. Mercer’s 45th-ranked pass D.
L.J. Phillips Jr. (Coyotes RB) vs. Mercer Front (Anchored by DT Parker DeMars): Phillips’ burst (1,556 yards, 15 TDs) tests DeMars’ run stuffs (8 TFLs); duel projects 110 rush yards for Phillips, but Mercer’s 4th-ranked rush D caps at 90.
Braden Atkinson (Bears QB) vs. USD LB (Corey Watson): Atkinson’s arm (335 PYPG, 28 TDs) exploits Watson’s coverage (65 tackles); air battle favors Mercer if Johnson scrambles (64-yard TD run Nov. 15).
Micah Jones (Bears LB) vs. South Dakota OL: Jones’ pursuit (78 tackles, 10 TFLs) disrupts USD’s line; sack battle tips under if pressure mounts (proj. 1.5+).
Mercer’s D matchups tilt field goal.
Series History
No prior meetings—these programs from different conferences (MVFC vs. SoCon) have never crossed paths in regular season or playoffs. Broader trends: MVFC holds 14-9 edge in FCS playoff games vs. SoCon since 2000, but Mercer 2-1 in such (wins over Missouri State 2014, Indiana State 2019). At Five Star Stadium: Mercer 5-0 home in playoffs since 2014. Trends: Unders in 6/9 MVFC-SoCon playoff tilts (avg. 48.2 points); Mercer covers 4-2 ATS as home favorites >3 pts.
Betting Trends
Mercer’s home streak and SoCon dominance draw sharp money, but USD’s playoff road grit tempts dogs. Public: 58% on Bears spread (60% handle on Coyotes). Trends: Mercer 6-1 ATS last 7 home; South Dakota 5-2 ATS as underdogs >4 pts. Overs 4-3 in Mercer’s last 7; USD unders 5-2 road. Historical vs. similar: MVFC underdogs 7-4 ATS in playoffs vs. SoCon favorites; Mercer 4-1 ATS last 5 as -4.5+ home chalk.
Historical Betting Results
No direct H2H, but in 23 MVFC-SoCon playoff meetings since 2000: MVFC 12-11 SU (52%), 13-10 ATS (56.5%). Last 10: SoCon 6-4 SU, avg. margin 8.2 points (Mercer 2-0 ATS in home playoffs). Mercer 7-3 ATS last 10 as favorites (covers >70% at home); South Dakota 4-2 ATS last 6 as road dogs (3-3 O/U). Playoff context: No. 6 seeds 14-10 SU in second round (60%), covering 12-12 ATS; No. 11 seeds 8-16 SU but 11-13 ATS as dogs.
Game Odds
South Dakota Coyotes 49.5
Mercer Bears – 4.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, December 5, 2025
