BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University enters week two of the regular season with a golden opportunity standing in front of them. One of four nationally ranked teams (according to the most recent STATS Perform Top 25 poll) on the Cardinals' 2025 schedule, South Dakota makes its way to the Golden Triangle currently ranked fourth in the nation. A 2024 semifinalist, South Dakota is the highest-ranked opponent for LU since facing No. 1 Sam Houston in 2021.
 
Both teams enter Saturday coming off similar outcomes to FBS opponents. The Coyotes (kye-yotes) dropped a 55-7 decision at Iowa State while Big Red fell 51-0 at North Texas. While both teams enter the week looking for their first win of the season both are also looking to build momentum off successful 2024 campaigns. The Coyotes went 11-3 (.786) advancing all the way to the NCAA FCS semifinals before bowing out, while LU head coach Pete Rossomando led the Cardinals to a second-straight winning season (for the first time since 1966 and 1967) just missing an NCAA playoff bid.
 
Saturday's contest will be just the fifth all-time meeting, but the third since Lamar revived its program for the 2010 season. The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 3-1, but South Dakota picked up a victory that last time the two schools met (2023) – a game which was played in Vermillion, S.D.
 
 Saturday's home opener is slated to begin at 6 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Coyotes
Saturday's contest will mark the fifth all-time meeting between the two schools but the third since Lamar brought back the program prior to the 2010 season. The Cardinals are 3-1 (.750) all-time against USD including a 2-0 record in the Golden Triangle. The Coyotes got their first win in the series in 2023 in Vermillion, S.D.
 
LU in Home Openers
Lamar has been strong in home openers. LU owns a 40-13-1 (.750) record in those games but has seen its struggles recently. While Lamar won its home opener last season (28-14 over Mississippi Valley State), the Cardinals have dropped three of their previous five home-opening games. Saturday's contest marks the first time in program history that LU will host a home opener against South Dakota and the third against a Missouri Valley Conference team. The Cardinals are 1-1 (.500) in those games with the last one coming during the 1978 season against Southern Illinois.
 
Home Sweet Home
The Cardinals are 8-4 (.667) at home under head coach Pete Rossomando posting identical 4-2 (.667) records in both years.
 
The Rossomando Effect
Now in his third year with LU, Pete Rossomando has guided the Cards to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1966 and 1967 (and first consecutive conference winning seasons since 1971 and 1972). Rossomando took over a program that had won just one game in the year before his arrival. The 2024 season saw LU land in the FCS Top 25 polls for the first time in program history. He has won more games in his first two seasons than any previous Lamar head coach.