VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — The USD football team has won its last six games, which is tied for the longest winning streak since joining the FCS.

The Yotes, now number four in this week’s STATS Perform Poll, are a perfect 4-0 in the Missouri Valley. USD’s lone loss came in the season opener at Missouri, but it is a much different team from the one that took the field back in August.

“We’ve made a lot of improvement since that Missouri game on both sides of the football,” USD head coach Bob Nielson said. “We’ve got to keep that as our focus. Even this week, with all the hoopla around the game. It really boils down to how much better can we be Saturday than we were this last week.”

The Coyotes rushed for just 46 yards in that Missouri game but have tallied more than 200 yards on the ground in three of the last five contests.

“We’ve been running the ball effectively,” Nielson said. “Our per carry average has been pretty good. I think our staff is doing a good job of finding ways to to run the football every week. And that ability to have a relatively effective running game is has helped us be efficient throwing the football too.”

USD is undefeated at the DakotaDome this season and while outscoring opponents by nearly 22 points per game.

“Our football team takes a lot of pride in playing at home,” Nielson said. “We’ve been a team that played its best football here in the Dome, regardless of what year it’s been. And our guys take pride in defending the Dome.”

USD and SDSU will kick off Saturday at 1 pm in Vermillion. We’ll hear from the Jacks later in the week.