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How apps like Snapchat are rewriting the rules of sport

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11 months ago

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How apps like Snapchat are rewriting the rules of sport

Last November, New York-based sports and media company IMG issued its annual Digital Trends Report, which explores the technologies and developments likely to shape the sports media landscape over the following 12 months.
“The power of sports and creators, combined with social media, is a big opportunity to grab,” says Ellie Hooper, head of client at Goat. “We know that the power of influencer marketing comes from the voice of the creator which people have chosen to trust.
WBD’s multi-regional coverage of the Olympics saw it offer not just official highlights but also double down on exclusive behind-the-scenes content, wacky must-see moments and a focus on the “showbiz side of the games” from the perspective of athletes, celebrities and fans.
Gen Z and younger viewers are using social media to interact with their teams
“
There’s this myth that younger audiences are not interested in sports. That belief has now been debunked. Younger viewers are just consuming sports content in a different way.

“
There’s this myth that younger audiences are not interested in sports. That belief has now been debunked. Younger viewers are just consuming sports content in a different way.

With almost 4.9 billion people – 60% of the global population – owning sophisticated cell phones enabling instant access to the internet and social media apps, the living room TV no longer dominates the way in which viewers engage with that weekend’s big Premier League match or mass audience events like the Olympics.
The enhancement also gave Channel 4’s advertising partners an opportunity to reach sports fans, with commercial branding in and around what users see onscreen.
“Snapchat is in the business of making money, so we have to monetise our content,” he tells C21. “We serve video ads in there and we revenue share with our partners, whether that’s publishers or creators.
“
“The power of sports and creators, combined with social media, is a big opportunity to grab. We know that the power of influencer marketing comes from the voice of the creator which people have chosen to trust.
As social media apps transform how audiences consume sports content, C21 examines how Snapchat works with broadcasters, rights holders, brands and creators to monetise this paradigm shift.

“In the sports industry, there’s always the challenge of its historical need for immediate money in the bank, but the longer-term play is to think of it more as building enduring relationships with audiences. Once you make a Snapchat user a fan of golf or whatever, they’re going to be lifelong fans.

“Adam Hill playing with the AR lenses was an amazing moment of linear TV royalty and social media innovation coming together,” Harbinson tells C21. “That gamification element really took off and we had five million users during the games. We see Snapchat more and more not just as a broadcast platform but as a community builder.
With the all-too-familiar media mantra of ‘adapt or die’ ringing in the ears of legacy media execs, now is the time to harness the power of social media and shortform content before millions more viewers continue the inexorable migration away from terrestrial TV and streaming, never to return.
Those combined factors make Snapchat an attractive partner for agencies looking to bring brands, creators and influencers to the table.
During 2022, more than 285 million Snapchatters used its FIFA World Cup AR lenses so they could see themselves in the official shirts of their favourite national football team.
Before we drill into the ways in which Snap leverages and monetises that engagement with Gen Z, let’s first look at some research that helps to contextualise the rapidly shifting area of sports content consumption.

The same survey by Snap indicates that 55% of respondents believe that the way we consume sports has evolved drastically over the past decade. While older die-hard sports fans are fiercely loyal to just one team or favourite athlete, younger social-savvy consumers are less exclusive and more likely to find their way into sports through adjacent cultures, such as fashion, influencers, creators and brands.

Last summer, Channel 4 debuted ‘Snap-first’ programming from the Paralympics on the platform. The partnership aligned with the broadcaster’s Future4 strategy to prioritise digital growth over linear ratings. Content was delivered by Channel 4’s Leeds-based digital-focused 4Studio, while Snapchat and the pubcaster’s commercial team, 4Sales, shared sales rights on the shows.
With such exhaustive coverage of the summer’s major sporting spectacles on Snapchat, it’s no surprise that 65% of Gen Z users say that their interest in sports has grown in the past year.
This article is based in part on interviews and sessions from Content London 2024.

Snap’s Summer of Sports campaign also saw broadcasters such as NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) make highlights from their Olympics and Paralympics coverage available through the platform. Arcadia, Snapchat’s AR Studio, partnered with NBCU to offer AR experiences to Snapchatters. The tie-in also offered real-time stats and introduced users to Team USA athletes and their Bitmojis (personalised Snapchat emojis).
Macaulay says that Snapchat offers both short- and long-term return on investment for producers, broadcasters, brands and creators.
There are two different types. The first, facial lenses, have technology that allows transformation of the user’s face. They can enable Snapchatters to engage with brands by ‘trying on’ make-up, jewellery and clothes. The second, world lenses, appear on the external camera and enable users to interact with 3D objects superimposed on the environment around them. They also allow product features to be displayed through the camera.
Luke Whalley
Senior director of international digital ad sales
WBD Sports Europe
Joe Harbinson
“
If you’re a sports industry executive reading this and becoming equal parts excited and terrified, great. This is the correct response.

“The sports industry knows it cannot fight against this audience trend, so in 2025 it will start to adapt to it – or it will lose ground to other forms of entertainment which do.”

“Sports dominate the big screen, but our phones dominate our attention. The trend we will see in 2025 is for sports to abandon the notion of ‘first screen’ and ‘second screen’ and put more emphasis into winning the battle for both screens at the same time.
“The Snapchat sports experience is very different to other platforms,” says Snap’s Macaulay. “There’s a much more fluid fandom around athletes, personalities, style and fashion that comes to life on the platform.

The report says: “Nothing is more sought-after by broadcasters than sports rights, but televisions are no longer anyone’s primary viewing platform. Smartphones have that crown.
Joe Harbinson
Distribution and partnerships senior lead
Channel 4
During 2024, Snap ramped up partnerships with broadcasters and sports organisations to optimise a year packed full of major events, including the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, as well as the UEFA European Football Championship, hosted by Germany.
“That [strategy] means putting content where viewers want to see it and tailoring it to the audiences on those platforms. Our Paralympics coverage was a great example of how we did this.
Rak Patel this month starts his new role as Channel 4’s chief commercial officer. Heading the sales division, one of his key challenges is to expand into new areas of digital growth. Harbinson believes leveraging the power of social media apps like Snapchat, combined with branded content initiatives, will help the pubcaster diversify its revenue streams.
“There are brands now acting as commissioners and going out there to engage with production companies. Bringing brilliant UK creative talent to brands is a very authentic way to bring content to social channels and online platforms.”

Lewis Wiltshire

“Our partnership with Snapchat complements the storytelling on our own platforms, helping to connect millions of new fans with inspiring athletes, unmissable sporting moments and exclusive behind-the-scenes content that we know audiences new and old love.”
Technology is revolutionising sports, but we’re not talking about soccer’s highly divisive Video Assisted Refereeing, or the Hawk-Eye computer vision system commonly used in tennis and cricket. Instead, the smart phone is transforming the way in which audiences consume sports content.
Kahlen Macaulay
As part of Channel 4’s 2024 Paralympics coverage, the broadcaster’s Snapchat profile used the feature to let users try out multiple events through the AR lenses, with venues and sporting equipment overlaid on to the real world. Adam Hills, host of C4 chatshow The Last Leg, joined in the fun by trying his hand at disciplines such as archery and athletics.
Luke Whalley
The IMG report indicates they face a battle to command viewer focus, as audiences become more preoccupied with consuming shortform sports content on social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Founded in 2015, London-based The Goat Agency claims to be the world’s leading influencer marketing agency, delivering social-first marketing strategies and data-driven influencer campaigns for clients including UEFA, Formula E and Major League Baseball.
UK commercial pubcaster Channel 4 has been a close collaborator with Snap since 2018, when it was launched shows on Discover, Snapchat’s curated content platform. Shortform clips of Channel 4’s most popular programmes such as First Dates, Married at First Sight UK and Hollyoaks were made available via the platform.

“We have a dedicated social sales team, which is out there landing TV inventory deals, and that has now been folded under our streaming division, so we’re now selling linear, streaming and social ads as one package,” Harbinson says. “It’s become a full service.

“We have a really holistic way of working with all social platforms, Snapchat included,” says Joe Harbinson, distribution and partnerships senior lead at Channel 4. “Our Fast Forward strategy is supercharging our digital transformation on the way to becoming a digital-first streamer. By 2030, it’s our goal for half of our revenues to be from digital and we’re well on target for that.
“With Snap specifically, we wanted to make sure we did something quite different, which led to bringing our viewers and Snapchatters into the Paralympics with a very Channel 4 project using AR lenses.”

According to Snapchat’s Macaulay, a certain degree of complacency has contributed to the sports industry being somewhat slow to catch on to the trend for shortform.
Ellie Hooper
Beyond the Olympics, a weekly sports show was launched on Snapchat, localised for France and the UK, which showcases the best sporting content from the WBD portfolio including the biggest tennis, football and combat sports competitions.
It predicted that the household TV set will lose its crown to smartphones as the first screen through which viewers will consume sports content in 2025. The report suggests viewers’ phones will instead dominate their attention – a forecast that will come as bad news to the broadcast and streaming giants that are spending billions on securing live sports rights.
Lewis Wiltshire
Senior VP and managing director, digital
IMG
“Next to that we have an effective sponsorship partnership and branded content team under Four Studio, which is working closely with creatives and agencies.

Kahlen Macaulay
Senior manager of international sports partnerships
Snap Inc

“Brands understand the lifetime value of fans and consumers. That philosophy creates revenue opportunities far into the future.”
Tapping into this paradigm shift can be daunting for broadcasters and producers from the legacy TV industry, but the rewards are potentially lucrative. By working with social media platforms, brands and creators, TV executives can tap directly into one of the most evasive demographics in the entertainment business.
“
Our partnership with Snapchat complements the storytelling on our own platforms, helping to connect millions of new fans with inspiring athletes, unmissable sporting moments and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Now, the proliferation of social media apps and video-sharing platforms means that they have become less of a temporary distraction and more of a first-choice portal for viewers who want to engage with their favourite athletes and teams.

“Shortform content is now a primary way that many fans engage with sports, and rights holders must tap into its media and sponsorship value,” says Daniel Kirschner, co-founder and CEO of LA-headquartered Greenfly, a provider of shortform media software platforms for over 500 sports teams and 40 leagues around the world.
“If you’re a sports industry executive reading this and becoming equal parts excited and terrified, great. This is the correct response,” says Lewis Wiltshire, senior VP and managing director, digital, at IMG.
“There’s direct monetisation through our revenue share programmes, then there’s the brand pieces where you can bring commercial partners into content and monetise that.
“So, there’s a standard format that exists which is obviously more lucrative in different markets, depending on where our footprint is. For example, we’re absolutely massive in France, while in the UK 22 million people use the app. That’s a huge opportunity.
“In terms of content, the Snapchat app opens directly into a camera – encouraging users to create content. So it’s set up for creatives.”
“We work with organisations such as the International Olympic Committee, the Union of European Football Associations [UEFA] and the International Paralympic Committee to help them reach our young audience.
“There’s this myth that younger audiences are not interested in sports,” says Kahlen Macaulay, senior manager of international sports partnerships at US-based Snap Inc, parent company of social media app Snapchat. “That belief has now been debunked. Younger viewers are just consuming sports content in a different way, on their own terms as opposed to sitting down and watching a full two- or three-hour live sports broadcast. They’re instead consuming sports via shortform content.

“
With Snap specifically, we wanted to make sure we did something quite different, which led to bringing our viewers and Snapchatters into the Paralympics with a very Channel 4 project using AR lenses.

“Traditionally, sport hasn’t had to evolve and be progressive because they already sell out the seating and tickets as well as the sponsorship and broadcast rights, so why should they care?” he says. “Historically, sport has extracted value in the immediacy without forming relationships. But there are many more valuable and long-term revenue opportunities.”
“He got around 76 million views on social media while combined content from the actual PGA tour only got a million,” says Hooper. “That’s the power of influencers.”
By way of example, Hooper points to Bryson DeChambeau, who has been labelled “the MrBeast of golf,” due to his popularity on social media. The two-time Majors winner has almost 1.7 million subscribers on YouTube and went viral recently while attempting to make a hole-in-one by whacking a ball over the roof of his house into the back yard.
“There’s a paradigm shift in viewing habits right now and the way that Snap is leaning into that is unique.”
Ellie Hooper
Head of client
Goat
Luke Whalley, senior director of international digital ad sales at WBD Sports Europe, says: “Our all-platform approach to distributing world-class coverage of the biggest events in the sporting calendar and telling the stories of the athletes competing is how we engage the widest possible international audience.

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NCAA Regional Semifinals against Creighton up next for #2 seed Volleyball on Thursday – Sun Devil Athletics

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December 8, 2025

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TEMPE – No. 2 seed Sun Devil Volleyball is ready for its fourth NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal appearance in program history, facing No. 3 seed Creighton at the Lexington Regional on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m. MST/1 p.m. EST on ESPN2. 

This is the first of the two regional semifinal matches in Lexington, Ky. on Thursday. No. 1 seed Kentucky plays Cal Poly 30 minutes following Arizona State’s match. The winner of both matches will face each other in the regional final on Saturday, Dec. 13. The time will be determined following all matches on Thursday. It will be either 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. EST and will be on ESPN. The winner of this region will advance to the national semifinals in Kansas City on Dec. 18. 

For Arizona State, this is the fourth trip to the round of 16 in program history, second in the last three years. The other years were 2023, 1995 and 1994. Additionally, this is the second time in school history ASU has won two matches in the NCAA Tournament, both under head coach JJ Van Niel. The program record improves to 14-21, 5-2 under Van Niel.

How to follow
The Sun Devils will take on the Bluejays in the first regional semifinal match across the nation on Thursday, starting at 11 a.m. MST. It will be live on ESPN2, with live stats available as well. Updates will be provided on social media on X (@SunDevilVB) and Instagram (@sundevilvolleyball). More information can be found on the NCAA Championship website.

Sun Devil outlook
No. 8 Arizona State (28-3, 17-1 Big 12)

  • Head coach JJ Van Niel has changed the Sun Devil Volleyball program in his three seasons. He has guided the team to back-to-back Big 12 Championships and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, going 86-13 overall, 5-2 in the postseason. He has been the conference coach of the year in each of his first three seasons as a head coach, the third NCAA volleyball coach to achieve this across the country. The other two are Mary Wise (Florida, 1991-93) and Geoff Carlston (Ohio University, 2003-06). 
  • The regional semifinal match will be Van Niel’s 100th match as a head coach. He has a 86-13 record (.868), all while in Tempe these last three seasons. Of the eight head coaches in the program before him, he has more wins than four of them. He has the best winning percentage of any ASU volleyball head coach through 100 matches, regardless of a win or loss in the regional semifinal.
  • Arizona State is guaranteed at least the second-best winning percentage in program history, currently at .903, which would be second behind 2024’s .909 (30-3). The top three winning percentages in team history are under Van Niel. 
  • Junior opposite Noemie Glover, the Big 12 Player of the Year, has been a force for the Sun Devils this year, particularly in the last three matches. She has hit over .500 in all three wins. She’s hit that clip or better five times. This year, she’s had double-digit kills in all but one match she’s played in, four times surpassing 20 kills. 
  • Not far behind Glover in kill total is senior Bailey Miller, also having a strong offensive season. She’s having her most productive season yet, currently at 383 kills, 50 more than any other year. She’s had double-digit kills in 15 of the last 16 matches and leads the team in double-doubles with 10. 
  • The block has been a big factor in Arizona State’s success this year. There have been 21 matches this season that the team has had double-digit blocks. Three on the roster have over 100 blocks: Colby Neal (168), Ella Lomigora (132) and Glover (108). Neal ranks nationally in blocks, currently No. 7 in blocks per set (1.50) and No. 8 in total blocks.

Opponent outlook
No. 11 Creighton (27-5, 16-0 BIG EAST)

  • The Bluejays have had a strong season, going undefeated in conference play and winning their sixth-consecutive BIG EAST title. This is their third-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals, fifth overall. 
  • Hosting the first two rounds, Creighton made the third round after a tough 3-2 win in the first round against Northern Colorado followed by a 3-1 win over UNI in the second round.
  • This will be the second meeting between ASU and Creighton, first since 2002, which the Sun Devils won. 

No. 2 Kentucky (27-2, 15-0 SEC)

  • The Wildcats have won the last 24-straight matches heading into this weekend. They won the SEC Tournament and have won nine SEC titles in a row. Their two losses on the year were to Pitt and Nebraska.
  • As a No. 1 seed (No. 2 overall), Kentucky hosted the first two rounds and is hosting this regional. Kentucky beat Wofford in straight sets in the first round, then beat No. 8 seed UCLA in four sets to advance to the regional semifinals.
  • ASU trails in the all-time series against Kentucky, 1-2. However, all meetings were decades ago, the last meeting being in 1986, which ASU won. 

Cal Poly (27-7, 14-4 Big West)

  • The  Mustangs won the Big West Championship to earn the autobid for the NCAA Tournament, their first postseason appearance since 2018. 
  • This is Cal Poly’s seventh appearance in the regional semifinal in team history, the first since 2007. The Mustangs are the only team in this year’s tournament to take down two seeded teams. 
  • Arizona State leads 4-2 in the all-time series against Cal Poly, last winning in 2021 in straight sets.



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Alum Sidney Yap Honored to Compete for the Philipines at the SEA Games in Thailand

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December 8, 2025

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Sidney Yap, a George Mason alumnus and former track and field athlete, is set to participate in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, taking place December 9-20.

The 33rd edition of the multi-sport event returns to the location of the very first regional Games in 1959, as the Thai capital of Bangkok plays host together with the Chonburi region. The full SEA Games schedule is available to view here.

During his four years as a member of the Patriots’ track and field program, Yap developed into one of Mason’s top throwers, earning multiple Atlantic 10 Championship appearances and cementing his place in the program’s record books. Yap credits his time at George Mason for preparing him to compete at the international level. He believes that the four years of balancing academics, athletics, and an internship gave him the confidence to pursue his dreams.

“I really have to thank all the coaches, professors, and managers that have been through this journey with me the past several years,” said Yap. “Without the support of them, I don’t think I would be where I am at today.”

 

One of Yap’s most memorable moments at George Mason was breaking the school record in men’s hammer throw during the season opener of his final year. He recounts the experience as unexpected but incredibly rewarding, as he had two throws that surpassed the previous record.

 

“It was even more memorable because there was a lot going on throughout the year as a team, and I was fortunate enough to have Coach Becky (Hartley) there,” Yap said. “She was the one that saw something in me and gave me a chance to compete for Mason. Being able to celebrate with her and have that moment where all the hard work is on display, that is something that I will never forget.”

 

Yap’s passion for track and field is what drives him to continue competing. He loves the process, the training, and the constant pursuit of improvement. Despite most athletes retiring after college, Yap felt he had the discipline, drive, and physical ability to keep going.

 

In addition to his love for the sport, representing the Philippines added an extra layer of motivation for Yap. As a first-generation Filipino-American, he takes pride in his heritage and is inspired by the opportunity to wear the country’s colors.

 

“I very much throw to achieve goals that I set for myself,” said Yap. “But to also make my family and friends proud is something that inspires me as well.”

 

Competing in the SEA Games is an opportunity for Yap to honor his family’s heritage. It allows him to visit the Philippines, see his relatives, and express gratitude for the love and support he has received throughout his journey. As Yap prepares to compete in the SEA Games, he looks forward to representing the Philippines and contributing to the success of his country.

 

“It makes me very proud being able to represent where my family comes from,” Yap said. “I can’t express my gratitude to all the family and friends who have shown me love and support through this journey. At the end of the day, I want to make them proud.”

His dedication, discipline, and love for the sport continue to drive him towards achieving his goals and making his family and friends proud.

Beyond athletics, Yap has also begun building a successful professional career. A graduate of four academic programs from the Costello College of Business, Yap currently works for Navy Federal Credit Union, where he supports member-focused financial services and applies the same discipline and work ethic that defined his collegiate experience. Balancing full-time work with elite-level training has strengthened his time-management skills and reinforced his commitment to pursuing excellence both on and off the field. Read the recent article on Yap’s career success LINK.

“I have trained ever so hard for this moment, and I have faith leading up to these games that I know I can put out a solid performance,” said Yap. “Likewise, I personally want to contribute towards the success and make the country proud.”

 





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Top seeds advance, Penn State out

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December 8, 2025

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Dec. 8, 2025, 2:52 p.m. ET



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Chargers’ Anna Roessner named G-MAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (Dec. 2-8)

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December 8, 2025

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In terms of first impressions, it’s hard to make a better one on the collegiate track and field scene than Hillsdale College freshman Anna Roessner.

Roessner has been awarded the G-MAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week award, the conference office announced on Monday afternoon, after a stunning debut performance at the GVSU Holiday Open. It’s the first G-MAC track and field award to be handed out this season.

All Roessner did in her first-ever collegiate race, a 60 meter dash prelim, was obliterate the old Hillsdale school record of 7.58 held jointly by Kajsa Johansson and Lucy Minning by over two-tenths of a second, and also break the G-MAC record of 7.41 held by past All-Americans Kya Epps of Walsh and Jordan Taylor of Findlay. Her time of 7.36 is currently the fastest time in the nation in NCAA Division II, in the top 10 collegiately regardless of division, and would have placed fourth in the nation at last year’s NCAA DII Indoor Championships.

Roessner proved her time wasn’t a fluke in the final, running a 7.41 to take first in the event, and also ran a solid 200 meter dash, placing third with a respectable opening time of 24.81. Her 60 meter time gives her an excellent chance to be selected for the 2026 NCAA DII Indoor Championships in March at Virginia Beach, and she’ll have plenty of time to try and improve on it throughout the rest of the spring, with several meets in January and February and a very competitive sprint conference in the G-MAC to race against.

The Chargers will next be in action on Jan. 16, coming back from Christmas Break to compete in the Al Campbell Invite hosted by the University of Akron.



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PREVIEW: Montana Awaits the Coyotes in FCS Quarterfinals

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December 8, 2025

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12.08.2025


By: Steve Carlson, Assistant AD for Communications

VERMILLION, S.D. — The story continues for the 2025 South Dakota football team, adventuring to the state of Montana for the second-straight FCS Playoffs as they head to Missoula, Montana to battle the No. 3-seeded Montana Grizzlies on Saturday, December 13 in the FCS Quarterfinals from Washington-Grizzly Stadium led by the new South Dakota career passing leader Aidan Bouman. 
 
The game will televisted on ABC with Roy Philpott (PxP), Sam Acho (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline) on the call for the 2025 FCS Quarterfinals. You can listen to the voice of the Coyotes John Thayer on the Coyote Sports Network beginning at 1:30 p.m. (CT) for the pre-game show with former Coyote Gary Culver joining Thayer for the call at 2:30 p.m. (CT).
 













FCS QUARTERFINALS | No. 11-seed SOUTH DAKOTA (10-4, 6-2 MVFC) at No. 3-seed MONTANA (12-1, 7-1 Big Sky)
Date | Time Saturday, December 13 | 1:30 PM (MT) / 2:30 PM (CT)
Location Missoula, Mont. | Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,217)
Fan Information Tickets | Parking | Game Day Info
Television ABC – Roy Philpott (PxP), Sam Acho (Analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline)
Radio Coyote Sports Network (John Thayer, Gary Culver) [KVHT 106.3 FM]
Live Stats NCAA
Game Notes South Dakota | Montana | MVFC | College Pressbox
Digital Program NCAA Program
Social Media @SDCoyotesFB Twitter | #GoYotes | @sdcoyotesfb Instagram | Facebook Facebook

YOTES IN THE FCS PLAYOFFS

  • South Dakota makes their fifth trip to the FCS Playoffs this season (2017, 2021, 2023-25) and third-straight trip.

  • It’s the first trip for head coach Travis Johansen in his first season as head coach, though he’s been a part of four total trips now as defensive coordinator and/or head coach. 

  • Six of the 10 total FCS Playoff games for South Dakota have been played in the DakotaDome, while Saturday’s game at Montana will be the fifth road FCS Playoff game.

  • The Yotes are set to clash with what’s proven to be the most frequent conference in the FCS Playoff with their fourth meeting against a Big Sky school in the playoffs.

  • QB Aidan Bouman is just one of two USD QBs to play in multiple FCS Playoff games (Streveler, 2017). He’s the only QB to throw for 1,000+ yards in the playoffs.

  • South Dakota is undefeated in FCS Playoff games when they score first (4-0), lead at halftime (5-0), force 3+ takeaways (4-0), and/or holds the ball for 30+ minutes of game action (3-0).

 
KEY STORYLINES

  • South Dakota and Montana are set to meet for the 21st time in program history on Saturday with the first-ever meeting in the FCS Playoffs.

  • This season South Dakota is 7-2 when scoring first, 7-0 when leading at halftime, 7-1 when not committing a turnover, 5-0 with a rusher over 150+ yards in the game, and 5-0 with a receiver having 100+ yards in the game.

  • The Yotes are 4-2 against top-25 FCS opponents this season with all four wins coming in the months of November and December.

  • USD had a stretch of not committing a turnover in six-straight games did not commit a turnover in six of the eight MVFC games this season. It’s now eight games this season without a turnover, following the Mercer game (Dec. 6).

  • PACING THE FCS: L.J. Phillips Jr. LEADS the FCS net rushing yards (1,847), fourth in carries (279), fourth in rushing yards per game (131.9), T7th in rushing touchdowns (18), and sixth in yards per carry (6.62).

  • Phillips Jr. has climbed the top-10 single-season all-time list for rushing yards, sitting SECOND entering heading to Missoula. He needs 115 yards to set a new single-season program record.  

  • Phillips Jr. became the 12th Coyote – and third in the Division I FCS era – to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a single season against Northern Iowa (Oct. 18).

  • Aidan Bouman holds a 32-13 (45 games) record as the starting quarterback at South Dakota and has thrown a touchdown pass in 12 of the 14 games this season with a new season – and career-high five touchdowns in the regular season finale at Southern Illinois.

  • After the Mercer game, Bouman is now the South Dakota career passing yards leader (9,047) and SECOND all-time in career passing touchdowns (66).

  • Bouman has now thrown 11 touchdown passes in the last three games.

  • With 11 100-yard rushing games this season (nine from Phillips Jr., two from Fletcher), South Dakota now has had 78 100-yard rushing games in the Division I FCS era with Phillips Jr.’s 301 yards against Northern Colorado being the Division I single-game record.

  • Walsh (at Lamar), Roman Tillmon (vs. UNC), Nate Ewell (at NDSU; at UNI; vs. UND; at SIU; vs. Drake) are the only three Yotes with 10+ tackles in a game this season with Tillmon (14) now holding the season high.

  • Mikey Munn has been on a tear at cornerback with a career-high two interceptions (x2; vs. Drake, Sept 20; at Mercer, Dec. 6) and leads the team with ten (10) pass-break ups on the season.

  • South Dakota has won 20 of their last 24 MVFC games dating back to the 2023 season.

  • South Dakota is in their 130th season of college football and with their 31st head coach in program history.  

  • Last week, head coach Travis Johansen became the first coach to win double-digit games in their first season as head coach at South Dakota.

  • South Dakota holds an all-time program record of 590-568-35 entering Saturday. In the Division I FCS era, South Dakota has won 96 games (96-108).

 
MONTANA GRIZZLIES

  • Led by Bobby Hauck in his 14th full season in Missoula, he picked up his 150th win leading the Griz with the 50-29 win over South Dakota State last weekend in the Second Round.

  • Montana won their first 11 games of the season before dropping a top-5 clash to in-state rival Montana State to end the regular season and finished with a 11-1 record.

  • Earning the No. 3 national seed, the Griz had a First Round bye before a dominant win over SDSU last time out.

  • The Griz are 2-0 against MVFC teams this season – both games in Missoula – defeating SDSU and North Dakota (24-23 back in September).

  • QB Keali’I Ah Yat has thrown for over 3,500 passing yards this season with 29 touchdowns to help the Griz to their 12-1 mark. He leads an offense that boasts a top-10 FCS passing offense (286.6 yards per game) and top-5 total offense (466.1 yards per game).

  • The defense, however, has struggled to stop opponents’ passing attacks. The Griz sit 115th of 126 FCS programs, allowing 263.6 passing yards per game.

 
SERIES HISTORY

  • South Dakota and Montana have met 20 previous times, with Montana leading the all-time series, 14-6.

  • Montana has won eight-straight games in the series with South Dakota never defeating the Griz since going Division I (0-5).

  • In Missoula, the Griz lead the series 11-3 with the last South Dakota win coming in Montana back in 1965.

  • It marks the fourth Big Sky opponent for South Dakota in the FCS Playoffs (USD, 2-1).

Stay up to date with all things Coyotes by following South Dakota Athletics on Facebook /SDCoyotes, X (Twitter) @SDCoyotes, and Instagram @sdcoyotes! 
#GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota





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Wildcats of the Week: December 1-7

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December 8, 2025

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –  Daimoni Dorsey of B-CU Women’s Basketball and Sha’Nard Walker of B-CU Track & Field have been named Wildcats of the Week for the week of December 1-7, 2025. 

Daimoni Dorsey put together an offensive masterclass in an HBCU Invitational victory over Livingstone College. The senior guard scored a career-high 24 points on an efficient 9-for-15 performance from the field, including four makes on six attempts from three-point range. She also added two rebounds, two assists, and a season-high four steals.

 Sha’Nard Walker set an event record in the 300m to highlight the start of indoor season, Saturday at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker at the Birmingham Crossplex. Walker finished first in the 300m with an event-record 33.56.

Each week, The Bethune-Cookman Office of Athletic Communications recognizes one male and one female student-athlete through the Wildcats of the Week award.

This award recognizes student-athletes who have excelled in competition, in the classroom, and in the community over the past week, exemplifying the Championship Culture of Wildcat Athletics. 

2025-26 Wildcats of the Week

December 1-7

W: Daimoni Doresey, Women’s Basketball

M: Sha’Nard Walker, Track & Field

November 24-30

W: Chanelle McDonald, Women’s Basketball

M: Jakobi Heady, Men’s Basketball

November 17-23

W: Jordan Brooks, Women’s Basketball

M: Timmy McClain, Football

November 10-16

W: Shayla Henry, Volleyball

M: Javon Ross, Football

November 3-9

W: Madison Molock, Tennis

M: Arterio Morris, Men’s Basketball

October 27-November 2

W: Amya Jennings, Volleyball

M: Andrew Kiplagat, Cross Country

October 20-26

W: Sthefany Carvalho, Volleyball

M: Jaylen Lewis, Football

October 13-19

W: Melissa Gonzalez, Volleyball

M: N/A (No Men’s Competition this Week)

October 6-12

W: Valencia Butler, Cross Country

M: Andrew Kiplagat, Cross Country

September 29-October 5

W: Amya Jennings, Volleyball

M: Ali Scott Jr., Football

September 22-28

W: Sierra Herndon, Volleyball

M: Javon Ross, Football

September 15-21

W: Zahara El-Zein

M: Maleek Huggins, Football

September 8-14

W: Nola Hemphill, Volleyball

M: Cam’Ron Ransom, Football

September 1-7

W: Reese Wilson, Women’s Golf

M: Stephen Sparrow Jr., Football

August 25 – 31

W: Kaleigh Williams, Volleyball

M: Andrew Kiplagat, Cross Country

For all the latest Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Facebook (Bethune-Cookman Athletics), X (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUAthletics.com. 
 



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