VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota football team treated the DakotaDome crowd to a dominant performance here Saturday, downing Southern Utah 45-21 in the home finale.

The win ended a four-game losing streak for the Coyotes, now 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the Great West Conference. Southern Utah is also 4-5 overall and 2-2 in the Great West.

Chris Ganious rushed for 170 yards on 22 carries, scoring two touchdowns, while Isaac Newton tacked on 113 yards on 18 carries, scoring once. The Coyote defense limited Southern Utah to 47 rushing yards and intercepted four passes.

South Dakota opened things up with a 21-point second quarter, with Newton scoring on a two-yard run, Noah Shepard a one-yard plunge and Ganious on a 45-yard sprint. The Coyotes surged in front 28-7 in the first half, outgained Southern Utah 372-154 while running 50 offensive plays compared to 19 for the visitors.

Shepard completed 19 of 29 passes for 235 yards in his final home game, tossing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Will Powell in the first quarter. Tom Flanagan hauled in nine receptions for 109 yards. Flanagan is now the single-season record holder for receptions in a season by a freshman with 39, breaking the old mark of 36 held by Chris Mikkelsen.

Jim Thompson had two of the four Coyote interceptions while Ryan Routh and Mychal Bogan added interceptions. Routh also recovered a fumble.

South Dakota finished 4-1 at home this season and is 31-3 under Coach Ed Meierkort at the DakotaDome. It was the final home game for 19 seniors, who were honored before the contest.

The Coyotes, who can stills share the Great West Conference title, close the season at Cal Poly on Saturday.

USD 45, Southern Utah 21

Southern Utah 7 0 7 7 -- 21

South Dakota 7 21 3 14 -- 45

First Quarter

USD: Will Powell 17 pass from Noah Shepard (Dustin Nowotny kick) :10

SU: Tysson Poots 65 pass from Cade Cooper (Ryan Griffith kick) :00

Second Quarter

USD: Isaac Newton 2 run (Nowotny kick) 10:55

USD: Shepard 1 run (Nowotny kick) 8:31

USD: Chris Ganious 45 run (Nowotny kick) 2:53

Third Quarter

SU: Poots 35 pass from Cooper (Griffith kick) 4:32

USD: FG Nowotny 27, :00

Fourth Quarter

SU: Daryl Brown 1 pass from Cooper (Griffith kick) 11:47

USD: Ganious 7 run (Nowotny kick) 7:16

USD: Marcus Sims 5 run (Nowotny kick) :39

TEAM STATISTICS

SU USD

First downs 16 30

Rushes-yards 12-47 54-334

Passing-yards 278 235

Passes 20-35-2 19-29-2

Total plays-yards 47-325 83-569

Punts-average 4-54.5 3-48.0

Fumbles-lost 3-1 1-0

Penalties-yards 5-50 6-92

Possesion time 17:45 41:59

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Southern Utah - Major Gray 8-44, Austin Minefee 1-12, Cade Cooper 3-(-9). South Dakota - Chris Ganious 22-170, Isaac Newton 18-113, Noah Shepard 10-44, Marcus Sims 2-9, Jacob Breske 1-0, Tom Flanagan 1-(-2).

PASSING: Southern Utah - Cade Cooper 20-35-4-278. South Dakota - Noah Shepard 19-29-2-235.

RECEIVING: Southern Utah - Tysson Poots 6-150, Fesi Sitake 5-53, Major Gray 3-14, Mitch Jessop 2-34, Jared Ursua 2-16, Daryl Brown 2-11. South Dakota - Tom Flanagan 9-109, Dustin Nowotny 3-42, Chris Ganious 3-41, Dan Skelly 2-11, Will Powell 1-17, London Landry 1-15.