Phillips rushes for 2 TDs, South Dakota picks off Mercer 4 times in 47-0 FCS playoff victory

Updated Dec. 6, 2025 6:00 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MACON, Ga. (AP) — L.J. Phillips Jr. rushed for a pair of touchdowns, Mikey Munn made two of South Dakota's four interceptions and the 11th-seeded Coyotes blanked sixth-seeded Mercer 47-0 in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday.

The Coyotes (10-4), participating in their fifth FCS playoffs, will play at third-seeded Montana in next week's quarterfinals. The Griz defeated South Dakota State 50-29 on Saturday.

Phillips scored on 16- and 15-yard runs, both set up by interceptions, and South Dakota led 24-0 at halftime.

RJ Stewart and Gabriel Hardman also picked off passes and the defense had a safety.

Phillips finished with 160 yards rushing and Carson Fletcher had 107. Aidan Bouman passed for 241 yards and became the school's career yards passing leader with 9,047 and threw touchdowns to Tysen Boze, a 63-yarder, and Larenzo Fenner, a 66-yarder. Fenner set a school record with 15 TD receptions this season.

Braden Atkinson threw the four interceptions and finished with 148 yards passing. CJ Miller rushed for 105 yards for the sixth-seeded Bears (9-3).

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football