Box Score
Augustana used a big second quarter to gain momentum and defeat Southwest Minnesota State 39-20 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Howard Wood Field.
The Vikings improved to 5-2 overall with their third-straight win and 5-1 in the NSIC. In addition, Augustana remains in sole possession of the NSIC South Division lead with a 3-0 record. SMSU, meanwhile, dropped to 3-4 overall, 3-3 in the NSIC and 2-2 in the NSIC South.
Both teams were able to move the ball as each team gained 438 yards. However, the difference was Augustana's ability to run and pass while the Mustangs abandoned its running game and threw the ball 61 times.
Augustana got on the scoreboard on its opening drive of the game. Ryan Grossman booted a season-long 42-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead with 8:24 left in the first quarter.
Southwest Minnesota State countered on its next drive. Josh Shudlick found Derek Townsend for a 43-yard scoring pass with 3:26 left in the quarter to take its only lead of the game at 7-3.
The second quarter belonged to Augustana. The Vikings scored four straight touchdowns to open up a 29-7 lead with 4:26 left in the first half.
The Vikings struck via the air and on the ground. Tyler Schulte caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Luke Butler at the 13:41 mark of the quarter. Grossman's PAT was blocked, leaving Augie with a 9-7 lead. Joe Clark capped Augustana's next 2 scoring drives with runs of 8 and 4 yards as the lead grew to 22-7.
Following an SMSU punt, Butler and Schulte hooked up again, this time on an 82-yard touchdown pass that culminated a 2-play, 87-yard drive. Grossman's extra point put the Vikings in front 29-7 with 4:26 left in the half.
The Mustangs tried to rally. Shudlick found Wade McDonough for a 57-yard touchdown with 2:08 left in the half to make the score 29-14. SMSU got the ball back with 52 seconds left in the half and drove to the Augustana 16. However, Nick Weber interecepted a deflected pass at the Viking 10 with 11 seconds left in the half to thwart the scoring opportunity.
Grossman scored the only points of the third quarter when he kicked a 30-yard field goal with 9:10 left in the stanza to push the lead to 32-14.
Southwest Minnesota State, which passed the ball 33 times in the second half, moved the ball but couldn't finish drives. The Mustangs' only score of the second half was a 13-yard pass from Shudlick to McDonough with 7:37 left to play to make the score 32-20.
SMSU stopped the Vikings on downs on Augie's next drive and took over at its own 40. The Mustangs drove into Augustana territory, but Augie's Matt Lien intercepted Shudlick at the Viking 39 to keep it a two-possession game.
The Vikings put the game away when Butler connected with Schulte for a 39-yard touchdown with just over a minute to play in the game.
Butler and Schulte had career days for the Vikings. Butler completed 21 of 30 passes for a career-high 290 yards and 3 touchdowns. Schulte caught 10 passes for 208 yards and 3 scores, all career highs.
Clark, who rushed for 208 yards in last week's win over Minnesota State, paced the Viking ground game with 96 yards and 2 scores. Jeremy Huber added 46 hard-nosed yards.
Shudlick finished the afternoon completing a school-record 40 passes for 451 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was picked off twice. Zach Wysong rushed for 12 yards, while Shudlick was sacked for minus-25 yards as SMSU had minus-13 yards rushing on the day.
Defensively, Andrew Keel led the Vikings by matching his career high with 9 tackles. Mike Vanasek and Micah Nordin each matched career highs with 7 tackles apiece. Jesse Jones added 1.5 sacks, while Nick Andreas added a sack.
Augustana heads on the road next week when the Vikings travel to Fayette, Iowa, for a matchup with Upper Iowa. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
