SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – USF's Luke Papilion rushed for 130 yards and threw for 217 and a score as the Cougars (6-0, 2-0 NSIC South) held on to the Key to the City defeating Augustana 23-12 on Saturday. The Vikings fall to 3-3 on the season, including 0-2 in South Division play.
 
The Vikings scored the game's first points on a 29-yard field goal by Lucas Wainman but the Cougars scored 13 unanswered on two field goals and a 45-yard touchdown run by Nephi Garcia to take a 17-3 lead at the half. USF's Bradley Hatfield was 3 for 3 on the day hitting field goals from 26, 34 and 38 yards. 
 
Wainman was 2 for 2 on field goal attempts for the Vikings, hitting the first from 26 yards and another from 36 in the third quarter.
 
Trey Heid passed for over 200 yards for the fifth straight game finishing 17 of 34 for 215 yards with one interception. Augustana rushed for 143 on the day led by CJ Ham who rushed 16 times for 61 yards and his team-leading seventh rushing touchdown of the season.
 
Matt Heller led the Viking receivers with 82 yards on five receptions. Charlie Hayes hauled in three passes for 47 yards.
 
The Vikings held a 3-0 lead after the first quarter but on the first play of the second, USF scored on a 30-yard reception by Brady Rose to give the Cougars a 7-3 lead. With just over four minutes remaining in the first half, Garcia broke-off a 45 yard touchdown run stretching USF's lead to 14-3.
 
Augustana got the ball with 1:49 to play in the half and looked to cut into USF' lead marching down to the 24-yard line in Cougar territory after Heid picked up first downs on runs of 10 and 19 yards. The drive stalled after three incompletions and Augustana lined up to attempt a 34-yard field goal but tried a fake that was unsuccessful.
 
USF connected on a 38-yard completion on its second play of the ensuing drive and went into the locker room with a 17-3 lead after a 26 yard field goal by Hatfield.
 
Augustana struck first in the second half scoring on its second possession. The Vikings went three-and-out after their first possession but Chad Curry intercepted a Papilion pass setting the Augustana up deep in USF territory. Three plays later, Ham found his way into the end zone and the Vikings were within eight at 17-8 after the extra-point attempt failed.
 
Augustana picked-off two passes on the day with Brandon Mohr getting the other for the Vikings. Mohr finished with 11 tackles while Nate Kirby led the Vikings with 12, including five solo stops.    
 
USF's John Tidwell returned the next kickoff 50 yards setting up Hatfield's second field goal of the game, a 34-yard kick making the score 20-9. The Vikings answered on their next drive on a 36-yard field goal by Wainman to make the score 20-12 with 7:40 left in the third quarter.
 
The Cougars extended their lead to 23-12 on a 38-yard field goal by Hatfield with 8:47 remaining in the game. Neither team's defense would break as the two teams combined for three punts and three turnovers on downs in the final eight-plus minutes.
 
With the win, USF earned the first point of the 2014 season in the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge. For more information on the Mayor's Cup Challenge, visit SFmayorscup.com.

Augustana hits the road to take on Wayne State next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Wayne, Neb.