SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Top-ranked Minnesota State used a steady rushing attack and held off a late Augustana surge in a 34-28 victory over the Vikings (4-4, 1-3 NSIC South) at Kirkeby-Over Stadium on Saturday. The Mavericks (8-0, 3-0 NSIC South) rushed 58 times for 341 yards, led by quarterback Nick Pieruccini who ran 20 times for 125 yards.
 
Connor Thomas added 109 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries for MSU while Andy Pfeiffer picked up 95 yards and a score on 15 attempts.
 
Augustana trailed 31-14 with 12:39 remaining in the game but would not go away quietly, scoring twice to get within six with 1:43 to play. After Minnesota State took a 17-point lead on a 25-yard rushing score by Pfeiffer, the Vikings moved the ball quickly down the field scoring on three plays after Dajon Newell plunged into the end zone on an eight-yard carry to make the score 34-21. Newell finished the game with 57 rushing yards and a score on seven attempts.
 
Augustana then recovered an onside kick and started at midfield but was forced to punt. The Vikings' defense then came up big, forcing the Mavericks to punt for the first time of the day with 6:45 remaining in the game. Trey Heid then led Augustana on its longest scoring drive of the season as the Vikings went 99 yards on nine plays ending with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Heid to Charlie Hayes to get within six at 34-28.
 
Augustana nearly converted on its second onside kick of the game but MSU recovered and ran out the clock to hold on for the victory.
 
The Vikings finished the game with 429 yards of total offense, including 258 through the air. Heid closed out his day a solid 20 of 34 with two touchdowns and no interceptions, upping his season total to 20. CJ Ham led the Augustana rushing attack with 61 yards on ground, while adding 68 receiving yards.
 
Ham opened the scoring in the game on the Vikings' first drive as he caught a swing pass from Heid and went 60 yards for the score giving Augustana a 7-0 lead. The 60-yard reception is a career-long for Ham.
 
Minnesota State responded by going 75 yards on 14 plays on its first possession of the afternoon ending with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Thomas to tie the score at 7-7. The Vikings answered on the very next drive going 88 yards on 12 plays as Heid rushed for his second touchdown of the season, giving Augustana 14-7 lead with six seconds remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Mavericks made it 14-10 on its next drive after a 21-yard field goal by Alden Haffar with 11:13 to play in the first half. Dorian Buford put MSU on top with one of his two touchdown receptions of the game with 5:28 to play in the first half to give MSU its first lead of the day at 17-14.
 
The back-and-forth affair looked to continue as the Vikings moved into Minnesota State territory after a 12-yard reception by Matt Heller and a 14-yard run by Ham. With a first down at the Maverick 43, Heid scrambled out of the pocket for what appeared to be an eight-yard gain but he lost control of the ball after being tackled and MSU took over.
 
MSU drove 58 yards in the final two and a half minutes of the first half and extended their lead to 20-14 after a 27-yard field goal by Haffar.
 
Augustana had four players with double-digits in tackles on the day, led by Brandon Mohr who finished with a career-high 16. Chad Curry and Justin Brown each added a career-high 10 tackles for the Vikings while Ben Skelly picked up 10 of his own. Jordan Johnson and Garrett Earl each picked up their first career interceptions for Augustana.
 
Minnesota State looked to put things away when they took a 34-14 lead on a 25-yard run by Pfeiffer, but the Vikings had plans of their own scoring twice in the fourth quarter to get within six.
 
Augustana will play its final home game of the season next Saturday, Nov. 1, hosting Winona State at 1 p.m.