BOX SCORE

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 3 Minnesota Duluth missed a 32-yard field goal as time expired but held on for a 23-22 overtime victory over Augustana in the Vikings' home opener on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Augustana (1-1) led Minnesota Duluth (2-0) 16-6 with 12:49 to play but the Bulldogs took advantage of a short field getting a touchdown and a field goal in the final five minutes of the game to tie things up at 16-16.
 
The Bulldogs got a short field with 47 seconds left in the game and got even further into Viking territory after a 15-yard facemask penalty setting up the game-winning field goal attempt with two seconds left. Andrew Brees missed the 32-yard attempt and the Vikings and Bulldogs went into overtime.
 
Minnesota Duluth got the ball first in overtime and scored on a six-yard run by Drew Bauer and went ahead 23-16 after the extra point. The Vikings took a loss of 10 yards after a sack on their first play of overtime but got a huge bounce to go their way on fourth and 10 when Nick Lee caught a deflected pass for a first down at the UMD four yard line. Two plays later Trey Heid found Matt Heller in the corner of the end zone for his third touchdown pass of the game and the Vikings were within one at 23-22.
 
That is where the score would stay as Wainman's extra point attempt clanged off the left goal post and the Bulldogs escaped with the victory.
 
Augustana finished the game with 292 yards of total offense, including 252 yards passing and 40 on the ground. Heid finished 18 of 33 and matched his career-high with three passing touchdowns. Matt Gerry led the Viking receivers with a career-high 93 yards to go along with one touchdown.
 
Grant Gebhardt hauled in five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown and Heller added two catches for 14 yards and a score. Augustana got a big effort on defense with Ben Skelly leading the way with 16 tackles, including seven solo. Brandon Mohr pitched in with 11 and Bryson Hamilton posted a career-high 11 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Garrett Earl was all over the Bulldog receivers this afternoon, picking up four pass breakups, including three on third downs.
 
Minnesota Duluth picked up 415 yards of total offense, including 246 yards through the air and 169 rushing yards. Bauer finished the game 20 of 40 passing with one touchdown pass while rushing for another. Beau Bofferding had 10 catches for 105 yards and a score for the Bulldogs.
 
The Bulldogs carried a 6-0 lead into halftime after field goals of 23 and 29 yards in the first half.
 
Augustana got the ball to start the second half and drove 67 yards on 11 plays and cut UMD's lead in half on a 26-yard field goal by Wainman.
 
The Vikings were moving the ball efficiently towards the end of the third quarter and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Heid hit Gebhardt with a 44-yard touchdown pass to give Augustana its first lead of the day. The point-after attempt failed after a bad snap and the Vikings held a 9-6 lead just seven seconds into the fourth quarter.
 
Augustana's defense didn't let the offense rest for long forcing a three-and-out and snuffing out a fake punt attempt to take over at the UMD 30 yard line with a three-point lead and 13:26 to play. Three plays later Heid found Gerry in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard connection and the Vikings went in front 16-6 after the extra point.
 
Augustana then went three-and-out on its final three possessions of the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs were able to tie it up and send it to overtime where only a missed Augustana extra point stopped a second overtime.
 
The Vikings will hit the road next weekend as they take on Northern State at 5 p.m. in Aberdeen.