SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana's Matt Heller caught a touchdown pass with 18 seconds left to get the Vikings within one at 20-19. The Vikings played for the tie lining up for an extra point but Winona State was called for a personal foul for leaping and Augustana changed its mind and went for two. Trey Heid didn't like what he saw to his right and ran around the left side of the line to convert giving Augustana a 21-20 lead.
 
Winona State got two plays before time expired and a Hail Mary pass fell incomplete giving Autustana a 21-20 win over the Warriors who were ranked 10th in the NCAA Central Region rankings.
 
Augustana improved to 6-3 on the season with the win, including 3-2 in NSIC South Division play. With the loss, Winona State dropped to 6-3 (3-2 NSIC South).


 
Heid made history in the win becoming the all-time leader in total offense in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference history. Heid has accounted for 12,262 yards of total offense in 42 conference games. Heid tied the single season touchdown record at Augustana in the win. He finished the game passing for 279 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 32 touchdown passes in 2016 which ties Josh Hanson who threw 32 in 2012.
 
Heller recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season this afternoon catching nine passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. Heller now has 1,103 receiving yards on the season giving him 1,000-plus receiving yards in back-to-back seasons.
 
Augustana finished the game with 464 yards of total offense, including 279 passing yards and 185 on the ground. The Vikings held Winona State to 339 yards of offense, including just 131 passing yards by the NSIC's all-time leader Jack Nelson. Paul Preston rushed 29 times for 198 yards and a touchdown for the Warriors.
 
The Vikings overcame five turnovers, two missed field goals and a missed extra point. The Vikings also created chances by blocking two field goals and forcing two fumbles.
 
Augustana's defense was led by Kirby Hora who finished the game with a team-high nine tackles and two forced fumbles. Trevor Naasz and John Waters each added seven tackles and senior defensive end Bryson Hamilton added four tackles, including two sacks. Hamilton now has 7.0 sacks on the season, putting him one shy of the single season record at Augustana.
 
Winona State wasted no time taking a 7-0 lead after marching 75 yards on four plays. Paul Preston got the Warriors into Viking territory with a 48-yard run and one play later Nelson tossed his 100th career touchdown pass to Abe Folkerts just 1:53 into the game.
 
The Vikings responded on their first drive of the game to tie things up at 7-7. Augustana moved into WSU territory after receptions of 11 and 29 yards by Heller that put him over 1,000 receiving yards on the year. On the eighth play of the drive, Heid found Jake Bartscher for a four-yard touchdown pass to tie the score just over five minutes into the game.
 
Augustana forced Winona State to punt on its next drive and looked poised to take a lead when Heid dove toward the pylon for a would-be touchdown. Heid fumbled the ball through the end zone for a touchback and the Warriors would take over at their own 20.
 
The Viking defense put the ball back into their offense's hands with a three-and-out on WSU's next possession but the Vikings turned it over on the first play when WSU's Nick Pridgeon stepped in front of a Trey Heid pass. The Warriors got into Augustana territory on their next drive and lined up to attempt a 35-yard field goal but Augustana's Joey Newman got his paw on the ball blocking the field goal.
 
Augustana turned the ball over for the third time on its next drive and the crazy half continued as the Vikings were forced to punt from their end zone. On the punt, Nevin Andreas forced and recovered a fumble giving Augustana the ball back at its own 29.
 
Heid led the Vikings on a 12-play 66-yard drive to the WSU one-yard line where the Vikings were stopped four times at the goal line. Augustana lined up to go for it on fourth and goal from the one but was called for a false start pushing the ball back to the five. Wainman pushed a 23-yard field goal attempt wide right and the score remained tied at 7 with 1:02 remaining in the first half.
 
In a penalty-filled final minute, Winona State was able to take a 10-7 lead into the break after Carter McCauley hit a 47-yard field goal as time expired.
 
Augustana out-gained Winona State 223-186 in total offense in the first half. Augustana passed for 147 yards while rushing for 76. Winona State's Paul Preston rushed for 99 yards on 11 carries in the first half.
 
The Vikings had a chance to tie the game on their second drive of the second half but Wainman sent a 42-yard field goal wide right. Augustana forced Winona State to punt on its next drive and got to the Warrior's eight yard line before turning it over on downs.
 
Winona State carried a 10-7 lead into the fourth quarter and the Vikings turned the Warriors over when Hora chased down Preston and stripped the ball loose for Joe Schiller to recover. Augustana handed the ball right back to the Warriors as Heller had the ball jarred loose.
 
The Warriors would get three points off of the turnover on a 30-yard field goal by McCauley extending their lead to 13-7 with 10:11 to play. Winona State got the ball right back causing a fumble on the kick return and looked to extend its lead on a 35-yard field goal attempt. Schiller blocked the field goal and the Vikings marched down the field and tied the game at 13-13 after a five-yard touchdown run by Heid.
 
Winona State answered eight plays later when Preston scored on a one-yard run giving the Warriors a 20-13 lead with 1:25 to play. The Vikings overcame an offensive pass interference call on its final drive of the game and scored with 18 seconds left to get within one at 20-19.
 
The Vikings converted a two-point conversion after a penalty on Winona State for leaping and the Vikings sent seniors Lucas Wainman, Trey Heid, Charlie Hayes, Matt Heller, Jackie Davis, Nevin Andreas, Nick Brant, Malcolm Willett, Dylan Baker, Chris Mathieu, Kyle Griffin, Jake Bartscher, Nate Winter and Bryson Hamilton off with a win in their final home game.
 
Augustana will close-out the regular season on the road starting at Concordia-St. Paul next Saturday at 12 p.m.