SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana looks to even its record today as the Vikings closes their lone homestand of the season against Upper Iowa in the first-ever Farm?Fest game.
 
The Vikings enter the game with a 3-4 record after a convincing 30-8 home win over Southwest Minnesota State, while the Peacocks come to K-O with a 4-3 record after a 52-7 home loss to No. 4 Minnesota State. Both teams come in with the same 1-2 mark in NSIC?South play.
 
Augustana got strong defensive effort and a balanced offensive attack on Saturday against the Mustangs, and used a fourth quarter explosion to put the game on ice. Up just 9-0 entering the final frame, a Matt Wagner pick-six with 11 minutes 30 seconds left in the game opened the flood gates, as the Vikings added a Ryan Rubley to Nate Merriman touchdown throw and catch and Ryan Bradberry's second touchdown run of the game later in the quarter to secure the win.
 
Next Up: Augustana heads across town next week to take on Sioux Falls, and then hosts Concordia-St. Paul in the final home game on Nov. 4, before closing the season at Winona State on Thursday, Nov. 9 in a game that can be seen live on Midco SN.
 
Week 8 Quick Hits
• The 2017 season marks the ninth season with Kirkeby-Over Stadium as the Vikings home field
• The Vikings enter the game with a 34-16 all-time record at Kirkeby-Over Stadium
• Augustana plays back-to-back home games for the first time since Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, 2015.
• Over his 40 years of broadcasting, Augustana hall of famer Jeff Fylling called over 1,700 Augustana contests
• Saturday's win over SMSU marked head coach Jerry Olszewski's 30th win at Augustana
• The Vikings rushed for 300-plus yards as a team Saturday for the first time since Oct. 13, 2012 at Upper Iowa
• Only four Vikings caught passes vs. SMSU, all of them wide receivers
• Augustana averages nearly 40 more yards per game than its opponents this season
• The Vikings outscored the Peacocks by a combined score of 426-153 in the previous 10 meetings
• Augustana scored at least 40 points in six of the 10 meetings with Upper Iowa
• The Peacocks scored seven or fewer points in five of the first 10 meetings with the Vikings, including one shutout
• The Vikings enter a game with a different record than their opponent for just the second time this season           
• Matt Wagner scored his first-career touchdown against SMSU with his pick-six in the fourth quarter
• Trevor DeSchepper rushed the ball for the first time in his career last Saturday, a 17-yard gain
• Redshirt freshman Like Fritsch saw his first action of the season last Saturday with a pair of punt returns
• Ryan Bradberry scored two touchdowns vs. SMSU, becoming the only Viking with two TDs in a game this season
• Bradberry's 42-yard touchdown run vs. SMSU?marked the longest rush of his short career
• Ryan Rubley rushed for a career-high 95 yards vs. SMSU, and also set a career-high with a 42-yard rush
• The Vikings play a team with an avian mascot for the first and only time this season
• Peacocks do not fit into the category of flightless birds, as they can, in fact, fly
 
The Series with Upper Iowa
11th Meeting, Augustana leads the all-time series 9-1
 
Series Notes: The lone Peacocks win in the series came in a 31-25 contest in Fayette on Oct. 4, 2014. The teams played in West Union, Iowa on Nov. 12, 2011, a 38-7 Augustana win.
 
First Meeting: Nov. 5, 2005; Fayette, Iowa –– W, 54-6
 
Last Meeting; Oct. 22, 2016, Fayette, Iowa - Trey Heid passed for a season-high 466 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 87 and a score to lead Augustana to a 54-35 win over Upper Iowa. Augustana improves to 5-3 on the season following the win, including 2-2 in the South Division. 
 
Charlie Hayes put up over 200 receiving yards for the second straight game (third career) for the Vikings. Hayes hauled in 11 passes for a season-high 232 yards. Matt Heller went over 100 receiving yards on the day catching 10 passes for 147 yards while tying his career-high with three touchdown receptions.