SIOUX FALLS  – As the football season hits its midpoint, Augustana returns to the road on Saturday for its toughest test of the season, a 1:30 p.m. matchup against the No. 5 ranked Minnesota State, Mankato Mavericks at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato, Minn.
 
The undefeated Mavericks earned each of their five wins by double-digit margins of victory; the closest being a 15-point win at No. 20 Minnesota Duluth, the most lopsided being a pair of 37-point wins and a 36-0 shutout. In total, the Mavericks enter the game with 212 points scored, compared to 59 points allowed.
 
Augustana enters the game with a 2-3 overall record after a 16-13 loss to Wayne State on Saturday at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Now, the Vikings look to avoid their first three-game losing streak since the 2013 season, when, coincidentally, they lost at St. Cloud State, at home to Wayne State and at Minnesota State in consecutive weeks.
 
The Vikings outgained the Wildcats to the tune of 436-222 yards on Saturday, including a 243-84 edge in rushing yards, but Wayne State scored 13 points off of seven Augustana turnovers, while the Vikings did not convert on any of the three Wildcats turnovers.
 
Next Up: Augustana returns home next Saturday to host Southwest Minnesota State on Viking Days. The Vikings and
Mustangs kickoff at 1 p.m.
 
Week 6 Quick Hits
• For the first time this season, the Vikings do not enter game with the same win/loss record as its opponent
• Augustana enshrines legendary broadcaster, and 1978 graduate, Jeff Fylling into its athletics hall of fame on Oct. 13
• The Vikings face an opponent from Minnesota for the third time this season
• Augustana used 12 different starters on defense this season and 18 different starters on offense
• The Vikings and Mavericks first met on Oct. 9, 1931 in Sioux Falls, a 10-0 Mavericks win
• The Augustana defense ranks third in the NSIC on total defense
• The Vikings defense did not allow a touchdown last week against Wayne State, and forced nine Wildcat punts
• Ryan Bradberry's 144 rushing yards last week marked the highest total since Trey Heid's 139 yards vs. Minnesota State last season on Oct. 15, 2016
• Bradberry's 144 yards was the highest by an AU running back since CJ Ham ran for 154 at USF on Oct. 24, 2015.
• Kirby Hora leads the conference with 12.4 tackles per game, while Matt Wagner ranks third with 11.0 tackles per game
• Jordan Determan's 75-yard pick six at Minot State remains the longest in the NSIC this season
• Trevor Naasz accounts for two of the team's three takeaways this season with a fumble recovery and an interception
• Joey Newman posted a career-high six tackles vs. Wayne state
• Logan Swanson finished with a career-high five tackles vs. Wayne State
• The Vikings play a team with a mammal as a mascot for the fifth straight week