SIOUX FALLS – The 2017 season quickly coming to a close, Augustana returns home for the final time this season, but plays a game in Sioux Falls for the fourth consecutive week, as the Vikings followed a pair of home games with a game at the No. 14 ranked Sioux Falls Cougars last Saturday at Bob Young Field.
 
As expected, the battle for the Key to the City between Augustana and Sioux Falls stayed tight throughout the entirety of the game before the Cougars emerged victorious by a 21-14 score.
 
Augustana grabbed the lead in the third quarter with a three-yard Ryan Bradberry touchdown scamper, his second of the game and sixth of the season, which gave the Vikings a 14-13 lead going into the fourth quarter.
 
Still up by one early in the final quarter, USF kicked the first of two fourth quarter field goals, and then added a safety late for the final score.
 
Kirby Hora led a stout Vikings defense with a game-high 11 tackles, with Michael Kloza close behind with 10. Travor Naasz finished with five tackles and added a interception that setup the Vikings for their first touchdown.
 
 
REACH Literacy for $5 Tickets
Fans can bring new or gently used kid's books to receive a $5 general admission ticket to Saturday's game against Concordia-St. Paul, with all books being donated to Rosa Parks Elementary on behalf of Augustana Athletics and REACH Literacy.
 
Week 10 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 34-17 all-time record at Kirkeby-Over Stadium
• In addition to all Augustana football games, Jeff Fylling also calls Vikings men's and women's basketball games
• Of the three team currently ranked in the NSIC, Augustana played or plays, all three on the road
• Augustana started the same offensive line, tight end included, in the first eight games this season           
• Kirby Hora leads the NSIC with 110 tackles overall, and with an average of 12.2 per game
• Hora posted double-digit tackles at USF for the sixth time this season, he finished with 11 tackles
• Matt Wagner ranks fourth in the NSIC with 82 tackles overall, and with an average of 10.3 per game
• Isaac Weber made his first-career start at linebacker and Jake Russell his first career start at left guard at USF
• Matt Fujinami's first-career pass went for 31 yards to Tyler Van Voorst for his first-career reception at USF
• Trevor Naasz leads the Vikings with three interceptions on the season
• The Vikings defense allowed more than 400 yards of offense just once this season (MSU?Moorhead, Week 1)
• Michael Kloza (10), Joe Schiller(9), Isaac Weber (6) and Isaiah Feterl (2) recorded career-highs in tackles at USF
•  Prior to Saturday at USF, Gage McClanahan's only snap came in a kneel down last season in a game's final play
• Ryan Bradberry recorded his second career multi-rushing touchdown game of the season at USF (SMSU, 10/14)
• Famous Golden Bears: California Golden Bears (an extinct subspecies of the brown bear), Jack Nicklaus
 
The Series vs. Concordia-St. Paul
Series Notes: The Vikings won eight of the lat nine meetings with the Golden Bears, with the lone loss being a 17-7 defeat on Nov. 8, 2014, in St. Paul 
 
First Meeting: Aug. 28, 2004: Sioux Falls –– L, 17-16
 
Last Meeting; Nov. 5, 2016: St. Paul, Minn. - Augustana improved to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the NSIC after a 63-31 victory over Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday. Senior wide receiver Matt Heller tied the Augustana career receiving touchdown record after hauling in three scores on the day.
 
As has become the custom of Augustana this season, the Vikings scored early and often. The Vikings wasted no time at all getting on the board as Trey Heid scored on a 34-yard run. Following a Golden Bear field goal the Vikings 14 unanswered points to take a 21-3 lead into the second quarter.
 
Next Up: Augustana closes the 2017 season on Thursday at Winona State in a game that can be seen live on Midco SN. The Vikings and Warriors kickoff at 7:05 p.m.