MARSHALL, Minn. -- Led by a stout rushing defense and impressive passing offense, the Augustana football team made history on Saturday, becoming the first team in the programs 97-year history to end the season a perfect 6-0 on the road. Augustana scored on their 1st play from scrimmage and finished in the 4th quarter for a 28-18 win over Southwest Minnesota State. After finishing last year 4-7, the Vikings flipped the script in 2018, ending the season with a 7-4 (4-3 NSIC South) record. The seven wins mark the sixth time in the last 16 years the program has accomplished that feat. Southwest Minnesota State ends the season at 4-7 (1-6 NSIC South).
 
Augustana head coach Jerry Olszewski, who won his 70th career game on Saturday, was pleased to pick up the win, but even more proud of his senior class and what they mean to the Augustana program. "I can't believe how fast this journey has gone," Olszewski said, "these guys came here on a promise - there was no record to go on - and now they walk off the field today as the third-winningest class of all-time at Augustana. I couldn't be more proud of them." Augustana's senior class of 13 student-athletes ends their career with 28 total wins, which ranks 3rd all-time in program history.


 
Senior linebacker Kirby Hora, who needed 20 tackles to break the school career record, ended the game with 10 total Tackles. He finished his career with 410 takedowns, which is second all-time, and will be remembered as one of the great Vikings of all-time both on and off the field.
 
The story of Saturday's game came down to Augustana's run defense and passing attack. In cold and windy conditions in Marshall, the Vikings defense came out and made a statement from the 1st quarter. The Mustangs first four series featured 16 plays, no first downs, and 9 total yards.
 
Overall, Augustana went onto hold SMSU to -4 rushing yards, which is the lowest total they have held an opponent to in over seven seasons (Sept. 24, 2011, -7 yards at Southwest Minnesota State). It's the third straight game they have limited an opponent to less than 90 yards rushing, and have averaged just 54 rushing yards allowed over that stretch.
 
Following a short punt from SMSU on their 1st series, the Vikings offense immediately went to work. Augustana entered Saturday as one of the nations best passing teams and showed why on the games first play. Kyle Saddler dropped back and dropped a great ball to Nickel Meyers, who caught the pass in stride and tumbled into the end zone for six. The 40-yard touchdown marked the 6th straight game Meyers has scored a touchdown, and his 11th in the last seven games. Saddler went on to finish the game with 324 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
 
Both teams traded possessions to end the 1st, and although SMSU knocked down a field goal early in the 2nd quarter, the Vikings had a quick response. Inside the 10-yard line, Saddler dropped back and hit Brett Shepley on a crossing route, and the Junior found the end zone for a six-yard score, making it 14-3. Shepley, who set a career-high last week with eight catches for 124 receiving yards, smashed that on Saturday as he went off for nine grabs, 148 yards, and two touchdowns. Both teams traded possessions to end the half, and the Vikings went into the locker room with a 14-3 lead at the break.
 
On SMSU's opening drive of the 3rd quarter, the Mustangs drove into Augustana territory and looked to make an early second-half statement. Blake Gimbel completed a pass over the middle, but Logan Swanson brought the boom with a big hit, forcing SMSU's first turnover of the game. Joey Newman recovered as the Vikings took over possession. It would mark the first of three forced turnovers for the Vikings in the second half as Grayson Diepenbrock and Joey Newman both picked up their first interceptions of the season as well.
 
Midway through the 3rd, the Mustangs made it a 14-11 game as quarterback Blake Gimbel found Connor Wilkie in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. Gimbel, who finished with over 400 yards passing, broke the SMSU career record for passing yards with over 10,000.
 
Although the two sides entered the 4th in just a three-point game, the Vikings finished in the 4th. On third and 21, from inside their own five-yard line, Saddler hit Shepley over the middle for one of the games biggest 1st downs. Just six plays later, Saddler dropped a screen pass to Rudolh Sinflorant, and the sophomore burst in the end zone for a 15-yard score. It's his second receiving touchdown and 9th overall. Sinflorant also led the team with 65 rushing yards on 21 carries.
 
The Mustangs answered back with a 22-yard passing touchdown, but the offense would not be denied. Saddler once again drove the Vikings downfield and hit Shepley again, this time for a 17-yard touchdown in the end zone. Now a 28-18 game, the Vikings used a couple of defensive stops to ice the game and pick up their 7th win of the season.
 
Overall, SMSU out-gained the Vikings in total offense, but the difference was Augustana's ability to generate three turnovers (one fumble, two interceptions), and make SMSU one-dimensional by shutting down their rushing attack and allowing -4 yards on the day. Equally important, the Augustana offensive line was once again impressive and allowed just one sack on the day. Defensively, the Vikings got after Gimbel and sacked him four times. Hora, Swanson, Diepenbrock and Ben Kemp were all credited with a sack on the afternoon.
 
Augustana ends their season with a 7-4 record, and will now look forward to the 2019 season to build on the success of their program.
 
Game Notes:

• Saturday's kickoff wrapped up the 97th season of Augustana Football.
• The Vikings finish the year 6-0 on the road. The six road wins is a program record, and the undefeated road record marks just the 5th time in program history Augustana has accomplished that feat.
• After finishing last year 4-7, Augustana ends 2018 with a 7-4 record.
• The 7th victory for Augustana marks just the sixth time the program has accomplished that feat in the last 16 years.
• The Vikings have 13 seniors on their roster. This senior class has now won 28 games over the last four years, ranking then 3rd all-time in program history.
• Augustana has now won 20 of their last 21 against SMSU, and five straight in the series.
• The Vikings held SMSU to -4 rushing yards, which is the lowest total they have held an opponent to in over seven seasons. The last time they allowed less than 0 rushing yards was Sept. 24, 2011 ( -7 yards at Southwest Minnesota State).
• The rush defense performance also marks the third straight game they have limited an opponent to less than 90 yards rushing, and have now averaged just 54 rushing yards allowed over that three-game stretch.
• Kirby Hora ends his career with 410 tackles. He is second all-time behind Bryan Schwartz, who had 419 (1991-1994).
• Hora also has five forced fumbles, which is tied for 1st all-time in program history.
• The Augustana offensive line allowed one sack on Saturday and ends 2018 allowing just 9 sacks all season. Coming into Saturday, the unit ranked 1st in the NSIC in that category.
• Kyle Saddler finished the day with 324 passing yards and four touchdowns. It's the fourth time this season he has thrown for at least four touchdowns.
• Saddler ends the season with 480 passing attempts, which is an all-time single-season record.
• Saddler leads the NSIC in passing (309.9 yards per game) and total touchdowns (26).
• Brett Shepley set a career-high last week with eight catches for 124 receiving yards and smashed that on Saturday. He went off for nine grabs, 148 yards, and two touchdowns.
• Nickel Meyers locked in his 6th straight game scoring a touchdown, and his 11th in the last seven games.
• Rudolh Sinflorant finished the day with 104 total yards and one touchdown.
• Through 10 games, Augustana has racked up 267 first downs (26.67 per game). The Vikings
• Augustana has now recorded 34 sacks on the season.
• Luis Guarita has knocked down four more PATs, and ends the year 46-48 (95.9%).
• The Vikings are 38-29 all-time under head coach Jerry Olszewski, with coach 'OJ' earning his first ever win as a Viking at MSU Moorhead in the 2013 season-opener, 41-28.