SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A fourth-quarter comeback fell just short for the No. 11 Augustana football team in a 31-24 loss Saturday to Sioux Falls in Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
 
The Vikings, who fell behind 31-10 early in the fourth quarter came storming back with 14-straight points and had a final possession to attempt to tie or take the lead with under a minute remaining.
 
The loss is the first inside K-O Stadium during the regular season since 2018 as the Vikings fall to 4-1, 0-1 (NSIC South). Sioux Falls moves to 5-0, 1-0 (NSIC South).
 
Thuro Reisdorfer found the end zone for USF with 10:03 remaining in the contest to boost the Cougars' lead to 31-10. That forced Augustana to find its offense as Devon Jones scored a touchdown to cap a 5-play, 77-yard drive. Casey Bauman, making his first start since week two due to injury, connected with Jones for a 25-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone.
 
After Brady Pfeifer's point-after, the score was 31-17.
 
The Augustana defense hunkered down on the ensuing Sioux Falls drive forcing a three-and-out setting up the AU offense on its own 38-yard line. Seven plays and 62 yards later, Augustana was again in the end zone, this time a 29-yard pass from Bauman to Isaiah Huber. Huber made the catch while reaching around the USF defender's helmet and pulling the ball in.
 
With 3:45 on the clock and three timeouts in its pocket, Augustana's defense again did its job, forcing a USF punt. The Vikings started what would be its final drive of the game from their own 13-yard line and 2:42 on the clock.
 
The offense moved the ball swiftly, advancing to the USF 44 in just over a minute of gameplay. However, on a first-and-10, Bauman was injured with Thomas Scholten coming into action after leading the Vikings to victories in its previous three contests.
 
Scholten was able to complete a five-yard pass to Riley Zuhde, but USF pressure stopped another completion on the drive as the game ended with the 31-24 final score.
 
Bauman also had a touchdown pass to Jack Fisher, a nine-yard pass to knot the game at 7-7 in the second quarter. Pfeifer also had a 35-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
 
Bauman tossed for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Bauman's top receiver was Logan Uttecht with four receptions for 87 yards while Fisher hauled in four passes for 73 yards.
 
 The rushing attack, without leading rusher Jarod Epperson, totaled 112 yards led by Tate Johnson with 52.
 
Augustana returns to action Saturday at Upper Iowa. Kickoff from Fayette, Iowa, is slated for 3 p.m.
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