SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 20 Augustana football team battles No. 12 Bemidji State on Saturday for the NSIC Championship. The schedule makers knew what they were doing as the winner of the game earns the NSIC Championship with kickoff at 1 p.m. in Kirkeby-Over Stadium. The contest also serves as Senior Day with a special pregame recognition of the Viking seniors.
 
Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.
 
The Forecast
The outlook for Saturday shows a high of 54 degrees with mostly sunny, partly cloudy skies. One could not ask for better weather. Tickets can be purchased in advance at GoAugie.com/Tickets.
 
About the Game
The winner of the game will clinch at least a share of the NSIC Championship while Minnesota State can share the championship with a win over Minnesota Duluth. Along with the league's trophy on the line, seeding for the NCAA Division II Playoffs will also be on the line, marking Saturday's 50-degree day as an important game for all involved.
 
About the Beavers
Bemidji State, the NSIC preseason favorite, is one of three teams tied atop the NSIC standings in the season's final week. Bemidji State, without a nonconference game in 2023, holds an 8-1 record with the lone loss coming to Minnesota State, 27-24. Since that Sept. 30 contest, BSU has reeled off four straight wins including last week's 27-14 win against MSU Moorhead. In the latest NCAA Division II Super Region Four Rankings, Bemidji State is ranked No. 5.
 
Brandon Alt has tossed for 2,253 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 250.3 yards per game. He has completed a pass to 14 different receivers with Dhel Duncan-Busby leading the way with 39 receptions for nine touchdowns. The ground game is controlled by Ali Mohamed and his 56.6 yards per outing.
 
Defensively, Max Buduris leads the Beavers with 50 tackles, six for loss and 3.5 sacks. Marcus Hansen has been a dominating force on the defensive line with eight sacks, a mark that ranks eighth nationally.
 
About the Vikings
Augustana, holding a No. 6 regional ranking, is 9-1 in 2023 while sitting at 8-1 in the NSIC. Augustana has won double-digit games in just one season, the 2010 season when accumulating 11 victories. Augustana is on the threshold of double-digit victories after topping Northern State, 31-21, last Saturday. Jarod Epperson surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards with a 172-yard effort in the win.
 
For the season, Epperson has ripped off 907 yards, an average of 90.7 per game and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Casey Bauman has continued his breakout campaign, ranking 10^th in the nation in passing efficiency, with 228.5 yards per game and 22 touchdowns. Jack Fisher tops the list of receivers with 50.2 receiving yards per outing while Devon Jones has a team-best 31 receptions.
 
Defensively, Peyton Buckley has put together a Defensive Player of the Year resume with 60 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble. His fellow defensive captain, Haden Wallace, has tacked up 52 tackles for AU while also owning a pair of interceptions.  
 
One Last Thing
Augustana is firmly in contention for the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The 2023 field will officially be announced at 5 p.m. Sunday on NCAA.com. Should Augustana qualify, it'll mark the fourth time AU has advanced to the postseason under Jerry Olszewski. The only other coach to guide the Vikings more than once to the playoffs, Jim Heinitz. The namesake of the field at Kirkeby-Over Stadium took AU to the playoffs in 1988 and 1989.