SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - In his final Key to the City game, Jarod Epperson made sure to keep the Key in-house, leading a 27-21 Augustana (8-2 overall, 8-1 NSIC) victory over Sioux Falls (7-3, 6-3) on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. 

The win is the first home victory for Augustana over USF since 1986. The win also clinches at least a share of the NSIC title, becoming the first team since 1942 to repeat as conference champions. 

Epperson ran wild, tallying a career-best 202 rushing yards while scoring two touchdowns for the fourth consecutive game. He was the one to put the game on ice, racking up 109 rushing yards in the fourth quarter alone to seal the victory. He also added a 75-yard reception for a career-high of 277 total yards. 

Gunnar Hensley had another efficient outing for the Vikings, going 16 for 25 with 271 yards and a touchdown in the air. Jack Fisher led all receivers with 99 yards on six receptions. Isaiah Huber was stellar in the return game, taking three kickoffs for 66 yards and a pair of punts for 43 yards. 

Kade Lynott led a defense full of outstanding performances with a career-day, resetting career-highs with 11 tackles, nine solo, and a pair of sacks while also breaking up a pass. Peyton Buckley led all players with a career-high 12 tackles, 11 solo, and Haden Wallace added the games only interception. The Vikings limited the Cougars to 117 yards on the ground, their 18th game in a row holding an opponent under their season rushing average. 

The game opened with an offensive explosion. USF started with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown and gave them an early lead. That would get canceled out awfully quick as a 26-yard Huber kickoff return set the Vikings up at their own 38 and Epperson broke a tackle and bursted for a 62-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to make it 7-7 in the first 4:35 of game time. 

Although the offenses looked to expand on each start, the defenses dug in. The next nine drives resulted in punts leading up to an Augustana drive from their own 12-yard line with 1:55 left in the half. 

After an incompletion on first down, Hensley and Epperson connected on a screen that saw Epperson catch it on the east side of the field and switch all the way to the right sideline, taking it 75 yards to the USF 13. Breylon Blount took the next play three yards before Hensley found Jacob Remmert in the end zone on second down to give AU its first lead of the day at 14-7 with 1:25 left in the half. 

USF was unable to muster any offense before the half, leading to another Cougar punt, and Huber picked up seven yards on the return to give the Vikings favorable position again, this time at their own 45 with 53 seconds left.

Hensley hit Fisher for eight yards and then ran for six and a first down. A false start forced a Viking timeout and moved them back five yards before Hensley found Canyon Bauer near the east sideline to bring AU down to the USF 2. With little time remaining, the Vikings couldn't find the end zone. Jake Pecina split the uprights from 20-yards out as time expired to give AU a 17-7 lead into the locker room. 
 
To open the third quarter, the Vikings went three and out and the Cougars went 66 yards in 11 plays, finding the end zone and bringing AU within three at 17-14. 

It looked as if there would be an instant counter as Huber streaked down the sideline and took the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown, but a penalty set the next Viking drive up at their own 22. 

A four yard Epperson run was followed by a 51-yard reception by Fisher to get the Vikings across midfield. The Vikings wouldn't be able to move much more from there, though, and a 39-yard field goal from Pecina stretched the AU lead to 20-14 with 4:35 to go. 

With the Cougars marching right back down with another lead in sight, a deflected pass found the arms of Wallace for the second consecutive week, this time putting an end to the USF threat and giving the Vikings possession at their own 27 with 1:03 left in the quarter. 

Epperson closed the third quarter with runs of 10 and 16 to set up AU with a 1st and 10 from the USF 47 to open the fourth. On the first play of the final quarter, Epperson broke free for a 47-yard touchdown to go up two possessions at 27-14. 

With 11:08 remaining, the Cougars found the end zone, capping a 11-play, 77-yard drive to get back within six at 27-21. AU was able to milk nearly six minutes off the clock but a missed field goal gave USF a chance to take a lead. 

The defense didn't give USF room to breathe, forcing a three and out to get the ball back with 4:18 to go. AU was nearly able to close it out with the ball in their hands, marching 77 yards in 11 plays to take 4:04 off the clock. They were forced to kick but had the field goal attempt blocked to give the Cougars one final chance. After an 8-yard scramble and 14-yard completion, their hail mary attempt fell incomplete with 0:00 on the clock to bring the game to its final score. 

The Vikings will look to lock up a second consecutive undisputed NSIC Championship on Nov. 16 when they travel north to take on Bemidji State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.