SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 18-ranked Augustana football team (2-1 overall, 2-0 NSIC) makes another trip up I-29 to take on MSU Moorhead (1-2, 1-1) for a daytime contest this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon. 
 
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.
 
About the Game
The Vikings enter the weekend 2-0 in the NSIC for the fourth consecutive season. The last time the two teams met, Jarod Epperson scored a pair of touchdowns while Canyon Bauer and Isaiah Huber each added one of their own in a 31-27 victory. The Vikings are 7-2 all-time in the series including 4-1 in Moorhead. The last time the teams played in Moorhead was 2022 when Thomas Scholten threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns while Jarod Epperson added 115 on the ground in a 31-7 win.

Scouting the Enemy
The Dragons enter the week 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the NSIC after falling 22-15 to McKendree on Saturday. The MSUM offense is powered by Jack Strand, one of the premier passers in all of DII. The junior has thrown for 1,022 yards and seven touchdowns. His 340.7 yards per game is second in the country and his 18.0 points responsible for per game ranks 10th.

Three receivers average at least 73.0 yards per game, led by Gage Florence. Florence ranks first in the country with 9.7 catches per game and 23rd with 92.0 receiving yards per game. Josiah Behm and Jack Bengarden have 20 tackles apiece to lead the defense. Behm has 3.5 tackles per loss and Denver Sheets has 1.5 sacks. Tate Gustafson has recorded the only Dragon interception.

About the Vikings
The Gunnar Hensley and Jack Fisher connection dominated while the defense flew around the field as the Augustana Vikings claimed a 41-7 victory over the Northern State Wolves on Saturday afternoon. The home-opening win moves the Vikings to 12-3 in home openers at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.

Six different Vikings totaled at least a half of a sack, led by Gradee Sherman. Sherman closed the day with five tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. Haden Wallace paced Viking defenders with seven tackles and a sack. Logan Leonard recorded an interception for the second consecutive game and JayVian Farr hauled in his first INT of the season. 

It has been quite the coming out party for sophomore signal caller Gunnar Hensley. The Carlsbad, California native earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors after throwing for 358 yards and four passing touchdowns while adding a four-yard receiving touchdown in a 41-7 win over Northern State.

He accounted for all five of his touchdowns in the first half and completed 28 of 35 passes. Hensley currently leads the NSIC with 288.5 yards per game in conference play and 3.0 touchdowns per game in a pair of games against NSIC foes. His 200.5 passer rating is also the best in the country. 

The Vikings rank eighth in the country with 3.7 sacks per game. They're also one of 23 teams to not lose a fumble and one of five not to allow a fourth down conversion on at least four attempts. Special teams has, again, been a strength for this year's team as they average 20.5 yards per punt return, 12th in the country, and allow just 15.25 yards per kick return, 20th in DII.

One Last Thing
Jarod Epperson has run for 3,240 yards in his career, third most among active DII players and in Augustana history and six yards behind Dajon Newell for second. He is also one of five players in Division II with over 4,000 all-purpose yards.