SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Gunnar Hensley connected with Cody Oswald in the end zone with 10 seconds remaining to lift the Augustana Vikings (1-0) past the MoWest Griffons(0-1) 30-26 on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. 

Hensley spun it all over the yard, finishing with 430 yards and three touchdowns on 31 of 51 passing. The yardage is good for seventh in program history and is the first 400-yard passing game since Kyle Saddler in 2021. 

The Hensley-Isaiah Huber connection opened the season as strong as ever as Huber finished with 14 catches on 17 targets for 207 yards and a touchdown. He also had 37 kick return yards and eight punt return yards. Oswald joined him in the receiving corps with four catches, the first of his career, for 58 yards and a touchdown. 

Gradee Sherman was a handful for the Griffons, recording a half a sack, two hurries and a pass breakup while recording three tackles. Cade Larson had an interception and three tackles, including a tackle for loss to power the defense. 

The offense went three and out to open the game and the Griffons marched down the field on the next drive, scoring a touchdown and missing an extra point to take a 6-0 lead just under four minutes into the game. 

After a pair of punts, the Vikings took the lead with an eight-play, 54-yard drive capped by a Breylon Blount touchdown reception from seven yards out. After the ensuing kickoff and a delay of game penalty, Christian Connelly got to the backfield and dropped the quarterback for a safety to grow the lead to 9-6 late in the first quarter. 

The Griffons forced a punt on the next drive and mounted a 14-play 63-yard field goal drive into the second quarter to even the score. Augustana got all the way down to the one on the next possession but got stuffed at the one to turn the ball over on downs. Eight plays later, MWSU capped a 99-yard drive with a passing touchdown to give them a 16-9 lead into halftime. 

To open the second half, the Griffons got down to the AU 6 before a field goal gave them a 19-9 lead with 8:44 left in the third quarter. The Vikings followed with a punt but MWSU missed a field goal with 5:36 remaining to keep the game within 10 points. 

Hensley started to slice up the defense following the missed kick, connecting with Austin Johnston for six yards and then Max Grand had a 34-yard catch and run two plays later to get the Vikings to the Griffon 26. 

After a rush that lost three yards, Hensley hit Huber for eight yards and Johnston for seven more to and a penalty got AU to the nine yardline. An incompletion set up a second down before Ryan Kenny powered ahead from nine yards out to get the Vikings within 19-16 with two minutes left in the third quarter. 

Augustana forced a three-and-out after the score and Hensley connected with Huber for 11 yards and Oswald for 31 yards to set the Vikings up at the MWSU 32 to end the third quarter. Five plays into the fourth, Hensley found Huber for a 15-yard touchdown to give the Vikings their first lead of the day at 23-19 with 12:55 left in the game. 

Each team punted and Larson collected an interception off a tip from Sherman to set the Vikings up at the MWSU 42. On the first play after the turnover, Huber caught a 35-yard pass from Hensley to get down to the seven. AU lost a yard in the next three plays to set up a field goal but the Griffons got a block and a 54-yard return to set up shop at the AU 16. It took just three plays for MWSU to find the end zone and take a 26-23 lead with 5:01 remaining. 

Augustana got down to the MWSU 36 with 2:22 left but were stopped on fourth down to give the ball right back. The defense stood tall once more, forcing a three-and-out with 1:44 remaining.

That was plenty of time for Hensley, who followed a first down incompletion with completions of nine, five and eight yards before an offensive pass interference set them back to a 2nd and 17 from their own 25 with 43 seconds left. 

The biggest throw of the day may have come on the next play as Hensley took a shot but gave Huber a chance to make a play, finding Huber for a 54-yard catch and run to get the Vikings all the way down to the MWSU 10. After a pair of incompletions, Hensley squeezed a dart into Oswald with 10 seconds remaining to bring the game to its final score. 

The Vikings open their conference schedule next Saturday, hosting Jamestown for their first NSIC competition at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Game will kick off at 1 p.m.