SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana football struck early in the first quarter and kept the momentum up and the pressure high as the Vikings dominated their way to a 45-0 shutout of the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
It marks the first time that Augustana has secured back-to-back shutouts since the 1942 season when the Vikings didn't allow their opponents from Nebraska-Omaha, Dakota Wesleyan or North Dakota to score in three straight games.
The win moves AU to 6-2 overall this season alongside a 5-2 showing in the NSIC while SMSU drops to 1-7 overall and 0-7 in the conference.
Gunnar Hensley completed 18 of 23 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
Breylon Blount rushed 16 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns while adding three catches for 15 yards. Meanwhile,
Cody Oswald finished with five receptions for 100 yards and
Camron Maciejewski recorded 12 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered one.
The Vikings turned their opening possession into a 7-0 lead, with Hensley hitting
DJ Page for 59 yards to the SMSU 2 before finding
Klayton Sattler for a 3-yard touchdown and
Jake Pecina adding the extra point. Southwest Minnesota State moved across midfield on its first drive, including a fourth-and-1 conversion, but
Chase Leary intercepted Drew Kluender at the AU 15 after a
Tyler Birn hurry and returned it 26 yards.
Augustana used the takeaway to reach the SMSU 20 behind a 23-yard completion from Hensley to Oswald and a 17-yard Hensley run, but Pecina's 37-yard field-goal attempt was no good. The Mustangs then advanced to the AU 26 on the final play of the first quarter, leaving the Vikings ahead 7-0 after the first quarter.
After Maciejewski forced and recovered a fumble at the AU 12, Hensley hit Oswald for 50 yards and Blount finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run at 8:09 to make it 14-0. The Vikings' defense forced a punt on the next Mustang possession, and
Kael Ryan blocked the kick before
Neal May recovered at the AU 46. Augustana turned the short field into another touchdown, moving 54 yards before Hensley found Sattler for a 1-yard score at 3:25 and Pecina's extra point pushed the lead to 21-0. Southwest Minnesota State reached the AU 21 late, but
Connor Akey's sack helped push the drive backward before the Vikings stopped a fourth-and-24 rush short and carried the 21-0 lead into halftime.
After the Mustangs recovered their own fumble on the opening kickoff, Maciejewski forced a Greg Schafer fumble at 14:10 and Leary recovered at the SMSU 17. Three plays later, Blount ran in from 6 yards and Pecina's extra point made it 28-0. The visitors' next drive backed up after a false start and a 14-yard loss on a fumble they recovered before a 20-yard fourth-down run came up short for a turnover on downs. The Vikings moved to the 9 on Hensley's 16-yard completion to Oswald and 12-yard run, but
Max Carlson was stopped on fourth-and-1, and Southwest Minnesota State followed with a 4:50 possession that ended when Maciejewski broke up a fourth-down pass at 3:51. AU used the final drive to cover 41 yards, including Hensley's 8-yard third-down completion to Oswald and 21-yard strike to
Isaiah Lemmond, before Carlson scored from 7 yards as time expired and Pecina's extra point left the Vikings ahead 35-0 after the third quarter.
Southwest Minnesota State moved into Augustana territory early in the fourth quarter but
Brady Belisle intercepted Hoffman at the AU 17 and returned it 78 yards to the SMSU 5.
Max Grand scored on the next play from 5 yards out, and Pecina's extra point put the Vikings ahead 42-0 at 11:04.
After the teams traded punts and turnovers,
Carter Storms sacked Kluender and
Israel Ouverson recovered the fumble at the SMSU 20, setting up a short Augustana possession that ended with Pecina's 21-yard field goal for a 45-0 lead at 1:53. Southwest Minnesota State drove to the Augustana 7 in the final seconds, but the clock expired there as the Vikings finished off a 45-0 win.
UP NEXT
Augustana football hits the road as the team travels to north Aberdeen, S.D., to face Northern State at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
--GoAugie.com--
