Winners Win: Augie, USF Both Score Late Wins at Home Saturday

It was a return home for both Augustana and Sioux Falls football this weekend, and both teams rolled with the punches to earn hard-fought wins.

The Cougars hosted MSU-Moorhead at Bob Young Field and picked up a 29-28 overtime win, while Augie opened up the home slate with Minot State, and utilized a strong second half to earn the win.

Both teams are now 2-1 on the season.

Get our free mobile app

Per USFCougars.com:

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls football team delivered a finish to remember Saturday afternoon at Bob Young Field, rallying in the final minutes before going for the win in overtime to defeat MSU Moorhead, 29-28.

Trailing 21-13 with less than three minutes remaining, Sioux Falls marched 80 yards for a touchdown and two-point conversion to force overtime. After MSU Moorhead scored on the opening play of the extra period, Bennett Brueck connected with Adonis Hutchinson for a 24-yard touchdown before the Cougars elected to go for two. Brueck found Blake Stahl on the conversion to secure the walk-off victory and send USF to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in NSIC play.

First Half Recap

MSU Moorhead struck first, opening the afternoon with a seven-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 31-yard touchdown pass from Drew Huebner to Seth Staloch.

The Cougars responded quickly. After the USF defense forced a three-and-out, Sioux Falls took over with strong field position and needed just three plays to find the end zone. Brueck finished the 42-yard scoring drive himself with a one-yard touchdown run, while Scott Dickson's extra point evened the game at 7-7 with 7:09 remaining in the first quarter.

USF carried the momentum into the second quarter. The Cougars moved inside the MSUM five late in the opening period before Daevion Simonsen powered in from four yards out just 27 seconds into the second quarter. The extra point missed, but Sioux Falls had its first lead of the afternoon at 13-7.

Both defenses controlled the remainder of the half. Sioux Falls had an opportunity to extend the lead with 3:30 remaining, but a 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

The Cougars then came up with a huge special teams play of their own as the half expired. DaShawn Rohlik blocked MSU Moorhead's 41-yard field goal attempt, with London Kolb recovering the ball and returning it 49 yards to preserve USF's 13-7 halftime advantage.

Second Half Recap

Neither offense found the scoreboard in the third quarter, leaving Sioux Falls in front 13-7 heading into the final 15 minutes.

MSU Moorhead changed that early in the fourth. Facing fourth-and-11 from the USF 40, Huebner connected with Reggie Bruner for 38 yards before scoring on a two-yard run one play later, giving the Dragons a 14-13 advantage with 14:18 remaining.

The Dragons stretched the lead late in the quarter with an 80-yard scoring drive. Huebner capped the possession with a one-yard touchdown run, putting MSUM ahead 21-13 with 5:17 to play.

Things became even more difficult for the Cougars when Brueck was intercepted on the first play of the ensuing possession. The USF defense answered when it mattered most, forcing a three-and-out and getting the offense another opportunity with 2:42 remaining.

Starting at its own 20, Sioux Falls went to work. Brueck and the Cougars covered 80 yards in 11 plays and just 2:03. The drive stayed alive on fourth-and-one at the MSUM 22 when Brueck kept it himself and picked up seven yards. On the next snap, he found Stahl for a 15-yard touchdown with 39 seconds remaining.

Still needing two points to tie, the Cougars put the ball in Hutchinson's hands. The senior converted the two-point attempt to erase the eight-point deficit and tie the game at 21-21, sending the matchup to overtime.

Overtime

MSU Moorhead wasted no time in overtime, with Huebner breaking free for a 25-yard touchdown on the Dragons' first play. The extra point put USF behind 28-21.

The Cougars needed only two plays to answer. After Brueck picked up a yard on first down, the senior quarterback connected with Hutchinson over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown, pulling Sioux Falls within one at 28-27.

Rather than play for a second overtime, the Cougars went for the win when Brueck took the snap and connected with Stahl on the two-point conversion, completing the comeback and giving Sioux Falls a thrilling 29-28 victory at Bob Young Field.

--

Per GoAugie.com:

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana football downed Minot State 38-33 on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. The Vikings scored 17 unanswered points across three scoring drives from late in the third quarter into the fourth quarter, moving from a 27-21 deficit to a 38-27 advantage with 6:06 remaining. AU finished with 371 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and no interceptions, while also converting all three of its fourth-down attempts.

Gunnar Hensley completed 23 of 30 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns. DJ Page caught nine passes for 147 yards. Klayton Sattler finished with six receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Lemmond added three catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings' first possession reached the Beavers' 16 behind Hensley's 39-yard completion to Page and runs of seven and four yards by Max Carlson, but Jake Pecina missed a 33-yard field goal at 11:35. The Beavers then put together a 14-play, 80-yard rushing drive, converting fourth-and-1 at their own 42 and moving inside the five before Jett Lundeen scored from the one yard line at 3:45; the extra-point attempt failed, leaving AU down 6-0. AU started its next drive at its own 25, used a 17-yard Hensley completion to Page and Breylon Blount's two-yard fourth-down run at the Beavers' 45 to keep the possession alive, and reached the Beavers' 28 by the end of the first quarter with the Beavers leading 6-0.

Already inside the Beavers' territory, the Vikings turned a pass-interference penalty into points when Max Carlson converted fourth-and-one at the four and scored from the one at 12:29, with Pecina's kick giving AU a 7-6 lead. The Beavers moved 75 yards on the next drive and went back in front when Jett Lundeen hit Tyler Stonebraker for a 37-yard touchdown at 8:30, but Hensley answered with completions of 31 yards to Lemmond and 33 yards to Cody Oswald to put the Vikings ahead 14-13 after the extra point. The Beavers put together another 75-yard march late in the second quarter, capped by Sam Buckhanan's eight-yard touchdown run at :51 and the kick that made it 20-14. Neal May's 45-yard kickoff return set AU up at the Beavers' 45, and Hensley needed three completions to reach the end zone, finishing the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Sattler at :29 before Pecina's kick sent the Vikings to halftime ahead 21-20.

The Beavers used the early portion of the third quarter for a 14-play, 73-yard drive that converted four third downs, ending with Jett Lundeen's one-yard touchdown run at 6:58 and Jael Chavez's extra point for a 27-21 lead. The Vikings answered on the ensuing possession as Blount's 14-yard run and Hensley's 21-yard completion to Sattler moved the drive into the Beavers' territory, and after a holding penalty erased a touchdown run, Hensley found Sattler for 12 yards on fourth-and-11 from the Beavers' 36. Hensley finished the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Lemmond at 3:36, and Pecina's extra point put AU ahead 28-27. The Vikings' defense limited the Beavers' next series after Wyatt Hamersma dropped Brandon Hines Jr. for a three-yard loss, May returned the ensuing punt 13 yards to the AU 34, and Hensley's nine-yard run closed the third quarter with the Vikings ahead 28-27.

The Vikings opened the fourth quarter by finishing an eight-play, 66-yard drive, with Hensley completing passes to Page, Oswald and Blount before finding Sattler for an eight-yard touchdown at 11:35, and Pecina's point-after made it 35-27. After Trey Malone III broke up a third-down pass with pressure from Tyler Birn, the Vikings drove from their 39 to the Beavers' eight, using a 29-yard completion from Hensley to Page on third-and-five before Pecina made a 25-yard field goal for a 38-27 score at 6:06. The Beavers moved 75 yards on their next possession, aided by a 17-yard run and a 14-yard completion from Jett Lundeen, and Lundeen scored from two yards out at 3:14 before the pass attempt failed to leave the Vikings ahead 38-33. The Vikings took over at the Beavers' 45 after the onside kickoff, converted third-and-five on an 11-yard Hensley pass to Page and added a six-yard Blount run for another first down before running the clock to down to finish a 38-33 win.

Sources: University of Sioux Falls Athletics and Augustana University Athletics