Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University took advantage of three Southwest Minnesota State turnovers and scored the game's final 28 points to earn a 48-23 victory on Saturday at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
 
The loss was the first for SMSU (4-1, 0-1 NSIC South) this season, while the three turnovers was a season-high. Augustana, which scored 21 points off of the SMSU turnovers, improves to 4-1 overall, 1-0 NSIC South.
 
SMSU's Blake Gimbel finished passing for a career-high 332 yards, completing 24 of 37 pass attempts with one touchdown and one interception. Nate Huot caught six passes for a career-high 148 yards and two touchdowns, while Cameron Parus caught a career-high seven passes for 86 yards.
 
Davontay Stevens rushed for a team-high 57 yards for the Mustangs on 16 attempts. Ashanti Payne added 45 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries, while Divonte Beale closed with 48 yards on 11 carries.
 
SMSU finished the game with 526 yards of offense and 31 first downs. The Mustangs were held to a season-low 125 yards rushing on 47 attempts. The Vikings entered the game ranked second in the NSIC in rush defense, allowing just 88 yards per game. It was the first time this season Augustana has allowed more than 100 yards rushing in a game.   
 
Augustana, which had just six first downs and 199 yards in the opening half, finished the game with a season-high 536 yards and 20 first downs.
 
CJ Ham rushed for a career-high 160 yards and one touchdown to lead the Viking offense. Trey Heid completed 15 of 20 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a touchdown. Charlie Hayes caught a team-high seven passes for 80 yards and one touchdown.
 
SMSU started the game's scoring on its opening drive using a trick play to score a touchdown for the second straight week. A key 14-yard reception by Parus on third-and-eight kept the drive alive, moving the ball to the Augustana 37-yard line. On the next play, Stevens tossed a halfback pass to Huot for a 37-yard touchdown giving the Mustangs a 7-0 lead with 13 minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter.
 
Augustana answered on its first drive with a 29-yard field goal by Lucas Wainman to cut the lead to 7-3 at the 11:43 mark.
 
SMSU converted a pair of third-down conversions on its next drive to move the ball down to the Viking 10-yard line. The drive stalled however and SMSU was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Austin Wells, capping a 56-yard, 14 play drive, making the score 10-3 midway through the quarter.
 
Augustana would later add a 45-yard field goal later to make the score 10-6 after one quarter of play.
 
Following an SMSU punt to begin the second quarter, the Vikings countered with a six-play, 84-yard drive, highlighted by a 61-yard run by Ham run down to the SMSU 8-yard line. Two plays later Heid tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hayes to give Augustana the lead at 13-10 with 11:44 left in the second.
 
On SMSU's next possession, Gimbel was intercepted on a tipped pass at the Viking 36-yard line and returned 56 yards by Jordan Johnson to the SMSU 8-yard line. Two plays later, Ham scored on a 1-yard run making the score 20-10 with 8:54 left in the half.
 
SMSU answered back in a big way on its next drive as Gimbel fired a 70-yard touchdown pass to Huot—the longest play of the season for the Mustangs—to make the score 20-16 with 7:18 remaining.
 
The Mustang defense recorded a pair of sacks on the next Augustana next drive—one Jonathan Cross and the other by Kevin Rubin—forcing the Vikings to punt for the first time in the game.
 
Taking over at their 46-yard line, the Mustangs moved 54 yards in eight plays with Ashanti Payne closing the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 3:26 left in the half to give SMSU a 23-20 lead.
 
Augustana went three-and-out on its next possession, but on the ensuing punt return, SMSU's Andrew McReynolds fumbled and the Vikings recovered at the SMSU 5-yard line. Three plays later Heid scored on a 1-yard run to put Augustana ahead 27-23 at halftime.
 
SMSU finished the opening half with 325 yards of offense and 16 first downs, while Augustana finished with 199 yards and six first downs.
 
Augustana fumbled on its opening drive of the second half near midfield, but SMSU failed to take advantage and could only muster one first down before punting. The Vikings then quickly added to the lead in just three plays as Heid fired a 44-yard touchdown pass to Matt Heller to push the margin to 34-23.
 
SMSU came back and put together an impressive drive, moving the ball 80 yards to the Augie 2-yard line. But facing fourth-and-inches, Gimbel couldn't handle the snap and the Vikings recovered to end the scoring threat.
 
Augustana took advantage of the mistake and gained the game's momentum and moved the ball 98 yards on 10 plays with Heid closing the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Hayes with 1:30 left in the third to make the score 41-23.
 
Justin Greenway closed the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run.
 
Tyler Flud recorded a team-high 13 tackles with one sack.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues play on the road next Saturday, Oct. 10, taking on Wayne State (3-2, 0-1 NSIC South) starting at 1 p.m.