It was a winning weekend for our DII programs here in Sioux Falls, but it came in vastly different ways.

The Vikings shutout the CSP Golden Bears on the road in St. Paul to move to 5-2, while the USF Cougars utilized a 14-point fourth quarter to beat Southwest Minnesota State at home.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls Football team used a strong second-half performance and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to secure a 28-14 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday afternoon at the USF Athletic Complex. The Cougars improved to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

Quarterback Tate Schafer led the Sioux Falls offense, completing 26-of-43 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns, while Hank Brown Jr. hauled in two touchdown receptions. Adonis Hutchinson turned in a standout performance with nine receptions for 149 yards, and Bubba Tann III delivered the finishing blow with a 63-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

The Cougars finished with 462 yards of total offense while holding Southwest Minnesota State to 280 yards. After entering halftime tied at 7-7, Sioux Falls outscored the Mustangs 21-7 over the final two quarters to secure the victory.

First Half Recap

Sioux Falls created an early opportunity when Garret Hoffman intercepted a pass made by his younger brother, Tommy Hoffman, on the Mustangs' opening possession, returning it 12 yards to the SMSU 43-yard line. The Cougars moved the ball into scoring position but were unable to capitalize after a fumble ended the drive.

The Mustangs struck first with 3:10 remaining in the opening quarter, connecting on a 37-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead.

USF answered with a methodical 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive that carried into the second quarter. Schafer capped the possession with a five-yard touchdown pass to Brown Jr., and JT Frieders converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:17 remaining before halftime.

Neither team found the end zone again in the opening half, sending the teams into the locker room tied at seven.

Second Half Recap

The Cougars came out of halftime with renewed offensive momentum, marching 80 yards on 10 plays during their opening possession of the third quarter. Schafer connected with Dahlton Wood for an 11-yard touchdown pass, giving Sioux Falls its first lead of the afternoon at 14-7 with 9:21 remaining in the period.

Southwest Minnesota State responded with an eight-play, 72-yard touchdown drive, tying the game at 14-14 with 5:28 left in the third quarter.

With the game hanging in the balance, Sioux Falls took control in the fourth quarter.

Schafer found Brown Jr. for a toe tap score, their second touchdown connection of the afternoon, this time from nine yards out, to cap a six-play, 40-yard drive. Frieders added the extra point to put the Cougars ahead 21-14 with 11:10 remaining.

The Sioux Falls defense held the Mustangs scoreless in the final quarter, giving the offense an opportunity to extend its advantage.

Tann III delivered the decisive play with 4:56 remaining, breaking loose for a 63-yard touchdown run on the first play of the possession. The explosive run extended the USF lead to 28-14 and helped put the game out of reach.

The Cougars closed out the contest with a 14-point victory, earning their fourth conference win of the season.

Sioux Falls will enter their bye week before hosting Minot State on October 24th for Military Appreciation and Junior Cougar Club Day. Kickoff is slated for 1pm at Bob Young Field.

The Augustana Vikings had another big offensive output, coupled with their most complete defensive performance of the season in their win Saturday. Per GoAugie.com:

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Augustana football powered past Concordia-St. Paul 55-0 on Saturday at Sea Foam Stadium. The Vikings scored 55 unanswered points across eight scoring drives, including 21 points in the first quarter. The defense held Concordia-St. Paul to 110 total yards and five first downs while stopping all 10 third-down attempts. The Vikings moved to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in league play, while Concordia-St. Paul dropped to 3-4 and 2-4.

Gunnar Hensley completed 24 of 30 passes for 329 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. Cody Oswald caught six passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Max Carlson scored three touchdowns, rushing five times for 26 yards and two scores and adding a 20-yard touchdown reception. Max Grand rushed for 105 yards on 15 carries.

The Vikings moved 75 yards on the opening possession, with Hensley completing passes to DJ Page for six and 30 yards before finding Will Lynch for a 6-yard touchdown at 10:19, and Jake Pecina's extra point made it 7-0. After Concordia-St. Paul went three-and-out from its 46, Augustana put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive that converted three third downs, including Klayton Sattler's 17-yard catch on third-and-14, before Carlson's 13-yard run and Pecina's kick made it 14-0. Concordia-St. Paul picked up one first down on its next possession, but Brock Salm dropped BJ Davis for a 3-yard loss before the drive ended with a punt and a kick-catch interference penalty that placed Augustana at its 30. Hensley connected with Oswald for a 70-yard touchdown on the next play, Pecina's third extra point made it 21-0, and the Vikings led by that score after Chase Leary stopped Joel Lacy for a 2-yard loss on the final play of the quarter.

Tyler Birn's tackle for loss helped AU force a Concordia-St. Paul punt to open the second quarter, and the Vikings turned the next possession into a 10-play, 71-yard scoring drive. Hensley completed key passes to Page for 12 and 24 yards, then found Sattler for a 5-yard touchdown at 8:19 before Pecina's extra point made it 28-0. Concordia-St. Paul moved into Augustana territory on the next series, but Joshua Lee-O'Bryant and Ashton Toll combined on a tackle for loss, Birn followed with a sack, and Jermaine Hampton Jr. broke up a fourth-down pass at the Augustana 33. The teams traded late possessions from there, with Neal May returning a punt 13 yards to the Augustana 45 in the final minute before the quarter ended with the Vikings ahead 28-0.

After the teams traded punts early in the third quarter, the Vikings drove 79 yards in six plays, using Hensley completions to Page and Oswald before Hensley found Oswald for a 4-yard touchdown and Pecina's kick made it 35-0 at 6:44. Alex Belongia stopped Concordia-St. Paul's next possession with an interception at the CSP37 and returned it 17 yards, setting up Hensley's 20-yard touchdown pass to Carlson one play later for a 42-0 lead after Pecina's extra point. AU forced another punt and began a late drive from its own 30, with Rich Lucero Jr. completing a first-down pass to Sam Scholten and Grand adding multiple runs as the quarter ended with the Vikings ahead 42-0 and in Concordia-St. Paul territory.

The Vikings began the fourth quarter already in Concordia-St. Paul territory and, after a roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball to the 13, finished the series on Carlson's 1-yard touchdown run at 12:22 before Pecina's kick made it 49-0. Concordia-St. Paul went three-and-out on the next possession, and AU kept its ensuing drive alive with May's third-down catch, a Concordia-St. Paul personal foul on a punt, and short-yardage runs by Ryan Kenny and Grand. Lucero capped the 15-play, 80-yard march with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tytan Tryon at 2:52 for a 55-0 score, though the extra point was missed. Lathan Wilcox's sack helped set up a fourth-down stop on Concordia-St. Paul's final drive, and Grand's 25-yard run to the 1 preceded the final kneel-down in AU's 55-0 win.

Up Next
The Vikings celebrate homecoming as they host SMSU at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Kirkeby-Over Stadium in Sioux Falls.

Sources: GoAugie and USFCougars.com