Vikings Handle Northern State, Sioux Falls Dominates Winona

It was another winning weekend for our immediate area DII college football programs.

The Augustana Vikings, a perfect 8-0 on the season, once again put their record on the line against 6-2 Northern State on Saturday. The USF Cougars also returned home, playing host to Winona State.

Per GoAugie.com:

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana football team used a strong defensive effort to knock off Northern State 27-14 on Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.

The Vikings move to 9-0 overall and 8-0 in the NSIC while the Wolves fall to 6-3, 5-3. With the win, AU moves within a win of clinching at least a share of a third consecutive NSIC title.

Entering the game averaging over 240 yards per game on the ground, the NSU offense struggled against the front seven of the Vikings. AU held NSU to just 129 rushing yards on 31 carries while holding the NSIC's second-leading rusher Wyatt Block to just 76 yards on the ground, snapping a five-game stretch of over 100 yards rushing. 

Zachary Richardson tallied a team-high seven tackles, including three for loss and forced a hurry. Alex Belongia had his first career interception while four other Vikings recorded a pass breakup. 

Breylon Blount totaled 183 yards on 23 touches, including 153 yards and 8.1 yards per carry. Rich Lucero Jr. threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the air while completing 20 of 31 passes. The offense totaled 409 yards on the day, its sixth game on the year and third in a row with over 400 total yards.

The Vikings close their regular-season home slate a week from today, hosting Minnesota State for Senior Day at 1 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.

Per USFCougars.com:

Sioux Falls, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (6-3, 5-3 NSIC) delivered a complete, four-quarter performance on Saturday afternoon at Bob Young Field, powering past Winona State 49–24 to secure the program's 100th win as a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The victory was also the Cougars' first over the Warriors since 2019.

USF produced 506 yards of total offense, stacking explosive plays while also staying operational and efficient on third down (8-of-12). Schafer put together his most complete performance to date — finishing 20-for-25 for 391 yards and three touchdowns through the air along with a rushing score. Hank Brown Jr. was a matchup nightmare all afternoon, posting 136 yards on eight receptions, while Janis and Robertson combined for 79 yards and three touchdowns. Isaiah Emanuel tacked on 97 yards across three receptions averaging 32.3 yards a catch. The Cougars were also highly productive in the red zone, scoring on five of six opportunities and balancing the attack with 115 rushing yards against a physical Winona front.

While the offense posted season-high numbers, the defense played a pivotal role in the turnaround as well — limiting Winona State to just 10 points over the final three quarters and just seven in the second half. USF forced two interceptions, including a momentum-shifting picks from Cade Morse and Cain McWilliams and added three sacks to stall drives before they could build. London Kolb led the defensive unit with nine tackles, while Jordan Medrano, Max Elrod, and DaShawn Rohlik each contributed impactful pressures in the backfield. As Winona State tried to rally, USF tightened coverage, broke up three passes, and forced the Warriors into eight drives of five plays or fewer.

Up Next

USF now turns the page to a pivotal Week 10 matchup as the Cougars host Wayne State next Sunday, November 8th at 1pm for their annual senior day recognition. Fans are encouraged to help us "White Out" Bob Young Field during next weekends matchup.

Sources: GoAugie and USFCougars.com