MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State football team suffered a 45-35 loss to #22 Augustana Saturday afternoon at Blakelsee Stadium.

With the loss, MSU drops to 5-3 on the season. With the win, AU improves to 7-1. 

The first quarter featured little scoring as Augie accounted for the only score of quarter. Kyle Saddler connected with Sean Engek on a 15-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the game to put AU up 7-0. Augie could have gotten more late in the first quarter, but a 38-yard field goal attempt by Ben Limburg was blocked by junior Alijah McGhee. 

Augustana extended its lead to 14-0 after its first drive of the second quarter. The Vikings went 88 yards in just over six minutes as Saddler hooked up with Logan Uttecht on an eight-yard touchdown pass. The Mavericks would respond quickly though as senior JD Ekowa connected with senior Nyles Williams on a 44-yard touchdown pass to cut the Augie lead to 14-6.

AU responded with another touchdown on the following drive as Saddler connected with Uttecht again, this time from 13 yards out to put the Vikings up 21-6. MSU would not go quietly in the second quarter however as it drove 66 yards in just over four minutes to cut the Augie lead to seven at 21-14. Ekowa hooked up with junior Jalen Sample on a 15-yard touchdown pass, before connecting with sophomore Kaleb Sleezer on the successful two point conversion. 

Augustana managed to get back within field goal range in the closing seconds of the first half, but McGhee was there again to block the AU field goal attempt, this time from 40 yards out, to ensure that Augustana would only take a 21-14 lead heading into halftime.

Minnesota State wasted no time in knotting up the score at 21-21 early in the third quarter. MSU went 71 yards in just under three minutes as Ekowa connected with sophomore Blake Ver Mulm on a nine-yard touchdown pass. AU responded on their following drive though as Saddler completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Uttecht to put the Vikings back up 28-21. After stopping MSU's following drive, Augie would record another touchdown as Saddler hooked up with Jack Fisher on a 55-yard touchdown pass to increase AU's lead to 14 at 35-21. 

MSU added a quick touchdown on its following drive as the Mavericks drove 65 yards in under three minutes as Ekowa completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Williams to brings MSU within seven of Augustana at 35-28.

The scoring proved elusive early on in the fourth quarter as Augie took over on its own 41 with 8:25 to go leading 35-28. The Vikings would drive 49 yards down field, before Limburg connected on a 27-yard field goal to put AU up 38-28. MSU turned the ball over on downs on its following drive at its own five yard line, before AU's Jarod Epperson recorded a three-yard touchdown run with 1:56 to go that put AU up 45-28. 

Ekowa managed to connect with Ver Mulm on an 11-yard touchdown pass with :46 to go, but that was all MSU could get as the Vikings claimed the 45-35 win.

Ekowa threw for a career-high 369 yards and five touchdowns against the Vikings, becoming the first Maverick to throw five touchdown passes in a game since Ben King did so against Western Washington back on Nov. 10, 2007. Saddler finished his day with 438 passing yards and five touchdown passes also.

Six Mavericks caught at least one pass, including Sample who caught five passes for 117 yards. Williams finished with 80 receiving yards and two touchdowns also, while Ver Mulm caught two touchdown catches. Uttecht caught 10 passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings, while Fisher caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore Trent Carpenter led the Maverick defense with eight tackles, while senior Ty'Shonan Brooks recorded five tackles, to go along with one interception. Freshman Terrell Hall made five tackles and defended three passes.

Minnesota State concludes its regular season home schedule on Saturday, October 30, as it takes on the Sioux Falls Cougars. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

 
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