MANKATO, Minn. – A late touchdown proved to be the difference as No. 4 Minnesota State suffered its first loss of the season Saturday afternoon, dropping a 31-30 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference thriller to Augustana at Blakeslee Stadium on Senior Day.
The Vikings scored the game's final 14 points, including a three-yard touchdown run by Breylon Blount with 31 seconds remaining, to erase a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit and hand the Mavericks their first setback of the year.
Minnesota State now stands 9-1 overall and 8-1 in NSIC play, while Augustana improves to 8-2 overall and 7-2 in conference action. Despite the loss, the Mavericks remain in position to claim the outright NSIC championship with a win next week vs. MSU Moorhead at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.
Fourth-Quarter Rally Sinks Mavericks
The Mavericks entered the final quarter holding a 27-17 advantage and extended the margin to 30-17 on
Matt Maldonado's second field goal of the afternoon with 12:43 to play.
Augustana answered quickly. Gunnar Hensley connected with Isaiah Lemmond for 39 yards before finding Klayton Sattler on a two-yard scoring pass to cut the deficit to 30-24 with 8:55 remaining.
Minnesota State appeared poised to respond on its next possession, moving into Viking territory before being stopped on a third-and-three play near midfield. The resulting punt was the Mavericks' first of the game.
Taking over at its own 14-yard line with just over five minutes to play, Augustana engineered a clutch 86-yard drive. The Vikings converted a third-and-16 deep in their own territory and later picked up a critical fourth-and-nine conversion. Hensley kept the drive alive with a scrambling completion to DJ Page before connecting with Lemmond for 25 yards to the Minnesota State three-yard line. Blount capped the drive moments later with the go-ahead touchdown.
The Mavericks still had one final opportunity.
Maximus Sims found
Lebarion Gilmore for a 39-yard completion into Viking territory with 12 seconds remaining. Following a delay-of-game penalty, Minnesota State turned to Maldonado for a potential game-winning 55-yard field goal, but the attempt fell short as time expired.
Offense Produces Season-Best Passing Performance
Minnesota State amassed a season-high 331 passing yards in the loss.
Sims completed 9-of-14 passes for 203 yards and one touchdown while adding 37 rushing yards and a score.
Mitchell Thompson was efficient under center as well, going 9-for-12 passing for 128 yards. He also led the Maverick rushing attack with 87 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Gilmore finished with four receptions for 93 yards, while Ishmael Emanuel-Holloway hauled in two catches for 86 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter.
Defensive Highlights
Senior
Jack Hawkinson delivered several impact plays despite recording just one tackle. The All-American defensive end blocked a field goal on Augustana's opening possession, registered the game's lone sack for a 10-yard loss, added a pass breakup and recorded two quarterback hurries.
Jefferson Mobry paced the Maverick defense with seven tackles.
Penalties proved costly for Minnesota State, which was flagged a season-high 11 times for 109 yards. Augustana was penalized eight times for 82 yards.
First Half Belonged to the Mavericks
After Hawkinson's opening-drive field goal block, Minnesota State struck first on a 34-yard field goal by Maldonado for a 3-0 lead.
Augustana grabbed its first lead early in the second quarter when Blount scored from two yards out, marking the first time the Mavericks had trailed since their Sept. 19 matchup with Northern State.
Minnesota State responded with a 16-yard touchdown run from Thompson and later regained the lead on a 12-yard scoring run by Sims. Maldonado added a 37-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the half as the Mavericks carried a 20-14 advantage into the locker room after scoring on all four first-half possessions.
The Mavericks expanded the lead to 27-14 on the opening drive of the second half when Sims connected with Emanuel-Holloway on a 66-yard touchdown strike.
Augustana Leaders
The Vikings totaled 429 yards of offense behind Hensley, who completed 32-of-47 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Blount rushed for 63 yards and two scores on 13 carries, while Lemmond posted six catches for 99 yards.
Steel Schomaker and Camron Maciejewski each recorded 10 tackles for Augustana.
Senior Day Honors
Prior to kickoff, Minnesota State recognized 15 seniors playing in their final regular-season home game:
Zach Brady,
Jason Dandridge,
Jacob Daulton,
Nathan Drumm,
Jack Hawkinson, Antonie Johnson Jr.,
Matt Maldonado,
Tanner Olson,
Jackson Owens,
Jabrayan Richburg,
Max Sheridan,
Justin Silverstein,
Jamal Spiyee,
Amaun Williams and
Josh Witt.
Up Next
Minnesota State closes the 2026 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 14, against MSU Moorhead at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Kickoff is scheduled for noon as the Mavericks seek their third consecutive 10-win season and the 13th double-digit-win campaign in program history.
