MINNEAPOLIS - The Gustavus football team extended its late-season momentum with a convincing 31-10 victory over Augsburg in Minneapolis on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback
Dylan Blount led the Gustie offense, completing 25 of 31 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns. The defense, anchored by senior linebacker
Bode Hogan with 10 tackles, limited Augsburg to just 167 yards of total offense and did not allow an offensive touchdown.
With this win, the Gusties have now claimed four victories in their last five games, improving their overall record to 4-5 and their MIAC record to 4-4. They will close out their season with a home game against Macalester next Saturday.
Gustavus started strong, taking the opening kickoff and driving 72 yards in five plays using a no-huddle offense. Blount connected with
Dom Mathies for a two-yard touchdown pass on the drive, which lasted just two minutes and nine seconds. Late in the first quarter, the Gustie defense delivered a crucial play as defensive tackle
Myshawn King sacked Augsburg quarterback Caden Rodkewich, forcing a fumble that defensive back Eric Lyons, Jr. recovered at the Augsburg 31-yard line. Although the ensuing drive stalled at the 8-yard line, senior kicker
Owen Forsythe made a 25-yard field goal, extending the lead to 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, after an Augsburg punt, the Gusties maintained possession but failed to convert on a 4th-and-1 at the Augsburg 20-yard line, giving the Auggies a chance to respond. Augsburg advanced to the Gustavus 28-yard line before cornerback Zack Boutwell intercepted Rodkewich's pass at the 8-yard line, returning it 29 yards to the Gustavus 37 with just over a minute remaining in the half.
Gustavus mounted an impressive two-minute drill, with Blount completing 5 of 7 passes, resulting in a third-and-four at the Augsburg 22-yard line with only 12 seconds left. However, Blount was sacked, leading to a fumble that Augsburg linebacker RJ Chakolis scooped up and returned 72 yards for a touchdown as time expired, cutting the Gustavus lead to 10-7 at halftime.
The Gustie defense intensified in the third quarter, forcing multiple three-and-outs from the Auggies. The offense responded with two scoring drives, extending the lead to 24-7. Blount found
Jordan Wold in the end zone from five yards out at the 10:25 mark and then connected with
Dom Mathies for an 11-yard touchdown at 1:36.
Augsburg trimmed the deficit to 24-10 with a 38-yard field goal at 8:16 in the fourth quarter. The Gusties, however, sealed the game with a dominant 12-play, 69-yard drive, culminating in a one-yard touchdown run by
Walker Hennen with just 21 seconds remaining, finalizing the score at 31-10.
The game was played at a brisk pace, concluding in just 2 hours and 18 minutes—the shortest duration for a Gustavus game in the last five years.
Gustavus amassed a total of 428 yards of offense and converted five of six red zone opportunities. Supporting Blount's impressive performance were running back
Walker Hennen, who carried 15 times for 81 yards and a touchdown; tight end
Jordan Wold, with eight receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown; and wide receiver
Dom Mathies, with six catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Gusties generated three turnovers—two fumble recoveries and an interception—while not allowing any points from Augsburg's offense. Hogan led the defense in tackles, with junior defensive lineman
Max Olson contributing significantly with three solo and four assisted tackles, including 1.5 sacks. In special teams, senior kicker
Owen Forsythe was perfect, hitting all four extra points and one field goal, while averaging 36.5 yards on two punts.
Up next for the Gusties is a return home to Saint Peter as they host the Macalester College Scots on Saturday, November 15 at 12:00 p.m. for their regular season finale.
