WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University football team started in strong fashion against Augustana University in the 2023 WSU Homecoming tilt between the two teams on Saturday, Oct. 14 in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.
WSU raced out to a 14-3 first-quarter lead over the nationally-ranked Vikings but the second half saw Winona State held scoreless as Augustana pulled away for a 48-28 victory.
Key Details: No. 22 Augustana 48, Winona State 28
Attendance: 4,460
How It Happened:
A homecoming crowd of nearly 4,500 saw Winona State strike quickly when
Cole Stenstrom hit
Cayden Holcomb on a 41-yard pass play after holding Augustana to a three-and-out series following the opening kickoff. The Stenstrom-to-Holcomb strike was just the third play from scrimmage from WSU in the contest.
Augustana would answer with a 38-yard field goal by Jake Pecina to get on the board, trailing Winona State 7-3.
WSU's response to the Vikings field goal would be swift - as was the Warriors'
Noah Carlson - who returned the ensuing Augustana kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. Carlson's score was the first kick return touchdown for Winona State in 2023 and provided a spark for the homecoming crowd.
As the first quarter wound down, Augustana's Jarod Epperson rambled in from 31 yards out to notch the first Viking TD of the day and close the margin to 14-10, cutting the Warrior lead to four points.
The second quarter saw an even more frenzied scoring pace, as Winona State would cap a seven-play, 55-yard drive with a Stenstrom to
Kaleb Skelly touchdown toss, making it 21-10 Warriors.
Augustana would go on to tally the next two scores, first with Kyle Graham running in from 14 yards out, followed by Eppeson's second touchdown of the game, a 40-yard ramble.
Down 24-21, Winona State answered back with another long
Cole Stenstrom touchdown pass, this time to Cayden Holcolb, covering 51 yards for an exciting paydirt reception and a 28-24 Warrior lead.
Just before the half, Augustana would regain the lead, when Casey Bauman connected with Matt Francis for a touchdown. The late Vikingtally sent the two teams to the locker room with Augustana leading 31-28.
At The Half: Augustana 31, Winona State 28
What the first half had in scoring opportunities, the second half had in defensive domination, particularly by the visiting Vikings.
Winona State received the the ball to start the third quarter but saw their opening drive stymied by an interception. Augustana cashed in the turnover three plays later, scoring when Casey Bauman found Devon Jones on a 26 yard TD pass. The touchdown reception by Jones moved the scoreboard to 38-28, the largest Viking lead of the game up to that point.
The Vikings would tally the only other third quarter points via special teams, when placekicker Jake Pecina hit a 48-yard field goal to move the Augustana lead to 41-28.
While the third quarter was favorable to Augustana, WSU struggled offensively coming of the locker room, with four series ending in punts by the Warriors in the quarter.
In the fourth and final stanza, Augustana moved into clock-control mode and used the Viking ground game to eat up yards and time.
The Vikings would turn an interception into a six-minute touchdown drive, marching 60 yards in 11 plays for the final score by either team in the game, a Jarod Epperson four-yard touchdown run, his third rushing touchdown of the game.
For Winona State, the fourth quarter proved frustrating, with only three meaningful possessions, two of which resulted in turnovers.
At the end of four quarters of play, Augustana's 214 yards rushing tipped the scales in the Vikings favor, seeing to a 48-28 setback for Winona State.
Beyond the Boxscore
In going 4-for-4 on PATs, WSU's
Jacob Scott has run his unblemished PAT streak to 19-for-19, the only NSIC placekicker perfect on the year so far with at least 10 attempts.
Carlson's 93-yard kickoff return touchdown is the first kickoff return TD for WSU since
For the second time this season, WSU quarterback
Cole Stenstrom notched a punt in a game, dropping a pooch punt inside the Viking 10 yard line in the second half.
Cayden Holcomb had 104 yards in kickoff returns, including a 38-yard effort.
The WSU defense combined had 10 tackles for loss in the contest.
The setback was the first loss at home in the
Brian Bergstrom era, moving WSU's home record to 7-1 with Bergstrom at the helm.
Winona State honored six Hall of Fame selections at halftime of the contest; Lee Boettcher (Baseball), Quincy Henderson, (Men's Basketball), Heather Pierce (Reilly), Tennis, Rayon Simmons, (Football), John Smith, (Men's Basketball) and John Tackmann, (Football).
Next Up for Winona State
Winona State (3-4, 3-3 NSIC) will return to the road, traveling to Sioux Falls on Saturday, Oct. 21. WSU will face off with USF at 1 p.m. in a key NSIC matchup.
