Minnesota State Mankato, the top-ranked team in Division II, rallied for a 38-36 NSIC victory over Augustana on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Mavericks (2-0) took a 38-30 lead with 1:31 remaining on Ryan Schlichte's 7-yard TD run and Casey Bednarski's PAT. The touchdown capped a 16-play, 89-yard drive, which used up nearly eight minutes.
Augustana responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive — capped by a 1-yard run by quarterback Kyle Saddler as time expired — to pull within two. Saddler's helmet came off on during the score, forcing him to sit out the two-point conversion attempt. A delay-of-game penalty and a false start moved the Vikings back to their own 13. The Vikings' two-point pass attempt failed.
Augustana led 30-21 with five minutes left in the third quarter after a 35-yard field goal by Luis Guarita. The Mavericks answered with 17 consecutive points.
Less than two minutes after the kick, the Mavericks got within two on Schlichte's 40-yard TD pass to Shane Zylstra and the PAT by Bednarski. His 20-yard field goal in the first minute of the fourth quarter put the Mavericks ahead 31-30.
Bemidji State 66, Mary 0: Sage Booker rushed for 163 yards and two TDs to lift the Beavers to the victory in Bismarck, N.D. The Beavers, who led 49-0 at halftime, outgained the Marauders 422-0 on the ground.
Concordia (St. Paul) 34, Upper Iowa 7: The Golden Bears averaged 5.9 yards per rush and gained 271 yards rushing in the victory over the visiting Peacocks. Shaq Johnson rushed for 110 yards and Lajuan Preston scored on a 73-yard touchdown run for the Golden Bears.
St. Cloud State 44, Minnesota-Crookston 14: Dwayne Lawhorn passed for 333 yards and three TDs to lead the Huskies to the victory in Crookston, Minn. John Pass caught eight passes for 168 yards and two TDs and Gregory Lewis rushed for 80 yards and a TD for the Huskies, who gained 509 yards.
Winona State 16, Sioux Falls 15: Owen Burke's two touchdown passes helped the No. 14 Warriors edge the No. 16 Cougars in Winona, Minn. Burke's 39-yard TD pass to Tanner Gran and Paul Ortiz's PAT gave the Warriors the one-point lead with 11 minutes left. Sioux Falls missed a 34-yard field goal attempt with 2:06 remaining and the Warriors were able to run out the clock.
Upper Midwest
Martin Luther 28, Rockford 24: Zach Bloomquist's 53-yard TD pass to Josh Arndt with 53 seconds remaining lifted the Knights to the victory in Rockford, Ill.
