UMD football team routs Augustana

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Minnesota Duluth quarterback Ted Schlafke played the worst game of his college football career in a omecoming loss to Augustana in 2006.

"Without a doubt," Schlafke said.

On Saturday, almost a year to the day of that humiliating loss, Schlafke played one of his best in leading the visiting Bulldogs to a 34-7 North Central Conference victory over Augustana before a homecoming crowd of 4,522 at Howard Wood Field.

Schlafke completed 33 of 45 passes for 241 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions as Augustana's defense wore down in the second half when the temperature neared 90 degrees.

"That was awesome," Schlafke said. "We were close to making this a 0-point game if we would have just finished off some of those drives. We're that close to taking that next step, and when we do, we'll be a real fun team to watch."

Last year, Schlafke's Achilles heel literally was his Achilles heel. Schlafke hurt the heel and ankle of his right foot on the last drive of UMD's fifth game against Western Washington, and he tried to play through the pain the following week at home against Augustana.

It was a disaster. After a -7 halftime tie, Augustana scored 28 unanswered points in the second half of a 35-7 rout before a stunned crowd at Malosky Stadium. Schlafke turned the ball over six times, including five interceptions. Schlafke said his foot didn't fully heal until after the season.

"I like to run around like an idiot sometimes, but that helps me avoid some poor throws once in a while," Schlafke said. "Last year I wasn't able to do that as well because of the ankle, but this year, I'm able to pull it down and run with it when I need to. That's a big part of my game that was missing last year."

Not any more. Schlafke rushed 16 times for a team-high 55 yards, while freshman Brad Foss, playing in only his second college game, had his second straight solid performance with 51 yards.

UMD (3-3, 2-2 NCC) struck first on its opening drive when Schlafke found receiver Dennis Carter in stride for a 29-yard touchdown pass at 8:35 in the first quarter.

Augustana answered early in the second quarter with a well-designed option play where junior Jeremy Huber rumbled the final 10 yards to tie the game at 7.

After that, it was all UMD as the Bulldogs controlled the game with an all-around performance.

Schlafke kept the Augustana defense guessing by not targeting any receiver. No UMD receiver had more than 57 yards, and 10 Bulldogs caught passes.

The UMD defense, meanwhile, held Augustana (2-5, 0-4) to a paltry 197 offensive yards -- the second straight game the Vikings have been held under 200 yards. The Bulldogs special teams also were solid, with kicker Britt Baumann booting two field goals, freshman John Rautio of Iron River shoring up UMD's snapping woes, and senior Luke Radke having a stellar afternoon punting into a stiff wind as Augustana fell for the fourth straight game and seventh straight in NCC play.

"We didn't have an answer for their blitz, and we missed some quick passes that limited what we could do offensively," Augustana coach Brad Salem said. "Defensively we're playing well, but offensively we're struggling -- to say the least."

Leading 10-7, UMD scored on three of its first four drives of the second half and then capped the rout when Tyler Yelk intercepted Augustana quarterback Daniel Millus and raced 72 yards for a touchdown.

While UMD coach Bubba Schweigert downplayed the revenge factor, saying that kind of motivation "lasts about a series," Yelk said revenge was on his mind.

"Absolutely," Yelk said. "Augustana has kind of had our number. We came down here three years ago and lost by three and that cost us an outright conference title and possibly a home playoff game, and then last year they came into our place and handed it to us on our homecoming. It was embarrassing, so it was nice to come down here and do the same to them. We turned the tables."

Minnesota Duluth 7-3-7-17--34

Augustana 0-7-0-0--22

First Quarter

UMD -- Dennis Carter 29 pass from Ted Schlafke (Britt Baumann kick)

Second Quarter

A -- Jeremy Huber 10 run (Ryan Grossman kick)

UMD -- Baumann 27 field goal

Third Quarter

UMD -- Bryan Gambuzza 5 pass from Schlafke (Baumann kick)

Fourth Quarter

UMD -- Brad Foss 6 run (Baumann kick)

UMD -- Baumann 26 field goal

UMD -- Tyler Yelk 72 interception return

A - 5,522.

UMD A

First downs 22 12

Total Net Yards 356 197

Rushes-yards 37-100 25-76

Passing 256 121

Punt Returns 0-0 3-25

Kickoff Returns 1-45 3-73

Interceptions Ret. 2-72 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 34-46-0 20-35-2

Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 1-5

Punts 4-139 7-276

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 4-0

Penalties-Yards 5-30 1-10

Time of Possession 36:14 23:46

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- UMD, Schlafke 16-61, Foss 15-58, Joe Russell 2-2, Noah Pauley 1-0. A, Joe Clark 8-28, Daniel Millus 8-23, Tyler Schulte 3-15, Huber 2-13, J. Nordquist 2-8, Andrew Phillips 1-8, Collin Abrahamson 1-1.

PASSING -- UMD, Schlafke 33-45-0-241, Yelk 1-1-0-15. A, Millus 19-32-1-124, Abrahamson 1-(2--3), Schulte 0-1-1-0.

RECEIVING -- UMD, Brandon Anson 7-32, Carter 6-57, Pauley 5-27, Foss 4-27, Tony Doherty 3-28, Gambuzza 3-24, Russell 2-23, Ross Schumacher 2-16, Jim Johnson 1-15, Luke Schalekamp 1-7. A, Tommy Ellingworth 7-46, Joe Klumper 4-32, Schulte 3-5, Ryan Rank 2-26, Huber 2-8, Joe Clark 1-7, Phillips 1-(-3).