Minnesota Duluth used another strong defensive effort and quarterback John Larson continued to be a one-man wrecking crew in leading his unbeaten Bulldogs to a 28-17 victory over Augustana in NSIC football Saturday before 2,697 at Kirkeby-Over Stadium in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Larson, a sophomore from Braham, Minn., threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns and ran 17 times for another 104 yards to become the first Bulldog to crack the 100-yard rushing mark this season. He was intercepted twice.
UMD finished with 392 yards, 196 passing and 196 running as the No. 7 Bulldogs (6-0) upped their regular-season road winning streak to 13 games.
UMD never trailed in getting their ninth straight over the Vikings (3-3). After a scoreless first quarter, UMD's Zach Ojile plunged in from a yard out and Wade Sullivan took a pass from Larson for a 9-yard touchdown to make it 12-0 at the half.
Augustana came back with 10 points in the third before UMD regained control with another Larson touchdown toss, this one from 5 yards out to Obi Ibeneme, and a Sullivan 10-yard touchdown run.
ADVERTISEMENT
Augustana scored with 53 seconds remaining but by that time, the game was out of reach.
UMD outgained the Vikings 392-230 and held them to 86 yards on the ground.
Senior cornerback Tareq Abulebbeh led the Bulldogs with six tackles and two interceptions before leaving the game late with an injury.
The Bulldogs return to Duluth to host Southwest Minnesota State next Saturday at Malosky Stadium for homecoming.
UMD and top-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato are the only remaining unbeatens in the 16-team NSIC. Every other team in the league has at least two losses except Bemidji State (5-1) after the Beavers rallied for a 25-21 victory over Sioux Falls (4-2) on Saturday in Bemidji. UMD defeated Bemidji State 26-19 in double overtime two weeks ago in Duluth, meaning the Bulldogs have positioned themselves well for when the first regional rankings come out later this month, a poll that helps determine the NCAA Division II playoff field.
Minn. Duluth 0-12-3-13-28
Augustana 0-0-10-7-17
Second Quarter
UMD - Zach Ojile 1 run (pass failed), 7:12
UMD - Wade Sullivan 9 pass from John Larson (Dan Branger kick), 3:57
ADVERTISEMENT
Third Quarter
AUG - Luis Guarita 39 field goal, 10:40
AUG - Nickel Meyers 21 pass from Kyle Saddler (Guarita kick), 7:31
UMD - Branger 22 field goal, 0:59
Fourth Quarter
UMD - Obi Ibeneme 5 pass from Larson (kick failed), 8:13
UMD - Sullivan 10 run (Branger kick), 6:59
AUG - Brett Shepley 10 pass Saddler (Guarita kick), 0:53
UMD AUG
First downs 22 17
Rushes-yards 47-196 25-86
Passing 196 14
Comp-Att-Int 16-31-2 13-39-2
Kick returns-yards 2-46 4-96
Punts-yards 2-28.5 5-31.6
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties 8-86 7-52
Time of poss. 38:00 22:00
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - UMD, John Larson 17-104, Wade Sullivan 20-78, Dain Hudson 2-9, Zach Ojile 2-4, Alex Lasinski 1-3, Bryce Heim 2-2. AUG, Rudy Sinflorant 20-94, Shahan Ameen, 2-12, Team 1-(-9), Kyle Saddler 2-(-11).
ADVERTISEMENT
PASSING - UMD, Larson 16-30-196-2, Mike Rybarczyk 0-1-0-0. AUG, Saddler 13-39-144-2.
RECEIVING - UMD, Nate Ricci 6-84, Johnny McCormick 2-34, Sullivan 3-29, Nick Eliason 2-25, Obi Ibeneme 3-24. AUG, Nickel Meyers 3-57, Brett Shepley 4-53, Jake Welsheimer 4-24, Drew Reinschmidt 1-6, Anthony Karmazyn 1-4.
