Football: Unbeaten Mankato Hosts Augustana in Stakes-Heavy Clash
The fourth-ranked Mavericks face the 22nd-ranked Vikings at noon Saturday in a contest with major Division II playoff implications.
By Oliver Bennett ·
The undefeated Minnesota State Mavericks welcome Augustana University to Blakeslee Stadium at noon Saturday.
Mankato enters the Week 11 matchup with a 9-0 record in conference play and 9-0 overall. They are ranked fourth in Division II. The Augustana Vikings, ranked 22nd, hold a 6-2 conference record and 7-2 overall mark.
Both teams arrive in good form. Augustana defeated Northern State 31-24 last week. Mankato beat South Dakota State 44-9 in the same stretch of the schedule.
The Mavericks have dominated this season statistically. They average 37.9 points per game on offense. Their defense allows just 10.8 points per game. Mankato has recorded 33 sacks this season. Their closest game was a 28-14 victory over USF.
Augustana relies heavily on quarterback Gunnar Hensley. He leads all of Division II with 3,084 passing yards. He has thrown 26 touchdowns. The Vikings lead the Northern States Intercollegiate Conference with 42 points per game. However, they allow 25.3 points on average.
Coaching history adds a layer of context to the rivalry. Augustana head coach Jerry Olszewski served two stints as an assistant at Mankato. He is in his 14th season with a 98-49 record. Mankato head coach Todd Hoffner is in his 17th year. His overall record stands at 161-41.
The Mavericks are closing in on their fifth consecutive Division II playoff berth. That would be their 13th appearance under Hoffner. The series history favors Mankato, who leads 30-27. They have won 18 of their last 27 home meetings against Augustana.
Jamal Spiyee was named the NSIC defensive player of the week after his performance against South Dakota State. He has recorded two pick-sixes this season. Nathan Drumm leads Mankato with 45 tackles. Jack Hawkinson has eight sacks.
Augustana gave up 329 rushing yards to Northern State quarterback Hank Kraft last week. The Vikings had posted back-to-back shutouts before that defeat. Mankato has no single dominant receiver. Six of their players have between 12 and 19 catches for 200 to 300 yards.
The game will stream on Midco Sports Plus. Last year, Mankato won 45-21 in Sioux Falls. The Mavericks are 10-4 from a year ago. Augustana was 9-2 in the previous campaign.
