Minnesota State Visits Augustana For Viking Days Showdown

SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Augustana (2-3 NSIC, 0-1 NSIC South) returns home from a two-game road swing on Saturday, Oct. 6, to take on No. 12/5 Minnesota State (5-0 NSIC, 1-0 NSIC South) for Augustana's annual Viking Days celebration. Opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Augustana defeated Winona State 23-15 in last season's Viking Days game.

Storylines
• Augustana and Minnesota State will meet for and NSIC?South Division Showdown on Saturday.
• Saturday's homecoming game will wrap-up a week's long activities as a part of Viking Days 2012.
• Opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
• Augustana enters the contest 2-3 NSIC, and 0-1 in the South Division.
• Minnesota State enters the game 5-0 NSIC, 1-0 in the South Division.
• Minnesota State is ranked 12th in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll and fifth in the D2football.com Top 25 poll.
• Augustana sits in the middle of the pack in the NSIC at eighth in the overall standings at 2-3.
• Augustana is one of four teams with an 0-1 record in the South Division.
• Minnesota State is one of the two remaining unbeaten teams in the NSIC at 5-0 and is tied for first place in the overall standings with Sioux Falls.
• Augustana ranks third in the NSIC and 35th in the nation averaging 36.4 points per game.
• Augustana ranks third in the NSIC and 24th in the nation averaging 285.4 passing yards per game.
• Augustana leads the NSIC and ranks third in the country with a net punt average of 43.0.
• Augustana ranks fourth in the NSIC and 32nd in the country averaging 450.0 yards of total offense per game in 2012.
• Augustana ranks third in the NSIC with 120 first downs (47 rushing, 63 passing, 7 penalties).
• Augustana ranks fourth in the NSIC holding its opponents to 82 first downs.
• Augustana is the least penalized team in the NSIC averaging 43.8 penalty yards per game. The Vikings have been flagged 24 times for 219 yards.
• Augustana ranks second in the NSIC in red zone defense at 64.3 percent (9 of 14), including seven touchdowns and two field goals.
• Augustana ranks second in the NSIC in third down conversions. Augustana is 42 for 84 (50%) on third downs in 2012.
• Augustana's defense ranks fifth in the NSIC holding opponents to 31.5% (23 of 73) on third down.