Home for playoffs for first time since 2010, Augustana football aiming for postseason run

It’s been 11 years since the Augustana football team hosted a playoff game.

In 2010 the Vikings hosted longtime Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State and, to the surprise of many (but few inside the program) smashed the Lakers 38-6.

That remains the only playoff win in program history.

As the Vikings prepare to host Bemidji State Saturday at Jim Heinitz Field in the first round of the Division II playoffs, they do so mindful of their decadelong drought. As a 9-2 team in a 28-team field that includes only one undefeated team, Augustana views itself as a legitimate contender for a national championship. But it has to start with winning one.

More: Augustana draws 4-seed in Division II playoffs, will host Bemidji State Saturday

“We talk about the big one,” coach Jerry Olszewski said of the national championship. “But the reality is you don’t get there if you don’t get by every opponent you play. There’s a lot of great teams in the field and we’re one of them. There was a time we were the No. 1 team in this region, and you have to win your region before you can talk about (the national title). We’ve got about 30 kids who have been in a playoff game (in 2019, a 17-0 loss to Colorado State-Pueblo). The goal the Monday after that loss was to get back to work to get here. To get in the playoffs, get a home game and make a run.”

The Vikings maybe aren’t thrilled to be playing another conference foe in Bemidji State, given that NSIC teams already play nothing but conference games during the season. But it appears a favorable draw for Augustana, as they already played the Beavers this year and routed them 52-24 – in Bemidji. Now they get them at home, where they’ve won 11 games in a row.

Loss to Minnesota Duluth helped Vikings 'reevaluate'

Augie thrashed Southwest Minnesota State 55-0 in the regular-season finale to clinch a share of the NSIC title, the program’s first conference title since 1959, but the week before that were throttled 41-15 by Minnesota Duluth, the NSIC’s third playoff qualifier for this year.

Had the Vikings won that game they may have been in the discussion for the top seed. That would’ve been preferable, obviously, and while no one on Augustana will try to rationalize the loss to the Bulldogs as anything other than a subpar performance, they hope it can ultimately help them.

“I think that helped us reevaluate ourselves,” said wide receiver Logan Uttecht. “That got us to improve our preparation and sharpen our focus. (A national championship) has been talked about, but we have to stack days on days, have a better practice every day. I think (the loss to UMD) helped us make sure we’re focused on one week at a time.”

Augie’s other loss this year came to USF, a rivalry game in which a late turnover and a costly special teams gaffe proved costly. While USF and Duluth both played well to earn the wins over the Vikings, it’s easy for Augie players to look back at self-inflicted mistakes and recognize the cost of them.

“You either win or you learn,” Olszewski said. “We didn’t play well enough to be in (the loss to Duluth). You can’t turn it over six times and think you can win. We learned not to take anything for granted. If you don’t play your best, a good team will make you pay. When you get into a 28-team field it’s even more important, because one day of not being at your best will end your season.”

The Beavers are 9-2 and winners of seven in a row. They haven’t lost since taking their whipping from the Vikings, which came one week after a loss at MSU-Mankato. The Beavers have wins over USF, Wayne State, Duluth and Northern State to their credit, and the wins over the Cougars, Bulldogs and Wolves all came on the road. So making the trip to Sioux Falls won’t necessarily be an extra challenge for them.

The Beavers are led by a wildly productive passing game led by quarterback Brandon Alt. He’s thrown for 3,656 yards and 43 touchdowns this year, aided by a two-headed backfield of Sage Booker and Makaio Harn, who have each rushed for over 700 yards on the season.

But the Beaver defense has been vulnerable, allowing 30.2 points per game. Augustana scores 40 points per game and allows 20.

The Vikings have a big-time passing attack, too, with senior quarterback Kyle Saddler entering the playoffs with 36 touchdown passes and 3,176 yards through the air. But backbreaking turnovers have hurt him at times, and those are the mistakes Augie can’t afford if they want to make the deep run they believe they’re capable of.

“We have been our own worst enemy,” said defensive tackle Logan Swanson. “If we don’t show up we won’t win, and we saw that (against Duluth). But if we come out and do our 1/11th, come out and play our game we can expect a good result. Team-wide we truly believe we control our destiny. Everyone on this team is ready to go and juiced to make a run, but we understand that to do that the first thing we have to do is win on Saturday.”

AUGUSTANA PLAYOFF HISTORY

1988: Lost 49-7 at North Dakota State

1989: Lost 27-20 at St. Cloud State

2010: Won 38-6 vs. Grand Valley State; lost 24-13 at Minnesota Duluth

2015: Lost 45-31 at Humboldt State

2019: Lost 17-0 at Colorado State-Pueblo

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Augustana football: Vikings football aiming for postseason run