The Augustana football team fell short in double overtime, losing 30-27 to North Park University. Despite leading in the fourth quarter 17-7, the team couldn’t stop the North Park offense late in the game, which eventually spoiled their homecoming game. The loss also snapped the Vikings’ five-game win streak against North Park, which led back to 2018.
The Vikings entered the game fresh off a nail biting 24-20 win against Millikin University the previous week. Despite the win, head coach Steve Bell saw room for improvement and stressed the importance of correcting those mistakes.
“We need to tackle better,” Bell said. “We were horrific in the first half [with] tackling. Millikin got some positive situations because we could not tackle space correctly. Also, there has been a lack of eye discipline defensively in coverage. Offensively, we’ve got to do a better job on third down. It’s killing us right now.”
With it being the homecoming game, the game had a special meaning to some players like senior John Bolton. It was the last homecoming for senior members on the team, so not only was it an ordinary conference game, but it could be the last time the players’ families see them playing football collegiately on family weekend.
“It means more than a lot of the other games,” Bolton said. “I’m a senior, so it’s my last homecoming and family weekend. There’ll be a lot of people there. I know my family’s coming to town, so it’ll be nice to see them. I think overall it’s big for the team in general.”
To start the game, the Viking defense forced a punt, which led to the offense driving 89 yards and scoring a touchdown, putting Augustana up 7-0 early on. Several scoreless minutes were broken up by a North Park touchdown that tied the game, but an Augustana field goal pushed them in front to take a 10-7 lead going into halftime.
“It’s a battle up front,” Senior Rukkus Hunkins said. “When you’re fighting for every inch of that field as the game goes on, people wear and tear. It’s just about having our defense more prepared physically to overcome them. Having those types of plays where we keep them to less than a couple yards gain per rush makes us feel confident.”
The second half started with both team’s defenses shutting each other down, leading to a scoreless third quarter. Still, a 35-yard receiving touchdown from junior Breyden Smith added to Augustana’s lead to make it 17-7 early in the fourth quarter.
However, a North Park field goal and eventual touchdown with under a minute left sent the game to overtime. After trading scores in the first overtime, Augustana had to settle for a field goal followed by a game-winning touchdown run by North Park. Junior Ryan Gustafsson was one player who experienced the long and grueling heat that the double overtime game heightened.
“After letting up the first touchdown and only going into halftime up three points, we knew as a defense we would have to step up our game coming out of the second half,” Gustafsson said. “We went out of the half with good energy, and that’s why we were able to perform well in the 3rd quarter, but sustaining energy throughout the game is incredibly important, which can be difficult to do on a hot day.”
Despite the tough loss, the team must move on and focus on their next game. The football team will face conference opponent Elmhurst University on Saturday. For the second straight week, they will play at home at Charles D. Lindberg Stadium in Rock Island.