The Augustana Vikings kicked off their 2026 campaign in dramatic fashion, edging out Missouri Western 63-58 in a back‑and‑forth contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
What made the victory especially noteworthy was the sheer volume of offense, as the two squads combined for 1,368 yards, shattering the program’s single‑game total‑yardage record.
At the heart of the explosion was senior quarterback Max Carlson, who accounted for four touchdowns, tying the second‑most single‑game scores in school history.
Running back Breylon Blount was the workhorse of the attack, amassing 249 total yards, including 175 on the ground, and punching in two rushing scores.
Vikings’ signal‑caller Gunnar Hensley proved equally potent, completing 24 of his passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns, though he also threw an interception that kept the Griffons within striking distance.
The aerial assault was spread across multiple targets, with receiver Klayton Sattler hauling in seven catches for 130 yards and DJ Page adding eight grabs for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Early in the game the Vikings surged to a 7‑0 lead after a touchdown pass from Hensley to Sattler, but the Griffons answered with a field goal to close the opening quarter.
A subsequent rushing touchdown by Carlson pushed the lead to 14‑7, and the teams headed into halftime locked in a 28‑21 duel after two more Viking scores.
The second half belonged to the Vikings’ offense, as Hensley orchestrated sustained drives while Carlson added three more touchdowns, the final one coming on a decisive run by Blount that sealed the win.
Defensively, sophomore Trey Malone III recorded his first career interception and contributed seven tackles, providing a crucial spark to a unit that otherwise faced a high‑powered Griffons attack.
Despite a flurry of missed field goals in the closing minutes of the first half, the game remained tightly contested, underscoring the competitive balance between the two programs.