SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – It was all Augustana in the season-opener for the Viking football team Saturday in a 38-7 win over UMary in Kirkeby-Over Stadium. The Vikings led 24-0 at halftime and carried that lead to their fifth-straight season-opening victory.
 
Augustana racked up 433 yards of offense on the near 100-degree day while holding the Marauders to 219. In a near-even split, 230 of AU’s yards came through the air with 203 coming on the ground. Quarterback Casey Bauman and running back Kyle Graham each rushed for 53 yards while Bauman scampered for two touchdowns, Graham one.  
 
Bauman also threw for 226 of those 230 yards and a touchdown to Sioux Falls’ native Canyon Bauer, who was making his AU debut. Augustana also got a touchdown on special teams as Devon Jones returned a punt for 85 yards, which proved to be the final score of the game.
 
The Vikings opened the scoring with a three-yard rush from Bauman while Jake Pecina’s point-after attempt sailed through the uprights to cap a 9-play, 45-yard drive with 6:04 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
After the Augustana defense forced a three-and-out, an eight-play, 56-yard drive made it 14-0 Augustana as Bauman again carried into the end zone, this time from two yards out.
 
The score moved to 21-0 on Augustana’s first drive of the second quarter as a four-play, 53-yard drive concluded with Bauman hitting Bauer for a 38-yard strike. The scoring play was set up thanks to a 21-yard pass to Jarod Epperson, who carried the reception for a 21-yard gain.
 
The final points of the opening half were courtesy of a 34-yard Pecina field goal.
 
Augustana received the kickoff to start the second half and marched 75 yards over seven plays for a 31-0 score. Kyle Graham took a handoff, stepped to his right and marched 10 yards into the end zone.
 
UMary scored its lone touchdown of the game with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter as the Marauders went 75 yards over 10 plays.
 
In quick-moving third and fourth quarters, Augustana scored the final points of the game when Jones took the Marauders’ punt from the Vikings 15-yard line into the end zone. He made the catch on the far numbers, carried to the near sideline and moved downfield for the score. Pecina’s point-after marked the final score of 38-7.
 
Augustana had six different ball carriers in the game while passes were completed to nine different receivers. In addition, Avery Book made his Viking debut at punter and sent this lone punt 58 yards.
 
Defensively, Augustana held UMary to just 2.3 yards per rush and just 4.2 yards per offensive play. Brayden Hoops totaled seven tackles to lead AU with a tackle for loss. Jacob Ludwig had five tackles while three others recorded four each. The Vikings got to the pirated two sacks with a solo sack by Will Davis and an assisted sack by Myles Taylor and Kade Lynott.
 
In all, AU recorded seven tackles for loss and recovered a fumble when Matt Chitty fell on a loose ball in the second quarter.
 
Augustana takes a step out of conference action for the first time in the regular season the 2011 season when the Vikings travel to Chadron State for a 1 p.m. (CDT) contest in Chadron, Nebraska. Live coverage of the game can be followed at GoAugie.com/Live.