Chadron State hosts Augustana in home opener Saturday

The Eagles (1-0) host Augustana in a noon kickoff Saturday at Elliott Field.  

Both teams won their season openers lby much different margins.  The Eagles edged Quincy 35-34, scoring with 36 seconds remaining. The Vikings breezed to a 38-7 win at home over Mary.

Chadron State scored on its first three possessions to take a 22-0 lead. But Quincy intercepted two passes that led to 27- and 19-yard touchdown drives, and the Eages and fumbled at the Hawks 1 that was returned 99 yards by linebacker Peyton Plunkett.

The Eagles took advantage of Quincy’s 10-yard punt and drove 35 yards for the winning touchdown. 

“The turnovers cost us but I was really proud of how we ended the game,” Chadron State coach Jay Long said.  “It was a total team win. With just over three minutes left, we needed a great punt, a defensive stop and a game-winning drive. We did all three in a tough environment a long ways from home.”

The Eagles finished with 366 total yards, which included 219 passing. Chadron State limited limited the Hawks to 250 yards, and just 85 on the ground. 

Augustana quarterback Casey Bauman, a 6-foot-7. 225-pound grad student, completed 23 of 29 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown against Mary. The Viikings rolled up 203 rushing yards and also returned a punt 85-yards for a score. 

Augustana, coming off a 7-4 season, was picked to finish fourth in the Northern Sun Conference in the coaches’ preseason poll. The Vikings return 10 offensive and six defensive players with starting experience.

During halftime on Saturday, the 1989 and 1990 Chadron State football teams will be inducted into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  It will be the first time since 1998 —when the 1949, 1958 and 1978 teams were inducted —that this has occurred.