Behind a five-interception day from the Bulldogs defense, the University of Minnesota Duluth defeated the No. 17 Augustana Vikings by a score of 41-15 on Saturday afternoon in Duluth, Minn. The win moves UMD to 8-2 overall on the season and solidifies their spot in the NCAA Tournament playoff picture.
 
"That was the best team win of the year. Our assistant coaches put a lot on our guys this week and our team stepped up and handled it extremely well," said Head Coach Curt Wiese. "It was very fun to watch a game plan come together like it did today."
 
On the day, Michael Kirkendoll, Marcus Glodowski, Joe Kordus, and Jonny Jensen all notched interceptions for the Bulldogs. Additionally, both Glodowski and Kordus's interceptions would be returned for UMD touchdowns. For the second straight game, Bulldogs linebacker Brad Dati posted a team-high 12 tackles on the afternoon. Mac Strand also tallied a career-high in tackles as he noted seven total tackles in the game. 
 
On offense, redshirt-senior quarterback Garrett Olson got the start and went 11-18 for 171 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Additionally, Olson led the Bulldogs in rushing as he notched 76 rushing yards and one rushing score in the win. Wide receiver Armani Carmickle surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the season as he notched a total of 78 yards through the air on Saturday. Bulldogs Wade Sullivan, Noah Skifton, and Johnny McCormick all caught touchdown passes to propel UMD to the upset victory.  
 
The Bulldogs got the party started early in the first quarter. A ten play, 65-yard drive was capped off by a five-yard touchdown pass from Olson to Sullivan. The score just 5:29 into the game and gave UMD a 6-0 lead. On the ensuing drive, Augustana successfully advanced the ball into Bulldogs territory. On a third and thirteen from the Bulldogs 48-yard line, a pass from quarterback Kyle Saddler was picked off by Glodowski at the UMD 40. Glodowski returned the ball 60 yards for a pick-six to give Minnesota Duluth an early 13-0 advantage. For the Bulldogs, it was the first pick-six since Bill Atkins returned an interception for a touchdown on Sept. 28, 2019, against Bemidji State. 
 
A five-yard touchdown pass from Olson to Skifton gave UMD a solid 20-0 lead. Augustana would answer with a touchdown of their own late in the first quarter. UMD would head to the second with a 20-7 lead. Early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs kept up the pressure. A two-play, 57-yard drive would be capped off with a touchdown connection from Olson to McCormick, making the score 27-7. The teams would trade possession multiple times through the quarter. With 4:11 remaining in the first half and faced with a second and twelve at the UMD 49-yard line, Olson found room in the middle of the field and notched an incredible 51-yard rushing touchdown. The score increased the Bulldogs lead to 34-7 late in the first half. Augustana tried to counter on their ensuing possession, but an interception from Kirkendoll derailed the Vikings offense. UMD would take a 34-7 lead into the halftime break. 
 
In the second half, the Bulldog defense shined brightest. Five minutes into the third quarter, a Saddler pass was intercepted at the UMD 25-yard line by Kordus and ran back for a 75-yard pick-six touchdown. The score blew the game wide-open and extended the Minnesota Duluth advantage to 41-7 with just under 10 minutes to play in the third frame. Augustana would add eight points with the time remaining in the third and fourth quarters. In the dying seconds of the fourth, sixth-year senior quarterback John Larson took a series of kneel downs to secure a 41-15 win over the No. 17 team in the nation. 
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will honor their seniors next weekend, as they host Northern State on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1:05 PM in Duluth, Minn.