ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings football team suffered a double overtime loss to the North Park Vikings on Saturday by a score of 30-27.

After forcing a North Park punt to start the game, the Augustana offense struck first on its opening drive, capping off a 10-play, 89-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run from Mike DiGioia. The score resulted in the only points of the first quarter as the Vikings brought a 7-0 lead into the second. Nearly 10 minutes of scoreless play kicked off the second until North Park notched its first touchdown of the game to make it a 7-7 deadlock. The two teams traded punts before Augustana connected on a Joren Clem 34-yard field goal with just seconds to spare. The Vikings led 10-7 at the break.

Defenses stole the show in the third quarter, each forcing four empty possessions from one another on their way to a scoreless frame. The Augustana defense allowed just 68 yards on four North Park drives in the third, including a fourth down stop in its own territory.

With the score still at 10-7, Augie kicked off a busy final quarter with another touchdown, this time a 35-yard connection through the air between Cole Bhardwaj and Breyden Smith. North Park bounced back with a long drive that resulted in a field goal, using 12 plays to go 64 yards and eat up over five minutes off the clock. Following a defensive stop, the visiting Vikings struck once more, finding the end zone with just over a minute remaining to even the score at 17 points apiece. Augie got into plus territory on the ensuing drive, but a punt ended the threat and moved the game into overtime.

North Park started the first extra session with the ball and went out in front for the first time all game following a touchdown on its second play of the drive. Four plays later, DiGioia secured his second touchdown of the game from one yard out. The made extra point by Clem brought the score to 24-24 and forced a second overtime. Augie began the second overtime period with the ball and converted a 39-yard field goal from Clem to surge back in front by a score of 27-24., but North Park walked off the win with a one-yard touchdown plunge.

Bhardwaj finished the game with 195 passing yards on 17 completions, while DiGioia ended with 113 yards on the ground. Smith led the receiving group with 10 catches for 135 yards, also posting 20 kick return yards to move him into the No. 1 all-time spot for kick return yards for a career. He passes Alek Jacobs' mark of 1,193 from 2017-20.

On defense, Dylan Burton led with a game-high 11 tackles, followed by Rukkus Hunkins and Luke Willis each with seven. Teke Nieto had the lone sack for Augie. 

With the loss, the Vikings drop to 2-2 on the season and 1-2 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action next Saturday at home vs. Elmhurst.