ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The Augustana Vikings football team will play its final game of the 2024 season on Saturday against the Washington University Bears in St. Louis.

Augustana enters the weekend with a 4-5 overall record and 3-5 mark in the CCIW, recently picking up a victory on Senior Day against Carthage by a score of 31-21. The Vikings never trailed in the win and struck quickly on their first possession after forcing a Carthage punt. Mike DiGioia found the end zone after three plays from 11 yards out to move Augie out in front by a score of 7-0. The Augustana defense had another impressive showing on the ensuing Carthage drive, forcing a three-and-out to set up the second Augie touchdown in as many possessions. Jake Miller hauled in a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone from five yards out to make it a 14-0 lead after one quarter of action.

Carthage collected its first score of the game early in the second, but a blocked extra point by Hugh Keany kept Augustana up eight at 14-6. The Vikings countered the touchdown with one of their own on the following drive. converting a 3rd and 13 for a score thanks to a 32-yard touchdown connection between Liam Crawley and Josh Lim. Augustana led 21-6 at the break. Each team notched touchdowns in the third to keep the 15-point margin holding strong through three quarters of play. The Vikings secured a touchdown just 51 seconds into the half, finishing off just a two-play drive with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Crawley to Breyden Smith. An interception return for a touchdown brought the Firebirds closer and made it a 28-13 score with 15 minutes to go. Joren Clem added a field goal in the fourth to give Augie 31 points and the defense allowed just one score to close out the final frame.

DiGioia ended his afternoon with 167 yards on the ground on 24 rushes, while Smith led a balanced attack through the air with seven catches for 67 yards. Crawley posted 172 yards on 15 completions and completed a pass to seven different Vikings. On defense, Luke Willis led the way with 11 tackles, while Keany and Jack Certa each added two sacks.

Augustana is currently averaging 22.3 points per game and 335.3 yards of offense. DiGioa is the league leader in rushing and the only player to average over 100 yards per game.

WashU sits with a record of 7-2 overall and 6-2 in CCIW action. The Bears have won two straight overall, recently defeating North Park 28-21 on the road last Saturday. WashU never trailed, but found itself tied with the Vikings on two different occasions throughout the game. The Bears led 7-6 after one quarter of action before a 14-14 score was brought into halftime. WashU scored once in the third, but a touchdown from North Park with seven minutes remaining in the contest evened things up once again. Kenneth Hamilton's 12-yard touchdown run with 43 seconds left proved to be the game-winner for the Bears. North Park out-gained WashU by four yards (356-362), with the Bears fueled by Hamilton's 116 yards on the ground. He enters Saturday fifth in the CCIW in rushing. The Bears are 3-1 on their home field this season, with their last game a 70-21 win over Millikin on November 2.

The Bears lead the all-time series 4-1 over the Vikings, with Augie collecting its lone win last season in St. Louis by a score of 35-17. DiGioa ran for 95 yards and a score in the victory.

Start time is scheduled for noon.