Augustana tries to extend its winning streak against Millikin, while St. Ambrose hits the road. Here’s a look at the QC college football games:
Millikin (2-0) at Augustana (1-1)
Saturday: 1 p.m., Lindberg Stadium.
Twitter: @TJ_DA.
Series: Augie has won three straight over Millikin since dropping a 27-21 overtime decision at Lindberg Stadium in 2021. After lopsided 70-0, 42-3 victories, Augie won 24-20 last year in Decatur.
Storylines: Millikin is off to its first 2-0 start since the 2019 campaign and looks to keep things rolling in its first CCIW road contest of the season. Augie, meanwhile, has to lick its wounds from last week’s 50-7 home setback to No. 18 Wheaton. … This is Augie’s combined homecoming/Family Weekend contest.
About the Big Blue: MU opened the season with wins over Luther (33-3) and North Park (22-17). … The Big Blue are now coached by Decatur native Billy Riebock, who brings an offense-oriented approach to the league. … Freshman RB Re’John Zeno leads MU with 184 yards rushing and 5 TDs. … Texas junior Sylas Gomez has put up decent passing numbers (33-51-1, 450 yards, 3 TDs). His top target has been Florida junior Kevin Louis (10-125, 2 TDs).
About the Vikings: The key for Augie is getting healthy and getting its best lineup on the field. Injuries have been a major problem already this season and coach Steve Bell says he will have a number of game-day decisions revolving around health. … Junio QB Jimmy Makuh has thrown for 528 yards in two games (51-82-3 with 4 TDs). … Eight receivers have caught passes, led by Sean Schlanser (14-124, 2 TDs), Breyden Smith (12-123), and Ethan Vrabec (10-117, 1 TD). Thanks to a 50-yarder in a 94-yard season opener, Mikey Brosnan has turned 6 catches into 114 yards and a TD. … Sr. RB Ben Ludlum leads Augie’s ground attack, averaging 66.5 yards per game. … Augie’s two rushing touchdowns this season are by QBs Makuh and David Finfer. … Former Augie standout and NFL great Kenny Anderson addressed the team last Friday at practice.
By the numbers: MU comes in averaging 27.5 points per game and allowing 10.0 a contest. The Big Blue are averaging 393.5 yards per game (168.5 rushing/225.0 passing) and allowing just 222.0 yards per game (81.5 rushing, 140.5 passing). Augie is averaging 24.5 points per game and allowing 45.5 a contest. The Vikings average 387.5 yards per game offense (110.5 rushing, 277.0 passing) and allow 381.0 yards per game (149.0 rushing, 232.0 passing).
Augie coach Steve Bell: “We’ve had a good week of practice. The kids cam ein Monday focused and ready to go with a little sting from Saturday. But I thought we had a very productive week. I would be very surprised if our guys did not come out of the gate fast this week. Our guys will be ready to roll; they have a bad taste in their mouth, obviously, and understand there is a lot of football left to be played.”
St. Ambrose (1-3) at Grand View (3-0)
Saturday: 12 p.m., Duke Williams Stadium, Des Moines.
Twitter updates: @TJ_DA.
Series: Grand View upped its advantage to 6-1 last year with a 34-0 victory over SAU in Davenport. It was GVU’s fourth straight win in head-to-head meetings.
Storylines: SAU is coming into the Heart of America North Division opener off its first win of the season, an 82-5 thumping of William Woods and needs another big game – almost a perfect one – to keep pace with the NAIA’s No. 1-ranked team. … These two teams have one common opponent in Missouri Baptist. GVU beat the Spartans 49-17; SAU dropped a 38-35 road decision to them.
About Grand View: The defending NAIA national champion Vikings are now under the direction of new head coach E.J. Peterson, who ascended from the GVU defensive coordinator position he held from 2018-2024. He took the job when Joe Woodley slid across Des Moines to take over at Drake University, ending a 17-year run of Woodleys in charge at GVU as he took over from his father, Mike. … With the Woodley family connected to the Quad-Cities, there is an Iowa-side football connection with GVU still with 10 local players on the roster — John Argo (Sr., LB, Assumption HS), Ryan Saddler (Sr., OL, Pleasant Valley HS), Cade Sheedy (Sr., LB, Davenport North HS), Nate Timmons (Sr., OL, Assumption HS), Antonio Diaz (Jr., TE, Assumption HS), Devon Sanders (Jr., CB, Davenport West HS), Jake Timmons (Soph., QB, Assumption HS), Eric Cary (Fr., OL, Bettendorf HS), Isaiah Dunn (Fr., DB, Bettendorf HS), Cash Hodges (Fr., OL, Muscatine HS). … GVU has 17 senior starters back this year. … GVU’s three wins this year are over No. 4 Benedictine (27-24), Missouri Baptist (49-17), and Baker (24-7). … QB Jackson Waring, a fifth-year grad student, has completed 34 of 55 passes for 590 yards with 6 TDs. … WR Aisea Toki, also a fifth-year grad student, has been his favorite target with 11 catches for 227 yards and 3 TDs.
About the Bees: Fourth-year SAU coach Vince Fillipp reports that his Fighting Bees are getting healthier and expect the return of senior RB Maximo Vasquez (34-148, 3 TDs) and senior LB Colin Gudella, who has a team-high 23 tackles despite missing last week’s game. … Fillipp also said that the search for the right defensive combinations continues with Manny Howard (Soph., DE/LB) and DJ Twymon (Jr., DB/OLB) will be more involved, according to Fillipp. … Despite the early start, SAU is traveling to Des Moines Saturday morning. … Through four games, redshirt sophomore QB Alec Ponder has thrown for 1,175 yards (74-133-5, 9 TDs). Four receivers have 12 or more catches, led by junior Kameron Bohnsack (16-398, team-high 4 TDs).
By the numbers: SAU numbers look much better after last week’s lopsided week, averaging 40.0 points per game and allowing 29.0 per game. The Fighting Bees are averaging 476.0 yards of offense per game (166.5 rushing, 309.5 passing) and allowing 375.8 yards of offense per game (139.3 rushing, 236.5 passing). … GVU is averaging 33.3 points per game this season and allowing 16.0. The Vikings are averaging 422.0 yards per game (201 rushing, 221.o passing) and allowing 330 per game (114.3 rushing, 215.7 passing).
SAU coach Vince Fillipp: “We’re excited for the challenge; you don’t always get this opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the nation, so we’re looking forward to it. … We have to be more physical than they are and be more disciplined than they are. That’s a challenge. They are a really good football team that executes at a very high level and do it with extreme physicality, and they don’t hurt themselves.”
— compiled by Tom Johnston
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TJ Johnston
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