GAME STATISTICS

ST. PAUL, Minn. (10/4/08) -- Quarterback #Jordan Berg *# (SR, Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East HS) became Augsburg College's all-time leading passer on Saturday, throwing for 311 yards as the Auggies rallied from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to top Hamline University 24-21 in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Hamline's Klas Field.

With the win, Augsburg improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAC play, the first time the Auggies have started a season 4-0 since 1973, when the Auggies started 5-0 en route to a 7-2 overall record. Hamline is now 1-3 overall, 0-3 in MIAC play.

Already the school's record-holder for career passing touchdowns (57) and completions (622), Berg eclipsed the remaining two career passing records on Saturday -- passing attempts (1,038) and passing yardage (6,818). Both previous records were held by Derrin Lamker (1993-97, 1,022 pass attempts and 6,624 passing yards).

Berg completed 28-of-40 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown, despite being picked off three times. His primary receiver, #Royce Winford *# (SR, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo HS), caught eight passes for 94 yards and a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter, which put Augsburg ahead for good at 17-14.

Winford, playing both wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense, accounted for 10 of Augsburg's 24 points in the game. In addition to his touchdown catch, he also caught a two-point conversion, and earlier in the game, returned a fumble on a Hamline conversion attempt the other way for a two-point play. Winford also intercepted a pass and had two tackles on defense.

With his eight catches, Winford moved into second place in Augsburg's career receptions list with 193. He is now in second place in each career receiving record -- 193 catches for 2,548 yards and 32 touchdowns -- all behind Scott Hvistendahl (1995-98), who caught 285 passes for 4,696 yards and 40 touchdowns in his career.

#Jason Potts# (SR, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) and #David Tilton# (SO, Anoka, Minn.) scored rushing touchdowns for the Auggies, who put together 340 yards of total offense in the victory. Potts rushed for 22 yards on six carries, and also caught eight passes for 91 yards, giving him a 113-yard total offense day.

The Auggies rallied with 24 consecutive points to take the lead after being down 14-0 late in the first quarter. But the Auggies had to hang on late for the victory, as Hamline drove to the Augsburg 5-yard line on a 17-play, 59-yard drive in the final minute. A key quarterback sack by free safety #Garrett Adamson#(SR, White Bear Lake, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) put the ball on the Augsburg 17, and with 13 seconds left in the game, a potential game-tying, 34-yard field-goal attempt by Hamline's Derek Johnson was missed wide left.

Adamson and teammate #Adam Mead# (SO, St. Francis, Minn.) both collected 10 tackles (seven solo) to lead the Auggie defense, while #Sean Kelly# (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) had eight tackles (five solo). #Andrew Bergeson# (JR, Red Wing, Minn.) and #John Hibbs# (SO, Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS) also had quarterback sacks for the Auggies.

Hamline dominated early, scoring the first 14 points of the game on its first two drives, holding the ball for 10:26 in the first period. On a 4th-and-9 play from the Augsburg 29, Hamline scored on a 29-yard pass from James Leary to Sean Lewis, then converted a two-pointer on a rush from Nick Lopez.

Augsburg then drove the ball to the Hamline 4-yard line, but an interception gave the Pipers the ball, and they converted on a 12-play, 92-yard drove for a score, again scoring on a fourth-down play, as Leary rushed from two yards out. Winford's defensive PAT return made the score 14-2.

Augsburg used a six-play, 75-yard drive, keyed by a 39-yard pass from Berg to Potts, to cut into the lead, as Potts completed the drive on a four-yard touchdown rush with 12:24 left in the second quarter. Augsburg took the lead on consecutive drives in the third quarter, as Winford caught a 12-yard scoring pass from Berg, then scored on a two-point conversion pass with 9:09 left; and Tilton completed a drive with an eight-yard scoring rush with 2:36 left in the frame.

Hamline's Brady Lorenzen picked off a Berg pass late in the third quarter at the Auggie 21-yard line, and the Pipers punched it in two plays later, with a 12-yard rush by Leary for the score. Neither team could punch it in on their remaining drives in the game.

#Dan Brown# (FY, Osseo, Minn.) caught four passes for 72 yards for the Auggies, while #Mike Nourie# (JR, Nicollet, Minn.) caught five passes for 24 yards.

For Hamline, Leary produced 167 yards on 17-of-24 passing, and also led the Pipers with 85 rushing yards on 23 carries. Alex House caught six passes for 64 yards. Defensively, Dante Guther had 11 tackles (five solo) and an interception to lead the Pipers, while Corey Olson had seven tackles (three solo) and a sack.

Both teams return to MIAC action next Saturday (10/11) at 1 p.m., as Augsburg plays at Carleton and Hamline plays at St. John's.