RIPON, Wis. -- Dominic Smith (SO, White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) caught 13 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, and Josiah Ferguson (SR, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) caught three touchdown passes, as Augsburg University opened its 2021 football season with a 46-38 nonconference loss at Ripon College on Saturday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Ripon (Wis.) 46, Augsburg 38
LOCATION: Ingalls Field, Ripon, Wis.
RECORDS: Augsburg 0-1 overall, Ripon 1-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Quarterback Cade Sheehan (SO, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) completed 28-of-47 passes for 393 yards and five touchdowns -- three to Ferguson, one to Smith and one to Braden Tretter (SO, Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS)
• Trailing 23-12 at halftime, Augsburg cut the lead to 23-18 as Tretter caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Sheehan on the opening drive of the third quarter. The Redhawks took the lead again on a six-play, 85-yard drive, but Augsburg scored twice in quick succession -- an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown by Tretter and, after the ensuing kickoff was fumbled and recovered by the Auggies, a five-yard scoring pass from Sheehan to Ferguson -- to take a 31-30 lead with 6:46 left in the frame.
• But Ripon scored touchdowns on its next three possessions, on drives of 12, nine and 10 plays, to take a 46-31 lead with 4:40 left in the fourth quarter. The Auggies cut the lead to 12 points on a two-yard scoring pass from Sheehan to Ferguson with 1:58 left, but could not get any closer.
• Ripon outgained Augsburg by a 570-432 margin in the game, as the Redhawk defense limited Augsburg to just 39 net rushing yards. Ripon rushed for 293 yards as a team and threw for 277 yards. The Redhawks also dominated the time-of-possession battle, holding the ball for 37:47 with 81 plays, compared to Augsburg's 22:13 and 67 plays.
• In addition to Smith's 13 catches for 212 yards, Ferguson caught five passes for 43 yards and three touchdowns. Tretter caught three passes for 68 yards, while also returning three kickoffs for 118 yards, including his 88-yard touchdown.
• Isaiah Thompson (SO, Detroit Lakes, Minn./Detroit Lakes HS) rushed 11 times for 37 yards, while catching three passes for 12 yards.
• Defensively, Leban Kahin (FY, Edina, Minn./Edina HS) had 10 tackles (nine solo) in his collegiate debut, including two tackles for-loss and a pass breakup. Camdin Carlson-Matthies (SR, Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) had eight tackles (eight solo), and Brandon Sjostrand (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy HS) had eight tackles (seven solo).
• Sydney Royalty (JR, Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King HS) had seven tackles (five solo), and Tramone Nevels (SO, Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) and Antonio Neve (SR, Vadnais Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) had six tackles each.

FOR THE FOES
• In his first collegiate game, Ripon running back Connor Ramage rushed 36 times for 226 yards and tied a single-game school record with six rushing touchdowns.
• Jarret Zibert completed 11-of-19 passes for 169 yards, while Cormac Madigan completed 9-of-12 pases for 108 yards. Kaipo Magsayo caught 10 passes for 130 yards.
• Zach Bunders had eight tackles (eight solo) and an interception to lead the Redhawk defense, while Devin Smith had five tackles (five solo) and an interception, and Dionisio Herrer had five tackles (four solo). Seth Lane also had an interception for Ripon.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts Nebraska Wesleyan in a nonconference game next Saturday (9/11) at 1 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.
• Ripon travels to face Knox (Ill.) in Midwest Conference action next Saturday at 1 p.m.