ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Carroll University football battled in a back-and-forth contest but fell short in a 31-24 CCIW loss to Augustana on Saturday at Austin E. Knowlton Complex. With the defeat, the Pioneers move to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in CCIW play, while Augustana improves to 5-1 (4-1 CCIW).
Augustana struck first midway through the opening quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jimmy Makuh, but Carroll answered with a 15-play, 70-yard drive capped by Mikey Coleman's 3-yard rushing score to tie the game at 7-7. The Vikings regained the lead early in the second quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Makuh to Ethan Vrabec, but Carroll responded again with an eight-play, 75-yard march as Charlie King scored on a 12-yard keeper to even the score at 14-14. The Pioneers seized momentum late in the half when King connected with Carson Crouch for an 11-yard touchdown with 33 seconds remaining, sending Carroll into halftime up 21-14.
After the break, Augustana chipped away with a third-quarter field goal and later reclaimed the lead on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Makuh to Vrabec, making it 24-21 heading into the fourth. Carroll tied the game at 24-24 with a field goal from Matthew Swink at the 4:41 mark, but Augustana delivered the decisive blow with a 2-yard touchdown run by Ben Ludlum with 59 seconds left.
Carroll finished with 314 yards of total offense (252 passing, 62 rushing) compared to Augustana's 457 yards. King completed 22-of-41 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown, adding 17 rushing yards and a score. Breckheimer led the receiving corps with 8 catches for 91 yards, while Crouch added 3 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Coleman contributed 25 rushing yards and the early score.
Defensively, Evan Griffiths paced Carroll with 12 tackles, while Braedon Curtin added 11 stops and an interception. The Pioneers recorded one sack and three tackles for loss, plus a blocked field goal by James LaBell to close the first half.
Despite the loss, Carroll showed resilience, converting all four fourth-down attempts and scoring on three of four red-zone trips. The Pioneers will look to bounce back when they return home next Saturday to host Elmhurst at Schneider Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m..
