MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Ripon's 2018 season-opening game went down to the wire Saturday afternoon, as an Augsburg field goal with five and a half minutes remaining proved to be the difference, giving the Auggies a 31-28 win. Augsburg out-gained Ripon 469-367 in total offense, while Ripon outgained the Auggies on the ground 293-204.

The game was a track meet early on, as the two teams combined for 28 points in the first 12 minutes of the contest. Augsburg (1-0) got on the board first with a 44 yard touchdown run by quarterback Quinn Frisell on what was just their third play from scrimmage. Ripon would answer on the ensuing possession, which was capped by a 29-yard run from Austin Bunders on what was just his second carry since missing all of last season with an injury. Ripon took their first lead of the game four and a half minutes later when Julian Patton found Cameron Mignone with a 20-yard touchdown pass. Augsburg then tied the score once more on the game's next possession, scoring on a 10-yard run, which capped a four-play, 70-yard drive.

Augsburg took control of the momentum in the second quarter, taking a 21-14 lead with five and a half minutes left in the half on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Frisell to Nick Heenie. Three minutes later, Augsburg was in the end zone again, thanks to another TD pass by Frisell, this time a 33-yard strike to Nate Herber, giving the Auggies the largest lead of the game. On the ensuing possession, Ripon managed to stay in the game by driving 72 yards in five plays, while using just 53 seconds to score on a 26 yard run by Tyler VanDeVelde just before halftime.

The scoring slowed down quite a bit in the second half, with neither team getting on the scoreboard in the third quarter. Just one minute into the fourth period, Ripon tied the score at 28 on a 40-yard Bunders touchdown up the sideline. That tie lasted until about the six minute mark when Tyler Hanson converted a 29-yard field goal for the go-ahead points.

Bunders, who averaged 12.8 yards per carry as a freshman two years ago, finished the game with a game-high 103 yards on nine carries, including the two scores, to go along with two receptions for 49 yards. Patton finished with 70 yards rushing, while also completing 5-of-13 passes for 74 yards.

Defensively, Ethan Hoffman led the way with a career-high 17 tackles, in addition to a pair of pass break-ups. Dakota Jordan added nine tackles, including one sack, while Devin Smith and Shane Strabley each recovered a fumble.

Frisell finished the game 14-for-25 with 239 yards and two touchdowns, in addtion to 61 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries. Heenie led all receivers with seven catches for 161 yards and a score.

Ripon will look to rebound in next weekend's home opener against Finlandia University, which will mark the first meeting on the gridiron between those two teams. That game will begin at 1 p.m. at the friendly confines of Ingalls Field in Ripon, and can be seen live, with LiveStats, at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.