KENOSHA, Wis. – It was the second straight year that Carthage College friends, family and alumni had to endure a Homecoming thriller but the 2016 version ended perfectly for the Red Men football team, defeating Augustana College Saturday at Art Keller Field, 27-24, in front of a capacity crowd, on a final-minute touchdown run by Jamel Davis.
 
The win pushes Carthage to 3-1 on the season for the first time since 2011 and more importantly 1-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.  The Vikings drop to 2-2 and 1-1 in the CCIW.

"Today it was just enough," said head coach Mike Yeager.  "I give our kids credit, they responded well and got the victory at the end; but honestly, in all three facets it was somewhat embarrassing. I think we got out-played, out-coached, and just happened to find a way to win the game. We've got to get things cleaned up if we want to have more success."
 
The win puts Mike Yeager in some elite Carthage College company as he becomes the first coach since Art Keller to win back-to-back games against Augustana, dating back to the 1970 and '71 seasons.

"They're a good football team. We knew it was going to be a sixty-minute battle. You turn on the film, those guys are well coached. I give the coaches a lot of credit, they do a great job and they play really, really hard. We knew it was going to be a battle. I'm just upset with our ability to execute and losing poise on penalties. You can't have that if you're going to be a successful football team."
 
On a day that the top rushing offense in the CCIW couldn't get going, the Red Men found success through the air early with a 12-yard pass from Ethan Olles to Jamahl Wright to put the Red Men up 7-0 following the Lance Unland PAT with 5:06 left in the opening quarter.
 
The Red Men weren't done in the first, as following the Red Men defense forcing a three-and-out, Carthage regained possession with 3:30 remaining.  Olles and London Townsend would set the Red Men up inside the red zone on the drive and following a pair of Augustana unsportmanlike penalties Carthage found themselves with a first and goal situation from the four.  On the next play, Nick Anzelmo would take a quarterback keeper up the middle where he was hit and fumbled at the one-yard line.  Fortunately for Anzelmo and the Red Men, center Joe Godlevske was able to fall on the ball in the endzone to put Carthage up 14-0.
 
Augustana didn't let Carthage run away with the game however, as in the second quarter the Vikings took advantage of good field possession to score a pair of touchdowns to tie the game at 14-14 behind drives of 2:19 and 1:46 respectively.
 
Carthage would get the ball back one last time in the half and Olles led a two-minute offense that went 81 yards in nine plays, going five-of-nine through the air and connecting with James Cobbs from 12 yards out to regain the lead into halftime, 20-14, following the missed PAT.
 
Out of the break, Augie put together their most impressive drive of the game as the Vikings put together a 16-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that took 6:24 off the clock.  Giving Augustana the lead at 21-20 due to the looming missed extra point.
 
With the rest of the third quarter being played scoreless, the Red Men headed into the fourth still trailing by one until Augustana took advantage of a punt return, which set the Vikings up for another drive starting at the Red Men's 30.
 
Able to hold defensively, the Red Men only squandered a field goal to the Vikings, giving Augustana a 24-20 lead.
 
Two drives later it was Carthage's turn to put together the biggest drive of the day.  Taking the ball back with 7:10 left in the fourth, Kyle Friberg, whom was in for his second series of the game, came up with big throw after big throw to keep the Red Men's hopes alive.  Friberg went four-of-five on the drive connecting with Kyree Sago, James Cobbs and Javier Rhoades for catches of 26 yards, 23 yards and 27 yards respectively to set Carthage up inside the Vikings's 10. 

"Kyle found a way to get us in the end zone and found a way to extend plays which, at the quarterback position, you've got to do especially in a situation like we were in. So I give him credit. We'll go back and watch the film but we have confidence in Olles and confidence in Freiberg... Javi has played well this year.  James Cobbs has played well this year.  Freiberg got an opportunity this game and made a couple plays with his legs to extend the plays... So obviously, I commend our guys for keeping fighting and responding and finding a way to win the game. But, like I said, we've got to be better."
 
After a pair of failed rush attempts and a short completion the Red Men were about to face fourth and goal from the six until the Vikings were hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, giving the Carthage a first and goal situation with just over a minute left.  Coming out of a timeout after their first down play, Carthage handed off to Jamel Davis who dove over the goal line with 1:01 remaining to give Carthage a 27-24 lead and the eventual win.
 
While outrushing the Vikings, Carthage finished with just 96 yards on the ground.  Well below the season average of 193.0. 

"The rush offense wasn't where it needed to be today," said Yeager.  "I thought the running backs missed a few holes but our o-line wasn't where they needed to be. I give [Augustana] credit, they did a great job with their front seven and what they did defensively. They were going to stop the run and they sold out to do it and we missed our opportunities in the passing game.  When they're going to do that, you have to beat them through the air and today we couldn't do that at the start but were finally able to do that at the end."
 
Carthage's defense picked up where they left off last week with another great performance, holding Augustana to just 74 yards on the ground and 211 through the air. 
 
Shawntrel Garner led all Red Men with six tackles, all solo, while Greg Money and Jacob Simar each added five.  K.J. Simpson had the Red Men's lone sack on the day and joined Garner and Pete Laughline with a tackle for loss each. 
 
In the secondary, Moaso Bumba had three pass break ups; followed by Amani Dennis with two; and Emmet Trost, Virgil Young, Connor Calvert and Darquise Holman each with one.
 
Calvert also had the lone takeaway for the Red Men, intercepting Augustana's Zachary Fuller on the doorstep of the end zone, at the Carthage one.
 
Carthage gets back on the road next weekend when the Red Men renew the rivalry for the 'Old Musket' with Carroll University.  Carthage currently holds the musket after winning the last meeting for it in 2007.  Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. from Waukesha, Wis.