September 4, 1999

Heralded by many around the nation as a team to watch in 1999, Northern State showed the potential to live up to that billing, but couldn't put a full game together in a 56-25 loss in Sioux Falls to North Central Conference and intra-state rival Augustana College Saturday.

The Wolves began the game matching every blow the Vikings could deliver. Senior fullback and kickoff return specialist Troy Hoff (Scotland, S.D.) scored on a 91-yard kickoff rumble to give NSU a 10-7 with three minutes left in the first quarter.

When Augustana came back to hit paydirt on its next possession and regain the lead, Northern answered again with a methodical 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive capped off by a 13-yard pass from senior Nate Breske (Webster, S.D.) to junior Adam Syphers (Klamath Falls, Ore.) and take what would be the team's last lead at 17-14. All but three yards in that drive were gained through the air, showing a proming glimpse into what could be a dangerous counterpart to NSU's nationally-ranked rushing attack from 1998.

After a frantic second quarter that ended up putting 43 total points on the board, the Wolves were still in the game at the half, trailing 35-25. But NSU couldn't keep up in the second half, as Augustana kept scoring at that pace in the third quarter to ice the game.

Hoff was a bright spot for the Wolves on the ground as well as in special teams. The team captain and 1999 All-American Farm Team member also broke a 44-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter to keep NSU in the game. He ended the game with 53 yards on the ground (13.3 ypc) and 217 yards on five kickoff returns. Defensively, senior end Mike LeBrun (Eagan) ended with a game-high 11 tackles and one pass broken up.