ST. PAUL, Minn. – University of Northwestern Football opened their 2022 season on Saturday night with a home game against the Augsburg University Auggies. The Eagles rallied late but ultimately fell to Augsburg 23-15. Nonetheless, the sold out crowd witnessed a historic performance as sophomore wide receiver Beau Burk (Ogilvie, Minn./Ogilvie) caught nine passes for 222 receiving yards to set the all-time program single-game receiving yards record, breaking the previous record of 202 yards set by Chad Ruskinovich against Eureka in 2011.
 
The Auggies found the end zone first on a 12-yard touchdown reception with 5:54 remaining in the opening quarter to go up 7-0.
 
The Eagles answered in the second quarter as they methodically marched down the field from their own 15-yard line in a 16-play drive. Burk had the longest reception of the drive with a 29-yarder on 2^nd and 18 that brought the Eagles to midfield. On a third and goal from the nine, Nick Drinken (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) tossed up a jump ball to Bryson James (Apopka, Fla./Central Florida Christian Academy) who climbed the ladder and hauled it in over two Auggie defenders in the back right corner of the end zone for the touchdown. With a good extra point from Cole Uplegger (New Prague, Minn./New Prague), the Eagles tied the game 7-7.
 
The Auggies would break the tie in the third quarter. Taking over from their own 45, Augsburg drove down the field on eight plays and took the lead with a 12-yard touchdown run with 3:19 remaining in the quarter. The extra point would go wide, leaving the Eagles trailing by just six points.
 
On the ensuing Northwestern drive, the Eagles would throw a pick-six as an Auggie defender jumped a route and returned the ball 41-yards to put Augsburg up 20-7.
 
In the fourth quarter, Augsburg kicked a field goal to add to their lead with 10:34 remaining.
 
Needing a quick score to get back into the game, Burk stepped up and made a play. On the first play of a drive starting at their own 16-yard line with 7:16 remaining in the game, Drinkin saw Burk in single-coverage down the left sideline and launched a deep ball to his top wideout. Burk high-pointed the pass over his lone defender without breaking stride, outran the diving defender, and sprinted to the end zone for the 84-yard touchdown. The Eagles converted the two-point conversion to make it a one-score game, down eight points with seven minutes to go.
 
Northwestern's defense forced the Auggies to punt after five plays on their next possession. The Eagles then drove down the field, but the Auggies picked the ball off at their own 15 yard line to halt the UNW drive.
 
Again the Eagle defense made a big stop, forcing a three-and-out to give Northwestern the ball back with 1:12 remaining in the game. The Eagles' final drive started from their own 43 as they efficiently worked their way down the field. With enough time left to work with, the Eagles reached a first down at the Augsburg 12-yard line. At that line, the Auggie defense made their stand; forcing three incompletions and holding UNW short of the line on fourth down to turn the ball over. Two kneel-downs closed out the game with Augsburg holding on 23-15.
 
Up next for Northwestern is a road game in Mequon, Wisconsin as the Eagles travel to face Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday, September 10, at 1:00pm.