<t has become an unsettling trend early this season, Carleton (1-3, 1-2 MIAC) yet again let an early lead slip away last Saturday after taking on undefeated Augsburg College. Despite leading 14-0 after the first half, the Knights came apart at the seams in the second half, allowing Augsburg to turn the 14-0 deficit into a 35-14 rout.
Quarterback Mike Hartwell ‘13 led the charge for the Knights in the first half, finishing with 118 yards and two touchdowns on 14 of 14 passing. Carleton also moved the ball effectively on the ground, amassing 89 yards rushing in the half. The Knights scored their first points of the day on Hartwell’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jon Lien with 3:43 left in the first quarter. The score remained at 7-0 until the final seconds of the first half, when John Baker caught Hartwell’s second touchdown pass of the day, capping a 10 play, 78-yard drive. The defense also had a solid half, limiting Augsburg to just 106 total yards.
Carleton opened the second half on a promising note when Max Timm picked off his first pass of the season on a long Augsburg drive. After that play, though, the Knights’ woes began as Hartwell was intercepted. With the ball deep within Carleton’s territory, Augsburg punched the ball into the endzone just a few plays later and never looked back.
Carleton sealed its own fate later in the third quarter with turnovers on consecutive drives—a fumble and a pass—both of which Augsburg turned into touchdowns. Augsburg’s lead remained at 21-14 until the final three minutes of the 4th quarter when they added two cleanup touchdowns.
John Baker led the Knights with 85 yards rushing on the day, and Mike Hartwell finished with 118 yards (2 TDs, 2 INTs) on 14 of 17 passing. Augsburg RB Tyler Maxwell also shredded the Carleton defense for 147 yards rushing and 59 yards receiving, with 4 total touchdowns on the day.
The Knights return home next week to host conference foe Concordia College-Moorhead. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday.