Fun Facts About Sioux Falls' Key to the City Matchup Saturday

The Augustana Viking Football program will host this year's 'Key to the City' matchup against the USF Cougars on Saturday, which will be the 10th meeting since the rivalry was renewed in 2012.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 from Kirkeby-Over Stadium, and tickets are still available for the big game between undefeated NSIC programs. Both teams enter Saturday's game at 4-0.

As a newcomer to the area and the rivalry, I'm excited to take in the action in person on Saturday but also dug deeper into the history behind the big game in the Sioux Empire.

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USF Football via Xavier Blackwell USF Media Studies

Here are some fun facts regarding the two programs and their history on the football field.

The two teams met for the first time back on November 4th of 1922, and have met a total of 27 times.

Before missing the 2020 game due to COVID, the rivalry had been played for 8 consecutive years from 2012-2019, the 2nd longest in its history. Only once prior, from 1932-1940 was the rivalry played for longer consecutive seasons.

Here's the history behind the recent trophy rivalry, which has been played in every season except for 2020 since 2012:

The key trophy in the "Key to the City" game is a four-foot-tall key that was carved from an Aspen tree from the family farm of Arne Bortnem, a 1965 Augustana graduate. The traveling trophy is one of five active trophies played for in NSIC rivalries. The 'key' debuted in 2012, the first meeting between the two schools in 26 years.

Augustana Athletics/Jurgens Photography

In the modern NSIC days, USF has had the big edge in the rivalry. After the Cougars joined in 2012, the rivalry has been played all but one year since. Augie joined the NSIC in 2008.

Since 2012, USF has won 7 of the 9 contests, including a thrilling 28-26 victory at home last season.

The games have been close more often than not as well, as 5 of 9 contests have been decided by less than a touchdown.

Interestingly, prior the NSIC days, Augustana had a stranglehold on the rivalry, having won every single game against the Cougars, going 18-0 against their crosstown rival.

This season, fireworks should be in store as the Vikings are the higher ranked team, coming into the contest at #11 while USF is in the receiving votes category of the latest AFCA poll.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 from Kirkeby-Over stadium, as the biggest football rivalry right here in the Sioux Empire kicks off for the 28th ever meeting and the 10th meeting for the Key to the City.

Canva

Sources: GoAugie Series History and Key to the City History - GoAugie

See Some of Sioux Falls' Beautiful Murals [PHOTOS]

I was in Canton, SD, and I happened upon a new mural.

It was really cool and that got me thinking that I know of a few murals in Sioux Falls, but I bet there's more than I realize. So, I put it out on social media for the people of Sioux Falls to tell me where all the murals are!

A few of them I had never seen, or never even been to that part of town, and a few of them, I drive by all the time and never noticed!

I know a few businesses have murals inside their establishments, but I decided to keep it to murals that are totally open for the public to see. No need to be 21!

So, here we go! Let's check out some of Sioux Falls' murals.

Did I miss one? Let me know!

Source: Fun Facts About Sioux Falls’ Key to the City Matchup Saturday